Bernie Linnane

@berlinnaeus.bsky.social

1329 Followers 270 Following

General Nuisance. Frequently profane. @Leitrim4Choice She/Her #FeckOffIona #BackAwayBishops #SeparateChurchAndState

Madam, Sandra Adams (letters, 15/3/26) warns of the "billions of men living in cultural and religious traditions that continue to treat women as second class citizens." We don't, however, need to travel to Afghanistan or Iran to find examples. Our own Irish primary education system is largely controlled by the Catholic Church, an organisation which deems the female of the species inferior from the moment we are born. The "virtual bogeyman" may reside closer to home than Ms Adams imagines. Bernie Linnane, Dromahair, Co. Leitrim.
Dear Editor, Gerry Adams told the High Court in London this week that the men and women of the IRA "defied all attempts to criminalise them." Really? I'm old enough to remember when the "mature and intelligent" IRA blew up two little boys in Warrington. By that disgusting and indefensible action, along with hundreds of other murders, including members of our Gardai and Defence Forces, Mr Adam's brave volunteers criminalised themselves. Bernie Linnane Dromahair, Co. Leitrim.
Dear Editor, Last week, following an announcement from Donald Trump that the illegal US war on Iran was "very complete, pretty much," stock markets rose and the price of oil dropped by more than $30 per barrel. Of course, these gains have since been reversed as the markets realised what the rest of us have known for quite some time: the American President cannot be taken at his word. The questions then arise: if the markets are so completely unable to distinguish fact from fiction, are they anything more than glorified gambling, and why have we allowed so many of our lives to become dependent on their vagaries? Bernie Linnane Dromahair, Co. Leitrim.
How incredibly sad, not to mention frightening, that a woman presenting to a Maltese hospital bleeding, distressed and seeking help should find herself criminalised, and that doctors treating her should find themselves in the invidious position of becoming police informers. Once again, Malta's reputation is sullied in the eyes of reasonable people, many of whom may be prospective tourists. I would certainly think twice about recommending that any woman of childbearing age should visit your lovely island, lest she find herself prosecuted for exercising bodily autonomy. Bernie Linnane Leitrim for Choice Dromahair, Co. Leitrim, Ireland
Reading reports that last week's dreadful shooting in Canada had been carried out by a transgender teenager, my heart sank, as I knew there were some in the media who would weaponise this tragedy against trans people in general. As I read Brenda Power's first column for your paper today, I scanned for even the smallest expression of sympathy for the families bereaved by such a senseless act, but none was forthcoming. Instead, it seems, Ms Power used the shooting as a pretext to shoehorn in as much anti-trans sentiment as her word-count would allow. Is this a taste of things to come? Bernie Linnane Dromahair, Co. Leitrim.
Dear Editor, Liz O'Sullivan tells us that abortion is a "profound decision." Once again, decisions around pregnancy termination are portrayed as being taken on a whim, by flighty women incapable of understanding the consequences of their actions. How ridiculous. By the time a person seeks abortion, they have given a great deal of thought to their situation and made the choice that is best for them. To insist they re-think is patronising and insulting. In fact, the three-day waiting period seems only to suit those who who don't actually need, want or approve of abortions, but would like to influence other people's private decisions. It serves no medical purpose for those who seek, or provide, this type of healthcare, and should be scrapped. Bernie Linnane Dromahair, Co. Leitrim.
Dear Editor, Sarah Carey tells us that the three-day mandatory waiting period for abortion care "has an impact". How right she is. For some people, this wait pushes them over the time limit in which they could legally access an abortion in this country, forcing them to act outside the law or to make the lonely journeys we hoped the 2018 referendum would end. For others, it acts as a barrier to their accessing care in a timely manner, as it was designed to do, resulting in distress and trauma to people who are already in difficult situations. There is no medical justification for this waiting period, introduced as a sop to a Fine Gael politician. Why should more women have to suffer to salve the conscience of a conservative man? The three-day wait should be scrapped and Irish people should be trusted to make their own medical decisions. Bernie Linnane Dromahair, Co. Leitrim
Madam, David Quinn tells us that not much is known about St Brigid but that "she almost certainly existed". He castigates the image of Brigid as a feminist icon and goes on to lambast modern feminists, telling us exactly what Brigid would have thought of us. I suspect that, if Brigid existed, as goddess or saint, or both, she was perfectly well able to speak for herself, without interpretation by religiously conservative men. That's why we modern feminists find her inspirational and empowering, and some men find her, and us, so frightening. Bernie Linnane Dromahair, Co. Leitrim.
Sir, If they wanted to guarantee we watched The Life of Brian, they couldn't have done a better job. In 1979, banning it ensured that EVERYONE in my friend group watched it. Just like the people who think they can stop children accessing inappropriate content on social media: have you ever been young? Do you have any idea how resourceful teenagers can be? Kids will always find a way to see the things you want to hide. How about we educate our children about the dangers of the things they're likely to come across? Let's teach them stuff that's actually useful and might protect them, instead of pretending we can stop them accessing the internet. Bernie Linnane Co. Leitrim.
Peadar Tóibín is so desperate for something at which to take performative umbrage that he misses the entire point of winter lights. For millennia, humans have marked the passage of the midwinter, and the turning of the season, celebrating the literal returning of the light. This predates Christianity by thousands of years. In fact, early Christians were so impressed that they cleverly co-opted these primitive festivals into their own calendar. It is the Winter Lights which are original, not the usurping Christmas ones. Still, no one is suggesting an end to either - apart from Mr Tóibín and Co. Celebrating both seems like a very good idea at a time when things can seem very dark. Enlightenment is good for all. Bernie Linnane Dromahair, Co. Leitrim.
Peadar Tóibín is so desperate for something at which to take performative umbrage that he misses the entire point of winter lights. For millennia, humans have marked the passage of the midwinter, and the turning of the season, celebrating the literal returning of the light. This predates Christianity by thousands of years. In fact, early Christians were so impressed that they cleverly co-opted these primitive festivals into their own calendar. It is the Winter Lights which are original, not the usurping Christmas ones. Still, no one is suggesting an end to either - apart from Mr Tóibín and Co. Celebrating both seems like a very good idea at a time when things can seem very dark. Enlightenment is good for all. Bernie Linnane Dromahair, Co. Leitrim.
Dear Editor, I cannot begin to tell you how surprised I was to discover that young men of a racist and discriminatory disposition might be attracted to a party set up by people who believe that women have too many rights. Bernie Linnane Dromahair, Co. Leitrim.
I'm no legal expert but cancellation of a presidential election due to the withdrawal of a candidate has no basis in law, and would appear to be unconstitutional. Surely Maria Steen has a copy of Bunreacht na hÉireann in her handbag? Bernie Linnane Dromahair, Co. Leitrim.
Sir, Forgive me if I find it hard to believe a member of the Iona Institute, which promotes the church that influenced policy in this state for decades, and still dominates almost 90% of our schools, when she claims she would be a non-establishment candidate. Bernie Linnane Dromahair, Co. Leitrim.
Maria Steen tells us that she knows her decision to put herself forward to run in the presidential election will affect her children. It might also affect mine. I don't want a President who believes my daughter has too many rights. Bernie Linnane Dromahair, Co. Leitrim.
Madam, On checking my diaries, I discover that I weighed just under ten stone in 2015, at the time the Gender Recognition Act came into law. Far from being erased, as John Boyne would have it, there appears to be considerably more of me today. I wholeheartedly support the rights of transgender people to live their best, authentic lives and, as a woman who has been a feminist since the 1970s, I know that this does not affect my rights in any way. The 10,000 people who marched at Trans and Intersex Pride in Dublin last month would seem to agree. The “greatest sin of our time” is not transphobia but, as so often in our past, the failure to believe women when we tell you who we are. Bernie Linnane Dromahair, Co. Leitrim.
There is much speculation that Gerry Adams, fresh from his court victory over the BBC, will now stand for the Presidency. Mr Adams is also expected to appear next March at an unrelated civil case in ­London which seeks to establish that he had “command and control” over the IRA throughout the Troubles, according to the lawyer leading the action. The idea of our President defending a claim brought by victims of terrorism for vindicatory damages in the Royal Courts of Justice seems, at the very least, unedifying. Bernie Linnane Dromahair, Co. Leitrim.
Today, the Jesuit Order apologised for its “failings,” which included prioritising the interests of the Order over those of the children abused by its members. Can anyone today really give credence to the pious hand-wringing of this organisation, long after the abusers it shielded got away scot free, leaving a trail of devastation and pain behind them? Concealing a crime is itself a crime, yet we know better than to expect prosecutions of those responsible. We are, sadly, all too familiar with the pattern. Why do we continue to allow these religious orders, who apparently didn't realise covering up child abuse was wrong, anywhere near our schools? Bernie Linnane Dromahair, Co. Leitrim.