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 …
I confess to not knowing many One Direction songs, but it is always sad to hear of someone dying an untimely death. From the Guardian: Liam Payne, a former member of the boyband One Direction, has died aged 31 after falling from a third-floor hotel room in Buenos Aires, police have confirmed. The singer died on Wednesday at 5pm local time. “Liam James Payne, composer and guitarist, former member of the band One Direction, died today after falling from the …
The latest fall from grace of some of our local politicians is a case study of the old maxim: Be Nice to People on Your Way Up. You’ll Meet Them On Your Way Down. It turns out that if you make a career out of attacking people and being unnecessarily combative, then there is no shortage of people lining up to kick you when you are down, many of them former colleagues from your old party. When I first got …
Weight loss jabs are being touted as the modern-day panacea for all our ills. The latest claim is that they could help with drug and alcohol addiction. From the FT: Ozempic and similar products cut opioid and alcohol abuse by up to half, according to research that adds to evidence of the hugely popular blockbuster drugs’ broad potential beyond tackling obesity and diabetes. An analysis of more than 500,000 people with a history of opioid-use disorder showed that more than …
From the BBC: The death of General Sir Mike Jackson will not be mourned by the families of those killed on Bloody Sunday, the chair of the Bloody Sunday Trust has said. Gen Jackson, who went on to become head of the Army, was a Parachute Regiment captain in Londonderry on 30 January 1972 when soldiers shot dead 13 civil rights demonstrators. He died aged 80 on Tuesday. The British Army said Gen Jackson would be “greatly missed, and long …
First, the good news, Clodagh Rice at the BBC reports on good news for employment figures: The number of people on company payrolls in Northern Ireland in September was 806,700, a rise of 1.5% over the year and the largest increase of any of the UK regions. The unemployment rate from June-August was 1.9%; this is a record low and the lowest of the UK regions. However, the employment rate was down over the year to 70.2%, which suggests some …
Personally, I don’t see what all the fuss is about with the removal of the Boyne Bridge in Belfast. I never gave it a second thought the umpteen times I went over it. It only dates from the 1930s and has minimal architectural merit in my eyes. Most surprising of all is the reaction from some local residents. There are many things the good people of Sandy Row should be angry about. What was once a shopping magnet for people …
From the Independent: King Charles and Queen Camilla are facing an embarrassing snub by leading Australian politicians ahead of their tour of the country. As the couple prepare to kick off their nine day visit Down Under on Friday, every single state premier has turned down invitations to attend their royal reception in Canberra on October 21, reports suggest. The King is set to deliver a speech at the event to recognise Australians for their achievements in the arts, culture, …
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 the BBC: The former leader of the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) has said that loyalists can no longer trust the government. Brian Ervine was speaking to the Good Morning Ulster programme on Friday after reports that a Stormont Committee have asked for the minutes of a meeting which took place between the Loyalist Communities Council (LCC) and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Minister for Communities Gordon Lyons. “The problem is we can’t trust that the union is safe and …
So, last Sunday morning, I was chilling out. I was having my breakfast and listening to RTÉ radio 1. On Sunday mornings, John Bowman’s archives show is very good, as is the Sunday Miscelony that comes after it. But between both shows, you get the 9 a.m. news or your hourly dose of misery, as I like to think of it. The news is your long-term abusive partner, there to suck any joy out of your life at every moment. …
The BBC reports: Work to dismantle the Boyne Bridge in Belfast city centre is to start on Saturday. Durham Street, which runs across the bridge, will close for a year to facilitate work on the new Grand Central Station. The current bridge near Sandy Row was reconstructed in 1936, but its origins date back nearly 400 years. Translink say the work will involve “sensitively dismantling” the bridge. Drivers will not be able to access Durham Street from Grosvenor Road to …
From the BBC: A murder investigation has been launched after the body of a 22-year-old woman was found in south Belfast. Mary Ward was found dead by police officers at her home on Melrose Street on 1 October. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said that following a review of its previous engagement with Ms Ward, the case has been referred to the office of the Police Ombudsman. “Whilst at this time there is no suggestion of individual criminality …
Say what you like about the Ryanair boss, but he knows the value of a euro or two. The BelTel reports that he is a happy bunny with his new solar install on his farm. From the article: Michael O’Leary has begun a green transformation of his Midlands farm – and insists State grants for solar panels should be fast-tracked to help farmers reduce their carbon footprint. The Ryanair chief executive revealed he has invested just over 140,000 euro installing …
Former Newry pub landlady Sue Gray has quit as number 10 chief of staff. From the FT: Sir Keir Starmer has conducted a massive shake-up of his misfiring Number 10 team, with Sue Gray, his controversial chief of staff, quitting her post after only three months in Downing Street. Gray’s departure, following weeks of internal criticism of her performance and a power struggle behind the scenes, comes as Starmer attempts to restore order to his administration in the week that …
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 …
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 …
Driving in Belfast is never a fun experience at the best of times. Still, lately, it has gotten even worse with the roadworks around the new Grand Central Station and the closure of the Sydenham Bypass at the weekend for resurfacing. However, Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd does not have much sympathy. From Brendan Hughes at the BBC: Stormont’s infrastructure minister has defended his department following complaints of roadworks causing traffic congestion in Belfast. John O’Dowd acknowledged there have been issues …
