A: God but they’re a corrupt shower B: Who? A: The Royals – the Windsors. Particularly that Andrew one. B: What’s he done now? A: You mean who. The word is out that he had sex with this under-age girl who was ‘loaned’ to him by some uber-wealthy, uber-disgusting rich guy in the US. B: […]
MOTHER EARTH AND THE POPE FIGHT BACK by Harry McAvinchey
Is the Pope an old hippy at heart? It’s beginning to look like that. For Pope Francis , it is not enough to put up a few wind -turbines and some solar panels on the roof of the Vatican to reduce his own personal carbon footprint . He is preparing in the coming months […]
What good’s an Assembly without an Opposition?
As we reel into the ghastliness that is January, two politicians are catching the public eye. One was Micheal Martin, the leader of Fianna Fail, who has declared that his party could become the biggest party in the twenty-six counties. He has “strongly ruled out” coalition with Fine Gael because they’re “too right-wing” and with […]
Some things for Paddy Barnes MBE to think about
It’s hard not to like Paddy Barnes. He talks at a speed that surpasses even Barry McGuigan; he makes no attempt to project a public image other than the person he is; and he’s a tough-as-tungsten fighter who can absorb punishment as well as dish it out. But none of these are reasons why he’s […]
Why I hate New Year’s Eve
I’ve detested New Year’s Eve for decades now. It was OK when I was a teenager and attending local dances – there was the chance at midnight to kiss as many girls as you could get close to. But that was yesteryear. Now I find the fake bonhomie and yelps of delight at the start […]
Waiting to hear the p- word.
It’s at the planning stages still. Throughout Ireland, thought is being given to ways in which the events of 1916 might be best commemorated. Yesterday, for example, there was a fine article by Tim Pat Coogan in a series the Irish Times is running, and today Vincent Woods has an article about how the arts, particularly […]
Mr Micawber and the Stormont House Agreement
Charles Dickens’s Mr Micawber was the hapless character who stumbled through life, hoping against hope that “something would turn up”. As we near the end of 2014, it looks as though the British and Irish governments, along with our political parties, have done the same. They’ve addressed all the problems and postponed the evil day – but […]
A New Dawn by Harry McAvinchey
Dawn was just cusping.That beautiful half-light, neither darkness nor light at all. It was freezing too ; the spiky hackles of whitened sparkling grass were tearing at my boots. I really wished that I’d worn some sort of hat …any kind of hat; my head was so cold. I should have dried my hair properly […]
1984 and now
As the year limps towards a conclusion, there’s some looking back and some looking forward. Jim Allister the Traditional Unionist Voice leader, is a forward-thinking man – in one respect at least. He’s made that clear with his response to the Stormont House Agreement: “Another few months down the line it will maybe need another bailout […]
The Stormont ‘House’ Agreement: seven things that need facing
None of the Stormont parties may be throwing their caps at the moon but they have all signed up to the ‘Stormont House Agreement’ (Why am I thinking Hugh Laurie?) to keep the roof over the Assembly for a while longer. A few things we can say as they wipe the sleep from their […]