Patrick Murdock

Only our rivers run pee, fixing Lough Neagh…

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It is at this point in the summer cycle that all of us can watch Lough Neagh, and some of our other inland lakes and waterways, turn green as the blue-green algae blooms, and it is at this point too …

Brian O’Neill

Farage wins Clacton by election, parliamentary investigation resumes…

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Nigel Farage has seen off the challenge of Count Binface to regain his seat in Clacton. Still Count Binface had a very respectable 9,455 votes. I came first in the Clacton by-election! Of the candidates who bothered to turn up …

Ulster University

“Whatever you say, say nothing”: ‘the Troubles’ in Northern Ireland’s draft History curriculum…

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Dr Clare McAuley is a lecturer in the School of Education, Ulster University The Department of Education’s draft Northern Ireland Curriculum 2028 is built on specified knowledge. Then it arrives at ‘the Troubles’ and devotes one unelaborated content statement to …

Brian O’Neill

Francie Molloy blames the Plantation of Ulster on delays to the A5 road upgrade…

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From the BBC: The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has accused Sinn Féin of trying to “avoid responsibility for its own failures” after former MP Francie Molloy suggested delays to the A5 upgrade could be linked to landowner opposition rooted in …

Soapbox

Were Protestants forced out of southern Ireland?

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Terraformer is a learning designer from Offaly, residing in Dublin. Headlines in recent months concerning the digitisation of the 1926 Irish census records painted a stark portrait of Protestant decline during the revolutionary period. The Protestant population of the 26 …

Brian O’Neill

Shankill Road Defenders band praise Fleadh organisers…

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From the Irish News: The Shankill Road Defenders are founding members of the Belfast Bands Forum, set up last year to coordinate and promote local marching band culture. The forum was represented on the organising committee of the Fleadh. Mr …

Frank Schnittger

Irish rugby in decline heading into the 2027 World Cup?

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The depth chart above is not intended as a forecast of who will play for Ireland in the 2027 world cup but rather give a rough snapshot of current pecking orders in every position based on Ireland squad and training …

Brian Walker

Gloria, Queen of the entertainment shows. A career celebrated

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A bit late but still time to catch up with  Gloria: my life on TV on iPlayer, the ultimate accolade of a  Gloria Hunniford Night on BBC FOUR  last Saturday. It features a set of shows including an interview with …

Ian Malcolm

Striking the right “tone” – a Prod at the Fleadh

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One of my proudest ever moments came during Fleadh 26 when I walked on to the stage in Writers’ Square to do a couple of songs in Irish on the Raidió na Gaeltachta stage. As a Protestant and Unionist, I …

Mick Fealty

Ten things we learned about the Belfast Fleadh?

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Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann came to Belfast for the first time and drew a crowd that may make it the biggest ever held. It also put Ulster Scots music in front of an all-island audience and got a DUP deputy First Minister speaking Irish. Ten things the week told us, and one it didn’t.