Did you see it? I wasn’t expecting it but I saw most of it. Maybe we should have been expecting it. The Clifden Cock-up story was getting a little stale, so what better than a moral take on the life of Martin McGuinness? Usually Fergal Keane OBE gets these republican-bashing gigs but this time, according […]
Tag Archives | Martin McGuinness
Bishop Daly, Martin McGuinness, Frank Hegarty and some characteristics of violent conflict
A cliché: war is hell. All those who’ve been involved in violent conflict, and the many who haven’t, agree on that particular sentiment. Killing people, as G B Shaw said, is the ultimate form of censorship. Efforts have been made to end war – remember flower-power? – and failing that, to make it slightly less […]
Rev Jesse Jackson meets the BBC
The Reverend Jesse Jackson, former associate of the Rev Martin Luther King, was in town yesterday. He did a phoned interview with Seamus McKee on BBC Radio Ulster on Evening Extra. I may be wrong, but I suspect Seamus may not have got the answers he expected. I’ll give the transcript and then the link: Seamus […]
The Stormont talks: is there a way out?
Talks, eh? Is there a people anywhere in the world that’s done more talking than people here? I’m not talking (that word again) about yarns in the pub or in the back room or on the street: I’m talking about political talks. Who won’t talk to whom, who insists on talks about talks, before they’re […]
Being meticulous and searching out the truth
I tend to be whatever the opposite of meticulous is. Broad brush. Sweeping. Sometimes ill-informed. That’s why admire people who take a forensic approach, who look carefully at claims, match these with facts, and draw conclusions. That’s why I find this article by Danny Morrison impressive. I’d be interested to know if you think I’m […]
Martin McGuinness’s resignation:five points to keep in mind
Martin McGuinness’s decision to resign yesterday chimed exactly with the feelings of the nationalist/republican electorate. For the last couple of years, more and more republicans in particular have been fed up with what’s been happening at Stormont. The consistent refusal of Arlene Foster to do what any priest, prison-officer, teacher or politician would do as […]
Alex Kane, John Brewer and telling it like it is
Alex Kane, the unionist commentator, had an interesting article in the News Letter yesterday. In it, he aimed both barrels at Prof John Brewer of QUB and pulled the trigger. Alex was cheesed off with Prof Brewer’s negative line on ‘conflict journalism’ and his favouring of ‘peace journalism’. ‘Conflict journalism’ – well, the name gives […]
The Rumour Mill: could Simon Heffer be going to the Sindo?
I wonder if the Indo has thought of recruiting Simon Heffer. If they do, he’ll surely slip smoothly into place alongside its present coven of columnists. Here’s Simon in the Daily Telegraph yesterday: “One would have needed the proverbial heart of stone not to have laughedwhen Gerry Adams was denied entry to Barack Obama’s St Patrick’s […]
P Rogue’s cunning plan
Picture by May Williams P Rogue: I have an idea. A Renegade: Oh good, P ! I love it when you have ideas. P Rogue: Remember that interview where you ticked off the interviewer and said you’d be staying at your post to avoid the possibility of a rogue Shinner or a renegade SDLPer damaging Northern Ireland? […]
How not to talk and how to be suggestive
Picture by Joe Cashin Picture by Northern Ireland Executive Two quick references to convince you (as if you needed it) that politics is a dirty business which uses words as weapons. This morning on RTÉ Radio One, Leo Varadkar was being quizzed about the Fennelly […]