Freedom of the City

Saw Brian Friel's play: 'The Freedom of the City'.  It is a fictional telling of the shooting by British soldiers of 3 unarmed marchers for civil rights in Northern Ireland.  There are a number of pieces to the play.  First, there is a judge conducting a fact finding investigation into the shootings.  He exonerates the military.  Second, a media reporter who announces, falsely, that 40 armed men have taken control of the mayor's office.  Third, a priest at a memorial service who blames the deaths on subversives in the march. Fourth, a balladeer who claims the three dead as folk heroes.  Fifth, a lecturer who discourses on the culture of poverty.  They each intertwine with the main portion of the play: Who are the three dead?
The play opens with their bodies prone on the stage.  They were marching for civil rights when tear gas blinded them.  As they look for shelter they wander into the Mayor's private chamber.  They find some wine and whiskey and tell their stories to each other.  Michael [James Russell] is a young man who has lost his job but plans to go to school for computer training.  He is sure that their innocence will protect them.  Skinner [Joseph Sikora] describes himself as a freeman of the city.  He was orphaned at ten and shuttled from different relatives and institutions.  He's homeless, without work, and a fierce believer in everyone's right to live in dignity.  Lily is married.  Her husband lost his job and she works to support the family.  They live in two rooms without running water.  They have 11 children.  One of whom has down syndrome.  The military arrives in force and ask the three to come out with their hands up.  They do and are shot.  The play ends as it began: three bodies on the stage.
The play mirrors the events of 1/30/'72, which is known as 'Bloody Sunday'.  During a civil rights march in Londonderry 26 protesters and bystanders were shot, five in the back.  2 people were run down and killed by military vehicles.  The Irish Catholics were protesting because discrimination from the Protestant majority was increasing.  Voting rights and public services like housing were being denied.  The first investigation, known as the Widgery Tribunal cleared the military of any responsibility.  The second investigation, the Saville Inquiry, which began in 1990 ended in 2010,  faulted the military.  David Cameron, British Prime Minister, apologized.  After 1/30/ '72 the rolls and finances of the IRA were enormously increased, which burgeoned the "troubles" until they officially ended with the Belfast Agreement of 1998.
Did I mention I liked the play?  The NY Times called it a trenchant revival.
NY Times: "Those three lead performances - Ms. Seymour's the most quietly wrenching- put a haunting human face on the Troubles of Northern Ireland.    

Frankenstorm

This is around First Ave and Fifth Street.  The block has a nice group of old trees and I think there might be, unfortunately, some loss.  I took these at 8AM.  It is now 9:45 and they say winds are 53MPH.
In 1960 Hurricane Donna was similar in size but it's power was a category 3.  This storm, Sandy, is a category 1.  Donna's storm surge was 11 feet in New York which put Ave. B under a foot of water.  364 deaths were caused by Donna and the damage was $900 million.  The name Donna has been removed from the list of possible storm names.