March, 2022

  The British officer was arrested by Ministry of Defence police in Afghanistan 13 years ago and flown to London for questioning by the Metropolitan Police on suspicion of a breach of The Official Secrets Act, for which he might have been sent to prison for fourteen years.  The allegation against the officer was that […]

When a moronic crazy trucker can invade and assault the Dublin embassy of a friendly country which has never injured Ireland and is not punished or condemned, it is time to write the Obituary of Enlightened Pluralism in Ireland.   When  Eamon de Valera condemned the Nazi laws depriving German Jews of their citizenship he was […]

So, we didn’t turn up yesterday and both our viewers cried and cried and cried. Dry your eyes, people  – we’re back today, and with us we have special guest Michelle Gildernew MP. All you ever wanted to know about an abstentionist politician, and more. Much more. Look – if we enjoyed it, you’ll both […]

    Am I wrong in thinking that western correspondents reporting from the Ukrainian capital appear to be cocooned in physical  and narrative comfort zones?  So far none of the Western Correspondents I have seen on television  has shown signs of bodily discomfort. They are smartly dressed and apparently well fed and watered. None appears […]

                                                                        This review first appeared in The Andersonstown News.   There are few pleasures to compare with meeting an old friend (ANNIE HALL, BBC FOUR), and it’s particularly sweet when you’re reminded of all the reasons why you liked/loved them in the first place.  From which you’ll gather that I like Woody Allen – and […]

As I grow older my I sometimes repeat myself, forgetting things and topics I’ve mentioned here before. I find I have mentioned A.J.Balfour many times in this space in the past 6 years.  I don’t think I have contradicted my earlier comments by my later ones. DIRTY WORK February 9   2016 THE SPIRIT OF A.J. […]

      Well well well, how did we ever end up in this situation? Another war in Europe threatens to engulf the wider region.  The Russians claim to be engaged in a limited operation, to disarm a neo-Nazi-led regime that was ushered into power through the Euro Maidan protests of 2014.  A coup supported, […]

Addressing Army recruits in Dublin in 1952 the Minister for Defence,Oscar Traynor, assured them that they would never be required to take part in attacks on the lives and liberties of any nation.  I am unaware of similar assurances being given to volunteer soldiers or conscripted ones in NATO by any of their statesmen.  Traynor […]

      The English poet and radical liberal Wilfrid Scawen Blunt (1840-1922) kept a diary, excerpts of which were published in 1920 with a Foreword by Lady Gregory  An entry for 10th November 1894 records Blunt driving with Gerald Balfour and his brother Arthur and their “Grand Discussion:-  Gerald maintained that patriotism was the Imperial instinct of Englishmen, who should support […]

I should have said that IN KENYA  ALONE nearly 1,100 AFRICANS were killed  by the Queen’s officially appointed hangmen, that thousands were abused, tortured and killed by her soldiers, and many hunted by troops on horseback by riders who despatched them as if they were foxes, all in the first 8 years of her 70 […]