December, 2016

Captain Paranoid , in the shape of the unreconstructed and irredeemably humourless UKIP leader in Norneverland, Ireland, David McNarry …..has recently popped up once again with a rant about republican agitation over Brexit creating a constitutional crisis for unionists.Nothing else is causing a crisis within unionism ,apparently .The “Cash for Ash” multi-million pound scandal has […]

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It’d be easy, having roller-coasted through such an appalling year as 2016, to think that we’re on our way to hell in a handcart and nothing can be done. But having given it careful thought over the Christmas period, I’ve decided what we need – what I need – is a bit of proactivity, so […]

‘Morning Came and Morning Went’ is the title of a new book by my friend, Fr James (Jim) Mulligan. Jim comes from the same townland as myself, a townland called Moneyvriece, a mile outside the quiet little village of Ederney in north Fermanagh. It is a townland with history and geography, ancient monuments and fond memories for both of […]

What a harvest the Grim Reaper has gathered over the Christmas!  Entertainers and celebrities, many with only a few miles on the clock compared with myself who celebrated a glorious 75th Birthday with my nearest and dearest yesterday, garlanded with gifts. I’m still recovering from a nasty head cold I caught on a trip to Norfolk […]

In some ways, the attitude of an increasing number of commentators to Irish re-unification is similar to the attitude of an increased number of commentators after the banking crisis of 2008. Cast your mind back to the south’s general election of 2007. Remember the TV debate in which Minister for Justice Michael McDowell   was seen […]

I came across an article in a recent edition of Folklore/Bealoideas about a man by the name of Packy Jim McGrath from Lettercran on the Donegal/Tyrone border near Aghyaran/Castlederg. The author, Ray Cashman is an American folklorist. He met up with Packy Jim many years ago just by chance when travelling around this part of […]

  Don’t be too hard on Donald Trump – he’s doing his best. He even says so in a recent tweet: “Doing my best to disregard the many inflammatory President O statements and roadblocks.Thought it was going to be a smooth transition – NOT!” I’m glad he sent that one, because you’d be a little […]

There are few figures in politics who polarise opinion as much as Enoch Powell, that’s for sure. The Professor of Classics & Ancient Greek (at one point the youngest in the Commonwealth) made many a prediction and warning, some have stood true beyond the grave – like that of Brexit. As someone on the Left, […]

If you’re in partnership with someone, it helps if you get along. It’d be better still if you liked/loved one another, but a business partnership can generally function if those involved find a way of working together. But let one of the partners develop a drink problem or a gambling habit or a taste for […]