January, 2017

Your humble scribbler had an interesting day yesterday – I was down in Dublin at the ‘Towards a United Ireland’ conference held in the Mansion House by Sinn Féin, to mark the centenary of the meeting of the First Dail. The conference consisted of two discussion panels which didn’t really discuss with each other but responded […]

Generally speaking, most of us tend to underestimate the power of the mainstream media. We tell ourselves that since now we have Facebook and Twitter and all the rest, the press, radio and TV are considerably enfeebled. There’s truth in that, but the mainstream media still are hugely important in framing public thinking.   Which […]

To all those republicans or nationalists out there that may consider casting a vote for People Before Profit at this election, I invite you to watch the video of the AAA/PBP Dail representatives addressing the issue of partition head on just a few years ago. To your amazement, they outlined very clearly that they were […]

“If the service you got from us today was so good that it made you go ‘WOW!’ – why not nominate us for a ‘WOW!’ Award? Fill in the attached card or do it online.”    Some years ago a Local Authority addressed that question and that request to users of one of its facilities.It […]

  Pics 1-4 are by Perkin Warbeck   Pic 1                                                                      Pic 2 Pic 3               […]

  Is the conflict in Ireland over?   Only a year ago at the start of Irelands centenary of the Easter Rising, I would have said undoubtedly, most definitely and without any doubt whatsoever. Now a year later, I am finding it difficult to really care be honest. So, what has changed? Sinn Fein have […]

I did not watch the View last night but I heard all about it this morning on BBC Radio Ulster on Nolan. (By the way, what an ignorant man Nolan is. Jude, you have great patience.) I heard the kind words spoken by Ian Paisley Jnr about Martin McGuinness and his good wishes and expression […]

It’s a year ago today since my mother died.  She was in her 90th year and I was “the wee late one,” the baby of the family of six and because of that, I always liked to fool myself that I was her favourite. The truth is each of us was special to her; there […]

Well, who would have thunk it? I have never been a fan of Ian Paisley Jr, but last night he took, as they say, my breath away. During THE VIEW on BBC, he offered unstinting praise to Martin McGuinness for the work he’d done in advancing reconciliation, and called on the DUP to show the […]

  Seems like the SPADs south of the Black Sow’s Dyke, fare rather better than the SPADs north of that invisible (but, erm, soon to be all-too-visible) line which separates yours wot live in Lion Land and us wot live in the land of The Unicorn Restaurant. (The Unicorn Restaurant on Merrion Court, Dublin 2 […]