Post Archives for Alan in Belfast
Who’s marching, where and when? And when is a parade a feeder parade?
In the Belfast Telegraph, Brian Rowan picks up on Jackie McDonald’s comments about the Balmoral Review on May 19. Answering a question from a delegate in the Future of Loyalism panel at the Political Studies Association conference in Belfast, the senior UDA leader had referred to loyalist groups taking part in the parade and questioned [...] more »
How could Carson attend a Covenant commemoration? Bring the rally to Stormont!
While the County Grand Orange Lodge of Belfast will be marching to Ormeau Park in May, the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland are going one better later in the year. As the rhyme might go: Oh, the grand old Duke of York Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, He had ten thousand quite a lot of [...] more »
Balmoral Review – fireworks, food, funfair, parades and speeches
Jackie McDonald’s remarks at the Political Studies Association conference about the Orange Order’s planned parade to Ormeau Park in May stirred up a lot of comments on Slugger. Answering a question after his speech, the former UDA prisoner painted a vision of “the UVF in the Somme gear” and “antique motors with the machine guns [...] more »
John Bercow: What should a 21st century Parliament look like?
The Speaker of the House of Commons was omni-present on the last day of the Political Studies Association conference. After a morning session with NICVA, a post lunchtime session on engagement and impact, he wrapped up the conference by delivering the closing lecture. School children studying politics packed the room, more than making up for [...] more »
Analysing government-media relations in NI
University of Ulster academics presented a paper on Tuesday which will interest local politicians, media and onlookers when it is published in a journal at a later date. Power, trust and accountability: relationships between government communicators and journalists in Northern Ireland. (Charis Rice, Ian Somerville and John Wilson) I spoke to Charis Rice at the [...] more »
Mr Speaker, the Lord Speaker, and no chance of a job swap with Willie Hay!
NICVA organised a fringe event at the last day of the Political Studies Conference in Belfast. Representatives from voluntary and community groups had a change to listen to and question the Speakers of the Houses of Commons and Lords, and think through ways in which they could contribute to a healthy democracy. listen to ‘Mark [...] more »
McGuinness: “open to using new language, and consider making new compromises”
The deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness spoke last night before the Political Studies Association conference dinner in the plush surroundings of Belfast City Hall. He initially covered the mandatory tourism information, quoting travel guides that say “Belfast is a must see city in 2012” and adding that “Derry city – or as some people call [...] more »
Jackie McDonald questions Orange Order Covenant parade taking motorised machine guns past Short Strand
The Future of Loyalism session at the Political Studies Association conference started with two academics – Jim McAuley and Graham Spencer – introducing the Political Studies Association delegates to loyalism, loyalist themes and transformation efforts so far. Rev Chris Hudson – who acted as a conduit between the Irish Government and the UVF – spoke [...] more »
Parking ticket post code lottery
Continuing the development of data journalism across at The Detail, Kathryn Torney this morning published details of where parking tickets have been issued. DRD – and their contractors NSL (formerly NCP) – have always been keen to explain that the commercial contract is about keeping streets safe and traffic free-flowing, rather than being based around [...] more »
#PSA12 Conference preview and liveblog (Wednesday)
Day two in the Big Brother house Europa Hotel, and the Political Studies Association conference has another full day planned. Throughout the conference, a liveblog will capture tweets (hashtag #psa12) and photos and links to what’s happening. (You can also catch a quick round up of some of yesterday’s events in a previous post.) Prof [...] more »
Round up of Tuesday’s Political Studies Association conference
If you want to get a flavour of the proceedings at the Political Studies Association conference on its opening day, then the Storify collation below will bring you some of the images, tweets and sounds of the day. Particular highlights included: the Opening Plenary with David Blunkett, Peter Riddell and Matthew Flinders; and the late [...] more »
Media, politics and influence in the 19th and 21st centuries
It’s hard to talk about politics without the media encroaching on the conversation. In an after lunch session entitled Media, politics and influence three speakers presented papers that looked at a range of topics. Carole O’Reilly is a historian at University of Salford and talked about the influence (and funding) from municipal councillors that created [...] more »
In Defence of Politics, Politicians and Political Science: Blunkett, Riddell and Flinders
The PSA conference started this morning with an opening plenary involving three big hitters – one each from the world of politics, media and academia: In Defence of Politics, Politicians and Political Science. Each speaker’s 10 minute remarks are worth a listen. listen to ‘David Blunkett’s opening remarks at Political Studies Conterence opening plenary’ on [...] more »
#PSA12 Conference liveblog (Tuesday)
The Europa Hotel lobby was busy yesterday with Irish World Dancing Championship participants rubbing shoulders [Ed - and ringlets] and Political Studies Association conference delegates. The former had ringlets, the latter carried conference guides! Prof Paul Carmichael from the University of Ulster is co-convening the conference. listen to ‘In Defence of Politics’ on Audioboo Throughout [...] more »
“In defence of politics” – the Political Studies Association conference in Belfast this week #psa12
The Political Studies Association annual conference is back in Belfast this week for the first time in 17 years. Hundreds academics from the UK, Ireland, Europe and beyond will congregate in the Europa Hotel for three days of speakers, workshops, dining and visiting Belfast’s sights. They’ll be joined by a smattering of politicians and commentators. [...] more »
Cross-party support building for Tooth Commission
Monday’s Irish News is expected to lead shocking statistics about variations in childhood dental health, including details of greater numbers of teeth falling out from children attending CCMS primary schools than those in the state sector. The leaked draft is believed to be an early version of the final report which is due to be [...] more »
UUP Leadership – Mike Nesbitt’s pitch (and an interview) plus what John McCallister said
81% of the UUP members gathered at the Ramada Hotel this morning voted for Mike Nesbitt to be leader. 19% voted for John McCallister. The result can be interpreted in a number of ways. It’s certainly a clear endorsement for Mike Nesbitt as leader, and the party didn’t shy away from a “fast track” leader. [...] more »
Addie Morrow RIP
A real gentleman with a hearty laugh and a giant in the Alliance party, Addie Morrow served as Alliance’s Deputy Leader, was a Castlereagh councillor between 1973 and 1989, and was also elected in 1982 to represent East Belfast in the Assembly. Addie had a strong vision for peace-building and reconciliation, lived out both through [...] more »
Lacking in policy, distinctiveness, professionalism … and votes
When former UUP deputy leader and now crossbench peer Lord Kilclooney spoke to the BBC’s Gareth Gordon he said: I think in recent years the Ulster Unionist Party has failed to show what it stands for … First of all, I can’t think of any policies it really has promoted strongly in the last five [...] more »
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Against Remembrance – Seminar & Book by David Rieff
Is the best way to overcome the legacy of conflict simply to forget about it? Author and journalist David Rieff spoke on this subject last week in a seminar at the Institute for International Integration Studies (IIIS) at Trinity College Dublin. Rieff has recently written a book titled, Against Remembrance (published in Ireland by Liffey [...] read our review »
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Children of the Revolution (Bill Rolston)
What was life like for children of political activists during the Troubles? A new book by Bill Rolston and published by Guildhall Press during the summer has collected together the stories of twenty Children of the Revolution whose parents’ activities – and in many cases, imprisonment – had a significant affect on childhoods and life [...] read our review »
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Debating the Churches’ Role in the Peace in Northern Ireland
This morning’s Sunday Sequence featured a substantial debate (about 35 minutes into the recorded programme) on a new book,Religion, Civil Society and Peace in Northern Ireland (Oxford University Press 2011), written by sociologists John Brewer, Gareth Higgins and Francis Teeney. The debate was framed in an opening vignette by presenter William Crawley in uncompromising terms, [...] read our review »
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