A Year to Remember

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Editorial / Periscope - Niall O'Dowd

A Year to Remember

December 21, 2007

THE passing year will certainly go down in history for Irish Americans as one where many historic mileposts were reached, but also one where shattering disappointments were also part of the package.

The good news first. Northern Ireland moved through an almost dream-like phase of reconciliation and renewal, with each passing month giving further evidence that the peace process was taking hold in a manner that was inconceivable even at the beginning of the year.

There are almost too many historical snapshots to fit in the album. At the core was an election result that finally clarified the future of the North.

The bottom line was whether Martin McGuinness and Ian Paisley could do business together. After the befuddlement and weekly crises of the David Trimble era, there was a welcome clarity to the equation.

In the end Paisley shocked many commentators by agreeing to sup with the devil, and with not a particularly long spoon either.

Cue the new government, cue the historical photographs, cue the overwrought prose of a thousand scribes as they tried to explain the miraculous series of events.

Here was Paisley on May 8, agreeing to sit in government with McGuinness at Stormont as an astounded world watched.

Among those present at the historic occasion was Senator Edward Kennedy and British Prime Minster Tony Blair, accompanied by his Irish counterpart Bertie Ahern.

Here, a few weeks later, was Paisley at the Boyne with Ahern, sharing jokes and camaraderie like they had been friends for life. Here in America, just a couple of weeks ago was Paisley and McGuinness jointly heading up an economic mission to bring U.S. investment to the North.

“There’ll be days like this” as Van Morrison, proud Belfast man wrote. Yes indeed, but we hardly dreamed we’d live to see them.

For Ahern it was a year that started off with extraordinary achievement, but faded to discord towards the end. He won a smashing re-election victory in May which makes him Ireland’s longest serving leader. He spoke to a joint session of the British Parliament, the first ever by an Irish leader, and he is set to speak to the U.S. Congress early in 2008.

In between, however, were the increasing questions about his financial dealings, currently being painstakingly examined at the Mahon tribunal. His survival as Taoiseach (prime minister) through 2008 may well be in question as a result.

Now for the bad news. The crushing failure of comprehensive immigration reform has been written about extensively in this newspaper. Prospects looked bright at the beginning of 2008 given the composition of Congress, but alas, it wasn’t even close.

The nativist sentiment so prevalent in many parts of the media and in the right wing of the Republican Party won out. The anti-immigrant mood in the country at present is set to crest in 2008 when Republicans are clearly intent on using immigration as a wedge issue.

The demonizing of people rather than focusing on a practical immigration policy is one of the great disappointments of 2007. While the prospects look dim for progress next year, the Irish government and the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform have both vowed to keep up the fight or however long it takes.

So a mixed year overall, but one that will not be forgotten for all that happened, both good and bad. Here’s hoping we have only positive developments in 2008.

A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.

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