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.

Frank Schnittger

Ireland defend their Six Nations Rugby Crown successfully.

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Six Nations Super Saturday Italy 24 Wales 21 Italy recorded a well deserved victory over a callow Wales side in Cardiff and condemned Wales to the wooden spoon. In truth the score line flattered Wales who scored two late converted …

Soapbox

Memories of Belfast Department Stores…

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Mayo Walters is originally from Belfast but now lives in England   I have just been listening to Radio 4 and a girl describing the department store which has just closed in her hometown of Hull. It all sounded so …

Andy Pollak

despite the begrudgers, Ireland in 2024 is a rather good country…

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Maybe because St Patrick’s Day is coming up and we’re in the middle of Seachtain na Gaeilge, I’m feeling a bit patriotic – so am going to write about why I think the Republic of Ireland is a rather good …

Philip McGuinness

Making Sense of the NI Subvention and the Economics of Reunification…

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An excellent podcast on the NI subvention and the economics of reunification has just been made available by RIA/ARINS (Royal Irish Academy / Analysing and Researching Ireland North and South). The participants are: Host Rory Montgomery (former Irish Ambassador to …

Brian O’Neill

It looks like a Trump Biden rematch for the American Presidency…

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If you think our politics are bleak in the land of the free, (terms and conditions apply). Out of over 300 million, the best they could come up with is these two. Over in the red corner, we have the …

Frank Schnittger

What would a united Ireland look like?

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Terry Wright asks the quite reasonable question: “What will a united Ireland look like?” and unionists often feel frustrated when they get what appears to them to be an unclear answer. But there is also a problem with the question …

Cillian McGrattan

Justice Colton and the Limitations of ‘Reconciliation’

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Brian Walker recently commented on Mr Justice Colton’s intervention in the legacy debate – namely his judgment on 28 February in the High Court on a batch of cases seeking judicial review of the 2023 Legacy Act. Brian argued that …

Terry Wright

Reality check for unionism finally arrives: Better late than NEVER, NEVER, NEVER…..

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In encounters with Sinn Féin groups in what they chose to term ‘uncomfortable conversations’ and individuals promoting a future Ireland in line with their nationalist. usually republican ideology and agenda, I have failed consistently to get an answer to the …

Michael Hehir

Return of Stormont has zero impact on party fortunes – new poll confirms…

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We have now had two opinion polls conducted since Stormont opened its doors for business again and both tell the same story. So far at least it has not moved the dial on party support by a jot. Today’s Liverpool …