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Books
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Debating the Churches’ Role in the Peace in Northern Ireland
This morning’s Sunday Sequence featured a substantial debate (about 35 minutes into the recorded programme) on a new book,Religion, Civil Society and Peace in Northern Ireland (Oxford University Press 2011), written by sociologists John Brewer, Gareth Higgins and Francis Teeney. The debate was framed in an opening vignette by presenter William Crawley in uncompromising terms, [...] read our review » -
The Creative Class and Northern Ireland
As part of NICVA’s series of masterclasses from its Centre for Economic Empowerment project, there was a morning seminar on the topic of the “creative class” (as popularised by Richard Florida) and its applicability to Northern Ireland. The agenda was to: Explain Richard Florida’s idea of the “creative class” and the link between economic outcomes [...] read our review »
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Of the Old North and other Vanished Kingdoms..
I’m currently trawling through Norman Davies’s fabulous new tome – “Vanished Kingdoms” – Five stars in the (London) Telegraph’s review from Ben Wilson: All the nations that have ever lived have left their footsteps in the sand,” writes Norman Davies. “The traces fade with every tide, the echoes grow faint, the images are fractured, the human [...] read our review »
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Comment on Education, education, education…
on 3 March 2010 at 1:18 pm
Have you forgotten that men an women from throughout this country have devoted themselves to the education of children for centuries. Catholic education came into being, funded itself and changed the life chances of generations of Catholics who were abandoned and left to rot by self righteous institutional sectarianism. The recent horrific revelations of the actions an inaction of the few has cast this heroic history into the background. I would rather children where provided with a lens with which toview the world that focussed on justice, service and compassion for all – schools with a faith dimension offer this others try but are less successful
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Comment on Education, education, education…
on 3 March 2010 at 2:51 am
At last the Catholic Church is beginning to show some moral fibre- it’s taken them long enough. There has never been an argument for the division of selection in Catholic social teaching. What remains to be seen is how much “cultural” Catholics ignore the lead given by Cardinal Brady and choose elitism over gospel values of equality for all and not just the few
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Comment on “It is hard not to feel a certain sense of pity for Sinn Fein over this issue..”
on 16 February 2010 at 3:02 pm
I find it revealing that so many contributors find it so hard to swallow money to promote the ancient language of the country where they live. I don’t disagree that at times Irish language is hijacked for political motives at times but so is everything else so don’t start gettin all hot under the collar. The language is not just for republicans, Catholics, nationalists, even Irish people. Ask the good loyal prods who go to their classes throughout the north- are they seeking to take the medicne from sick children? Allow the classrooms to fill to bursting? Wise up. Some of these comments show us up to be increibly narrow and parochial here. Money spent on anything can be criticized
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Comment on “There has to be a consensus found on education”
on 12 February 2010 at 6:48 pm
Pace parent
I only want to put paid to the lie that grammar schools are not perpetuating social division to their own ends. If selective education becomes the quid pro quo for parading, Irish Lang et al then shame on the person who puts their name to it. We must build a new society from the bottom up where children stay together in local schools from 4-18 where all needs can be met with fair conditons of work and pay for all staff. Future schooling must be based on equal treatment and opportunity for all our children. The current system is based on parents wanting the best for their children AT THE EXPENSE of other children – foul ball for me
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Comment on “There has to be a consensus found on education”
on 12 February 2010 at 4:09 pm
Come on now people – Grammar schools no longer exist. With one or two exceptions look at the figures for the number of “Grammar” schools who took pupils with D grades – unbelievable. We need to wake uo and smell the coffee, listen to Primary school heads, working teachers, pupils in all ability schools, parents with children in all ability schools – selection is social engineering and is a fraud. May also make this point as a working teacher or more than 20 yrs experience even the very name AQE makes me sick. The arrogance in this name that only “Grammar” schools provide “quality” education is a lie and a slight on the amazing work that goes on in other post primary schools. CR can’t even get a discussion around the executive table about this – she ain’t the most convincing in how she argues but she is right and thank God the Catholic Bishops have finally woken up to the sheer anti- Christian nature of the grammar lobby – WWJD? He would want to be where the disadvantaged are – and that ain’t in a grammar school
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Comment on Identifying the 14 ahead of an apostolic departure?
on 3 February 2010 at 6:49 pm
I’m sorry iv been in outer mongolia too – why is Daniel o d lying low?
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Comment on Will ‘private’ talks with DUP scupper Conservative-UUP pact?
on 29 January 2010 at 8:28 pm
This reflects poorly on the selfconscious and paranoid state of unioinism created by the Weasel. Surely odu’s (ordinary decent unionists) are not sucked in by JA in enough numbers tomake him as powerful as he thinks he is
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Comment on Nuclear options
on 28 January 2010 at 12:55 am
Not quite apartheid SA eh? Do you want to broaden this argument to selection in education? Lets keep the riff raff out of our nice schools – no signs up to that effect but separation based on class nonetheless.
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Comment on Nuclear options
on 28 January 2010 at 12:52 am
Conflict resolution no matter where it is requires a great deal of forgiveness and a big dose of reality – there is no longer any room for middle ground solutions to suit all sides – how long do you think this place is going to last if we don’t dream improbable dreams and make brave uncomfortable decisions. I am sure there have been meetings between former combatants from all sides in the last ten years when bullets, for want of a better word, have had to be bitten
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Comment on Nuclear options
on 28 January 2010 at 12:42 am
I have an idea – hwat about a benign, benevolent dictator surely we would all submit to that
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