Belfast Gonzo MARTIN McGuinness and Gerry Adams have said that the suspected IRA members on the run after admitting kidnapping a dissident republican should turn themselves in to the authorities for sentencing – a pretty dramatic statement from two of the most influential voices on republican opinion. A small step for Sinn Fein, but is there a giant leap happening in republicanism? The DUP will be asked to take note… Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com
HERE’S one Dubliner’s account of an ‘encounter’ with Phil the Greek yesterday… but paving the way for the Queen again? How 1998! Prince Philip apparently waved to the dozen or so Republican Sinn Feiners protesting against his protest. The BBC reported that “wherever Prince Philip went the cameras followed, clicking furiously and drowning out the small talk he and others were having”. That wasn’t the case elsewhere, as Philip’s verbal gaffe’s are legendary. Anyone Dubs hear any? Here’s a couple …
ONE of the recurring themes on Slugger yesterday was how far an organisation is to blame for the actions of individual members – whether they’re Provos robbing banks or Orangemen murdering Catholics. Are there any reasons why a group will cop the flak for one person’s actions in some instances, but not others? It might be worth comparing the IMC’s reporting on IRA activity, which was largely positive, and the Kennaway extract on Orange Order activity – largely negative – …
REV Brian Kennaway has been a senior member of the Orange Order for over 40 years. In an extract from his new book – The Orange Order: a tradition betrayed – in today’s Tele, he reveals how the Order in recent years has sheltered loyalist terrorists in its ranks and failed to discipline them. It’s an embarrassing catalogue of failure that has left those who still believe in the Order’s core values wondering what the organisation now stands for. Belfast …
THE letter home from the front line is one of the enduring images of war, but some American moms and jarheads have taken it to a new level with ‘milblogging’, and a conference on the subject has just been held. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com
THE Earth turned out not to be flat, and now the Vatican may finally be starting to recognise that when it comes to down to it, wearing a condom might not be as evil as giving your partner AIDS. Wearing rubbers is a big advancement on advising abstinence only, and any eventual Vatican statement will be couched in the context of marriage (and isn’t a solution on its own), but there’s a good chance many lives will be saved. Belfast …
WE’VE touched on it before, but later today, we’re going to have one of those “hugely significant“, Tonyandbertie hand-of-history moments (bleurgh!) when the DUP ends its 16 year boycott of the British Irish Interparliamentary Body. Although it won’t take its seats (yet), the DUP reps will make a presentation – which should suit those of a proselytising nature. The correct response is to interpret this as further evidence of the political ‘thaw’ in the DUP, and it probably isn’t entirely …
A TEAM from Northern Ireland is just starting its ascent of Mount Everest’s north-east ridge. You can follow their adventure on the diary on their website. The NI team has already had a few difficulties, and was helped out by a British Army team; you can read about the army expeditions here. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com
FORMER Northern Ireland footballer and Celtic captain Neil Lennon lifted the Scottish league trophy yesterday. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com
FIRST time house buyers are feeling the pinch more than ever, reports the BBC, with property prices in Belfast soaring, particularly in the terraces favoured by younger potential homeowners. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com
DERRY Sinn Fein strongly condemned the recent attempt by dissident republicans to bomb a police station in the city. Councillor Maeve McLaughlin said: “On a local level this caused a lot of disruption for people living in the area. In the wider context, we believe that people involved in this type of activity are clearly misguided.” It shows the distance some republicans in the north-west have since 1990, when the IRA in Derry (scroll down) pioneered the use of ‘human …
HAVING swept his keyboard for bugs, Barney Rowan reports on the UVF’s progress with its ‘internal housekeeping consultation’ on the organisation’s future. While decommissioning isn’t on the cards, the UVF seems to state a clear preference for Plan A – devolved government involving Sinn Fein – over Plan B – ‘joint management’ between London and Dublin. The group seems content to wait until the November deadline to see how things pan out… Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com
TALKBACK got a lot of text messages today about ‘troubled’ DUP politician Paul Berry’s imminent return to Stormont. Berry is clearly positioning himself carefully, and his constant line about ‘unionist unity’ tells us he’s keen to get back in the fold. But will this late rearguard action really allow him to come from behind to re-enter a body he once tried to shaft?What’s more interesting than crap jokes at Berry’s expense, is the thinking behind his statements. Could he be …
BELFAST city centre is changing. As you dodge the PSNI mounted patrols on the way down Royal Avenue to do some early evening shopping, you might notice that there are no longer any security barriers. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com
FOR the first time in Northern Ireland, a jury has heard details of the suspect’s previous convictions. Reporting restrictions were lifted today, as the murderer of Attracta Harron faced a lifetime behind bars. Trevor Hamilton had only been out of prison for less than four months for his conviction for rape when he killed the pensioner. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com
THERE appears to be trouble bubbling under the surface in the UDA again in relation to the level of influence its North Belfast leaders have. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com
THE police are to start horseback patrols in the Greater Belfast area. The DUP thinks it’s a stunt. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com
A QUICK round-up and few thoughts on the various reports, theories, conspiracies and sheer speculation published at the weekend on the Donaldson murder. To start off, the Garda’s main line of inquiry is reported to be former associates of an IRA man and ex-SF councillor, Jim Lynagh, who was killed in an SAS ambush with eight others on the way to bomb Loughgall police station in 1987. It was regarded as a severe body blow to the IRA at the …
THE Union flag – or Union jack, if flown at sea – is 400 years old this week. The BBC takes a quick look at its history, and how it could have looked very different to the familar design of today. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com
WHAT with all the attention having been on the blueprint for devolution and the Donaldson aftermath yesterday, it’s time to wish a belated happy birthday to Ian Paisley. As he hit a milestone 80 yesterday, I wonder how he looked back at his career and what he still hopes to achieve. As he will be the oldest member of the Assembly when it’s reconvened next month, Paisley – as Father of the House – will have an immediate role in …
