April, 2017

‘N Ireland: succinctly label your constitutional politics position?’ by Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair

Imagine you’ve entered a polling booth to answer the question: “What’s your political choice on the constitutional status of Northern Ireland”: I opt for Northern Ireland to maintain its status quo of being a constituent part of the United Kingdom be governed by the UK and RoI under a new centre-ground joint sovereignty agreement become […]

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A letter of solidarity by Danny Morrison

Text reads: To: Adel Atieh Deputy Head of EU Mission Mission of the State of Palestine to the EU   From: Danny Morrison Secretary Bobby Sands Trust Belfast, Ireland On behalf of the Bobby Sands Trust I would like to send our full support to those on hunger strike and to their families at this […]

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ON MILITARY MEN AND INFLUENCING JUDGES by Donal Kennedy

DRAFT LETTER WRITTEN  7 FEBRUARY 2017 BUT NOT FORWARDED Am I the only one appalled by the sight of men wearing military or marine headgear attempting to influence judges, juries or Government Ministers. It’s.a British tradition so far as I can see? The late Garret Fitzgerald, a darling of the British media, remarked  in his […]

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The Protestants behind Irish Independence

[This article is from The Irish Times] The Protestants behind Irish independence A history of the little-known people who defied political consensus in their churches Frank MacGabhann A middle-class afffair: Molly and Erskine Childers aboard the Asgard around 1910; below left: Kathleen Lynn. main PHOTOGRAPH: HULTON/GETTY This timely book deals with the involvement of Protestants […]

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Saturday pics of the week

Pics 1-4  are by John Patton (more of John’s splendid photographs on www.phototilly.eu)   Pic 1   Pic 2 Pic 3   Pic 4 “Pic 1-3 We have ha a blast of winter here this week with very cold winds, snow in the Highlands and frost warnings for gardeners, among whom I do not count. Driving […]

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Le Pen, Macron and the French Presidency

If you’re like me you’re pretty ignorant about French politics, but you’ll know one name for sure: Marine Le Pen, the hard-right candidate in the French presidential election. But since Monday of this week, you’ve probably made note of another French politician – Emmanuel Macron. Both Le Pen and Macron have succeeded in fighting their […]

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