Slugger O'Toole

Taking a very quick break from holidays. Eilis O’Hanlon thinks that a lot of the critical reaction to the IRA’s statement and, most recently, the return of the Columbia 3 (or one of them at least) has been needlessly hysterical and counterproductive. She believes latest events a distraction for the Republican heartland constituency: First, they make some sort of vague commitment that gets maximum publicity, then send General John de Chastelain back to Canada empty handed. Soon they’re standing around …

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Nuala O’Faolain in the Sunday Tribune last week was in no mood for pulling punches. She was in no mood to accept Sinn Fein’s latest proposal that Northern Irish MPs should be given speaking rights in the Dail. But what really troubles her is the effects of unleashing a political project, whose development took place in the extreme political conditions of Northern Ireland, in what she calls ‘this peaceful Republic’. Firstly she argues: …if northern Sinn Fein activists are not …

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BBC newsreader Michael Buerk has obviously got a bit ‘hot under the collar’ about the prominence of women in the BBC and beyond and bemoans the fact that it is no longer a man’s world. Is he just out of step or is he reflecting some widely held male fears/beliefs? Men are now ‘unemployable sperm donors’, says Buerk Claire Cozens and agencies Tuesday August 16, 2005 Former BBC newsreader Michael Buerk has risked provoking the ire of his bosses by …

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There’s a lot of coverage of yesterday’s murder in Belfast today, from the Irish Examiner to The Guardian.. and all points between.. the fourth killing by the UVF in the past 6 weeks.. but while Lord Rooker, Secretary of State the only NIO minister available, repeated the now familiar statement, it shouldn’t have come as a surprise given the IMC’s last report – and with “sources close to the UVF”, according to this Irish Independent report, making self-serving statements – …

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A post-Patten PSNI officer has been pinned with of chanting pro-PIRA slogans at a staff party piss up, PA reports. The policeman is to appear before a disciplinary panel, and could face the possibility of severe penalties if found guilty. Paisley Minor is predictably perturbed. Alan Erwin wrote: A detective from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Internal Investigation Branch has spent six months on the case. He was appointed to probe complaints made after staff at a PSNI station …

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The Parnell Summer School opened at the weekend.. and Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny certainly pulled no punches in his speech. The Irish Times reported the speech yesterday.. and SF Cllr Christy Burke’s immediate reaction at the event – “Mr Burke remonstrated with Mr Kenny after the speech, particularly on the issue of the party’s involvement with narcotics” – the full text of the speech is available from the Fine Gael website From Tim O’Brien in the Irish Times – …

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Clearly stung by the criticism noted earlier, the NIO have issued another statement on the latest UVF murder, atttributed to an unnamed NIO Spokesperson – one day after the supposed Minister, Lord Rooker, issued this statement. The BBC report appears to incorrectly attribute the new statement to Secretary of State, Peter Hain, but it just refers to a previous statement by Hain, from 1 August or, maybe, 29 July. More importantly, IMO, the NIO Spokesperson is now acknowledging that, after …

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Co. Fermanagh priest is to stand trial in Kenya for organising a lands right protest. He was put in prison but released on bail on Monday. Interesting to see what actions will be taken by the Catholic hierarchy to campaign on his behalf. Last Updated: Monday, 15 August 2005, 21:58 GMT 22:58 UK E-mail this to a friend Printable version NI priest to stand trial in Kenya A priest from County Fermanagh is to stand trial in Kenya after he …

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It’s always good to see someone taking policy issue seriously. A Yank in Ulster looks at a proposal by Estelle Morris in today’s Guardian, not to abolish A Levels as such, but to introduce a common standard International Baccalaureate-style diploma to run alongside A Levels – and let the schools chose which one to run with. With some of the elite Universities pulling their corporate hair looking for a reliable marker for excellence – it may just catch on. It …

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Given recent events in London and the general mood re the ‘war on terror’, it’s probably unlikely that the origianl plans to do something in the Palce of Westminster. However York seems to be more than happy to celebrate one of its most famous sons…. York celebrates its famous son (the one who tried to blow up Parliament) Ian Herbert North of England Correspondent Published: 15 August 2005 The delicate issue of how to commemorate the 400th anniversary of a terror …

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Plans afoot for a local N.I. -based, budget airline to fly from Belfast and Dublin to Continental Europe. Can only be good as they say travel broadens the mind!   Belfast Telegraph Home > News Ulster’s own airline set for take-off next year By Nigel Tilson 15 August 2005 A group of Ulster entrepreneurs is hatching plans to launch a new airline that will be based in Northern Ireland, The Belfast Telegraph has learned. Sources close to the group said it has …

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A Bill Clinton compilation CD has been put together (available in 5 weeks) and one of the 11 tracks on the CD is Phil Coulter’s ‘The Town I Love So Well’ . Is this setting a (dangerous) precedent for political leaders? CD launch for Bill Clinton tunes Former US President Bill Clinton has often spoken of his love for music A compilation CD featuring some of former US President Bill Clinton’s favourite rock ‘n’ roll, jazz and gospel songs is …

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THE use of plastic bullets in Northern Ireland has often been criticised by republicans (whose own ‘police’ prefer live rounds), but finding a ‘less lethal’ replacement to contain riots has proved difficult for the Government. In a story yesterday – which reads like a report about weapons experiments carried out by Q’s office in a Bond movie – we learn of the many failed attempts by State scientists to devise a crowd control weapon that doesn’t breach human rights legislation. …

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It looks like it’s only a matter of time before pubs in Britain and NI follow the example of the ROI and become smokefree. Will it be as smooth a transition? Majority of MPs ‘support pub smoking ban’ Have your say in the government’s consultation Matthew Tempest and agencies Monday August 15, 2005 More than two-thirds of MPs want the government to go further than its planned anti-smoking legislation and ban smoking in all pubs, a survey found today. The …

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ON the way to work this morning I saw a large police presence in Shaftesbury Square, not far from loyalist Sandy Row, which runs parallel to Belfast’s ‘Golden Mile’ of bars and restaurants. The news came later that another man had been murdered in the ongoing feud between the UVF and LVF. The police seem to be impotent, and most people seem to expect more bloodshed on the streets before this turf war ends. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for …

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ISRAEL is going through a painful, but essential, step at the moment, according to its leader Ariel Sharon. As Israel dismantles settlements built on Palestinian land seized in the Six-Day War in 1967 for the first time, troops have encountered hardline Jewish resistance to the Gaza pull-out, although the lack of extreme violence (at present) would seem to indicate that this is a last gasp act of defiance. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

I noted the Irish Examiner article on the ammunition find in Kerry on Tuesday.. and the generally low-key reaction. Today’s Irish Independent has a report that would explain why – One senior garda said the ammunition had been there “for several years” and was “buried into the bank of the river”. “It was hidden, not dumped.” From the Irish Independent – However, they said they do not believe it had any links to the recent IRA statement ordering its members …

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DID anyone see the British military watchtower (possibly being dismantled in Derry) that was ‘auctioned’ on eBay a day or two ago? It seems to be gone now, but had attracted a bid of just over a million pounds before eBay presumably took it off the site… Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

Frank Millar, in the Irish Times, reports the comments of the chief constable of West Yorkshire, Colin Cramphorn, the last deputy chief constable of the RUC and then acting chief constable of the PSNI, from this interview in the Yorkshire Evening Post – A former Northern Ireland police chief has predicted that a united Ireland will emerge in about 15 years but that “it will be like Sicily” with “self-policing” by Mafia-type organisations. Millar picks out some of the comments …

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Just seen this on the bbc’s website. It looks like Mo’s condition is worsening. Let’s hope she’s able to put up a brave fight. Mo Mowlam transferred to hospice Ex-cabinet minister Mo Mowlam is widely popular Critically ill former Northern Ireland Secretary Mo Mowlam has been moved from hospital to a hospice in Kent to be closer to her family. Ms Mowlam, 55, was taken to hospital in London two weeks ago. Hospital officials say her condition is still “critical …

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