Nationalist Dilemma

David McKittrick’s story on the potential for disarmament after the Bush visit, is a change in tone, if not in substance. Interestingly, he also highlights a dilemma that many Nationalists find themselves with:

While nationalists, both north and south, heartily approve of US involvement in Irish affairs, most are against the war in Iraq. It is a fair bet that few of those who protested outside Hillsborough last night were Unionists. Nationalist disapproval of the Iraqi war extends even to Sinn Fein, who until recent years made unlikely peaceniks. Thus while Gerry Adams will meet President Bush this morning, his party chairman, Mitchel McLaughlin, figured last night at the anti-war rally.

In what looks like becoming one of the more prolific and articulate Irish blogs Ma Bear dealt with some of this at the end of last week, and has some interesting comments on Brian Feeney’s column for the Irish News.

Welcome also to Diarmid Logan, who blogs in consistent support of Sinn Fein, and other matters global.

We are still awaiting a full blooded Unionist blogger, though clearly from his contribution in the comments world here at Slugger, Beowulf is from that camp, his blog Green Carisenda mostly stays out of the political realm.

Mick Fealty

Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty