March, 2012

Tell you what. On this sun-filled St Patrick’s Day, let’s look at the Queen of England. Or to be more exact, the suggested meeting between herself and Martin McGuinness. Five things. 1.    There’s something faintly hilarious about the northern leader of a party which, for years, people would have chopped off their hand rather than […]

Tell you what. On this sun-filled St Patrick’s Day, let’s look at the Queen of England. Or to be more exact, the suggested meeting between herself and Martin McGuinness. Five things. 1.    There’s something faintly hilarious about the northern leader of a party which, for years, people would have chopped off their hand rather than […]

I attended a historic event last night – historic in both senses, of being unique and having to do with history. It was held in Berry Street Presbyterian Church and with the BBC’s Yvette Shapiro in the chair,  there was a panel discussion between Gordon Lucy, Eamonn Phoenix and Tom Hartley. The topic was the […]

I attended a historic event last night – historic in both senses, of being unique and having to do with history. It was held in Berry Street Presbyterian Church and with the BBC’s Yvette Shapiro in the chair,  there was a panel discussion between Gordon Lucy, Eamonn Phoenix and Tom Hartley. The topic was the […]

Oh dear. If you’re to believe the Irish Times this morning, RTÉ has got its knickers in a fearful twist about that tweet. You remember, the one that purported to come from Sinn Féin during the famous presidential Frontline  debate – or that was announced as same by Pat Kenny. You can get the timeline […]

Oh dear. If you’re to believe the Irish Times this morning, RTÉ has got its knickers in a fearful twist about that tweet. You remember, the one that purported to come from Sinn Féin during the famous presidential Frontline  debate – or that was announced as same by Pat Kenny. You can get the timeline […]

The last time I wrote about Mary McArdle,  I got abuse – some spoken, some silently acted on – from those in high places and in conspicuously low places. So it’s with my sinews, such as they are, stiffened that I tiptoe towards the topic again. Mary McArdle, you’ll remember, was convicted for being part […]

The last time I wrote about Mary McArdle,  I got abuse – some spoken, some silently acted on – from those in high places and in conspicuously low places. So it’s with my sinews, such as they are, stiffened that I tiptoe towards the topic again. Mary McArdle, you’ll remember, was convicted for being part […]

I’ve been reading a biography of Alice Milligan,  an amazing woman from the wonderful town of Omagh. She came from a fiercely anti-Home Rule Methodist family, yet she spent her long life (she died in the 1950s) promoting Irish republicanism. An integral part of that work, she believed, was the promotion of Irish culture in […]

I’ve been reading a biography of Alice Milligan,  an amazing woman from the wonderful town of Omagh. She came from a fiercely anti-Home Rule Methodist family, yet she spent her long life (she died in the 1950s) promoting Irish republicanism. An integral part of that work, she believed, was the promotion of Irish culture in […]