The Boston Globe has been forced to apologise for a cartoon published on December 30th (reproduced above) which depicted the Northern Irish as lazy drunks, full of hate. The Archbishop of Boston, Cardinal Bernard Law, said the cartoon was a shameful ethnic slur against the Irish which "revived the ugly tradition that one would have thought was safely relegated to the darker corners of history".
About 150 protesters picketed the Globe's offices in Dorchester and one man was cheered when he burned a copy of the paper. The Ancient Order of Hibernians said the cartoon reflected the ignorance of the Globe and its cartoonist, Paul Szep, of the reality of Ireland.
"There is not a race of people on earth with a stronger work ethic than the Irish", said Jack Meehan of the AOH with commendable hyperbole.