Slugger O'Toole Bernadette Sands McKevitt makes a similar case to that made by senior representatives within the Irish parliamentary system for the Colombia 3; ie that her husband Michael McKevitt is unlikely to receive a fair trial because of the adverse media coverage since his arrest two years ago. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
With all the attention Gangs of New York has drawn towards the history of the Irish diaspora, this new novel from Irish American writer Pete Hammill is probably well timed. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
The government have followed the decision of the UVF to disengage from General de Chastelaine’s decommissioning body with swift action against that organisation. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
This morning should see the UUP negotiating team decide whether to engage with interparty talks at Stormont. Update: the answer is no. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
Due to increased workload this week, blogging will be lighter than usual this week. It is unlikely that we’ll be able to cover the plethora of NI stories from the weeked, but as ever we recommend the excellent Newshound. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
Looks like Paul Dunne at the Shamrockshire Eagle has been keeping his powder dry for the last few months. His latest entry involves blasts at partition, the FRU, and blogging in general. Welcome back. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
Fasinating narrative about the Irish emigration to South America in the 19th century, in two parts; the first from Guillermo McLoughlin and the second from Edmundo Murray. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
If you thought that the Irish diaspora had little to add to the often intensely localised debate around Northern Ireland, check out Irish American blogger Terry McMenamin, who seems to have pulled out all the stops to bring us one of the more intensive NI blog posts of the year. With the popular and broadly pro Unionist US blogger Emily Jones taking issue in the comment responses this may prove an argument worth tracking over the next few days. Slugger …
Irish News Unionist columnist Newton Emerson takes a caustic view of the premise on which one of the few middle ground parties, the NIWC, is built. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
The economic news was not good today. Along with the naming of the last ship to built in Belfast, came the news of yet more job losses. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
There are two reviews on The Blanket of Scorsese’s classic. One by writer Mike Davis takes a broadly socialist view of the times. The other is by Seaghán Ó Murchú who is troubled by the number of questions it raises but doesn’t answer. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
In the absence of official Unionist presence at the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation in Dublin, the Womens Coalition has presented the findings of a consultation exercise they conducted with 100 groups within the Unionist and Loyalist communities. They contain some interesting and apparently liberal conclusions. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
The loyalist Ulster Volunteer Force has suspended all contacts with the arms decommissioning body headed by General John de Chastelain. More. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
Although, according to Jack Holland, the IRA are considering a serious act of decommissioning by mid February, the pressure continues to build on the Sinn Fein over lack of that organisation’s lack of movement on the issue. With a statement from junior Foreign Affairs Minster Liz O’Donnell’s statement that Sinn Fein be expelled from government there are the first signs that the Republic’s government is prepared to apply serious public pressure on Sinn Fein. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for …
Following last week’s statement directly from the IRA, the UVF has followed with one of its own. Refering to the personal details of leading Loyalists found in the Stormont raids last October it said: “The underhand approach of the past must end. The words and actions of the republican movement have constantly created instability for the people of Northern Ireland. Their new year statement displayed total arrogance, amid a blind refusal to accept any modicum of complicity for the current …
And looking at matters from the other end, Jonathan Foreman examines Scorsese’s script for Gangs of New York and finds it wanting in terms of historical accuracy. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
A colourful account of the loyalist feud, from Chicago Tribune (subscription required) journalist Tom Huntley: “Bad guys named Mr. Green, Mr. White, Mr. Gray and Mad Dog. A Chihuahua named Bambi killed in the crossfire. The mean streets of Belfast never sounded so much like a Quentin Tarantino script or an episode of ‘The Sopranos’.” Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
Although there is little formal Unionist representation at the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation at Dublin Castle, Orange Order member Ian Milne from Portadown has attended several sessions this week. Meanwhile Gerry Adams called for dialogue as means of bringing about peace. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
During the famine years the Newsletter fought a sustained editorial battle with the Times of London over the latter’s serial character assination of the victims of famine in the South West of Ireland. Today it carries a story in which DUP councilor Robin Newton has questioned which flag a full sized replica of a Famine ship should sail under. Though undoubtedly the North suffered proportionately less from the famine than other parts of the island, it is estimated that it …
Peter Robinson speaking to the Monday Club in London last night insisted that a new deal which had the support of both unionists and nationalists was possible. However he also implied that whatever deal was done would have to be final and conclusive and preclude further erosion of the constitutional status of Northern Ireland. In other words, an end to process. Update: You can read the full text of the speech here. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily …