Brian O'Neill

The taxi market in Northern Ireland is an absolute mess. In 2014 about 16,000 taxi licences were registered in Northern Ireland. By the end of 2023 this had fallen to 7,500. Industry estimates they’re only less than 5,000 active drivers per week. The core problem is the Department of Infrastructure have made it so difficult to get a licence and potential drivers have to jump through umpteen hoops. It can now take over six months to get a taxi licence. …

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The idea for Open Sunday is to let you discuss what you like. Just two rules. Keep it civil and no man/woman playing. Comments will close at 12 pm on Monday. Brian O'NeillManaging Editor of Slugger O’Toole. I help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism; I am not a member of any political party. When not …

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In addition to our normal open Sunday, we have a politics-free post to give you all a break. So discuss what you like here, but no politics. Comments will close at 12 pm on Monday. Brian O'NeillManaging Editor of Slugger O’Toole. I help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism; I am not a member of any …

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Slugger is leaving the city behind and heading to the picturesque seaside village of Cushendun. Nestled in the heart of the stunning Glens of Antrim, our venue for the day will be the historic Old Church. And our partner for the event is Grow the Glens. This all-day event is designed as a mini summer school. We invite you to join us for a day filled with insightful conversation, lively debate, and engaging chat. We have arranged for the event to be fully …

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Nigel Farage has seen off the challenge of Count Binface to regain his seat in Clacton. Still Count Binface had a very respectable 9,455 votes. I came first in the Clacton by-election! Of the candidates who bothered to turn up for the results. Here is my victory speech! pic.twitter.com/PBaLO10P2j — Count Binface (@CountBinface) August 14, 2026 Still, all is not well for Nige as the parliamentary investigation into his donations now resumes. Tis a bad day when people can’t give …

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From the BBC: The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has accused Sinn Féin of trying to “avoid responsibility for its own failures” after former MP Francie Molloy suggested delays to the A5 upgrade could be linked to landowner opposition rooted in the Plantation of Ulster. The 58-mile (94km) road upgrade project had originally been given the go-ahead by Stormont ministers in October 2024, however it has been repeatedly delayed due to court proceedings. On Wednesday evening, a party spokesperson told BBC …

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From the Irish News: The Shankill Road Defenders are founding members of the Belfast Bands Forum, set up last year to coordinate and promote local marching band culture. The forum was represented on the organising committee of the Fleadh. Mr Ramsey was full of praise for the organisers, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, who he says brought loyalist bands to the table and ensured their voices were heard. “They facilitated those connections that allowed trust to be built, and allowed us and …

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The idea for Open Sunday is to let you discuss what you like. Just two rules. Keep it civil and no man/woman playing. Comments will close at 12 pm on Monday. Brian O'NeillManaging Editor of Slugger O’Toole. I help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism; I am not a member of any political party. When not …

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In addition to our normal open Sunday, we have a politics-free post to give you all a break. So discuss what you like here, but no politics. Comments will close at 12 pm on Monday. Brian O'NeillManaging Editor of Slugger O’Toole. I help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism; I am not a member of any …

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One of the things I did get wrong about the Fleadh was that I thought there would be an issue with venues being too dispersed across the city centre. The other day I was thinking that it would probably make more sense confining it all to the Cathedral Quarter but I admit to being wrong about this. There are people, people everywhere. Had a dander around #Belfast over lunchtime to see the #Fleadh and town was absolutely heaving! This weekend …

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I spent an enjoyable Sunday in Belfast city centre on the first day of the Fleadh. It was extraordinary to see such a massive crowd of people in the city centre. The area around City Hall, Donegal Place, Royal Avenue, etc., had been pedestrianised and it really was an example of what’s possible in our city centres if we remove vehicles. Now I say this as a car driver myself, but we all know from holidays to Europe that car-free …

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The idea for Open Sunday is to let you discuss what you like. Just two rules. Keep it civil and no man/woman playing. Comments will close at 12 pm on Monday. Brian O'NeillManaging Editor of Slugger O’Toole. I help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism; I am not a member of any political party. When not …

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In addition to our normal open Sunday, we have a politics-free post to give you all a break. So discuss what you like here, but no politics. Comments will close at 12 pm on Monday. Brian O'NeillManaging Editor of Slugger O’Toole. I help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism; I am not a member of any …

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From the BBC: Sainsbury’s has agreed to sell Argos for £120m as the supermarket chain aims to focus on its core food business. The buyer, Swift Partners, is a company which has been created to buy the brand and includes former Co-operative Group boss Richard Pennycook. There are Argos 667 shops across the UK, with 201 operating as standalone stores and 466 operating within Sainsbury’s. It also has more than 450 collection points. Swift Partners’ Pennycook said he believed “strongly …

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I confess to never having heard of Ceuta until this morning. Located on the North African coast directly across the Strait of Gibraltar from mainland Spain, Ceuta holds a unique geopolitical status as Spanish territory on the African continent. Because Ceuta is part of Spain and the European Union, its 8.4-kilometer border with Morocco fortified with double-fenced wire barriers, sensors, and naval patrols represents one of Europe’s most heavily guarded external frontiers. The city periodically sees diplomatic and humanitarian strain …

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The idea for Open Sunday is to let you discuss what you like. Just two rules. Keep it civil and no man/woman playing. Comments will close at 12 pm on Monday. Brian O'NeillManaging Editor of Slugger O’Toole. I help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism; I am not a member of any political party. When not …

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In addition to our normal open Sunday, we have a politics-free post to give you all a break. So discuss what you like here, but no politics. Comments will close at 12 pm on Monday. Brian O'NeillManaging Editor of Slugger O’Toole. I help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism; I am not a member of any …

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Kier Starmer has resigned as UK Prime Minister saying ‘his work is done’ – which many of you will have your own opinions on how successful his leadership was. After being appointed by King Charles, Andy Burnham becomes the 7th UK Prime Minister in a decade and the 5th PM in 4 years, which shows the difficulty in governing the country since the division Brexit vote and the rise of the far right. Andy Burnham has a likeability factor, which …

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As most of you will know the sub-four-minute mile was long considered impossible until Roger Bannister managed it in 1954. Sensei and many athletes have smashed his record. The latest is Scottish athlete Josh Kerr, who set a new world record in an amazing time of 3:42. He managed to keep an average speed of 16.2 mph which is pretty damn fast. Well done to him. Scottish athlete Josh Kerr breaks the 1-mile world record with a time of 3:42.66, …

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The idea for Open Sunday is to let you discuss what you like. Just two rules. Keep it civil and no man/woman playing. Comments will close at 12 pm on Monday. Brian O'NeillManaging Editor of Slugger O’Toole. I help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism; I am not a member of any political party. When not …

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