Frank Schnittger

The Good Friday Agreement gives the majority in Northern Ireland the right  to decide whether Northern Ireland should remain in the Union with Britain or become part of a united Ireland. It gives no say on the matter to the people of Britain whatsoever, beyond mandating the Secretary of State to call a border poll in Northern Ireland, should he form the view that such a poll is likely to be carried. However, in any true democracy, all major decisions …

Read more…

Six Nations Super Saturday Italy 24 Wales 21 Italy recorded a well deserved victory over a callow Wales side in Cardiff and condemned Wales to the wooden spoon. In truth the score line flattered Wales who scored two late converted tries to add some respectability to the result. With George North now also retiring Wales are bereft of experience and international class and it will be some time before they can rebuild a side capable of challenging for titles in …

Read more…

Terry Wright asks the quite reasonable question: “What will a united Ireland look like?” and unionists often feel frustrated when they get what appears to them to be an unclear answer. But there is also a problem with the question because no one can foretell the future with absolute confidence and certainty. So perhaps it is more helpful (and accurate) to explain how the process of change is managed in Ireland, and how this might apply to Northern Ireland in …

Read more…

Live Blog: England 23 Ireland 22 f/t Expectations are hugely high for this Irish side – a situation which in the past has resulted in them becoming tentative and conservative. Can they handle the psychological pressure of being 12 point favourites for the match? They need to trust themselves and each other just to give it a lash from the off. Do not allow England to gain the initiative and get the crowd behind them. England are brilliant at defending …

Read more…

Ireland can become back-to-back Six Nations champions with a game in hand if they can beat England with a bonus point next Saturday. However, such is the high that Ireland are currently on, anything less than another Grand Slam will feel like a disappointment. But neither England or Scotland are to be underestimated, and England in Twickenham and with Marcus Smith back fit, could be an altogether different proposition to the error prone team that showed up in Murrayfield. But …

Read more…

Live Blog: Ireland 31 Wales 7 f/t A lot of people seem to be worried that complacency and over confidence could undermine this Ireland side. The thing is, a lot of them are only one bad game away from losing their place. With players of the calibre of Keenan, Ringrose, McCloskey, Hansen, O’Brien, Ross Byrne, Casey, Bealham, Kelleher, Healy, Ryan, Henderson, Baird, and Conan, waiting in the wings, you can’t afford to get too comfortable in your position. And that …

Read more…

Scarlets 7 Munster 42 Leinster 47 Benetton 18 Cardiff 12 Connacht 16 Ospreys 19 Ulster 17   The three matchups against Welsh sides could have served as a good aperitif ahead of the Ireland Wales match next weekend, but in the end, they left a slightly sour taste. Munster only had to play well for perhaps 25 minutes of the second half to put a poor Scarlets side away. Connacht made very hard work of defeating a dogged Cardiff side …

Read more…

There have been quite a few posts on Slugger by able writers such as Michael Palmer, Ian Clarke, and Brian Walker about the prospects for political unionism and particularly the DUP now that the Assembly and Executive have been restored. Mick Fealty has also written a perceptive piece on the opportunity that being the official opposition provides for the SDLP. But no one seems to be writing about the prospects for Sinn Féin. Not being a member or supporter, and …

Read more…

Scotland 16 France 20 England 16 Wales 14 Ireland 36 Italy 0 Once again the 6 nations produced an exciting weekend of rugby, if not all of the highest quality.  Ireland hammered their opponents while the other two matches made up for what they lacked in quality with the closeness of the results and some controversy. Scotland 16 France 20 For the most part this was an appalling game of kick tennis and caterpillar box kicking. France, if anything, were …

Read more…

Writing in the Irish Times, Newton Emerson is fairly scathing about the DUP/UK government deal. “The DUP is fortunate nationalism is not laughing openly at the party’s deal with the British government. It is not just that the deal’s sea border aspects are “the Windsor Framework in drag”, to quote the Belfast Telegraph’s Sam McBride. Half of the 80-page command paper contains broader ideas for “Safeguarding the Union” – the deal’s title – that invite ridicule. Some are sensible enough …

Read more…

In my match preview I wrote: I find the France Ireland match almost impossible to call. Both sides had a massive disappointment at the world cup, but both are still a top 4 side in the world. Both sides have lost a few key players, but seem to have the strength in depth to cope. Both sides have gone with a 6:2 bench split, which is risky in the event of injuries. I think Ireland are in a good place, …

Read more…

Paragraphs 114 to 116 of the UK Government Command Paper “Safeguarding the Union” (The DUP deal with the UK Government) contain provisions for ending all British Government commitment to protecting the all-island economy in Ireland as previously agreed with the EU in 2017, and provided for in the UK European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018. On the face of it this constitutes a unilateral resiling on agreements previously reached with the EU, and a slap in the face for the Irish …

Read more…

The Franco-Irish Champion’s cup head to heads ended up 2-2 after some good matches between eight teams playing some champagne rugby. It was a great prelude to the main symphony, France vs. Ireland, in Marseilles on 2nd.February. Lyon 34 Connacht 20 Lyon, helped by Paddy Jackson, were too strong for a Connacht side without Aki, Hansen, Bealham. O’Halloran and Blade. However, Connacht came to play and scored two excellent tries by Jansen and Prendergast at the beginning and end of …

Read more…

A response to Andy Pollak’s book review of The Long Game: Inside Sinn Fein… I have now drafted two responses to Andy Pollak’s book review: The Long Game: Inside Sinn Fein… – Once, a couple of days ago on his own blog Two Irelands Together, and once on Slugger O’Toole. The first disappeared into the ether, never to be seen again, and I hadn’t the heart to try and re-write it. The second fell on deaf ears as the column …

Read more…

Commentators here and elsewhere have been keen to emphasize all the things Ireland must do to make a united Ireland an attractive proposition for unionists. The presumption seems to be that if you want something badly enough, you have to be prepared to pay for it. Some exhibit an impatience that no one – not Sinn Féin nor the Irish government – has started the bidding. Conversely, opinion polls in the south, while supportive of Irish re-unification, generally show an …

Read more…

In the past Irish rugby internationals like Johnny Sexton, Tommy Bowe or Geordan Murphy were able to ply their trade in France, Wales, or England without detriment to their Ireland careers. Now the assumption is your Irish international career is over if you move abroad, even if, like Simon Zebo, you come back.   Tadgh Beirne was only considered by Ireland when he moved to Munster, and I presume the same will apply to Oli Jager. Donnacha Ryan was never picked …

Read more…