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Books
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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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Unionists, Loyalists, and Conflict Transformation. A book about how things are changing.
Unionists, Loyalists, and Conflict Transformation in Northern Ireland is a new academic tome by lecturer and researcher Lee Smithey. In the book the Pennsylvania academic outlines his findings based on 67 interviews over eighteen months with grassroots activists in unionist and loyalist communities and organisations. This is largely a book about men, even though they [...] read our review »
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What has The Third Man got to say about Northern Ireland?
Short answer: very little, other than he enjoyed the environs of Hillsborough Castle, enjoyed working with the local politicians, and has Gerry Adams to thank for Bobby his dog. Peter Mandelson’s book The Third Man has captured media headlines in recent weeks as the Times serialised the most juicy bits. But what did he have [...] read our review »
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Comment on Normality and rugby
on 20 May 2012 at 2:54 pm
‘pretty much representative sides ‘
I realise there are guidelines they have to operate within, but they’re a long way off being truly representative sides (and Ulster are not unique in this respect), given the nationalities that make up the team.
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Comment on Normality and rugby
on 20 May 2012 at 12:02 am
‘And yet, Ulster is your birthright. Why give it away?’
Ulster are a professional club, not a representative side. Personally, I ffind it impossible to root against the greatest Irishman to ever play the game.
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Comment on Brian McLaughlin: ‘Heineken Cup Final’ swan song
on 19 May 2012 at 9:33 am
‘Well, I’d suggest that you should have read Michael’s post before attempting your cartoon version.’
Which I’m afraid, doesn’t stand up to scutiny. McLaughlin’s been in the post for less than 3 years and has brought Ulster to the brink of a European Cup. Michael referenced ‘dire performances in October’ yet McLaughlin was told his contract wouldn’t be renewed in February by which time the team had greatly improved, including a 41-7 victory over Leicester in mid-January.
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Comment on The withering of Irish Catholicism sees Sunday attendance plummet in the cities…
on 18 May 2012 at 12:14 pm
Looks like a bathroom showroom, Ulick. You’ve got to think that’s at least part of the problem.
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Comment on Normality and rugby
on 17 May 2012 at 9:55 pm
Alan
Rugby was always popular across the divide, at least in international terms. The advent of professionalism and the general raising of standards has increased attendances across Europe and Ulster like other teams has realised that a broader appeal is essential to survival.
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Comment on Leinster would probably win 9 times out of 10, but…
on 17 May 2012 at 2:41 pm
‘‘It seems difficult to take a team to the next level when you have reached a Heineken Cup final… but wind the clock back to last October and there were some pretty dire performances from an Ulster team who have a good first XV, but when that isn’t on the field, the rest of the squad doesn’t have the same experience or quality.
Getting to the next level and competing consistently at the top level will require a higher level of performance from the entire squad and that will be Anscombe’s challenge.’
If there are deficiencies in the current squad then surely that’s the fault of the men responsible for recruitment and development at the academy, (McLaughlins new role) not the coach? Unless of course the argument being put forward is that the coaching has made these players regress upon their arrival at Ravenhill?
My own view: Humphreys panicked, pinned the blame on McLaughlin and now must feel utterly foolish.
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Comment on Sinn Fein’s split political personality north and south…
on 15 May 2012 at 3:32 pm
‘Are you telling me they don’t talk in OFMdFM? Given the reaction in the DUP to them taking Education I’d say that whatever had been planned was not kept to.’
Given the DUP took Finance first twice (I’m open to correction on this in 2007), if there was an agreement, another party taking Finance wasn’t part of it. I think it suits the DUP and how it see’s itself to be in possession of the Blue Riband Ministry. And I think you’re stretching the point by mentioning DEL – it’s clearly the runt of the ministerial litter.
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Comment on Sinn Fein’s split political personality north and south…
on 15 May 2012 at 2:16 pm
‘Sinn Fein has avoided the responsibilities of economic ministries in the Northern Ireland Executive’
Wasn’t Finance (and let’s face it, that’s what he’s talking about) the DUP’s first choice (and therefore first choice overall) in 2007 and 2011?
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Comment on Licence fee freeze leads BBC NI slashes top journalist jobs…
on 10 May 2012 at 3:31 pm
‘Or perhaps you’d rather we had less people who were capable of explaining just what our political class are up to?’
Not really, but I’m fairly confident others within (and outside) the BBC are capable of filling their shoes.
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Comment on Licence fee freeze leads BBC NI slashes top journalist jobs…
on 10 May 2012 at 1:55 pm
‘Ulick, to look at it another way, those least likely to apply for redundancy will include those with limited skills and prospects. ‘
So we’re stuck with the weather team then?
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