Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) – Page 50 – Slugger O'Toole

“the overall sense within the party remains one of drift and confusion”

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on October 4, 2011, 2:00 pm

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Lisburn South - UUP councillor Alan Carlisle defecting to join the DUP and pretending to sigin a blank membership form

Five months after the local government elections, and a few weeks before his party conference, a Lisburn councillor has today jumped from one shade of unionism to another. The leaving remarks by defecting councillors are often curious pieces of prose. There are some essential elements. Firstly, there’s a restatement of your sense of purpose to serve the people who elected you despite switching party colours – to help them understand why you didn’t simply resign and allow someone else from …

Question master Jim Allister? And should David McClarty be more like him?

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on September 26, 2011, 9:30 am

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The TUV’s sole MLA Jim Allister has been getting a reputation for running a one-man opposition/scrutiny function up at Stormont. Martina Purdy summed up well the exchange in the Assembly chamber on 13 September between TUV leader Jim Allister, Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure Carál Ní Chuilín, and Assembly Speaker William Hay: When Culture Minister Caral Ni Chuilin told the chamber, whimsically, that she and Mr Allister were “firm friends,” he accused her of misleading the house. Mr Allister …

Gusty Spence (1933-2011)

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on September 25, 2011, 4:33 pm

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Gusty Spence died in hospital this weekend aged 78. He served in the British army for five years and was stationed in Cyprus. He was approached to join the UVF in 1965, and soon became its leader in the Shankill. Under his watch, terror raids by local UVF men resulted in the death of civilian Protestants and Catholics. Spence was arrested shortly after the UVF was declared illegal in June 1966. His daughter Liz describes his arrest in the book …

Culture Night … tonight in Belfast, Strabane, Derry and beyond

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on September 23, 2011, 12:00 pm

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Across Ireland, tonight’s the night when arts taster events will be run in a town near you … for free. Last September, Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter was buzzing late into the evening as families walked around the streets, guided by maps and diverted by what their ears and eyes could pick out of the smorgasbord of music, pictures, talks, dance, comedy, street performers and one man soulfully playing trumpet from an upstairs window. Tonight, the organiser has crammed in even more …

And the winner was …

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on September 23, 2011, 9:00 am

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Haiti was the real winner at last night’s Great Big Politics Pub Quiz where just over £1000 pounds was raised to support the rebuilding of homes on Haiti through Haven Partnership. Over a hundred political anoraks (and friends) gathered in Belfast’s Black Box to tough their way through seven rounds of questions. Which team would have a combined knowledge that could span across international politics, political history, the politics of UK and Ireland, popular culture and the brilliance to decipher …

Children of the Revolution (Bill Rolston)

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on September 18, 2011, 9:55 am

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Children of the Revolution by Bill Rolston

What was life like for children of political activists during the Troubles? A new book by Bill Rolston and published by Guildhall Press during the summer has collected together the stories of twenty Children of the Revolution whose parents’ activities – and in many cases, imprisonment – had a significant affect on childhoods and life choices. For me, this summer’s reading has been dominated by people telling their stories. Evangelical Journeys collated together ninety five interviews with evangelicals and ex-evangelicals …

Will any other NI party leaders stand down before 2015?

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on September 16, 2011, 9:15 am

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table showing NI politician ages

Later on today, we’ll have a clearer picture about the candidates that will be seeking to become SDLP leader and deputy leader. The SDLP will be hoping that its membership will democratically elect someone who can steer the party away from decline (or what Seamus Mallon described as “the low rung on the ladder” on last night’s Hearts and Minds) and back towards sustainable growth. The party will be longing for a stable leadership in the run up to the …

“the failure of the British press to cover Northern Ireland properly”

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on September 12, 2011, 2:15 pm

| Readers 56

Roy Greenslade blog banner

The Guardian’s Roy Greenslade blogged again this morning about “the failure of the British press to cover Northern Ireland properly” and the consequential “absence of knowledge among [Great] British people about the realities of life there”. I doubt that many of you have ever heard of the Reverend David Latimer, a Presbyterian minister and former British army chaplain. And it would appear that Britain’s national newspapers are determined to ensure that he remains unknown to you. Yet Latimer made history …

Final look back at Sinn Féin’s ard fheis

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on September 11, 2011, 9:15 am

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I’ve only been to the Sinn Féin ard fheis twice. Eighteen or so months ago the coffee area outside the main hall in Dublin’s RDS resounded with the voices from across the south of the island. But northern accents were scarce, and as a visitor it heightened the feeling of being an outsider and in a minority. This weekend, the situation was reversed. While the theme was ‘a new republic’ and ’32 county thinking’, the accents floating across the concourse …

Day 2 in the New Republic house #ardfheis – updated with Adams’ closing speech

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on September 10, 2011, 12:26 pm

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It’s a damp and overcast day in Belfast. The PSNI are cycling around the outside perimeter of the Waterfront Hall, while the Sinn Féin stewarding team patrol the other side of the fence. A lot of Friday’s delegates are bleary eyed. Stall holders are unpacking their merchandise. The media are crowded around the four audio connections that were wired up overnight in their upstairs annex. Downstairs in the hall, delegates have discussed transport, environment and infrastructure. They’re now into the …

Some observations from the opening night of the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on September 10, 2011, 12:52 am

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Rev David Latimer addresses the Ard Fheis 2011

Metal barriers surround the Belfast’s Waterfront Hall this afternoon. A police landrover sits discreetly across the road. Yellow bibbed security teams thoroughly examine the bags of everyone arriving. Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness are in the main hall rehearsing their conference speeches using the teleprompter. Earlier in the day, twenty five or so elected representatives and rising stars rehearsed their two minute speeches that will delivered during the “live” section on Saturday when BBC and RTE are broadcasting live from …

Tears of joy in February 2010 … now turned to tears of sadness?

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on September 8, 2011, 10:29 pm

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Can’t believe Mick didn’t use this classic image from the February 2010 leadership election vote at the SDLP party conference to illustrate his earlier post about Margaret Ritchie’s announcement that she is to step down as party leader and also as MLA for South Down. Apologies to Margaret who I know hates the picture 🙁 Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast)Alan Meban. Tweets as @alaninbelfast. Blogs about cinema and theatre over at Alan in Belfast. A freelancer who writes about, reports …

The Media Relations Department of Hizbollah Wishes You a Happy Birthday (Neil MacFarquhar)

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on September 7, 2011, 9:15 am

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Bookcover of The Media Relations Department of Hizbollah Wishes You a Happy Birthday by Neil MacFarquhar

With perhaps the longest title of any book I’ve read this year, The Media Relations Department of Hizbollah Wishes You a Happy Birthday: Unexpected Encounters in the Changing Middle East gives an insight into the lives of people living in Middle East through the eyes of journalist Neil MacFarquhar. MacFarquhar’s father was a chemical engineer who supervised an Esso refinery and a water desalination plant. His family lived on the Libyan coast in Marsa Brega alongside a community of other …

Sinn Féin’s Ard Fheis this weekend in Belfast #ardfheis … kicking off party conference season

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on September 6, 2011, 8:45 am

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Sinn Fein Gerry Adams shadow at 2011 manifesto launch

Update – Sinn Féin launched the clár (agenda/timetable) for the Belfast Ard Fheis this morning. Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neill and Belfast Lord Mayor Niall Ó Donnghaile spoke briefly afterwards about the conference coming north, the value of bringing in external guests to speak (including Rev David Latimer – see below), an overview of some of the themes that will be covered in the motions. I also asked whether the issue of Sinn Féin supporting an Irish Presidential candidate would be …

“The OPONI senior management is at present dysfunctional, there is a serious lack of trust between many senior staff”

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on September 5, 2011, 2:44 pm

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snippet from CJI NI report into OPONI

The BBC report that the Police Ombudsman Al Hutchinson is to quit his job before the end of his seven year contract. Mr Hutchinson was due to leave the position in just over three years time. “I acknowledge that personal attacks on me, criticisms, are becoming dysfunctional in their impact in the office and I have reflected on that and I have taken a decision,” he said. The details of this will be announced at a justice committee meeting on …

Grammar school intake – hoovering up pupils at the expense of local secondary schools?

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on September 3, 2011, 9:15 am

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Chart showing which how pupils at each grade and quintile that were accepted in by each Grammar school in 2010

Having posted about and charted the recent GCSE results, my thinking turned to that old chestnut of grammar school intake. While some grammar schools manage to fill their First Form Year 8 places with pupils achieving the top grades/marks in transfer tests, others fill up with local students right the way across the academic spectrum. The Belfast Telegraph normally splash with them in mid-October when they have been collated (ie, FOIed). The 2011 figures aren’t yet available, so the charts …

Lembit Opik hasn’t gone away you know (PS: Brian Paddick’s the Lib Dem candidate for London mayor)

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on September 2, 2011, 9:36 pm

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While earlier this week ‘punk godfather’ Terri Hooley won the race to be elected as Lord Mayor of the Cathedral Quarter as part of Culture Night Belfast‘s celebrations, the competitors are only warming up on the starting line of the 2012 London Mayoral elections. This evening, London Lib Dem members voted to give former Metropolitan Police officer and 2008-candidate Brian Paddick a second chance, rather than hand the opportunity to ‘celebrity’ Lembit Opik. In an interview with London’s Evening Standard, …

‘the Irish republican version of the Imperial War Museum’

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on August 30, 2011, 10:24 pm

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There’s an interesting article and audio slideshow by Henry McDonald in today’s Guardian about the republican museum in north Armagh. In a garden in a quiet cul-de-sac in north Armagh, a nondescript brown shed contains the Irish republican version of the Imperial War Museum. The private collection contains the toilet-roll holder from the room where IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands died in May 1981, letters from supporters to Sands, an original rebel uniform from the 1916 Easter rising, secret communications …

Celtic myths and legends … will there (shortly) be dragons in Belfast City Hall?

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on August 27, 2011, 9:35 am

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celtic dragon suncatcher by grassymtarts on Etsy

As part of the ongoing work to rebalance the sense of shared space and history at Belfast City Hall, a Celtic-themed stained glass window is being commissioned to “reflect Celtic myths and legends”. The window will be located close to the main reception, and is intended to represent cultural perspectives and promote a “City Hall for all”. Any budding artists and/or stained glass glaziers might want to check out the tender document. Deadline for submissions is noon on Friday 16 …

Castlereagh Borough Council hurriedly accept the Deloitte report’s recommendations (updated)

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on August 26, 2011, 11:00 am

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Three months after the draft Deloitte report was presented to Castlereagh Borough Council on 26 May, the final version was discussed during a private session of the council last night. This morning’s radio bulletins seemed to have gone all West Country with frequent mentions of “luvver” as the reports’ conclusions and political reaction was discussed. Castlereagh Council curtly answered an FOI in May asking for a copy of the report with wording that was believable (though fell far short of …