reading

All that I did for reading this week concerns Northern Ireland. As the landmark event happened on 26 March (picture above; the text with the picture on http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6494599.stm) ,leading to the Protestants' and Catholics' decision to share a devolved government, I reckoned that it was high time to inform myself properly about the two major political parties behind this event- Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionist Party.

Let me give you a brief overview of them, and the rest you can read yourself under the internet addresses I'll provide.

the Democratic Unionist Party- is orientated towards the Protestant community. It is staunchly committed to British rule in Northern Ireland and it fiercely opposes any form of union with the Republic of Ireland.

It's incumbent leader is Ian Paisley, a Presbyterian minister.

To read more about Ian Paisley and the DUP, visit:

http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/hutchinson/m0041309.html

Sinn Fein-Although this name was used by a series of political movements in the 20th century, in modern politics it refers to the political party, which emerged as a splinter group during the 1970s Irish republican movement, dedicated to Irish Republicanism.

It is allegedly seen as the political front of the Provisional IRA, though this has never been neither admitted nor denied. It's current leader is Gerry Adams, an Irish Republican politician. He is also alleged to have been a member of the Provisional IRA's army council from the 1970s until mid-2005.

If you wish to read more about Gerry Adams and Sinn Fein, visit:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinn_F%C3%A9in

My comment:

You cannot imagine how pleased I was to have been finally able to find just the information I craved for. If there is one thing I particularly loath, then it is to learn about something (here Ireland) without knowing the bare facts about its history.

Thanks God, now the history of the major Northern Irish parties is not shrouded in mystery for me anymore. For Northern Ireland I sincerely hope that the door on the past will be closed and that a new, brighter future beckons.