[sustran] [sustran] Re: Quote - and Help Wanted (Indonesia)

Pascal Desmond pascal at pop.gn.apc.org
Thu Sep 21 01:52:44 JST 2000


>Fatima Mansions? Who They?

In the 1950s and early 1960s it was the fashion for local authorities 
in Ireland to name their social housing estates/ housing projects 
after Catholic religious events / saintly people. Hence, you will 
find 'St Kevin's Park', 'St Bridgid's Parade', 'Colmcille Terrace', 
etc. in many towns and villages. In the 1960s the fashion was for 
freedom fighters/ terrorists such as Pearse, Connolly, Clarke, et al.

Fatima Mansions [named after the place in Portugal where there was 
some religious vision] is a massive housing project in Dublin, owned 
by the Corporation [whose motto is Obedentia civium urbis 
felicitas*]. Fatima Mansions had a reputation for being a hard place. 
Sadly it gained notoriety in the early 1980s as one of the places 
where heroin took a frightening grip on a population without hope, 
comfort or joy in their lives. Sean Flynn's 'Smack: the criminal drug 
racket in Ireland' is an excellent read on this subject.

A rock band decided to name themselves after the place where they 
lived. I'm not familiar with their music/lyrics, but would not be 
surprised if it is 'gritty urban realism'. Somehow, I can't imagine 
Celine or Whitney covering their songs.

* The obedience of the citizens is the happiness of the city.
-- 
Kind regards
Pascal Desmond.



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