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Books
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Is Fianna Fail the new Woolworths of Irish politics?
Tweet 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 [...] read our review »
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A New Vision for the Catholic Church – Book Review
Tweet The oft-quoted verse from the book of Proverbs, ‘where there is no vision, the people perish,’ (chapter 29, verse 18) opens a new book by Gerry O’Hanlon, A New Vision for the Catholic Church: A View from Ireland (Columba Press, 2011). That verse could be considered an apt summary of the current state of [...] read our review »
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Unionists, Loyalists, and Conflict Transformation. A book about how things are changing.
Tweet Unionists, Loyalists, and Conflict Transformation in Northern Ireland is a new academic tome by lecturer and researcher Lee Smithey. In the book the Pennsylvania academic outlines his findings based on 67 interviews over eighteen months with grassroots activists in unionist and loyalist communities and organisations. This is largely a book about men, even though [...] read our review »
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Comment on At the current rate of progress, gender equality of MLAs at Stormont will only take another 65 years
on 25 January 2013 at 6:28 pm
Scath thanks for that detail which I didnt have time to input earlier.
Murphy and maskey were replaced by females so SF do were possible try to push for more representation from females although there needs to be a balance if young male talent may lose out when in individual cases maybe better placed to do the job.
Its definitely a difficult balancing act.
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Comment on At the current rate of progress, gender equality of MLAs at Stormont will only take another 65 years
on 25 January 2013 at 12:38 pm
”But of the 14 opportunities for co-option in the NI Assembly between 2007 and 2012 “to replace MLAs who had resigned or died, including to three seats previously held by women” the parties “decided in every one of these fourteen instances that a man should fill the vacancy”.
This is not true, at least were SF is concerned. Martina andersons, paul maskey, Michelle gildernew and conor murphy were all replaced by females within this time period.
It is very stark when comparing SF and the various unionist parties how much unionism is still an old mans club, obviously unionist supremacy exist also within their parties as to who goes forward for election. Once again shows that unionists dont understand the word equality.
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Comment on Micheál Martin – opportunism and cynicism of the very worst kind
on 20 January 2013 at 7:02 pm
Alias,
So being a member or supporter of SF makes you a sheep or does this apply to all other parties and anyone who supports or follows anything for that matter.
Your perception of SF strategy is so far removed from what it actually is that you really need to remove your hatred for that party to actually see what’s really going on.
You say SF knowingly removed the flag in the knowledge that everyone would see it as a sectarian move, why would they be so stupid to do that, it just doesn’t make sense.
SF supporters believe that removing flags etc is akin to removing the British from Ireland, are you listening to yourself, that’s just nonsense.
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Comment on Micheál Martin – opportunism and cynicism of the very worst kind
on 20 January 2013 at 4:36 pm
Should read
**SF completely peaceful protest
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Comment on Micheál Martin – opportunism and cynicism of the very worst kind
on 20 January 2013 at 4:34 pm
Concubhar,
Firstly to my knowledge SF have been working away on the issue of street signage as gaelige for a long time now so I dont see you point.
Secondly, while the union flag isnt thr most important item on the agenda it sends a message to unionism that times are changing and Republicans want equality or neutrality.
Thirdly I find it absolutely amazing that martin tries to equate a SF completely protest outside psni headquarters for 1 hour on 1 day against political policing to the violence from unionist thugs against a democratic decision and you agree with this point.
Maybe you should ask the people of the short strand what they think of micheal martin and his politicking while his fellow countrymen and women have to endure a sectarian supremacist violent onslaught from unionist death squads.
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Comment on Micheál Martin – opportunism and cynicism of the very worst kind
on 20 January 2013 at 2:55 pm
Not now john,
It should not have been controversial given the Dup and Uup voted for the designated days policy in Lisburn and that policy applies to stormont. It was the actions of the unionist parties who decided to up the ante and make it controversial plus the so called flag outrage is more to do with other issues which Eoin has already mentioned.
Comrade,
He hasnt hurt the shinners feelings but rather f*@ked off a lot of nats/repubs because of his politiking over this issue while short strand bore the brunt of violent unionism. Hes a joke of a political leader in a corrupt party
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Comment on Micheál Martin – opportunism and cynicism of the very worst kind
on 20 January 2013 at 12:57 pm
Eoin,
Excellent piece which is well written and to the point.
Once again the failure of political unionism in working class loyalist areas is in the news and they direct all their sectarian hatred towards Republicans as if somehow its their fault.
I keep hearing loyalist/unionist talk about their communities not benefitting from the ‘peace dividend’ and it all went to them there fenians. The question they should be asking is why when any money came in did the UVF & UDA syphon it off for gambling or drugs etc.
As for Mr Martin he just proves that he is out of his depth both in and out of government and see the north as nothing more than the occasional whipping stick for Sinn Fein should any issue so take his fancy, and they have they audacity to call themselves a Republican party.
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Comment on We could be entering an era of referendum politics. Will it be destructive or creative?
on 20 January 2013 at 8:50 am
There is a lot of talking and debating to be done around a united ireland and a border poll for that matter but one thing is for sure, unionisms responses to this issue will be like that of dealing with other issues, FEAR, FEAR, SECTARIANISM & FEAR.
Although different in nature I think the referendum in Scotland will give a taste of the Fear Game that unionism will play and as much trouble and violence will be stirred up by Ulster Unionists as a taste of things to come.
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Comment on Border Poll: On the one road, maybe the wrong road, on the road to god knows where?
on 18 January 2013 at 10:36 pm
Ultimately the SOS holds the power to call it but SF has been not behind the door on a UI or a border poll and this coming more to the fore now is part of a project started a few years back to promote the UI agenda both at home and abroad.
There are many unknowns about a UI but the purpose of this by GA is to start that debate, years before a debate will be called so everyone can engage in that debate and many of the unknowns should become clearer.
Lets be honest, it will be a few years before the SOS will call the poll but as slugger is evidence of, the debate is already started on this forum and others and between different people of various backgrounds
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Comment on Do Unionist councils need to learn the ‘trick’ of using nationalist mayors as a majoritarian cover?
on 18 January 2013 at 10:24 pm
Firstly well done to Chris and Gerry lynch.
Nationalist and Republicans share power in councils where they have a majority genuinely in the name of equality, believe it or believe it not.
Unionism on the other hand demonstrates on councils what many Nats/Reps already know, that unionism believes in some god given or birth right to be in charge in this part of Ireland and that manifests itself in their supremacist sectarian mentality whereby they can’t even make small gestures to the ‘other’ side because of the old adage of not wanting a Fenian about the place. That’s not every elected unionist but seems to me most of them have this mentality.
Unionism needs to realise that the days of the orange state are gone and stop fooling themselves and their electorate that they still hold their noses when reluctantly engaging with SF. MOVE WITH THE TIMES UNIONISM!
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Comment on Friday Thread: Maybe what Peter and Martin need is better meetings?
on 18 January 2013 at 10:12 pm
AR,
Your post is seriously lacking detail on how to actually bring about that viable alternative you speak of. Lets hear the detail!
Let me make a suggestion, put you and your RNU comrades forward for election and let the people have their say but as you know only too well your so-called brand of republicanism is nothing more than a cover of the taxing of drug dealers and the extorting of money from local businesses while directing well known anti-social and criminals elements from across Belfast to destroy Ardoyne once every summer although most do a good job of that all year round.
With the greatest of respect you and your brand of republicanism sullies the good name of republicanism.
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Comment on What do Catholic people living in non interface Belfast think of the flags crisis?
on 17 January 2013 at 9:35 pm
MrPMartin,
For someone who never had a real interest in history or politics she has made a good stab at it with her why i’m against a united Ireland, for the queen, against monarchy etc.
He reasons against a united Ireland don’t even make sense and she loves dual nationality but depends whos in control.
Still not convinced this is genuine and if it were to be true which is not impossible, god help this person as they dont have a clue what they are.
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Comment on What do Catholic people living in non interface Belfast think of the flags crisis?
on 17 January 2013 at 9:28 pm
Jacques,
Well put!
My Favorite bit is that she loves the queen but doesn’t like monarchy! Classic!
Could she be the female Jamie Bryson or Willie Frazer?
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Comment on What do Catholic people living in non interface Belfast think of the flags crisis?
on 17 January 2013 at 8:05 pm
GEF,
I would be very suspicious of the origins of this letter from a rarely spotted unicorn. I’m not saying its not possible and yes there may well be people who think like that but just seems slightly false.
What many people don’t grasp is what a United Ireland will actually look like, this assumption that somehow Republicans will accept the state of the 26 counties as mecca and pack up and say job well done is totally wrong. So many changed need to take place there as here before people can truly see its potential.
As for the vox pop, don’t really think you can get a good honest flavor of an areas thinking by a few people with a 20 sec slot each. I like many other people tend to avoid journalist looking these ‘views’ for camera.
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Comment on #Flegs: “That’s what we, in many instances, choose to see…”
on 17 January 2013 at 7:55 pm
Jason’s piece i feel is poor to say the least, almost saying that were it to happen to us then were would be as bad while having a go at some of his own country men and women.
His piece seems to forget the relationship that these two islands have and as Paulk alluded to, when i comes to money and trade who cares about ‘flegs’.
Crow,
Picking up on a point you make about loyalism and their ‘britishness’. As an Irish Republican i was always intrigued about britishness both from a GB perspective and a Ulster Loyalism/Unionism perspective. This recent nonsense over the flag confirms to me what I always thought and that is that loyalism is no more British than people from India or Palestine. They believe they are British without truly understanding what that actually means.
I suspect if given half the chance most of GB would happily vote to get rid of the North of Ireland quicker so than with Scotland.
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Comment on Ongoing #Flegs disturbances point to a chronic rather than acute failure in NI Politics…
on 15 January 2013 at 1:20 am
Comrade,
Well the clue is in how you phrased your comment.
Alex i assume was trying to articulate a number of issues of the sectarian intimidation of the short strand and their right to defend themselves should they come under attack. I’m sure most of Short Strand are very fearful of attacks on their area and the past and present experiences show their fears to be well founded.
I would condemn attacks from short strand on loyalist homes however if those within short strand are attacked and they have to defend themselves with stones then i would support them in that and most if not all republicans and nationalist would support their right to defend their area which bears the brunt of supremacist sectarian unionism every time they have internal ‘issues’.
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Comment on “In her hands golf balls which she said were thrown by her nationalist neighbours…”
on 14 January 2013 at 10:34 pm
Mick,
Its not about whiting out. The so called violence from short strand, probably about 0.01% of all the violence of the past few weeks cannot become a story when this was started by loyalism/unionism/bnp/uvf, continued by those some groups and moved closer to interfaces by those same groups for one purpose only, to draw the short strand into the equation so as to deflect attention from themselves ‘destroying’ their own areas.
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Comment on “In her hands golf balls which she said were thrown by her nationalist neighbours…”
on 14 January 2013 at 10:03 pm
Anne,
Absolutely disgusting but the unfortunate thing is that whether you are a special needs group, a catholic enclave, alliance member/office or democracy in general you are fair game for these supremacist sectarian UVF/BNP thugs
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Comment on “In her hands golf balls which she said were thrown by her nationalist neighbours…”
on 14 January 2013 at 9:31 pm
im-power-shall,
I’m actually a Republican and i’m not looking to push the blame onto unionism because they are unionist. I’m apportioning blame where it belong in this case and im not afraid to say when Republicans are wrong, no problem doing that whatsoever.
Going back to the ‘troubles’ is a joke and just whataboutery in is worst form. If it has context with this recent trouble then so be it but deal with this issue and its facts of this east belfast UVF/BNP sectarianism.
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Comment on “In her hands golf balls which she said were thrown by her nationalist neighbours…”
on 14 January 2013 at 9:20 pm
im-power-shall,
Thats smart, apportion blame to everyone! Where is the logic in that?
Im against a middle ground? Where do you come by that. Im against some bland fake madeup form of a society where we cannot be ourselves as long as it doesnt impact on the quality of life of others.
Im against this sad attempt to make out that everyone is to blame without having the balls to actually face the realities.
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