Profile for Johnny Boy
Unionist, Pragmatist, Realist.
Latest comments from Johnny Boy (see all)
Johnny Boy has commented 147 times (0 in the last month).
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Books
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Roddy Doyle’s Two Pints: An epic tale of modern Ireland in less than 90 pages..
Tweet Less than 90 pages long, Roddy Doyle’s latest book sounds like a must have… I must admit I have never heard three reviewers so obviously break down in laughter over just one book as on Saturday Review (12.02 in) this weekend. This extract from the Irish Times Review section is all I have to [...] read our review »
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The ANC, the IRA and the rise of influence of the left within Sinn Fein…
Tweet World by Storm has a nice piece up on the IRA’s role in helping MK, the armed wing of the ANC, in the 1980s. In particular he sees a strange alchemy at work there: …if one can think of a clearly legitimate contemporary struggle it was that against apartheid and it is to the [...] read our review »
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Voices from the Grave
Tweet Coming up to the Halloween holiday, some people might be frightened of the idea of Voices from the Grave – but for others, the chance to hear an oral history of the Troubles from the mouths of two (in)famous protagonists, PUP leader and former UVF member David Ervine, and Brendan “The Dark” Hughes, is [...] read our review »
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Comment on [Corrected] over half of southerners think restriction of Union flag in Belfast was wrong…
on 15 January 2013 at 12:45 pm
It’s not really a surprising slice of opinion, I think most people can see that a peaceful, stable, and prosperous NI suits everyone, whether they would ultmately like to see a UI, or NI remain in the UK. The course SF\SDLP seem to want to persue can only deliver a UI in tatters, and if DUP\UUP continue resist every step towards normalisation that doesn’t fit with their “Evey day is the 12th of July” ideal, there is a painful road ahead; I could even see it tempting many economic unionists into voting for a UI in exasberation to at least start an end game. While people continue to elect representatives who are above all Ideologically driven, it’s had to see anything other than strife in the medium, and even long term.
My wife and I actually discussed potential exit strategy for our family last Saturday; the outlook is gloomy at the moment.
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Comment on PSNI ask protestors to allow GP through, don’t intervene when ‘permission’ denied
on 13 January 2013 at 7:27 pm
Once the police start forcibly removing protesters, and I think it will happen eventually, it will more than likely herald a further deterioration of the situation. Also, it essentially makes every one of the many protests a violent confrontation, now the police have scores of riots on their hands rather than one or two. So I’m not surprised they are trying to manage them up to now.
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Comment on What remains valuable about the middle ground in Northern Ireland?
on 19 December 2012 at 8:09 pm
In Northern Ireland it seems you can’t be part of the solution unless yo are part of the the problem. Moderates can’t “bring” the extremes to the middle ground, they’re already there. I, like others I’m sure, hoped that SF and the DUP, by at least getting their flocks to the Assembly would have taken steps towards the middle ground.
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Comment on #Flegs unrest, protest and threats are the price we pay for not giving moderates a voice
on 14 December 2012 at 8:17 pm
Trimble had to play to the traditional core support PR and Nesbitt feel they have to do the same.
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Comment on #Flegs unrest, protest and threats are the price we pay for not giving moderates a voice
on 14 December 2012 at 8:14 pm
Yerma – I think your logic is flawed, if this is an extreme view, I can only apologise.
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Comment on #Flegs unrest, protest and threats are the price we pay for not giving moderates a voice
on 14 December 2012 at 7:48 pm
A moderate in my view understands that a peaceful NI, with both communities respectful and comfortable with each other is both the only hope for the union in the long term, and also the only hope for a smooth transition to a united Ireland.
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Comment on Time for an End to the Convenient Lies of the Peace Process
on 14 December 2012 at 12:47 pm
The current main parties having been living the lie for so long now, do they feel they can reveal the truth and survive?
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Comment on #DigitalLunch: Have the last ten days left Northern Ireland shaken or stirred?
on 14 December 2012 at 10:37 am
The DUP and UUP are painting themselves into a corner by making compromise seem like defeat. Most of the mainstream Unionist politicians are only comfotable fighting this corner, I can see a lurch further towards their hardline. I only hope many will choose not to follow.
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Comment on #DigitalLunch: Have the last ten days left Northern Ireland shaken or stirred?
on 14 December 2012 at 9:37 am
Alliance have shown themselves to be earnest in their commitment to a positive shared future, will it earn them more support from people “small n” nationalists? A personality would help.
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Comment on #DigitalLunch: Have the last ten days left Northern Ireland shaken or stirred?
on 14 December 2012 at 9:20 am
Hopefully the Census and the refusal of moderate unionists to be bullied by hardliners will leave a sense that the Northern Irish Others have a significant and growing presence.
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