Two uncles of the latest free leoder in the Free Southern Stateen did time in chokey during the dying days of the British Raj in India. In the Black Hole of Mumbai rather than the Black Hole of Kolkata. Presumably not for doing the hokey pokey in public but rather for stoking up an […]
June, 2017
THE MAGIC MONEY TREE
Legend has it that when Jack of Giant-Killer fame initially returned from the market after swapping their best cow for a piddling little bag of beans, his mother was not best pleased . I dare say that in those long-ago non- politically correct Norneverland days that she probably clipped him about the ears with […]
THE BELFAST TELEGRAPH AND THAT POLL: SHURELY SHOME MISHTAKE?
I wrote a blog yesterday about David McWilliams’s take on the prospect of a united Ireland. I also comment on the poll which appeared mid-way through his piece in the Belfast Telegraph. Some people have assumed the poll was part of McWilliams’s article. I don’t. And I don’t understand why the Belfast Telegraph hasn’t (i) made […]
LEO, LEOPOLD and the LIONS (1) by Perkin Warbeck
The torrential downpour of tolerance which inundated that odd quadrangle of space so dear to the harp-spangled history of Irish Freedom – the courtyard of Dublin Castle – brought tears of unrestrained joy to all those who had foregathered there under the Rainbow of Revolution two years ago. But most of all it brought […]
David McWilliams, the demographics and a truly startling poll
I have never thought of David McWilliams as a particularly nationalist Irishman. He’s best known for his economic expertise, with the fact that he spotted the economic collapse of 2008 long before the vast majority of economic commentators attesting to his expertise. But this morning in The Belfast Telegraph, he combines economics and nationalist politics […]
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS by Donal Kennedy
Under the above heading THE TIMES OF LONDON (London Edition June 24 ) has the following – ” A picture agency error led us to misdescribe the 6th Marquess of Cholmondley, photographed with the Queen at the state opening of parliament in 1974 (News, June 21) . He was the Lord Great Chamberlain, not Black Rod.”. […]
‘The Final Trial & Tribulations of Mr Colum Eastwood MLA’ by Donal Lavery
“Enemies rarely come in the attire of foes; They pose in the guise and garments of friends.” – Old Japanese Proverb Anyone who was at the Uniting Ireland Conference on Saturday in Belfast’s Waterfront Hall will know what I mean when I say the atmosphere was electric. The hall was packed and people were eager, […]
Being a DUPer: how does it feel?
Right. An exercise in imagination for a summer’s day. Pretend that when you opened your eyes this morning, you were a member or a supporter of the DUP. Would the world on which you gazed have seemed one bristling with dangers and traps, you and your party at the mercy of powerful forces beyond your […]
‘Newton, Kate take note – leading NI Tory also puts the boot in to the ‘Orange’ DUP’ by Sammy McNally
With a Tory DUP deal probably only days away, the actual views of the NI Tories of the (un) suitability of the DUP as partners in the Westminster Government are still available on the NI Tory website(see below). https://www.niconservatives.com/news/who-do-you-think-you-are-kidding-mr-nesbitt Alan Dunlop Chair Northern Ireland Party Board tells us – “it is […]
BREXIT AND THE UK by Kieran Cairns
The Union has never been weaker. The Tories have drip-fed change on their terms for generations and finally the electorate are taking note in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Brexit has galvanised the idea of self-determination and the appetite change in society, not only for the hardened voter, but the youth of today; a revolt (albeit […]