Northern Irish Unionism has a problem. Everywhere it goes it makes enemies with rather powerful people, rather than friends and more and more people are starting to realise it. It’s almost as if it intentionally makes enemies in a bid to make the point that NEI is British […]
Author Jude Collins
Why some unionist politicians turn red-faced and quivering at the word ‘Biden’
As Joe Biden’s Air Force One plane makes its approach to Ireland’s west coast, you’re probably wondering “Why do unionist politicians hate President Biden so much?” Or you may even be scratching your head and wondering “Do unionist politicians really hate President Biden as much as some say?” Scratch and wonder no more. They do […]
The Men Behind the Masks
Once again the young people of Derry are being used as pawns in a game of draconian politics by dissident Republicans who want nothing more than to bring us back to the dark days when the gun and bomb ruled the streets […]
From Russia With Love – by Dave Murphy
Stuck for something to read, I recently pulled Ian Fleming’s From Russia With Love down from my shelves. Although it had been on my shelves for a long time, it had remained unread, probably because I had seen the film too many times and reckoned I knew the plot too well. That was […]
A southern journalist with astonishing long-distance vision
You have to hand it to the southern media – they never give up. You’d think that twenty-five years after the Good Friday Agreement their hostility towards anything like a border poll would have softened a bit. Not a chance. In today’s Irish Times there is an article , the title of which […]
Reflections on the Good Friday Agreement – by Ray Bassett
Address by Dr Ray Bassett, former member of the Irish Government Delegation to the All-Party Talks in 1998. Oulart, Co Wexford , Easter Sunday 2023 Introduction Thank you very much and I would like at the outset to give thanks to the organizers and in particular Brian Cleary for the invitation to be […]
LYING WITH DOGS -GETTING UP WITH THE BBC – by Donal Kennedy
The letter below was emailed by me to THE IRISH TIMES On 2nd December 2015. With its customary courage the paper refused to publish it.. The American feminist Gloria Steinem was interviewed deferentially on British TV a few days ago. She appeared compos mentis and in good physical shape at 81 years old. […]
The Troubles with Peace. – by Michael Lagan
There can be no doubt that the Good Friday Agreement was a positive change for NEI. It was initially a good deal for everyone, no matter what some may think, but is it still? A country that stands still, either politically, culturally, or economically will at some point become stagnant and that is what […]
PAT+JUDE TALK ABOUT THE RAY BASSETT EASTER SUNDAY ADDRESS IN COUNTY WEXFORD
Dr Ray Bassett is a formidable figure. He was one of the south’s negotiators in the Good Friday Agreement, he was Irish ambassador to Canada and Bermuda, and on Easter Sunday he will give the republican address in Outard, County Wexford. Pat and I consider what things he might touch on and what things we […]
Twenty-five years since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. Has it fulfilled nationalist/republican hopes? Has it quelled unionist fears? And what work needs to be done still? Resist the urge to waffle, as I hope we do. Our special guest today is Gabriel McCaffrey, who lives in Ottawa, Canada. He’s from Belfast originally and […]