Profile for Mark Dowling
From Cork but living in Toronto, Canada.
Latest comments from Mark Dowling (see all)
Mark Dowling has commented 164 times (5 in the last month).
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Books
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“You can see Newton’s mind at work…”
To add to the open access treasure trove at the Royal Society, Cambridge University Library is putting online some of its collection of books, maps, manuscripts and journals. We have called the first phase of our work on the Cambridge Digital Library the Foundations Project, which runs from mid-2010 to mid-2013 and has been made possible [...] read our review » -
Douglas Murray – Bloody Sunday: Truth, Lies and the Saville Inquiry, Book Review
The aftermath of the Saville Inquiry into the events around Bloody Sunday has left me, and I suspect many others, with one enduring image: Prime Minister David Cameron’s apology in the House of Commons, where he says that the actions of the British Army were ‘unjustified and unjustifiable.’ But there’s a lot more to the [...] read our review » -
Ulsters Last Stand?: Can Unionism Move Beyond Insurance Policy Politics?
How has Ulster unionism arrived at where it is today – fractured and uncertain, yet dominated electorally by the DUP, a party that tells us it offers unionists sure footing in uncertain times? In his latest book, Ulster’s Last Stand? Reconstructing Unionism after the Peace Process (Irish Academic Press, 2010), Prof. James McAuley from the [...] read our review »
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Comment on 2012 Irish Open: Executive swingers
on 14 May 2012 at 2:05 pm
Not sure why the golfers themselves are getting a bitching here – plenty of well paid footballers discussed on this forum without reference to schools or hospitals BUT…
It’s one thing for a State to be lender/investor of last resort in something like a bank but it is incredible that the European Tour has thrown up their hands and left it to NI to bankroll this tournament.
On a transport forum I frequent there was an inquiry about whether special trains would run from south of the Border to Portrush to ease the transportation burden. The answer is no, due in part to the failure of NIR and IE to certify the Enterprise sets anywhere north of Belfast, but I also noted that since there is no wifi on the trains, how would the golfers follow the action when yet another “security incident” unfolds in Lurgan?
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Comment on London mayoral race: BOJO still king of City Hall
on 7 May 2012 at 3:01 pm
Good week for Eurostar – all those rich Frenchies fleeing 75pc tax going one way, all those who cried “I’m leaving if Boris elected” t’other.
Malcolm – how do you account for Boris outpolling the Assembly Tory candidates? At first glance it makes one think a lot of Labour voters preferred the toff to the comrade.
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Comment on The citizenship test: Protestants as well as Catholics in favour of fee waiver?
on 2 May 2012 at 6:42 pm
The principles of the DUP can be bought for 27 grand a child? I doubt that would have been true in Dr Paisley’s leadership, we would have heard much of “Mammon” and “filthy lucre” and what not.
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Comment on Father Brian D’arcy told to submit copy to Church censor…
on 26 April 2012 at 10:07 pm
Ulick – I don’t mean that the Pope personally ordered this action but to say that the actions of the CDF and the boldness with which they are issuing their recent decisions are inconsistent with the views and wishes of its most recent leader is naive.
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Comment on Father Brian D’arcy told to submit copy to Church censor…
on 26 April 2012 at 6:35 pm
Pope Canute strikes again.
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Comment on Orange EU Funding: An Opportunity to Exercise Responsible Society
on 20 April 2012 at 7:32 pm
Of The Island: thanks for your reply.
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Comment on Orange EU Funding: An Opportunity to Exercise Responsible Society
on 20 April 2012 at 5:02 pm
Of This Island, your writing style appears to consist of lengthy posts without a single hyperlink to refer readers to supporting materials. I urge you to reconsider this especially on topics like this one.
I wish to query one line specifically in this piece: “And all that before anybody in Brussels even considers offering such outreach funds to Catholic communities.”
These funds are provided through the EU Peace III Programme. On a quick scan of the materials, it appears that like most such programmes it relies on applications. A careless reading of the sentence above evokes the notion of Eurocrats seeking out parties as it sees fit with a wad of cash in their pockets and handing it out whimsically. So, here’s my question: have any Catholic-predominant organisations sought funding and if granted what concrete results have resulted from it?
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Comment on “Such arrangements are commonplace in cross-border rail operations across Europe.”
on 18 April 2012 at 5:50 pm
I wonder which solid upstanding citizen was responsible for this?
http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0418/brick-dropped-onto-moving-train-at-lisburn.html
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Comment on “Such arrangements are commonplace in cross-border rail operations across Europe.”
on 17 April 2012 at 11:56 pm
Harpo: “Are you saying that those US companies should allow Canadians to enter, as potential customers?”
Many Canadian contests are not open to people in the province of Quebec, never mind the mob south of the border, because they have odd laws on contests, lotteries and the like.
jthree: “Mark if you believe that having Branson’s mob run the Enterprise would improve it I can deduce that you are not a regular user of Virgin Trains.” Guilty as charged
I suppose I just liked the notion of a nice red train instead of that dull maroon.
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Comment on “Such arrangements are commonplace in cross-border rail operations across Europe.”
on 17 April 2012 at 5:00 pm
Dec – did you miss the part where Translink is IE’s partner in NI? Not their competitor? If Translink is getting the revenue from NI sales, what’s the upside for IE to sell to NI residents?
Of course, the Enterprise should have been tendered out to Branson or someone else years ago, since neither NIR or IE have the resources to run the service needed – 100mph and hourly frequency, like the Dublin-Cork line. Instead it’s 90mph (sort of) and occasional service with 75mph commuter railcars subbed in by IE when the Enterprise units go tech because they STILL haven’t commissioned the Class 22000 trains to go north of Dundalk, despite paying for the necessary equipment in the first six trains delivered.
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