January, 2016

May I address the gripes of Sharon Ni Chonchur and Joe Horgan? Ms Chonchur wants gender quotas for election candidates. Such quotas would restrict the freedom of political parties to choose those they thought the most suitable candidates and might well spoil a party’s chances in the polls. Irish parties are autonomous as are Irish […]

(This article first appeared in the Andersonstown News) Enda Kenny was in Downing Street last Monday. Isn’t that exciting? He was visiting the British Prime Minister David Cameron with the focus on Britain’s relations with the EU. “Discuss” is the word that was used to describe the  meeting. However it’s far too vigorous a word. […]

Back in the 6th century AD an Ulsterman whose name is universally venerated for kindling the flame of Christian faith, attested to the sweetness of being in Beann Eadair and in this 3rd Millennium of the Christian era, I can assure you he wasn’t lying. His name is associated with the island of Iona and a […]

The “Dear knows”….my late mother would have said.The “Dear” in this case being that celestial being who knew just about everything worth knowing out there. Listen, feel free to stop me at any time in the convesation here, because I have to admit to the occasional bout of confusion. If I was being easy on […]

It’s odd the way stuff slips under the radar. If you said “British foreign policy”, you might think how Britain has participated in air strikes in Syria in recent months, air raids which kill innocent civilians as well as their intended target. What the intended target is appears to be itself confused – is it […]

You may have heard of the Historian Fukuama and his famous book THE END OF HISTORY. I haven’t read it nor do I need to. I’m quite happy with the ENDAHISTORY, aka THE ENDAFECKIN HISTORY, because it’s good for laughs. You’ll remember Enda’s speech at the commemoration for Michael Collins at Beal na Blath, when […]

  I attended an interesting report-launch yesterday. It was in Leinster House, where a cross-party group produced a report on “an All-Island Economy”. If you’re first reaction was to wince at the title, that was mine too. The compound word they’re avoiding is, of course, All-Ireland; but while in former times I’d probably have been critical […]

EVENING ECHO, CORK 26.1.2016 I understand that the American War of Independence succeeded because the rebels’ gallant allies from Europe had temporary command of the seas. Had the Battle of Yorktown gone the other way, George Washington would have dangled at the end of a British rope and other rebels would have shared the same […]

  Anyone living in or near Belfast may find this exhibition of interest:   The Corr Family – Witnessing History A new exhibition coming to the Linen Hall Library on 4 April 2016 tells the remarkable story of the Corr Family from Belfast’s Ormeau Road. Entitled The Corr Family – Witnessing History, the exhibition gives […]

  Subject: “WILL NO ONE RID ME OF THIS TURBULENT PRIEST” The words are attributed to King Henry II of England. Probably wrongly, for he generally spoke French and English was the language of the lower orders. (In those days in Ireland, Irish was spoken by the nobility, and both that language and Latin were […]