Loyalist spilt: Christmas illwill
Looks like the current stand-off between the current UDA leadership and Johnny Adair is building in tension. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
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Nigel Dodds: Fornight interview
Nigel Dodds gives little away in a long interview with Robbie Meredith. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
2002: BBC round-up of the year
Brian Rowan with a round-up of the year in Northern Irish politics. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
BBC's top song of all time
It seems that the BBC’s open invitation has encouraged some of Britain’s former colonies to vie for the world title; it seems that the Irish nationalist campaign won out, just ahead of the Hindu and Pakistani candidates. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
Republic's good news/bad news
A self-styled fin de siècle round-up on Ireland’s fortunes and misfortunes from North Atlantic Skyline. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
Happy Christmas….
Blogging at Letter to Slugger O’Toole will be scarce to intermittent over the holidays. Newshound I presume will be continuing a service through the holidays. In the meantime please feel free to email me, or use the comment fields to continue discussions. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
Future depends on the IRA
Barry White sums up the feeling of nearly all Unionists and a rising number of Nationalists: “The IRA hold the key to any political progress, by making it possible for unionists to return to devolution. Without acts of completion, and finality to their war, the alternative is indefinite direct rule, which is hardly a Sinn Fein objective.” Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
Problems with economic re-unification
Sean Mac Carthaigh and Eamonn Quinn make a case for developing an all-Ireland economy now. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
Stormont raid: information on DUP members
The seizure of documents in the raid of Sinn Fein offices continues to provide a drip feed of information that may prove damaging to Sinn Fein. This comes on the heels of a story in the Sunday Life speculating that there may be four IRA spies in government. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
Donaldson calls for Unionist unity
Jeffrey Donaldson, until recently an enormous thorn in the side of his leader David Trimble is now calling for wider unity within the Unionist camp, “I think a divided unionism, not just within the UUP, in fact the greater divisions within unionism are between the two parties.” Though there is nothing particularly unusual about such a call before elections, the recent adoption of former Tory MP Andrew Hunter as DUP candidate in Donaldson’s constituency may have concentrated his mind on …
Secret life of the IRA: review by Trimble
I can’t imagine James Molyneaux sitting down to read a book about the IRA, never mind write a review of one. This may not be the most enlightening piece on the IRA, but David Trimble opens an interesting speculative avenue on Unionism’s changing attitudes, both before and after this current process. Though many will argue that Trimble has had more time on his hands recently than most, it indicates that Unionists in general are seeking a more serious engagement with …
Claudy bomb controversy
An inquiry (sub only) into the horrific bombing of the smally Co Derry village of Claudy in 1972 has made public that both Cardinal Conway and the British government knew of Catholic priest Father James Chesney’s involvement in the incident. A report from Susan McKay in the Sunday Herald specifically mentions the former Secretary of State Mo Mowlem as one of those who knew about the preist’s involvement. The Irish Examiner has a timeline of significant dates around the Claudy …
Census 2001: education figures
There has been a lot of contention around the change in the proportions of pupils in each sector of the education system. Here are the latest figures from the Department of Education NI, courtesy of reader Howard. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
A light break: and not a word about the census
To lighten the day, the latest Portadown News. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
UUP needs to shape up?
The Examiner’s reaction to Wednesday’s leak is to suggest that the UUP needs to get its act together and provide an opposition to the DUP. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
Unionist walk out
All the remaining Unionists walked out after Trimble’s exit from the talks yesterday at Stormont. Today according to this article in the Irish Times Trimble warned will that his party will not return unless the Governments guarantee Sinn Fein will be banned from taking their seats on any future executive. With Sinn Fein saying the IRA will not fold to any Unionist pressure to disarm, it appears to be a perplexing state of stalemate. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for …
Census 2001: other things
There are some interesting numbers that come out of the Census report – and it’s not all about religion! Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
Belfast Agreement: an instability pact?
In the context of the announcement of the latest figures, academic Richard Bourke tries to get to the bottom of the current constitutional hiatus in NI. He suggests there are key two principles within the Belfast Agreement that are working in direct contradiction: the need for dual consent within the current parliamentary structure; and possibility that transference of sovereignty could be decided on a simple majority vote. In this he see a huge irony: “…this entitlement amounts to a reassertion …
Stormont talks: Trimble walks out
Today was to see David Trimble joining the interparty talks at Stormont for the first time since they began. But in light of the news of the leaked documents in Dublin yesterday, he walked out. However the underlying reason may be that in the absense of moves on the long awaited decommissioning of the IRA, he may feel he is leaving himself vulnerable to political counter moves whilst caught inside the negotiating chamber. The Sinn Fein negotiating team, for instance, …
Embarrassing leak
Uh oh! Someone in the Republic’s government has sprung a very awkward leak. Embarrassing details were released to the press when a dossier was inadvertently left behind in the press area at yesterday’s meeting of the the Republic’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Alan Cowen and Paul Murphy. More in the subscription only Irish Times. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.