January, 2019

Never, in The Globe or any Theatre in the Galaxy, were  truer words spoken than those of Cap’n Boyle on the Stage of Dublin’s Abbey. In recent BLOGS I’ve quoted from reports in THE TIMES reprinted from 100 years ago, on the establishment, by the victors of the Great War, of the League of Nations. […]

If there is one thing that drives some unionists mad, it is intervention in British-Irish affairs by the US. They have perfectly logical reasons for going mad: once the  US comes into play, it’s no longer a question of hulking Britain hovering over puny Ireland telling the leprachauns it’s our way or the highway. Now […]

One of the great obstacles to political, economic progress and reconciliation in Ireland is the Siege Mentality of the DUP leadership and the lack of generosity that accompanies it. The siege mentality comes mainly from the fear of losing their identity in a reunified Ireland. Those fears are played upon by some unionist leaders and […]

The British army, marching in step or performing drills, is a truly impressive sight. Every item of uniform is clean and shining, every boot  hits the ground in exact step  with comrades. Even the shouted commands ring with precision.  So too the aerial displays – the RAF’ s Red Arrows aerial manoeuvres are heart-stoppingly glorious, […]

Perhaps the  greatest legacy Charles Stewart Parnell, grandiloquently dubbed “The Uncrowned Kingof Ireland” is the  the Christmas Dinner depicted by James Joyce in “Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.”  It is one of the most powerful and funny episodes ever written. Parnell was no King, much less an Emperor. He may not have been discovered […]

Today, we’re told, will be a historic day in the House of Commons. (Well yes, Virginia: there seems to be an awful lot of historic days there recently).  The British MPs will vote on a number of amendments to Theresa May’s withdrawal bill that’d make it more acceptable to the MPs who rejected it emphatically […]

This interview was conducted with Peadar Tóibín last week in Dublin. The fact that it comes in two sections has no significance: it’s just that my iPhone rang in the middle of the interview. Whether you agree with Peadar or not, if you’re honest you’ll concede that he has done what few of us would do: he has put his principles before everything, including his job. The two sections form a fairly long interview but I think you’ll […]

  RTE, as befits its Continuity Sticky status in the hundred year hiatus between National Nervous  Breakdowns (19 to 19), went to ridiculously meticulous lengths to dicky up the participants in their recent Re-enactment of the Cead Dail (sic) at the Mansion House of the Lord (sic-er) Mayor of DUPlin, (sic-est). Even unto artfully  picking […]

I’m going to stick my neck out and say I guess that a small proportion of households in Ireland have ever held copies of the Constitution enacted by plebiscite in July 1937 and which became law as from 29th December of that year, and that most citizens don’t know they can download it from their computer,and […]

 You know there’s something important happening when between 1,000 and 1,500 people, on a sodden Saturday morning, leave their beds and convene in one place.  Yesterday the Waterfront Hall was bunged with people and speakers. For unionists it must have been an unnerving sight. All of the speakers got applause, some more warmly than others. […]