Author Jude Collins

The SDLP are boycotting the Nolan Show, so too – it appears – are Sinn Féin and the DUP. Can the BIGGEST SHOW IN THE COUNTRY survive as a political show if major swathes of nationalism and unionism refuse to appear? And is their absence reasonable or spiteful? Why is it that the world is […]

    Being part of a club or organisation is not a bad thing.  It enables social contact, keeps your health and mental state in check, and generally keeps people in touch with friends.  From hurling to Gaelic football to cards, rugby and hockey; everyone can play these sports or join these clubs to some […]

GAAGO, the streaming platform for Gaelic football matches, has become a popular option for fans around the world to watch their favourite teams in action. However, allowing GAAGO to have a monopoly on broadcasting the Kerry v Tyrone Gaelic football game today raises concerns and warrants a discussion on the negative implications of such a […]

Last week, Micheål Martin used the Shared Island fund to push €50 million towards the development of third level education. This follows Stephen Donnelly (also of Fianna Fail) shoving €10 million towards creating nursing places In the North. Is this creeping reunification of Ireland, or politicians getting read for the next election? The Orange Order […]

  I have just watched, for the first time, Ryan Tubridy’s ignorant and vain attempt to get the better of  Martin McGuinness. It was as shameful as Gay Byrne’s attempt to have Gerry Adams lynched by guests chosen for that purpose, which backfired on THE LATE LATE SHOW inherited by Tubridy.   The Late, Late […]

  The DUP, as you will no doubt be aware, is not only a unionist party but also a very right-wing conservative party.  Historically it has enjoyed a close relationship with British Conservative governments but only when it has found itself, to the consternation of the Tories (and everyone else), in the Kingmaker role. However, […]

    As a veteran newspaper reader ( and listener to the wireless since birth) I have failed to discern either a sense of humour or a sense of honour, in, amongst others, Fintan O’Toole, Father Seamus Murphy SJ, Stephen Collins, Kevin Myers and Fergal Keane, OBE, and the late Gay Byrne. I am familiar […]

                             Because we see scenes of devastation in Ukraine – destroyed buildings, distraught civilians – we naturally tend to sympathise with Ukraine and see the invasion of Ukraine as ‘Putin’s war’ – a democratic state invaded by a more powerful neighbour. There’s truth in that, but there are some awkward facts we must not […]

What is going on in Russia? One minute the leader of a huge mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin,  part of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, is marching angrily on Moscow, the next he’s saying “Ah no, I don’t want to spill Russian blood” and he’s taken off to live in Belarus. It’s in the West’s interest […]

          For 25 years now the PIRA, many of whom were and are members of Sinn Fein have openly denounced dissident Republican violence, have called for peace to prevail, and called for all armed groups to disband, going so far as to offer to meet with the RIRA to talk about […]