Post Archives for Eamonn Mallie
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‘The 2010 Group.’
Another meeting of disenchanted members of the Ulster Unionist Party takes place this week-end. ‘The 2010 Group’ has already drafted the broad parameters of a constitution embracing both political and economic principles. What is emerging poses a dilemma for Tom Elliott’s leadership. He has been at pains to promote the notion of internal party discipline. [...] more »
Elliott leadership under scrutiny.
A caucus of unsettled Ulster Unionist party members met in secret last night to take stock. The loose alliance, the names of whom I have been given is known as ‘The 2010 Group’ from across Northern Ireland. They are increasingly disenchanted with the direction in which the leadership of the party is moving. This prompted [...] more »
Funeral arrangements
Jim Dougal’s remains are being brought home this evening to 14 Danesfort, Malone. Strictly family. Open house for all to pay respects Saturday and Sunday. Requiem mass Derryvolgie Monday 1PM. Burial afterwards at Drumbo. Eamonn Mallie more »
Jim Dougal
It is with sadness that members of the Stormont Press Corps learned of the death of colleague Jim Dougal.We express our deepest sympathies to his wife Deirdre, family Tara, Tina Emma, James and his three grandchildren whom he adored. Jim was a widely respected journalist who covered every twist and turn of political life here [...] more »
Tom Elliott and UUP disciplne
Dear Member, First and foremost, on behalf of the Party I would like to convey my thanks to everyone for their support throughout this period of transition. Likewise, I offer my sincere thanks to the Party for electing me as its new Leader. This is a tremendous honour, and I will not be found lacking [...] more »
Martin Mc Guinness in conversation with me when he confirmed for the first time his meeting with Fr James Chesney whose name was linked to the Claudy bombing.
This is the full text of my questioning of Martin Mc Guinness about Fr James Chesney. “I know there are a lot of questions about what happened at Claudy. People have raised a lot of questions about Fr Chesney. “I never met with Fr Chesney at the time of the bombings of Claudy. I never [...] more »
Exclusive Interview with Tony Blair
Interview with Tony Blair – Dublin Sept 3 ’010. 0n publication of his autobiography ‘A Journey.” EM. Why did you write Peter Robinson out of history? He only gets two passing references in a tome of this size? TB. “When he got two references, that’s pretty good I would say.” EM: He’s our Prime Minister. [...] more »
The fall of Paul Priestly.
To most people including journalists stories about NI Water were a big yawn. For the greater part the story of the goings on in NIW was being addressed by Jamie Delargy of UTV(who is encyclopaedic on this subject), Martina Purdy of the BBC and Mick Fealty of Slugger O Toole. For months an unknown businessman [...] more »
Dying for ‘the patriot game.’
Medals belonging to a member of our family on my father’s side, surfaced when he died. The young soldier from the heart of South Armagh who fought for Britain spent the rest of his life in hospital. It was always said he had not recovered because he suffered from ‘shell shock.’ Had I been brought [...] more »
Cameron
The one thing that distinguishes a politician of substance is the capacity to say something meaningful. Few politicians are capable of this. The Dup’s Jim Wells makes sense most of the time. He can stand up and put a sensible point across fluently and not infrequently a point which is at variance with party policy. [...] more »
Disappeared.
The family of Crossmaglen man Charlie Armstrong who went missing in 1981 has been told his remains have been located. Confirmation of the discovery of the bones of a male in County Monaghan came this afternoon. The independent commission for the location of victims said this evening that it has notified the Armstrong family, the [...] more »
Parity of corporation tax.
The Chancellor has ordered a full blown investigation into the implications of streamlining corporation tax North/South. The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee will probe this in the Autumn. The key question raised is the following: What would be the benefits of equalizing the corporation tax rate in Northern Ireland with that of the Republic of Ireland? [...] more »
Conservative/ulster unionist link to continue.
A senior Conservative close to the leadership in London has rubbished suggestions that the marriage with the Ulster Unionists is being dissolved. There are reports that Conservatives in Northern Ireland by a sizeable majority want to walk away from the relationship with Reg Empey’s team. It is now know that the leadership of the Ulster [...] more »
Would a city hall funeral for Alex Higgins show us up as hypocrites?
There is a lot of talk about a city hall organised funeral for snooker ace Alex Higgins. George Best was afforded close to a state funeral at Parliament Buildings. Is there not a danger that as a community we expose ourselves as hypocrites? Have we not allowed this human being to whom we now want [...] more »
RTE’s ‘Faith in crisis: a would you believe special.’
Show me any thinking member of the Catholic Church who is not currently floundering in pursuit of a leadership to restore trust and confidence in the meaning of catholicism. The church is embroiled in a plethora of allegations of clerical scandal from the bottom up and from the top down. Apart from claims of child [...] more »
Archbishop Neary’s thoughts on climbing Croagh Patrick.
Jesus had a reputation for taking to the mountains. For many modern people this is not actually hard to understand. He met every day with terrific and endless human need. He experienced endless demands from people in great distress looking for miracles. Day after day he would give health to the chronically ill, [...] more »
The other side of Alex Higgins.
I am not claiming to have known Alex Higgins in any meaningful way. That said I had three or four conversations with him in the past decade born out of pure accident. He had returned to Belfast and lived in an apartment in Osborne Park at the back of Arizona cafe. He was a regular presence in [...] more »
Is anyone listening?
What can be more demoralising or debilitating than to have to sit at home with all your skills locked away because you have no work? Fortunately I am not among these people. I was prompted however to think more deeply about this recently when a sometimes unemployed man said to me “I was talking to [...] more »
Death of Ian Hill – art critic.
Leading Northern Ireland art critic Ian Hill has died suddenly. Mr Hill a noted journalist and writer on travel and the arts passed away in the company of his wife Helena at their Strangford home at 10 o’ clock this morning. He suffered a suspected heart attack. He had two grown up daughters. Ian Hill [...] more »
First city of culture.
Martin Mc Guinness has confirmed former DUP leader Ian Paisley phoned him to congratulate the people of his city on being named the UK’s ‘first city of culture.’ A delighted Mr Mc Guinness said “this is a precious gift for the peacemakers.” Derry was the smallest of the cities to make a bid for the [...] more »
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Books
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A poem for the day – Launching the Whaler Juan Peron
A Belfast epic, and one of my oldest poems, the opener of my first collection, Grub. The gist of the story was found in Moss & Hume’s Shipbuilders to the World: 125 Years of Harland and Wolff, Belfast, 1861-1986, which tells how Eva Peron was due to launch a huge whaling vessel in Belfast, built [...] read our review » -
Do Words Matter?: Book Review of Political Discourse and Conflict Resolution – Debating Peace in Northern Ireland
I share many of the concerns of Andy Pollak, whose recent post ‘My Response to the Slugger Begrudgers’ zeroed in on the ‘relentless flow of negativity’ of some Slugger commentators. Pollak’s post was largely concerned with the medium of the blog. Indeed, I think the anonymity of the online world encourages extreme discourse and allows [...] read our review »
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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 »
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