Soapbox

The Legacy and Reconciliation Act is really that bad: a reply to Brice Dickson…

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Colin Murray is a Professor of Law at Newcastle University.  Anurag Deb is a PhD candidate at Queen’s University Belfast and a Legal Executive at KRW Law. If there is one thing over which the UK Government can give itself …

Terry Wright

Politics of the tin ear in Londonderry, but unionists haven’t gone away, you know!

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“Why do Sinn Féin always refer to difficult conversations rather than just conversations?” “Maybe they are difficult for republicans” was the reply. It became clear at a recent meeting of the Commission on the Future of Ireland in Derry/Londonderry what …

Michael Palmer

Looking towards the DUP Conference 2023: Holding out for a better tomorrow…

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The Windsor Framework As we approach DUP Conference 2023, I read Sir Jeffrey Donaldson’s article entitled: ‘The Windsor Framework does not go far enough to repair the damage to Northern Ireland and to restore Stormont. This is a time to …

Brian O’Neill

Open Sunday – discuss what you like…

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The idea for Open Sunday is to let you discuss what you like. Just two rules. Keep it civil and no man/woman playing.

Brian O’Neill

Open sunday – politics free zone…

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In addition to our normal open Sunday, we have a politics-free post to give you all a break. So discuss what you like here, but no politics.

Brian O’Neill

The End is NIgh… How screwed is Northern Ireland?

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Sam Mcbride’s article in last Saturday’s BelTel was a broad overview of just how screwed we are. From crumbling public services to ecological collapse, it made for depressing reading: A veteran unionist politician recently said to me: “The whole place …

Brian O’Neill

Latest poll has Sinn Féin still on course to be the largest party in the next Dáil…

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In a poll for the Irish Times, Sinn Féin is on 34%. Sinn Féin extends lead to stay on course to be largest party in next Dáil — Irish Times/Ipsos opinion poll threadhttps://t.co/gC6o79HkVD — The Irish Times (@IrishTimes) September 28, …

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast)

Lost Boys: Belfast’s Missing Children

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Tonight sees the premiere in Belfast of a new film Lost Boys: Belfast’s Missing Children which throws a spotlight back onto a series of unsolved disappearances during the Troubles nearly 50 years ago. Two boys, described as having learning difficulties, …

Brian O’Neill

Half of all bus passengers in Northern Ireland ride for free…

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An interesting story from Gary McDonald in today’s Irish News. From the story: Of the 60.6 million people using Translink’s Ulsterbus, Goldliner or Metro/Glider services in the 12 months to March , just 31.2 million paid a full fare, bringing …

Allan LEONARD (Mr Ulster)

Addressing the evil of sectarianism: Bill Shaw on life, faith, and hope

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The retreat and conference centre run by the Passionate community, Tobar Mhuire, was the venue for a guided interview with Bill Shaw, presented as an opportunity “to explore their experience of life, faith, and where they find sources of hope …

Brian O’Neill

The normalisation of cocaine in society…

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Yesterday’s dramatic raid on a container ship off the coast of Cork is estimated to have captured at least 100 million euro worth of cocaine. Army Rangers being winched onto MV Matthew a long way off Cork coast. The ship …