July, 2010

I wonder if former Justice Minister Michael McDowell has seen Billy (Spider) Kelly box?  Back in 1950s Derry  Billy was a champion fighter largely through his ability to bob and weave, which left his opponents punching empty air and eventually defeated. I ask the question because Mr McDowell has suggested that the Twelfth of July […]

I wonder if former Justice Minister Michael McDowell has seen Billy (Spider) Kelly box?  Back in 1950s Derry  Billy was a champion fighter largely through his ability to bob and weave, which left his opponents punching empty air and eventually defeated. I ask the question because Mr McDowell has suggested that the Twelfth of July […]

So Ian Óg Paisley has decided that Ulster-Scots isn’t a language. Well whoop-de-doop. In doing so he’s aligned himself with the majority of middle-class unionists who are simply embarrassed by the efforts of people like Nelson McCausland to push for Ulster-Scots parity with Irish. “Ulster-Scots is a language”  Nel insists. C’mere a minute, Nel, I  […]

So Ian Óg Paisley has decided that Ulster-Scots isn’t a language. Well whoop-de-doop. In doing so he’s aligned himself with the majority of middle-class unionists who are simply embarrassed by the efforts of people like Nelson McCausland to push for Ulster-Scots parity with Irish. “Ulster-Scots is a language”  Nel insists. C’mere a minute, Nel, I  […]

Asda is a big corporate bully. That ws my first reaction to the news that an employee had been sacked for telling some people playing music in the store car park that they should be playing ‘The Sash’. The employee makes a joke, the management don’t like the joke, the employee gets fired – a […]

Asda is a big corporate bully. That ws my first reaction to the news that an employee had been sacked for telling some people playing music in the store car park that they should be playing ‘The Sash’. The employee makes a joke, the management don’t like the joke, the employee gets fired – a […]

Some adults shouldn’t be let near children. I don’t mean the ones who beat them or sexually abuse them; vicious and cruel though such people are, what they do is so obviously wrong and contrary to the child’s interest, even the dullest of youngsters can see they are an enemy. No, the truly dangerous adults […]

Some adults shouldn’t be let near children. I don’t mean the ones who beat them or sexually abuse them; vicious and cruel though such people are, what they do is so obviously wrong and contrary to the child’s interest, even the dullest of youngsters can see they are an enemy. No, the truly dangerous adults […]

The good people of Derry are whooping and hollering with delight this morning. Or at least some of them are: there are those who think  competing for the UK City of Culture is a betrayal of their Irishness.  If it is, it’s a betrayal that’s been going on in different forms for a long time.  […]

The good people of Derry are whooping and hollering with delight this morning. Or at least some of them are: there are those who think  competing for the UK City of Culture is a betrayal of their Irishness.  If it is, it’s a betrayal that’s been going on in different forms for a long time.  […]