Slugger O'Toole

Arlene Foster details the background to the difference of attitude and approach to Human Rights: “Roman Catholics are good at banding together and organising themselves into groups. Protestants are light years behind. Apart from Church, sports or Orange groupings there are very few effective and sustainable groups working in the Protestant Community. Those Groups that do exist can be very effective, but I believe that most Protestants tend to be individualistic and not group orientated.” Slugger O'TooleA general account used …

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In the face of oncoming pressure of the possible elections in May, the long awaited structural reform of the UUP has been shelved. There is an excellent background piece on this subject in this month’s print edition of Fortnight, by Chris Farrington a graduate student of poltics at Queens University. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

Niall O’Dowd on the favourable impression Hugh Orde has been making on Irish Americans in the US. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

Speaking in Barcelona, David Trimble says emphasis should remain on decommissioning. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

As if to emphasise the focus of current party talks, editorials in both of yesterday’s morning newspapers (Irish News and the Newsletter) call for a more open and comprehensive statement of intent from the IRA. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

James Murray Brown’s article sits atop Newshound today, and possibly for good reason. He quotes Sinn Fein’s cheif negotiator Martin McGuinness: “No one is running away. We all know that in this type of peace process …all sides . ..are going to have to do what they can to ensure the process continues to a successful conclusion.” However government sources are playing down any hyped expectations. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

In a move to lessen tensions at an interface area in East Belfast, a Loyalist mural has been removed with the agreement of local paramilitaries. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

We have it on good authority that one of the topics of conversation on Radio Ulster’s Talkback programme (it’s available live or in sound file) is the controversy over the proposed mosque in Portadown that we’ve tracked here and here. One way to get your views into the programme from virtual space is through the chatroom which is open between 12.00pm and 2.00pm GMT. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

Sean McCann waxes lyrical about one of Ireland’s great (protestant) writers. If after that, you feel ready for it, the Leptard has a link to a quiz on the same boy. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

There’s a fascinating Notes and Queries page on the NI Elections website, that’s well worth a quick scroll down. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

Fred Crowe the councillor at the centre of the controversy over Portadown’s proposed mosque, has offered to help local Muslim’s find another site for their place of worship. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

In an interview with the Irish World under secretary of state Angela Smith no doubt reflects the feeling of several NIO ministers at the moment when she suggests: “No one wished for us all to be here. We’d all prefer to have the Assembly up and running as soon as possible. We’re all working flat out to get it back.” Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

Gregory Campbell says the DUP will listen to a SDLP proposal over a potential name change for Derry. The official name has been Londonderry since the city was awarded its second charter in 1613, replacing the original title of Derry, officially confered by James I nine years earlier. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

Although they have denied there has been any threat to protestant community workers, the IRA continued to take heat from Loyalist representatives for the collection of data on key people engaged in cross community work in Belfast. It was allegations of this nature that prompted the withdrawal of the UVF from the de Chastelaine decommissioning body. However Danny Morrison takes issue with the idea that the IRA is the only organisation targeting the opposite community, by reciting a litany of …

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Roy Garland, after musing at length on the Royal history of Dublin Castle, finally cuts to the chase and suggests that the chief ramification of a DUP victory could be the fragmentation of Unionism: “There is little doubt that the DUP are hoping for a breakthrough in their bitter life-and-death struggle with the UUP. The problem is that even were they to find a formula and an electoral mandate to have first or second minister in partnership with Sinn Féin, …

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Day by day the DUP is revealing its hand. The demand for all participants not to be involved in the Executive remains, but what may be surprising to some is that their conditions are less about the detail of a particular solution, so much as arrival at a definative end to ongoing process. Maurice Morrow, MLA: “…any political renegotiations must produce a settlement and not a process. ‘That is not an unreasonable demand; it is not a unionist demand; it …

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With the apparent support of both the DUP and Sinn Fein, and for the first time since the second world war, there is to be an Unionist Association at Trinity College in Dublin. Amendment: that is of course the first officially recognised Association. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

The Sunday Times continues (registration or subscription required) its coverage of the Portadown Mosque controversy. “David Trimble believes the row is damaging the unionist cause and is being exploited in propaganda terms by Sinn Fein.” The issue will be addressed by the Craigavon Borough Council at the end of next month. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

The Examiner explores the possiblity raised (registration or subscription required) by the Sunday Times at the weekend that the IRA is considering standing down a number of active service units. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

The drip feed of information being extracted from the files taken in the Stormont raid continues. This time it has been revealed that the names and personal details of leading Orangemen were amongst those of prison officers and Unionist politicians. A number of leading Orangemen have suggested that this revelation immediately undermines the integrity of the Parades Commission. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.