Ian Clarke

Political stability? Keep it a secret…

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The media coverage – and some political reaction – to the DUP’s vote on the extension of a new EU law to Northern Ireland was very telling, if predictable. Overall the vote and its implications were no big deal. The …

Frank Schnittger

England, Wales and Scotland all now in favour of Irish unification

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The Good Friday Agreement gives the majority in Northern Ireland the right  to decide whether Northern Ireland should remain in the Union with Britain or become part of a united Ireland. It gives no say on the matter to the …

Brian O’Neill

Budgie breeder baffled by Brexit Bureaucracy…

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Remember a few years back when Unionists were desperately scrambling around for examples of how the Irish Sea Border negatively affected businesses? The best they could come up with was the guy who could not import some instant noodles. And …

Brian O’Neill

Leo Varadkar steps down as Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader…

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A bit of a bombshell this one. BREAKING: Irish Prime Minister, Leo Varadkar, is stepping down as Irish Prime Minister. "It has been the most fulfilling time of my life" he says. https://t.co/xuWXkermvB 📺 Sky 501 pic.twitter.com/z79lAfsjyE — Sky News …

Arnold Carton

Who Owns our Government?

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Your first though might be ‘We the people’ as we vote every 5 years for a new government, but the person who pays for something usually owns it. Running a political party is not cheap, you can spend up to …

Stephen Stewart

A Unionist Response To Frank’s ‘United Ireland’ Article

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Having read Mr Schnittger’s recent article, I thought I’d chip in with a few thoughts from a Unionist perspective, although this op-ed will not assert that unionist concerns should be the primary factor in the event of a pro-unity result …

Brian O’Neill

St Patricks Day. Getting better, but more work to do…

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St Patrick’s Day in Belfast used to have a reputation for being a damp squib. Festivities were normally confined to the West; even then, the parades were small affairs. I can’t remember when parades first started entering the city centre—maybe …

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast)

The Art of Political Speechmaking – a dying art or still a vital talent? #imaginebelfast

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Has the art of writing and delivering a political speech fallen by the wayside of a media landscape that vacuums up soundbites rather than valuing passionate prose? Next Thursday evening, some local politicians will recite elements of other people’s speeches …

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast)

From Wisconsin to Belfast and Armagh: the beat of The Sullivan Squad’s drums and the Ojibwe language will feel familiar #imaginebelfast

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Next week at Imagine! Festival there’s a chance to step outside the usual local context of the Irish language and Ulster Scots to look at an indigenous culture from northern Wisconsin. Imagine this: not everything that looks like a bodhrán …

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.