Belfast Gonzo WE seem to be at the ‘tying-up-loose-ends’ stage of the political process, or at least, that’s the impression we’re supposed to be getting. But there are some pretty fundamental issues to be addressed if this really is the endgame that is supposed to precede the return of a devolved government. Cracks are opening up as the parties get down to the nitty-gritty of policing, justice and dealing with the past…Issues such as the proposed amnesty for suspected terrorist fugitives and …
THE fiasco over the introduction of a smoking ban in the UK doesn’t just show how the Government is in complete disarray on the issue, it demonstrates the level of contempt it has for Northern Ireland. Announcing the ban here earlier this month, the Health Minister (a heavy smoker until recently) said “no-one has a right to subject colleagues and workmates to the dangers and hazards of second-hand smoke and passive smoking. No-one has a right to subject members of …
THE controversy over the handling of a PSNI contract has been raising eyebrows of late, including the High Court judge who called for an investigation into alleged corruption. It’s so serious, even the DUP’s Sammy Wilson wants external investigators too look into matters, a position more favoured by nationalists (but readily explained by the fact that the company owner is a DUP councillor). Paranoia reigns, but with the PSNI investigating itself, will we really find out if there were any …
The former Dutch industrialist Dr Tiede Herrema was back in Limerick recently, where he donated his collection of papers relating to his kidnapping by the IRA 30 years ago to the local university. What was even more fascinating than how easily Herrema forgave his captors, was kidnapper, Eddie Gallagher, explaining the political thinking behind the whole plot. Worth a read.In his hare-brained attempt to strike a blow against capitalism – in this case offering the multinational businessman his freedom in …
FOOTBALL legend George Best is on a life support machine, bleeding internally and is deteriorating rapidly, according to his former wife Alex. His doctor said: “It may be an exaggeration to say that Mr Best is gravely ill. But he is certainly severely ill and is fighting for his life.” Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com
AFTER getting the red card from a mystery emailer for justifying the booing of Celtic’s John Hartson by a section of the Norn Iron supporters at the recent Wales match, John Laverty wonders who fans can boo without accusations of sectarianism in a politically correct world. Were many eyebrows raised when other booing went on during the qualifiers?Oh dammit, the comments are still off aren’t they. Pay up and get them on again! Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com
ULSTER Unionist and Jewish – Alex Benjamin argues that Fr Alec Reid’s comparison of unionists to Nazis wasn’t just offensive to unionists. Anyway, if unionists are Nazis, how come the BNP has decided it ain’t worth their while to set up shop here?Benjamin writes: Once again the Jewish experience has been used by someone with no real grasp of the situation to make a political point. … In the words of Fintan O’Toole: “The authoritarianism of Irish governments, north and …
THE PUP is to retain its link to the UVF. David Ervine seemed almost grateful to Bertie Ahern for saying loyalists needed time and space to sort themselves out, and he probably appreciated the sweetener from Tony too. However, it came at more than the cost of funding a party linked to the UVF…The Government’s apparent refusal to follow through on a recommendation of the IMC served to undermine the watchdog’s authority (where is the interim report?). But if it …
TOM Luby has some interesting speculation about why a full public inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane is not on the cards – it’s not really in the interests of either Sinn Fein or the British Government. It’s another good reason to be honest and see the utter futility of a Truth Commission, since it’s pretty clear no-one has any intention of going anywhere near the truth. They have mixed success anywhere, and who could have confidence in it? …
NOT only has the UK got a new James B(l)ond in the form of actor Daniel Craig, but his bosses have decided to ‘go public’ – MI6 has just launched a new website, obviously designed to be an online recruitment agent in the war against terror. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com
IFA president Jim Boyce has said it’s time for a new anthem at Northern Ireland matches. He was voicing his disapproval of the booing of national anthems after the Welsh anthem was booed at Windsor Park on Saturday, an apparent response to the Welsh fans disrespecting the British national anthem when NI played in Cardiff.Boyce believes it might be better to have a general football anthem. “I am considering taking this matter up with FIFA,” he told PA Sport. “Perhaps …
LORD Laird has taken up the case of a family from Northern Ireland who have been refused permission to buy a house in the Connemara Gaeltacht (Irish speaking area). It’s not because the family don’t speak Irish, but apparently don’t speak it well enough. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com
THE next IMC report is due out next week and is expected to point to an ‘inactive’ IRA. However, this will be seen by unionists as an interim or ‘holding’ report, with another in January expected to lead to real pressure on unionism to re-enter government with Sinn Fein. Liam Clarke also reports that the reason decommissioning lacked enough transparency for unionists was to avoid a split in the IRA. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com
OVER at Our Wee Country, thoughts are turning to the national anthems that will be played tomorrow at Windsor Park. Could the Welsh booing of ‘God Save the Queen’ when NI played them in Cardiff lead to an especially loud ‘No Surrender’ from fans? Or will anyone take up this NI fan’s suggestion that the unofficial addendum to ‘the Queen’ be replaced simply with ‘Northern Ireland’? One Welsh fan on the board suggested the booing at the Millennium stadium was …
ARE thse nasty old securocrats sticking the boot in?! After the indignity of seeing one senior IRA leader (Retd.) splashed all over the papers today, it looks like another – the man believed by some to be the mastermind behind the Northern Bank raid – will be making headlines tomorrow. Did the State wait until they had the IRA in the bag before a crackdown on alleged republican criminality? Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com
I’VE reached the age where every time I phone home, my mother wants to know if I’ve bought a house yet – but where I want to be and what I can afford are two different things. In Belfast and elsewhere in NI, first-time buyers are being squeezed by the stratospheric rise in house prices. The Government’s move to raise the stamp duty threshold was, let’s face it, no more than tokenistic. Here’s how Kevin McCauley of the BBC coped. …
AFTER Ian Paisley’s belated-but-welcome stand against the loyalist sectarian campaign of violence against Catholics in his constituency, it should be noted that there have been quite a number of attacks on Orange halls recently too. However, this attack seemed particularly cowardly, and while I know most republicans who detest the Order will nonetheless condemn these attacks, perhaps it goes some way to explaining why the DUP gained the political concession of de-rating for Orange halls, as the insurance is often …
A FAR-right group linked to Combat 18 seems to have taken the inspiration for its name from the alphabet soup of loyalist paramilitarism.Note to CAIN: You need to update this page. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com
COULD the Queen get the boot from Windsor, worries the News Letter. Robin Wilson of Democratic Dialogue thinks the building of the new Maze stadium could be the “right time for a new song”, in the same way that the other regions of the UK have their own distinctive pre-game ‘anthems’. Why not get rid of it? It’s tediously slow and capable of rousing neither players or fans – apart from those who insist on getting in their obligatory ‘No …
IRISH Premier Bertie Ahern has told the Dail that he’s been having meetings with loyalist paramilitary groups recently – including the Red Hand Commando, the terrorist group that launched a sectarian hate campaign against Catholics who attend an annual religious ceremony in a Newtownabbey graveyard.It’s likely to be a long drawn-out process, but there’s also rumours that the UVF may be about to re-enter the decommissioning process with General de Chastelain this month (with rival faction the LVF likely to …
