Why did successive governments and the Irish people of the south so desperately want the Troubles to end? Not too hard to answer that one, you say – because they didn’t want the violence spilling over into the twenty-six counties and besides, they abhorred the idea of lives on both sides being taken in the north. […]
November, 2015
‘To air strike or not to air strike Syria? – That is the question’ by Ciaran Mc
This week the British government rolled out their “comprehensive case” to extend military action on Syria. Previously in 2013, 30 Conservative MPs rebelled against Prime Minister, David Cameron, when he proposed launching bombing raids on Syria, albeit against the Assad regime and not ISIS. That vote failed. This time around Cameron has made it […]
Some Greene correspondence in 1914 by Donal Kennedy
Kathleen to Frank July 3 1914 – “In the North they say the priests are selling lottery tickets for the big places now belonging to Protestants, which they tell the people they will get when Home Rule Comes. ” July 13 1914 – The papers look fearfully serious. Ulster is an armed camp. Sir […]
That Jeremy Corbyn – he had the nerve to appear on telly this morning…
I’ve just watched a recording of this morning’s Andrew Marr show on BBC1 and it was revealing. If you went by the majority of British newspapers, Jeremy Corbyn is Michael Foot without the brains and less dress-sense. His party is in revolt against him, he doesn’t want to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with France, and his parliamentary […]
‘Roy Foster, Dev and a daring challenge’ by Donal Kennedy
I challenge anyone to persuade me of one or all of the following propositions – 1. That Roy Foster is honest. 2. That by occupying a Chair of History in Oxford University he adds lustre to that seat of learning. 3. That his work redounds to the glory of God or the honour of […]
The quick way to settle differences
Good news: there’s not as much violence around as there was. That’s on the domestic level and the international level. For example, violent crime in 2014 in the US was down 4.4% – the lowest since 1948. In the UK the drop was even more striking : 10%. Various reasons are given for this. Some […]
Hitler, Franco and Col. Hugh Pollard by Donal Kennedy
When Hitler came to power in 1933 the Communist HQ in Berlin was seized and members of that Party arrested and tortured in it. The Nazis captured the Party’s membership lists and played host to an MI5 Agent in that HQ, who copied them, in the company of the resident MI6 agent in Britain’s Berlin Embassy. […]
Jim Allister and his deep love for BREXIT
If Jim Allister didn’t exist, would we have to invent him so we’d know what a really right-wing politician looked and sounded like? He was holding forth yesterday on his position regarding Britain doing a BREXIT – leaving the EU- and he was passionate in his insistence that this would be a Good Thing. It […]
Taking the world’s leaders by the nose
The lawn in my back garden is soaking. Every time I walk across it to replenish the bird-table, I leave a trail of dark footprints where my feet have sunk into the ground with a squelch. Weird. I don’t remember sqelchiness being the case twenty years ago. All changed, changed utterly. And we all know […]
George and Michael: Surprise, Surprise!
Two scenarios. Scenario A: Kid wakes on Christmas morning and finds Santa has brought him a wonderful Play Station thingy. Whoops of delight as he gets ready to enjoy his toy. Scenario B: Kid has been told because he failed two subjects and pulled the cat’s tail he’s getting nothing – nada, nought, rud […]