[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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