January, 2019

Fascism hasn’t gone away by Joe McVeigh

Throughout Europe, in the aftermath of the Great War (1914-1918), fascism became popular –in Italy, Germany, Spain, France and in England where Oswald Mosley formed the British Union of Fascists (BUF) in 1932. It was disbanded in 1940 when it was proscribed after the start of the Second World War. The party embraced Nazi-style anti-Semitism in 1936 which led to violent clashes with […]

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Which path will Brexit take us down?

“Be careful what you wish for”. That was Arlene Foster’s response to the Sinn Féin push for a border poll.  Mind you, that was some time ago – when Brexit was just a small dark spot on the horizon, no bigger than a man’s fist.  Now, it might be more a case of “Be careful […]

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DO BRITISH COMMENTATORS MAKE YOU WINCE? by Donal Kennedy

I’ve listened to the BBC since Tommy Handley’s ITMA  (IT’s THAT MAN AGAIN), “JUST WILLIAM”, DICK BARTON –(Special Agent). Radio Eireann didn’t come on in the morning before about 1950 (AD – not 7.30 PM). A long newspaper strike caused it to come on at 8.00 AM for the NEWS and commercially sponsored programmes and […]

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Stephen and Noel hand out some punishment

Having yesterday delivered a knee to the Sinn Féin groin in the form of Stephen Collins, the Irish Times  this morning delivers a forearm smash to the face in the shape of Noel Whelan. Yesterday, Stephen flexed and then planted his brawny knee in an article entitled ‘Sinn Féin reveals true self again with Venezuela […]

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SPEAKING FOR ENGLAND? by Donal Kennedy

“No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were as well as any manner of thy friends or thine own were; any man’s […]

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Writers’ expressions and police on the border

I often wonder what expression writers are wearing as they tap out their work – especially journalists, who are commenting on current affairs. This morning, for example, the no-relative Stephen Collins has a piece which comes as near as ninepence to saying “Sinn Féin’s mask has slipped!” He has managed to squeeze into one article […]

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Is the EU starting to dismantle the back-stop?

Well. Now it’s been said out loud.  The thought that has haunted Irish nationalists and republicans since the Brits first announced that they were going to leave the EU. Worst of all, these out-loud words came from the lips of the European commission’s chief spokesman, Margaritis Schinas. When asked at a press briefing about the […]

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A HUNDRED YEARS ON – HAS “THE TIMES” REALLY BEEN A-CHANGIN’ ? by Donal Kennedy

Monday, 21st January 2019 and three contemporary letters to the Editor of The Times of London and a reprint of its piece entitled “THE KAISER’S GUILT”  of 21 January 1919 are food for thought. “The right of Tony Blair to speak on Brexit” attracted six letters. One correspondent believes that his credibility was lost forever by his leading […]

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Is it more than the economy, stupid?

I don’t always agree with Fintan O’Toole  – OK, let me rephrase – I rarely agree with Fintan O’Toole.  But he has an article in The Irish Times which makes a lot of sense. Not complete sense, but a lot. It’s titled ‘It is not just the economy, stupid – Brexit is about belonging’.  It […]

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