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Books
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Lessons in Cute Hoorism: “Graft was accepted, for you were taking from the British…”
I’ve been catching up on some reading, recently. Most pleasantly surprised by John Drennan’s latest opus from Gill and Macmillan, Cute Hoors and Pious Protestors… It’s early days yet, but I was struck by this paragraph, part of a dissection of Fianna Fail near the beginning: One of the more fatal consequences of our colonial [...] read our review »
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Legion of the Rearguard – Dissident Irish Republicanism by Martyn Frampton, Book Review
Are you confused about ‘dissident’ Irish Republicanism? Anxious about its existence and its seemingly increasingly deadly capabilities? Martyn Frampton’s new book, Legion of the Rearguard: Dissident Irish Republicanism (Irish Academic Press, 2011) serves both as a primer on active dissident groups and a timely analysis of their historic significance and contemporary capabilities. This book clears [...] read our review »
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Is Fianna Fail the new Woolworths of Irish politics?
It’s not published until 3rd March, but one book I recommend you place an advance order for from Slugger’s Bookstore is James Harkin’s Niche. Belfast émigré Harkin examines a number of stories from business, culture and politics and comes to a single insight: everywhere the broad middle is collapsing. He offers Woolworths as an iconic exemplar [...] read our review »
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Comment on Calls for withdrawal of NIO may be good for coverage, but…
on 2 May 2012 at 9:14 am
Tory comment
http://www.niconservatives.com/news/doctrinaire-mcguinness-wants-get-rid-northern-irelands-seat-top-table-government
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Comment on More internal plots inside the UUP?
on 20 April 2012 at 7:40 am
The UUP is not a political party any longer, it’s leadership is a collection of over inflated egos.
Only when their focus is on the future of people in Northern Ireland and not their own can they hope to succeed.
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Comment on Mike Nesbitt: “A steely determination to get what he wants…”
on 18 April 2012 at 7:06 am
Wasn’t Nicholson elected as a Conservative and Unionist and doesn’t he sit with the Conservatives in Europe?
Maybe a change of party is coming up.
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Comment on More soft politics over Easter – but what’s the beef?
on 11 April 2012 at 8:52 am
The two major political parties are responsible for much of what has happened here since 1969. The ranting of Ian Paisley and his attacks on the Civil Rights marches and other sectarian actions enabled the IRA to grow in strength. The current SF leadership were despite what ever denials they now wish to use were the head of a sectarian killing machine which they knew from early on was doomed to failure.
Now as the parties age their respective leaders want to forget their past and have a reconciliation with those who were their enemies.
The rest of us who took no part other than as victims have to sit and watch the spectacle of those who jointly created the troubles airbrush their past and take no responsibility for their actions.
However that is what we voted for and we can only hope that they can persuade their followers that we do indeed have much more in common than we have holding us apart, it is the very least they owe us.
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Comment on Mike Nesbitt takes 81% of UUP vote
on 1 April 2012 at 6:09 pm
Clear as mud then, some think they are some think they are not.
It is time people knew exactly what they stand for or if they just sit on the fence with an arse full of splinters.
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Comment on Mike Nesbitt takes 81% of UUP vote
on 1 April 2012 at 5:21 pm
So Alliance are a Unionist party then? If not what are they?
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Comment on Nesbitt’s task is to discover a real purpose for the UUP. But will they let him?
on 1 April 2012 at 8:56 am
It is entirely possible that his first problem will be the loss of up to 3 MLA’s. Will McNarry stay, will McCrae stay, will even McCallister stay. Nesbitt wants to silence everyone will those 3 be silenced? I think they will not, so where do they go, DUP for McNarry? Independence for the other 2 or maybe Alliance or Tories.
If they all become independents along with Allister they will be a strong voice of opposition and a real problem for Nesbitt if they prove he was wrong to oppose opposition. Will be interesting to follow from without.
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Comment on Why won’t candidates slug it out in public?
on 22 March 2012 at 11:44 pm
Who is Nesbitt? It is widely discussed that he attended unionist unity talks in Lough Erne. So does he support McNarry’s view or not?
Is he GAA supporter or not? He was a supporter at one time but then spurned them when he supported Elliot who wouldn’t attend a GAA match.
Voters should make sure they know who they are supporting. With McCallister they know what they are getting and can take a decision based on firm policies, with Nesbitt.?
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Comment on Without Opposition, “the UUP remains trapped, un-influential and jointly culpable…”
on 19 March 2012 at 7:27 pm
I think you have confirmed my point Alliance doesn’t stand for anything it stands against things. It can’t make up it’s mind which union it supports, it can’t make up its mind on Lib Dems, it can’t make up its mind on socialism or capitalism.
Need I say more.
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Comment on Without Opposition, “the UUP remains trapped, un-influential and jointly culpable…”
on 19 March 2012 at 6:23 pm
What exactly do Alliance stand for, they rely on sectarianism for their survival. We are not the DUP or SinnFein seems to be their main policy, if sectarianism disappeared tomorrow would they have a future.
I don’t think so.
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