Brian O'Neill 
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 …
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 …
Writing in today’s Irish News, Sarah Creighton has this to say: AS the Ulster Unionists move to another leadership contest, we can officially declare liberal unionism dead. Rest in peace. It didn’t have a good run, or a half-decent start. It’s deceased… at least until someone tries again. It doesn’t look like anybody will for a long time. If Robbie Butler or Jon Burrows take over the UUP, they will move the party in a rightward direction. Once again, the …
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 …
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 …
Wishing you all a happy New Year. I always love this quote from Enver Hoxha, the Albanian Stalinist dictator, who said in his New Year’s message in 1967: “This year will be harder than last year. On the other hand, it will be easier than next year.” That one always makes me laugh, and let’s face it, when you cover Northern Ireland politics, you need a sense of humour. How was your Christmas? Do you have any resolutions for the New …
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 …
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 …
There was a discussion recently on Reddit about our parsimonious approach to home heating here in the UK and Ireland. The story started with a discussion from a guy who was looking for advice on how to handle his grandmother’s refusal to turn on the heating despite his poor grandfather literally dying of cancer. Here is the query: My gran (F87) is a frugal type, grew up with rationing, hates spending money even though she’s pretty well off and comfortable. …
In the spirit of the famous 1914 Christmas Truce of WW1, I ask that you avoid our usual divisive subjects, we want to give the mods a well-earned rest. You can chat about what you are up to today, memories of Christmas past, what books you are reading, or TV shows you are enjoying. Whatever you like. On behalf of the Slugger team, I wish you a Happy and safe Christmas. Let’s hope next year will be better for everyone. …
I was a bit pessimistic in my last post about Stormont, so I thought I’d try to restore some balance to the universe and offer something genuinely cheerful this Christmas Eve. Youtuber Casey Neistat has made an extraordinary short film about Logan Knowles. Logan was born with cerebral palsy. Doctors told his parents he would never walk. He didn’t just walk. He ran a marathon. Do give it a watch. It’s only 10 minutes long, and it will almost certainly be …
You might be familiar with the phrase “jumping the shark”. It’s the moment a television show tips from watchable into self-parody. The phrase comes from an episode of Happy Days where the Fonz, having apparently exhausted all available human storylines, literally jumps a shark on water skis. The show kept going, technically speaking, but everyone knew the magic had gone. What followed was motion without momentum, noise without purpose. I’ve been thinking about that phrase in the context of our …
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 …
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 …
From Sky News: Serving up a sombre reality check, Air Chief Marshal Knighton said he agreed with his French counterpart, General Fabien Mandon, who said last month that France must be ready for the possibility of losing its children in a potential war with Russia. “The situation is more dangerous than I have known during my career, and the price of peace is rising,” the British defence chief said. “Our response needs to go beyond simply strengthening our armed forces. …
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 …
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 …
A bizarre story in today’s BelTel: A senior Russian politician has warned that a Co Tyrone town is on a ‘strike list’ should war break out between Russia and European states. Former Deputy Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin named 23 sites which would be attacked in the UK in the event of conflict. All of the targeted areas are home to facilities which supply weapons and other military kit. Fivemiletown is the HQ of Cooneen Defence, which says it is …
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 …
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 …
