Chris Donnelly

The article below by myself first appeared in this month’s edition of An Phoblacht as part of the Uncomfortable Conversations series. The decision by the British electorate to plump for Brexit has provided a renewed lease of life for Scottish Nationalists, whilst it has also encouraged many Irish republicans to outline the case for a border poll in the near future. Even the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, and Fianna Fail leader, Micheal Martin, have made public pronouncements where they’ve spoken of …

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There are many reasons why people oppose the practice of building and burning bonfires. That they are an eyesore is beyond dispute. For a period of weeks- if not months -before the night they are set alight, the area surrounding the bonfire site is turned into a rubbish dump, attracting crowds often into the small hours of the morning. Of course, many of those involved in constructing the bonfire are simply kids attracted by the excitement of the event, and …

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I was invited to and duly attended the premiere of Bobby Sands: 66 Days last Saturday night. Alex Kane was also in attendance and he produced this well considered piece in Monday’s Newsletter. After the film’s showing, a question and answer session took place with former republican prisoner, Seanna Walsh, The Impartial Reporter’s Denzil McDaniel and Brendan Byrne, the film’s producer. McDaniel had also written a piece on the film which can be read here. Byrne has produced a very …

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The post-Brexit period has witnessed a number of pronouncements on all-Ireland matters which have provoked a range of responses, some more deserving of greater scrutiny than others. Whilst Sinn Fein representatives have been a consistent voice calling for an Irish unity referendum, before and after Brexit, references to the context within which such a border poll might be called by other nationalists, north and south, has sparked renewed media interest in the topic. There are a number of good articles …

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A bright morning always carries with it a sense of optimism in which to approach the new day- and not just in June when, for us teachers, the summer holidays are but a few sleeps away. My twenty minute drive to work most mornings signs off with me turning off the Oldpark Road and onto Ardoyne Avenue, where I often spot one of my past pupils making his way to his post-primary school the shy side of eight o’clock. It …

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In the Belfast Telegraph today, I have an article outlining my thoughts on Brexit and particularly the options for Irish nationalists and republicans at this time. I don’t believe a border poll at this time is the right call for those interested in pursuing Irish unity. Brexit is a game-changer, particularly if it leads to Scottish independence, but it does not alter existing realities which mean that the path to Irish unity remains a longer one than that to potentially …

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When Sinn Fein agreed to sign up to exclusive partnership with the DUP at Stormont, the republican party immediately faced criticism from within the nationalist/ republican community due to the manner in which Sinn Fein were seen to be led by the nose into an Executive in which Arlene Foster had explicitly ruled out a nationalist holding the Justice Ministry (for the second consecutive mandate.) Compounding the sense that Sinn Fein were playing the subordinate role in a purportedly partnership …

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We are only a matter of weeks into the life of the new Executive, and already the DUP (through Arlene Foster and Peter Weir) have signaled their intention to make the issue of academic selection and the transfer tests a key theme in the early part of the administration. Some may argue that this is understandable given the party’s avowedly pro-academic selection stance and long-time opposition to Sinn Fein’s refusal to support the bodies responsible for organizing the transfer tests. …

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On Sunday Politics today, Fionnuala O’Connor once again correctly noted the growing sense within nationalism that the power relationship between the DUP and Sinn Fein is increasingly vertical and not horizontal at Stormont, with the republican party very much playing the deputy’s role. Martin McGuinness and other republicans have spoken publicly of their desire to build a strong and close relationship with the DUP, and he was at it again today on the programme. But the response from the DUP …

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Americans love their sporting stories, and the city of Cleveland has reserved a special, unenviable place on account of its sporting tales of woe over the past four decades. Cleveland is a city on Lake Erie, with a proud industrial history. John D Rockefeller’s Standard Oil was initially founded here, and the city’s lakeside location meant that it developed as a manufacturing centre in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The great American songwriter, Randy Newman, wrote the lyrics to …

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Several days ago, I wrote about my misgivings about one of the measures outlined in the new draft Programme for Government (PfG.) In this post, I’m looking at the commitments relating to Education that are contained in the draft PfG. In terms of the Outcomes, the only one which appears to be education-linked is that which states ‘We give our children and young people the best start in life.’ Regarding Indicators, there are three which explicitly relate to education: Improve …

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In less than two weeks, the European Championships will begin. For the first time ever, both Irish international teams will be represented in the tournament stage of an international football competition. There is nothing quite like summer football. I grew up during the Republic’s halcyon age from 1988 to 1994, when fans were spoilt due to the unprecedented success of the team, a period in which Jack Charlton led the Republic to three tournaments, including two World Cups and one …

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The draft Programme for Government framework has been launched and has entered its consultation phase. Alan’s post explains how the new approach was developed while Brian has written a broadly positive piece, noting that it can be viewed “as an instrument….for building the Executive’s unity of purpose.” The aspirational and visionary setting and tone of the document can be understood if it is about steering the divided ship that is a two party coalition, composed of parties diametrically opposed on …

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A significant part of the reason for the declining nationalist turnout is the growing sense that, through their political class, nationalists have failed to deliver a return at Stormont – and in the post-peace process era in general- which would match the expectations of the broad nationalist community. If unionism has suffered from a leadership deficit in the post-peace process era, then similarly nationalism would appear to be suffering from a delivery deficit. The developing dilemma around filling the post …

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Another election has taken place and the pattern of declining nationalist turnout has been further underscored. The combined Sinn Fein-SDLP share of the overall vote in last week’s election was a paltry 36%, the lowest combined share of the vote for the parties at Assembly, Westminster or European level since the 1992 Westminster election saw the SDLP take 23.5% and Sinn Fein 10% of the overall vote. That particular contest was noteworthy as it marked the low point for Sinn …

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It’s a story for the ages. The Greatest Sporting Story Ever Told. A discredited manager, widely ridiculed upon appointment after overseeing a humiliating Euro qualifying campaign by Greece which involved losing to the Faroe Islands. Upon being sacked, the Greek football authorities stated that Ranieri had been “a most unfortunate choice of coach.” Upon being subsequently appointed by Leicester City, two experts had this to say about him: “Claudio Ranieri is clearly experienced, but this is an uninspired choice by …

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In the aftermath of last year’s Westminster election, I wrote this piece on Slugger, outlining the statistical basis for concluding that northern nationalism had lost its electoral momentum. The figures did not lie: the combined nationalist share of the vote (ie SF and SDLP) fell in 16 of the 18 constituencies, repeating a pattern of declining nationalist turnout which had been noted in the European and Local government elections in 2014 and at the 2011 Assembly election. Last year, that …

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Pitching for Unionist or Nationalist unity in a bid to maximise representation for one tradition or the other is a well established tactic at election time in Northern Ireland. All unionist parties strictly advise ‘their’ voters to transfer to fellow unionists, regardless of sharp political differences on socio-economic, moral or other issues, whilst Sinn Fein will speak of maximising nationalist representation (though transfer patterns between nationalist parties have never been as uniform as within unionism.) Part of the Alliance Party’s …

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As we approach Easter weekend and the major commemorative gatherings across Ireland that have been organised to remember the events of 100 years ago, there continues to be many television programmes and newspaper column inches dedicated to the topic, reflecting the keen interest in the issue across the country and beyond. One particular programme that’s caught my eye has been the Insurrection mini-series being rerun by RTE, featuring one of Ireland’s greatest actors, Ray McAnally. Originally broadcast in 1966, it …

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The final Leaders’ Debate will be televised tonight as we approach the last few days of campaigning and canvassing in this shortest of election campaigns. The polls have been sending out a number of messages, at times conflicted, but the main story emerging from the polling picture appears to be that a viable governing coalition seems difficult to assemble, unless Fine Gael and Fianna Fail take the historic step to coalesce and begin a new chapter in Irish political history. …

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