I was on Shannonside/Northern Sound radio today on the Joe Finnegan Show. It is a very popular radio show and that is why I accepted the invitation to take part. He was interviewing me about the Border Communities Against Brexit rallies on Saturday 8 October at various places along the border. I was asked by […]
September, 2016
A tale of two names
A: I hear they’ve changed the name. B: Another on-the-run story? Subterfuge and deception? A: No, I’m talking about a boat. B: So no on-the-runs. Not even letters to them? A: Not at the moment. I’m talking about a boat that had a foreign-language name. B: Property of a sheik, maybe? A: No, this was […]
James Brokenshire and his important role
It appears that our very-necessary Secretary of State, James Brokenshire, has been or is moving around, consulting with all sorts of people about the past. Except one – loyalists. If this is true then it’s very regrettable. To say that the actions of loyalists played a major part in the recent conflict is like saying […]
ROYAL PREFIXES AND BADGES OF ARCHAIC POST-COLONIAL SUBSERVIENCE by Tom Cooper
Although the Republic of Ireland Act which ended all remaining constitutional roles of the British monarchy in relation to this state was signed into law in 1948, there are still many reminders of colonial rule in our everyday life. Probably foremost of these is the issue of Irish institutions which still retain the ‘royal’ prefix […]
‘The Beauty on Our Doorstep’ by Eddie Whyte
“Beauty on Our Doorstep” is an inspirational Belfast-based project that makes a real difference in people’s lives. It is run by local man John Mallon, well known for his campaigning work on suicide prevention and promoting better mental health – all through the lens of a camera. Anyone visiting the Kennedy Shopping Centre in Belfast […]
ENDA’S BIG AWAY-DAY
Do you remember that day shortly after the Brexit vote, when Enda Kenny suggested the forming of an all-Ireland forum to manage the fall-out from Brexit? There was a line of North-South politicians standing alongside him, notably Arlene Foster. The DUP leader quickly rubbished the need for such a forum with a briskness Thatcher would have approved of. […]
‘The evidence suggests Bradley and Team Sky did cheat’ by Sammy McNally
As of today, Tuesday 27th September, the day after David Brailsford’s (Team SKY’s boss) embarrassing and unconvincing interview in which he attempted to douse the flames of accusation surrounding Team Sky – the BBC is still sticking to its mantra of “There is no suggestion any of the athletes named have broken anti-doping rules”. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/37482568 […]
ALANNAH HOPKIN – HO HO HO? by Donal Kennedy
The IRISH EXAMINER (27 September 2016) has a headline – “City in song and verse – new anthology shows off the best of Cork writing” – for a laudatory piece by one Colette Sheridan for a book launched by the Collins Press entitled “On the Banks: Cork City in Poems and Songs” for which they are asking 17.99 […]
TWADDLE AND TWADDELL
“Twaddle”: meaning : balderdash,baloney,silly idle talk, insignificant, worthless, nonsense,untrue, prating, tedious, feeble…etcetera , etcetera..ad finitum……. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Twaddell : A roundabout seemingly named after William John Twaddell (1884 – 22 May 1922) who was a Unionist politician from Belfast.William Twaddell worked as a draper in Belfast city where he attended and was educated to primary school […]
THE BATTLE OF CABLE STREET 1936 – THE IRISH CONNECTION by Donal Kennedy
The 80th Anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street in East London will be commemorated on Sunday 9th October. The Irish in London will be taking part, just as in 1936 there was a large Irish dimension. In 1936 Oswald Mosley’s Fascist Blackshirts attempted to march through an area with a large Jewish population in a […]