Below is a Christmas message I wrote for www.Broadsheet.ie in December 2016; the year of the Apollo House Occupation and the same Christmas that was followed very shortly with the announcement that Syrian Refugees would be arriving in Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon.
This is now a well-worn story with its own virtual box-set of documentaries and articles, both here online and in the mainstream. And shur’ t’wasn’t long before these arriving families were so well embedded within our Story of Ireland, they muscled in an Up For The Match for themselves with the same barefaced chancery as any Tipp lad.
When I originally submitted it had the working title “Urbi et Frilly.” Broadsheet didn’t run it that Christmas Day 2016; sum’ting around not having the availability to moderate – ‘racist trolling is my main issue.’
Anyways the sabotage of Caiseal Mara Hotel there over the weekend reminded me of it again, and since I am technically a migrant meself, like those covered in the colonies of weekend tweets you will all be familiar with, I decided to retrieve it.
Feel free to comment as ye see fit, I don’t censor, never have, never will. There’s room for everyone.
I remember I put it together on my phone, and save for a few typos I’ve just corrected, this is what was sent into Broadsheet Christmas Eve 2016.
Earlier this week I heard that the number being put on how many might have drowned in their attempts to reach Europe in 2016 was 5,000.
5,000
5,000 lives that no matter how shittie it turned out for, the owners of those 5,000 lives still thought t’was worth the risk.
So I’m here on Christmas Day to say fúck Brexit, fúck any Church using School places to proselytize, fúck Trump and his rapidly spreading intolerance, and fúck the Irish League of Hating everyone not white and Catholic.
I don’t care what ye all have ta’ say
I don’t care who is appalled or outraged or livid by what they all have ta’ say.
5,000
There is always room at the inn.
For anyone who has returned to their home towns and villages of not Dublin this week, ask around;
- Has your old school lost any teachers in the student: teacher calculation stakes?
- Has the Club bin’ able to field teams in all age groups?
- Are there idle residential properties?
If yes to all 3 – in your own community; then let’s do what we really do best as Paddies : Exceed expectations when it comes to helping those that everyone else ignores, forgets or dislikes.
I’m here to reach out.
There is plenty room in this inn
The more the merrier lads, the more the merrier.
Nollaig Shona everyone
Keep the keys at home and remember if you don’t have Christmas in your heart, you won’t find it under the tree.
Enjoy the ‘wran
Funny how things turn out int’it?
Like ye’ve heard me say before anyway; trust the internet; the internet always delivers the truth, eventually.
Frilly Keane 