Chris Donnelly

The Sunday World’s front page today carries allegations that a serving PSNI officer goaded loyalists about the presence of Irish Tricolours in the nationalist Heights area of Coleraine ahead of the violent loyalist attack which killed one catholic man, Kevin McDaid, and has left another fighting for his life. The alleged text message read: THE TRICOLOURS ARE STILL UP IN THE TOWN- ARE YIS REAL MEN OR WHAT? The paper further alleges that PSNI officers stood chatting with loyalists in …

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As has been noted earlier, the family of Coleraine murder victim, Kevin McDaid, have issued a statement critical of the PSNI’s handling of events in Coleraine in the period of time leading up to his murder. The PSNI’s response- issued by Assistant Chief Constable, Judith Gillespie (it seems ACC Finlay’s been benched, possibly following his ‘mavericks‘ faux pas?) is interesting for what it doesn’t say rather than its actual content. There is no attempt to deny direct contact with loyalist …

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Ahead of tonight’s loyalist Pride of the Bann flute band parade in Coleraine, the Belfast Telegraph is reporting that several of those appearing in court yesterday charged in connection with the murder of Kevin McDaid are band members, and one is a former member of the UDP (strange set of ‘mavericks.’) Worth noting again is the statement released by the band when it decided to curtail its route for tonight’s parade: It is with great sadness and no small degree …

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Congrats to Slugger’s Fantasy Football league winner Conor Curran, who held off George McClelland, George Burns and others in a tight finish. Fourteen teams exceeded the 1900 points mark, with Curran’s Suffolk’n’Close side triumphing with 1976 points, earning him 33,501st place in a field of just under two million. Final table below the fold. See y’all next season… Team Manager GW Total 1 Suffolk ‘n’ Close FC Conor Curran 38 1976 2 Buckfast Buccaneers George McClelland 42 1969 3 26+6=? …

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As nine individuals appeared in court today facing charges in relation with the murder of Kevin McDaid in Coleraine, the BBC has reported that “70 loyalists” packed the court, with many captured entering the courthouse with scarves and hoods shielding their faces [though we have been ‘assured’ by Assistant Chief Constable, Alistair Finlay, that loyalists were not involved in the murder- awful big turnout for a ‘maverick’ crowd…] Meanwhile, the news that the loyalist Pride of the Bann flute band …

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The PSNI have confirmed that they are investigating a threat issued by loyalist paramilitaries against a son of loyalist murder victim, Kevin McDaid. Sinn Fein councillor, Billy Leonard, has asked the PSNI to reveal which loyalist outfit was responsible for the threat. The threat comes less than 24 hours after Assistant Chief Constable, Alistair Finlay, brushed aside allegations that loyalist paramilitaries were involved in the killing. Tension has also risen in the area ahead of a planned loyalist band parade …

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The fact that disquiet regarding the PSNI’s handling of events in Coleraine culminating in the murder of Kevin McDaid is growing is evident in the swift appearance of an Assistant Chief Constable on the television today and by the actions of the Chief Constable in calling in the Police Ombudsman to investigate the incident. The most serious allegation– directly refuted by Assistant Chief Constable, Alistair Finlay- is that PSNI officers watched on as the 49 year old catholic was beaten …

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The brutal sectarian murder of Kevin McDaid has so far led to eleven arrests (according to RTE tonight), and with eyewitnesses claiming that up to 40 loyalists arrived in the estate in cars and taxis as part of the clearly orchestrated sectarian attack, there will doubtlessly be many more to follow. Whilst condemnation has followed from most quarters, the reaction of local DUP councillor, Adrian McQuillan, on tonight’s BBC Newsline will certainly raise many eyebrows. Here’s Adrian’s response: “Tit for …

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It’s clearly ‘wind up the catholics’ time at Belfast City Council as the Council’s unionist majority have voted to fly the flag of the British Armed Forces on June 27th (or ‘Armed Forces Day’.) Perhaps appropriately amidst the flag-waving and wrapping fervour precipitated by an imminent visit to the polling booth, the DUP’s European election candidate, Diane Dodds, was put forward to ‘welcome’ the development. Conveniently, it does put into context the objections to the proposal by an independent group- …

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The Irish Premier League will play out the final chapter in what has been a fascinating title race next Saturday, with Glentoran and Linfield maintaining hopes of claiming the top spot ahead of the final round of fixtures. Intriguingly, the Championship also appears destined to go to the wire, with a Suffolk Road encounter likely to determine whether or not Donegal Celtic or Portadown claim the automatic promotion spot and provide some clarity regarding whether or not a play-off fixture …

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The stunning new Yankee Stadium, home of the New York Yankees, was opened this week, though the mauling dished out to the hometown pinstriped multi-millionaires did somewhat spoil the occasion for the home fans. However, the news that a fan is suing the city of New York and the Yankees for being thrown out of the old Yankee Stadium during a game last August has captured the media’s attention. The fan, Bradford Campeau-Laurion, was ejected from the stadium after he …

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It would appear that Niall O’Dowd, the prominent Irish-American publisher of The Irish Voice, has been amongst the first to float the name of a potential successor to Hugh Orde as Chief Constable of the PSNI. In this article, O’Dowd suggests that the current Chief Inspector of the Garda Inspectorate, Kathleen O’Toole, may be poised to throw her name into the hat. The US born O’Toole is a former member of the Patten Commission and also served as the first …

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The Irish News was quick to replace the loss of Susan McKay with the equally impressive columnist, Fionnuala O’Connor, author of ‘In Search of A State: Catholics in Northern Ireland’ and regular columnist with the Irish Times. In O’Connor’s first article, she examines the possible repercussions of the British Conservative Party’s link-up with the ‘bedraggled’ link of Unionism, Reg Empey’s Ulster Unionist Party, under the bizarre UCUNF label. O’Connor notes how the move has left the wounded former elite of …

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Four Hungarian women residing in the Village area of south Belfast have quit the area following a racist attack on their home last night. The terrified women were attacked in their home by a group of men, who smashed windows as the women hid in their kitchen to avoid the attackers. A 21 year old man has been arrested following the attack which follows on from the series of racist attacks on Polish and other Eastern European residents in the …

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The Irish rugby success story of 2009 has continued with two of the country’s province teams winning through to a mouth-watering semi-final showdown in the Heineken Cup. Munster made light work of the Ospreys, winning through on a 43-9 scoreline from the impressive home surroundings of the refurbished Thomond Park (ahh, we can but dream of finished stadia like that up North…) whilst Leinster made hard work in defeating Harlequins 6-5 in a low scoring contest. The semi-final will take …

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It has been apparent for some time now that dissident republicans have been spoiling for a fight with mainstream republicans as represented by Sinn Fein. The overnight attack on a Sinn Fein office in Derry was preceded by an attack on the home of Sinn Fein MLA Mitchel McLaughlin and the leaving of a hoax device near the former home of Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness. Dissident republicans have also been blamed for the attempted murder of an Ardoyne man …

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The purge of the Polish– and other ethnic minority communities- in some loyalist areas of Belfast has continued in the aftermath of the violence which overshadowed the Poland-Northern Ireland international match last month, with the Polish Association Northern Ireland claiming that more than forty individuals had fled their homes in the period since the game. The Housing Executive have confirmed that eight people presented themselves as homeless citing ‘trouble’ in the Village area since the match. However, UUP/ Conservative councillor, …

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Whilst the media focus has, understandably, been on the actions of dissident republicans in the past number of weeks, there has been a worrying escalation in sectarian acts in what must constitute the most volatile region of the Six Counties, north Belfast. Attacks on St. Mary’s Star of the Sea primary school and a catholic-owned public house have been followed by attacks on Clifton Street Orange Hall and Ballygolan Primary School. Of course, the incidents can not be separated from …

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Another glorious night of international football has succeeded in keeping nerves frayed but, ultimately, ensuring fans of both Irish sides retire to bed with plenty of room for optimism. Trapattoni has led the Republic to a one-all draw with the World Champions in Bari due to yet another Robbie Keane goal (38 and counting) whilst Warren Feeney’s glancing header ensured Northern Ireland claimed a 1-0 win and the necessary six point return from the two home games. Roll on June… …

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One of the great institutions associated with Irish America, the University of Notre Dame, has found itself at the centre of a political row which exposes the liberal-conservative faultline running through much of the Catholic community in the United States. The University of Notre Dame’s convention of inviting the newly inaugurated President of the USA to speak at commencement ceremonies has been attacked by catholic conservatives, with the Bishop of Fort-Wayne South Bend Diocese (where the university is situated), John …

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