Chris Donnelly Interesting piece from former SDLP media guru, Conall McDevitt, on the role the internet has played in sustaining the pressure on Iris Robinson over her anti-gay remarks. He notes how Facebook groups have been started in the aftermath of the comments and that many Youtube videos have been recorded highlighting the controversy. Chris Donnelly
Two under age soccer teams from Dublin participating in the Milk Cup tournament have changed their accomodation following a sectarian attack on the original accomodation venue- a block of flats- of the clubs in Coleraine. A spokesperson for one of the targeted clubs, Crumlin United, said sectarian remarks were shouted. “There were bottles, cans of beer, bricks and all sorts coming over towards the kids. The kids were terrified. Some of them are 14, others are 15,” he said. Tournament …
Peter Tatchell has raised the ire of some by claiming that there is evidence King Billy was bisexual. The prominent Gay Rights activist is in town delivering the Amnesty International Pride Lecture ahead of the Gay Pride parade this Saturday. Rumours that a small man dressed in pink mounted on a white horse will lead the parade, dismounting at City Hall to have a ‘sham fight’ with an Iris-lookalike have yet to be confirmed…. Chris Donnelly
Brian Feeney seems to think so. In his Irish News column this week, Feeney argues that Robinson lacks authority and is “congenitally a number two.” Though Feeney doesn’t allude to it, Robinson has hardly been helped by the staccato-like counter-productive media interventions of his wife and fellow DUP MP/MLA, Iris Robinson, who this week was the subject of a stinging attack by unionist commentator, Lindy McDowell, in which the columnist joined those calling for the head of the senior DUP …
It will be hard to match the Ulster Senior Championship Final last week for drama and excitement but Armagh and Fermanagh will surely give their all in the replay this Sunday. Tomorrow, however, is another do-or-die encounter for the counties competing in the Qualifier Phase as they seek to make it through to the draw against the beaten Provincial finalists. The all-Ulster affair between Donegal and Monaghan is live on TV3- with Donegal keen to avenge last year’s Qualifier loss …
The outbreak of Foot in Mouth syndrome (here and here) that has been identified in the Robinson household continues with today’s Belfast Telegraph reporting comments made by the First Minister’s wife and Strangford MP/ MLA, Iris Robinson, comparing homosexuals to child abusers. Her subsequent ‘clarification’ didn’t impress two prominent gay political figures on today’s Talkback either. The original comments carried in the paper: “there can be no viler act, apart from homosexuality and sodomy, than sexually abusing innocent children” (my …
NOTE: Because of multiple and continuing breaches of the site rules this thread is now closed to comments NOTE Following on from an Old Firm encounter in April, DUP DCAL minister and MP, Gregory Campbell, wasted no time in condemning the actions of Celtic’s Polish goalkeeper, who wore a t-shirt with a picture of Polish Pope and goalkeeper, Pope John Paul II on it. The MP even went so far as to table a motion in the House of Commons …
Those with an eye to American sports will have noted that one of the country’s greatest sporting arenas, Yankee Stadium, is in its final year of usage ahead of its demolition as the Yanks head across the road to a new Yankee Stadium. The famed stadium- nicknamed ‘The House That Ruth Built’ after the great Yankee player, Babe Ruth- has been in use for 85 years, home to baseball’s version of Kerry footballers (the Bronx Bombers’ 26 World Series titles …
Not to be confused with the GAWA, the Erneside Gaels have been busy painting the various towns and villages of Fermanagh the county’s colours as they approach Ulster Final day and their date with destiny. Fermanagh are aiming to end their unfortunate distinction of being the only Ulster county to never have won the Ulster Senior Football Championship title. Up to 40,000 fans will jam into Clones for their date with destiny agin the formidable Armagh team, who are certainly …
Priceless stuff on ‘the biggest show in the country’ this morning (The Nolan Show) as wife of the First Minister and DUP MLA/MP Iris Robinson has proclaimed that “the government have the responsibility to uphold God’s law.” Iris phoned in to an already heated discussion on abortion in the north of Ireland and seemed to lose the plot somewhat during the discussion, also accusing the host of “peddling lies” about what she had said in an earlier discussion about ‘turning’ …
Over in the US, the Obama camp have reacted swiftly to condemn the publication of this satirical cartoon on the front page of the New Yorker magazine. The cartoonist- and the magazine– were clearly attempting to ridicule the caricature portrayed of the black American candidate by some of his right wing critics, but obviously the Democratic Party’s candidate elect is anxious to avoid providing any ammunition to his enemies- a fear shared by many on this pro-Obama blog. Being a …
No doubt aware of the ongoing campaign of sectarian violence and intimidation in the County Antrim village of Stoneyford- and conscious also of those linked with the attacks, Lisburn’s UUP Mayor, Ronnie Crawford, decided to accept an invite by a local loyalist organisation, Stoneyford Jubilee Committee (Chairperson Mark Harbinson) to ignite the local beacon which had a poster of Sinn Fein MLA Paul Butler atop it to the approving roar of the 300 or so loyalists in attendance. After Stoneyford …
The front page of today’s Irish News has a photograph of the ‘Union Jack Souvenir Shop’ on Belfast’s Newtownards Road yesterday. For sale in the shop is the Irish Tricolour for £5, obviously for burning at Belfast City Council-sponsored bonfires and other less ‘well-maintained’ gatherings throughout loyalist Belfast and beyond on the 11th Night. But the label attached to the flags by the helpful proprietor kind of sums up just why the ridiculous efforts to brand the 11th/12th as potentially …
Orangemen in Larne have staged a protest outside Council buildings after the Council failed to erect (and pay for) red, white and blue bunting in the town. The DUP Mayor, Bobby McKee, cited equality laws as the reason why Larne Council has failed to erect the bunting. A Council spokesperson claimed they had asked the Order to seek funding for “cultural activities” which could have been used to pay for the bunting, which raises the intriguing prospect of Larne Council …
Ahead of the House of Lords’ 42-day detention debate tomorrow, Patrick Corrigan of Amnesty International offers this assessment, revealing that the local branch of Amnesty International has written to every non-DUP member of the Lords urging them to vote against the government when the bill comes to a vote in the Lords. Chris Donnelly
American Independence Day this year witnessed another disappointment for the stuttering New York Yankees, as they fell further behind in their crusade to win a Pennant in their final season in the House that Ruth Built. It was also the occasion for the passing of the legendary, infamous North Carolina Senator, Jesse Helms. Helms held an honorary degree from Bob Jones University (where’ve I heard of that place before??) and was a Senator for more than 30 years. Helms’ right …
Today’s Newsletter carries a report in which Rev. Stephen Dickinson objects to the presence of a chinese dragon as part of the proposed 11th Night parade in Tandragee, labelling it as “offensive” and “insults the name of Jesus Christ.” The story carried over onto the Talkback programme today, when the Rev. Dickinson further elaborated on his objections, arguing that the dragon represented a drift into including ‘pagan’ elements within the Twelfth. Taken at face value, the Rev. Dickinson’s objections could …
Deja vu time in Stoneyford. The Lisburn Council sponsored beacon intimidation gathering in Stoneyford village this year may be only days away, but clearly the local loyalists have decided to start early with the festivities. Having kicked off the season with another attack on the home of an elderly catholic couple in the village two weeks ago- leading to the couple fleeing the village- the doubtlessly jubilant loyalists decided to follow up with a sick prank call to the Gerry …
A child’s decision to not invite two classmates to his birthday party has ended up in the Swedish Parliament. The boy was forced to take back his already distributed invitations after the teacher discovered that not all children were invited, a breach of school policy which insists that children wanting to distribute invitations during school invite either all classmates or all boys or girls to parties. The school insists that the rules are there to prevent any form of discrimination. …
Tensions between the ‘Departed’ DUP Ministers and their successors have surfaced again this week, with a very public tetchy exchange between former Junior Minister, Ian Paisley Jnr, and new Environment Minister, Sammy Wilson. The exchanges follow Edwin Poots’ recent utterances regarding the Long Kesh/ Maze stadium, which have once again highlighted the differing opinions within the party over the stadium issue. Chris Donnelly
