Author Jude Collins

  From Bantry Bay up to Derry Quay and from Waterford to Dublin Town the bells were ringing on Sunday March 19. Yes, Quay to rhyme with Bay rather than, say, the key of, G. And Waterford in place of, say, Galway. For it was in the Church of Ireland (sic) Cathedral of Christ Church […]

© 21.3.17 When someone dies They leave behind them An impossible space. For their family and friends. For their enemies and for those Who never really understood them. Like an individual wave Pushing and pulling against the hard edge Of a Derry quay. Each wave only comes the once To be replaced by another and […]

I was all set to do a blog about two of the famous men who died over the last week – rock and roller Chuck Berry and Catholic Bishop Eamonn Casey – but the news of Martin McGuinness’s death has meant that must wait for another day. I first met Martin McGuinness  in the early […]

In a Sunday paper today, the one owned by Denis O’Brien, a regular contributor from Cork, Eoghan Harris writes: “But since Arlene Foster and Gerry Adams between them have forced the united Ireland nonsense back on the agenda we have to ask ourselves three questions.” This seriously deluded man, Harris, declares that it was Arlene Foster […]

As someone who grew up near the border, I certainly remember the custom officers standing at their little tin hut in Pettigo just after you crossed the bridge into the republic. The hut is still there and it won’t be long till the customs men and maybe women are back checking goods going into the […]

I was accused the other day of having lost the run of myself, which I suppose is accurate enough, given that I’ve at present got a broken foot. It’s a good expression, “the run of yourself”. Discussing the phrase a few years’ ago, Frank McNally in The Irish Times gave the following as an example […]

I am just going to be honest, I don’t think there is a single party in Ireland who has the competence or capability to actually implement the unification of this country. I believe government in Ireland is plagued with corruption, has an unhealthy relationship with the media and is so rife with incompetence that it […]

Some of you may have read the article written by one Jessica McGrann concerning her opinion on what she thinks Sinn Fein should stand for. As flawed as it is grammatically, the economic side of things is no pleasantry either, of which more later. It flowed from a written “battle of ideas” on what Irish […]

I was recently asked by someone on this blog site if I even understood what Sinn Fein stands for. As usual, that gets me thinking and I would have to say no, I possibly don’t. I had a look at their website and I would like to discuss a few areas of relevance to our […]