[caption id="attachment_69551" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Newt Gingrich."]
Fr. Sean McManus is standing up for New Gingrich this week. And it has nothing to do with the former speaker's conversion to Catholicism.
The Fermanagh-born Redemptorist has long batted for Newt for the simple reason that the still Southern Baptist Gingrich stepped up to the plate on Northern Ireland when other more likely contenders - various Catholic Irish Americans - were, shall we say, gun-shy.
Whatever one thinks of Newt, it is important to remember the historical record: as Speaker, Newt lifted the ban on Congressional hearings on British violations of human rights in Northern Ireland," McManus wrote in a recent letter to the Irish News in Belfast.
The ban, he pointed out, has been placed by Speaker Tip O'Neill.
"Imagine that? Boston-Irish-Catholic O'Neill covers up for the British, yet a Protestant ( as he was then) from Georgia permits hearings on the MacBride Principles, the RUC, Pat Finucane, collusion, etc." stated McManus.
"Those interested in Irish human rights and Irish history must not forget this ironic fact," he added.
This of course raises the possibility that if Gingrich, as he has pledged, hangs in tough despite Mitt Romney's efforts and continues to secure the GOP nomination, we might see an Irish Presidential Forum this year featuring a candidate who, in full flow, would test the shorthand skills of even the fastest scribbler.
The question is, of course, with so much his energies lately directed at the moon, does Gingrich even remember that he once had an Irish policy?
OSCARS SQUARED
Oh serendipity. The US-Ireland Alliance, Trina Vargo to the fore, is delighted with itself in the aftermath of the Oscar nominations being announced last week.
"We're claiming prescience. All of the honorees at our upcoming Oscar Wilde event were also nominated this week for that 'other' Oscar," Vargo trumpeted in a release.
"John Logan was nominated for Writing (Adapted Screenplay) for Hugo. Melissa McCarthy was nominated for Actress in a Supporting Role for Bridesmaids. And Michelle Williams was nominated for Actress in a Leading Role for My Week With Marilyn. We look forward to honoring them all on 23 February at Bad Robot," she said in reference to this year's venue for the annual Oscar Wilde celebration that is staged by the Alliance, which, of course, is the force behind the Mitchell Scholarship program.
Added Vargo: "We also look forward to the many others who will join us, including several other Oscar nominees. Peter J. Devlin has been nominated for Sound Mixing for Transformers: Drak Side of the Moon. A previous Oscar Wilde honoree, Terry George, has been nominated, along with his daughter, Oorlagh, for Short Film (Live Action) for The Shore.
"Others attending include Senator George J. Mitchell, HBO President Len Amato, former honoree and cinematographer Seamus McGarvey; longtime event supporters actress Dana Delany and writer Cecelia Ahern. We'll also be joined by Alliance board members Hylda Queally, John Gardiner and Una Fox, as well as many others yet to be announced later."
A good crowd indeed in the dodgy robot.
