No, don’t laugh. It could have happened to a bishop. When England hired Fabio Capello, they thought he was just the man – great record of working with successful football teams, a no-nonsense guy who’d bash some sense into inflated English footballers’ heads. Oh dear. Four years and £24 million later, it turns out he […]
Author Jude Collins
The day Winston Churchill said the wrong thing
The relationship of Ulster unionists to Britain and its leaders is a fascinating one – enough there, as the psychiatrist in Fawlty Towers remarked, for a whole conference. Take Winston Churchill. Great British leader, told off de Valera good and proper for sitting out the Second World War, had a father Randolph who told the […]
The day Winston Churchill said the wrong thing
The relationship of Ulster unionists to Britain and its leaders is a fascinating one – enough there, as the psychiatrist in Fawlty Towers remarked, for a whole conference. Take Winston Churchill. Great British leader, told off de Valera good and proper for sitting out the Second World War, had a father Randolph who told the […]
Ian Paisley in hospital – so how do you feel?
It’s a funny old thing, identity. Who are you? Are you the primary school child who got bullied or had a toilet problem? Maybe you’re the young stud or sexy thing who turned heads? Or the middle-aged pontificator, or the ageing reactionary, or the bewildered figure in the old people’s home? They could all be […]
Ian Paisley in hospital – so how do you feel?
It’s a funny old thing, identity. Who are you? Are you the primary school child who got bullied or had a toilet problem? Maybe you’re the young stud or sexy thing who turned heads? Or the middle-aged pontificator, or the ageing reactionary, or the bewildered figure in the old people’s home? They could all be […]
A lovely book and why west of the Bann is different
I recently got my hands on a super book by a man who, like myself, survived five or more years in St Columb’s College, Derry. It’s called Sporting Greats of the North West, and it’s by Richie Kelly. It does what it says – remembers great sportsmen and women from that part of Ireland (and […]
A lovely book and why west of the Bann is different
I recently got my hands on a super book by a man who, like myself, survived five or more years in St Columb’s College, Derry. It’s called Sporting Greats of the North West, and it’s by Richie Kelly. It does what it says – remembers great sportsmen and women from that part of Ireland (and […]
Our Time, Our Place?
We’ve begun to get really good at breaking new ground. Or at least our political leaders have. Peter Robinson was at that GAA McKenna Cup Final and Martin McGuinness is all set to follow Caral Ní Chuilín’s example and attend a soccer game in Windsor Park. But because we’re intent on these new and commendable […]
Our Time, Our Place?
We’ve begun to get really good at breaking new ground. Or at least our political leaders have. Peter Robinson was at that GAA McKenna Cup Final and Martin McGuinness is all set to follow Caral Ní Chuilín’s example and attend a soccer game in Windsor Park. But because we’re intent on these new and commendable […]
Sectarianism: the secret we keep from ourselves
I was on BBC Radio Ulster/Raidio Uladh recently, discussing the topic “Sectarianism: our dirty little secret?” Well, secret it ain’t. Anyone who hasn’t noticed sectarianism here needs help, fast. The question is, when should we put our hands up and admit to it? Well, not when we’re trying to sell ourselves to the outside world. […]