Slugger O'Toole

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Latest posts from Chris Donnelly (see all)

Chris Donnelly has posted 582 times (7 in the last month).

SDLP tribes at war over Alasdair’s ‘poverty’ stance – UPDATE: Alasdair strikes back!

Wed 4 January 2012, 10:20am

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A very public war of words has broken out within the SDLP following Party Leader Alasdair McDonnell’s decision to launch a Save Politicians from Poverty Appeal in his Irish News interview earlier this week. Today, the SDLP Mayor of Lisburn, Brian Heading, has written to the paper strongly criticising his party leader. During his appearance on BBC [...] more »

Latest comments from Chris Donnelly (see all)

Chris Donnelly has commented 817 times (21 in the last month).

1. Comment on What has the Laganside Events Grant scheme been spent on?
   on 18 February 2012 at 1:11 pm

   That’ll be the May Day parade and carnival they organise each year. It’s a pretty big event – rivals some of the more traditional parades!

   Alan
   It also has the distinct advantage of attracting support from all shades of political opinion, providing a fantastic day out in a way that those other, ahem, ‘traditional’ parades could never even aspire to.

   I’d say that’s a case of money well spent.

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2. Comment on Don’t denude Stormont of unionist monuments. Let’s have nationalist ones too. What might they be?
   on 17 February 2012 at 2:37 pm

   Harry F
   Nationalists and republicans are to be commended for embracing the diverse history of their city in Derry, and should not seek to eradicate expressions of British or unionist culture.

   But that doesn’t detract from the fact that nationalists/ republicans would like to see their cultural and political identity similarly recognised in town centres elsewhere.

   To suggest a fondness for soccer or ‘British’ pop music equates to a garrison mentality is absurd.

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3. Comment on Don’t denude Stormont of unionist monuments. Let’s have nationalist ones too. What might they be?
   on 17 February 2012 at 12:00 pm

   lol @ Chris complaining about the “essentially British/ unionist character” of Londonderry. It’s a plantation city built where there was essentially nothing there before – the town wouldn’t exist in the first place if not for its plantation history.

   Ayeyerma
   I dare say some poor native souls had to be dispensed with in order to claim the land.

   In any case, that’s hardly relevant. The city should be reflective of its traditions, and Derry city centre fails on that charge due to unionism’s dominant place in Irish history.

   Ironically, nationalists have not sought to redress that imbalance to date, though there was an opportunity recently with the naming of the new bridge in the city (of course, one bridge straddling the Foyle is already named for a unionist.)

   Unionists- like Allister- wanting greater British/ unionist symbolism must reflect on how they have failed to reciprocate and find means of redressing the imbalance if they want to be taken seriously when raising such issues as the Act of Union table or portraits of members of the British Royal family.

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4. Comment on Don’t denude Stormont of unionist monuments. Let’s have nationalist ones too. What might they be?
   on 17 February 2012 at 10:16 am

   I’m sure there’s been plenty of winding up all round, but cautioning nationalists against suggesting names of people unionists might not like, and then actually going to the bother of nominating SDLP figures, is taking things to a new level.

   And I do hope we can agree that Stormont should be but the first place for the ‘levelling’ of the field, with Derry and other places to follow? After all, it remains quite the remarkable feat of tolerance for Derry’s overwhelmingly nationalist population to accept the essentially British/ unionist character of its town.

   Would that Ballymena, Lisburn et al could follow suit and reciprocate….

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5. Comment on Does History Matter? BBC NI’s Festival of History & Broadcasting
   on 17 February 2012 at 9:09 am

   In an inspired move several years ago, I subscribed to the Horrible Histories magazine series, ending up with the entire collection and accompanying timelines and history cards set.

   Since then, I have made history buffs of scores of kids in my own school at a time when the World Around Us curricular area introduced within the revised curriculum has left the teaching of history at its lowest point (don’t get me started on where science has gone in the revised curriculum…)

   Friday afternoons are also Horrible History time on the interactive whiteboard thanks to the TV series.

   Long live Terry Deary and Eaglemoss!

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6. Comment on Don’t denude Stormont of unionist monuments. Let’s have nationalist ones too. What might they be?
   on 17 February 2012 at 9:00 am

   Two more ideas spring to mind:

   A united Irish memorial in the centre of the demographically balanced (but certainly not symbolically balanced) town of Antrim, to remember the Battle of Antrim;

   A statue to Roger Casement in Ballymena.

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7. Comment on Don’t denude Stormont of unionist monuments. Let’s have nationalist ones too. What might they be?
   on 17 February 2012 at 8:58 am

   Brian Walker
   How our vocabularies betray our prejudices….

   You suggest nationalists avoid ‘winding up’ unionists and proffer the idea of us selecting former SDLP electoral figures, presumably on the grounds that such individuals are the least upsetting to unionists. What arrogance!

   This is- yet again- one of those situations which will in time compel unionists to finally realise the significance of the shared and equal society which we have agreed upon through the various Agreements and shared political institutions.

   Stormont should be but one location for the ‘even-ing’ up of politically and culturally important symbols and statues. What of Derry city centre, Belfast City Hall and the many other provincial towns?

   As for the idea that Bobby Sands was too recent, consider the UDR momument in the centre of Lisburn recently erected- there goes that argument….

   Personally, I think something commemorating ’98 at Stormont- as well as 1916- would be most fitting. Perhaps the ’98 monument could face Cavehill given that location’s significance to the United Irishmen; whilst a 1916 memorial could prominently display those of the leaders who spent time residing in Belfast.

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8. Comment on Football eligibility row illustrates unionism’s inability to respect ‘The Other’ tradition
   on 10 February 2012 at 8:48 am

   St Etienne and Cynic
   The story was prompted by a DUP MP raising the matter in the first instance.

   Furthermore, Slugger works much better if we stick to the topic of discussion- and, to his credit, Red Lion has shown that there is an argument which Northern Ireland fans can and will make in response to mine and others supportive of the rights of northerners to represent the Republic.

   But I’d be more interested in hearing thoughts from unionist contributors to the site on how such a hostile attitude to one expression of the all-Ireland identity of their neighbours sits in a new era where we are supposed to be accepting and respecting each others’ identities.

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9. Comment on In praise of… Borgen
   on 5 February 2012 at 11:03 am

   Been watching this myself- a great show!

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10. Comment on The Detail on post-primary exam results
    on 5 February 2012 at 10:11 am

    Mick
    I think the key element of the standard for assessing ‘failing’ schools in England is the inclusion of the two main curricular subjects of English and Maths in the 5 GCSE’s A*-C figures- not the provision of additional vocational qualifications.

    Over the past five years here, the secondary/ non-grammar sector has reported a year on year increase in the number and % of pupils obtaining 5 GCSEs A*-C, or grades equivalent to these.

    My own area of expertise lay in the primary sector, but from speaking to secondary teachers and principals, I’m led to believe that the successes have come from schools getting smarter about targeting subjects for pupils to ensure they get as many across the minimum threshold.

    That’s understandable and indeed commendable when compared against what went before, when far too many schools reported an alarmingly high number of kids leaving with either very few or no qualifications at GCSE level.

    In regard to your question, Mick, I think it remains the case that vocational qualifications count at GCSE level as equivalents, though I’d need to verify that.

    For those who follow the annual results table produced by the Irish News for non-grammars, or indeed for those who have looked at the Department of Education stats collated online for individual schools, it is worth noting that the local stats for % achieving 5 GCSEs do not include the stipulation that the reported % include Maths and English at GCSE precisely because all involved know that this will dramatically reduce the figures.

    Hence the reason why Torney had to obtain these new stats based on that key stipulation.

    Ultimately, two things will stand out in any analysis of our system. Firstly, that the job facing non-grammar schools is a considerably more difficult and challenging one to that facing the grammar sector, and that fact needs to be recognised.

    Secondly, in spite of the caveat outlined in the first point, it is very obvious that there are worryingly high disparities in terms of educational attainment within and across the distinct sectors which is confirmed by the most reliable and fair comparative analysis – ie that involving measuring school performance against other schools with similar profiles (grammar or non-grammar measured against others in the same FSME bracket.)

    ESAGS represents a good beginning, but I’d like to see more of a focus on incentivising high performing school leaders and teachers to work in schools located in the working class districts from which the long line of low attainers and under achievers invariably exist.

    As the performance of some primary and post-primary schools in these areas illustrates, there clearly are ways of significantly increasing the prospects for working-class pupils.

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