February, 2018

“Dear Nationalists” – that letter from civic unionism

Attention, class. Sit up straight. Concentrate. Now. What is the difference between “engage with” and “challenge”?   Right first time, young Wilson: engaging with suggests something positive – as in “The young couple are now engaged”. But to say “The young couple are now challenging each other” would suggest or at least hint at an oppositional […]

Continue Reading

Nigel, bad blood and bad Shinners

In yesterday’s Belfast Telegraph (well, the online version I have is dated February 25), Nigel Dodds is making two things clear: there is ‘bad blood’ between the DUP and Sinn Féin, and it’s all Sinn Féin’s fault. After you’ve picked yourself off the floor, to which you collapsed on hearing that Nigel is blaming Sinn […]

Continue Reading

Provocative act by Linenhall Library

As regular readers know, I no longer do guest blogs on this site. However, when I received this from a friend this morning, I laughed so hard I figured keeping it to myself would be a sinful act….Bain sult as – Enjoy.   Unionists have reacted with fury at the placing of a plaque dedicated […]

Continue Reading

Saturday pics of the week

Pics 1-4 are by Perkin Warkbeck   Pic 1   Pic 2 Pic 3   Pic 4                                                               Wreck  on  the  Rocks The nearest thing to […]

Continue Reading

Last night: nice Jeffrey on a sticky-as-syrup wicket

I’ve never met the royal knight Jeffrey Donaldson, although I have been informed by him on air that I am a mere “keyboard warrior” (as distinct, I presume, from a real UDR warrior, as Jeffrey was). However, I have been assured by at least one person whose views I respect that Jeffrey, in the flesh so […]

Continue Reading

The past: one view only?

The current dispute over the  Sinn Féin advice centre in Castlewellan being namedd after two IRA men – Peter McNulty and Paul Magorrian – is raising some ire among unionist politicians. The fact that the centre was named twenty-five years ago seems to have been glossed over. But despite this, the dispute raises a key question: […]

Continue Reading

Five questions about abortion

Today the south’s Supreme Court will meet, to listen to an appeal by the State against a High Court ruling last year that said the unborn child/foetus has rights beyond the protected right to life as stated in the Constitution. If the Supreme Court doesn’t overrule the High Court decision, this will probably complicate and […]

Continue Reading