Brian O'Neill

Derry-born journalist and feminist campaigner Nell McCaffrey has died at the age of 80. The Irish Times has a good obituary of her. I met her several times over the years. She was, at times, very engaging and, at other times, utterly terrifying. She had that combination of extreme intelligence, raw anger, and a complete inability to suffer fools. Years ago, I took her photo at an event in Queens. It is not one of my better ones, as she …

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It is a cliche that the Democrats have the backing of the Hollywood elite. Still, if you subscribe to the theory that modern politics is just another branch of show business, star power can make a big difference. At the Democrat convention, they brought out some of the big guns, and they don’t get much bigger than Oprah: This is everything. Oprah is on 🔥🔥🔥at the DNC! pic.twitter.com/RF1EGszWjU — MoveOn (@MoveOn) August 22, 2024 Barak and Michelle Obama both gave …

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Good article by Paul Ainsworth in today’s Irish News: A former paratrooper who gave evidence at the inquest into the deaths of 10 people during the Ballymurphy massacre has described in a new memoir how young members of the regiment were “completely brainwashed” and that poor leadership “led to many innocent victims being killed”. Matthew Innes, who was stationed in Belfast in 1971 when the Ballymurphy massacre took place across three days in the west of the city, has outlined …

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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. Brian O'NeillI 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. Oddly for a member of the Slugger team, I am not that interested in daily …

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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. Brian O'NeillI 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. Oddly for a member of the Slugger team, I am not …

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The Irish News reports that the Northern Ireland unemployment rate has dropped to 1.9%. That’s quite a drop from the dark days of the 70s and 80s. paradoxically we also have the highest economically inactive rate in the UK so I suppose it’s swings and roundabouts.   Brian O'NeillI 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, …

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There has been the usual performative public outcry over the past few weeks about children being involved in rioting. Last month, a 7-year-old was involved in the rioting on Donegal Road. This morning’s news reports that an eleven-year-old boy has been charged due to that rioting.  Not to be outdone by the big smoke, the Derry weeans were out in force at the weekend rioting with police. Again, children as young as 7 were involved, and SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood …

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A bit of good news for a change. From the BBC: Athletes from Team Ireland will be given a hero’s welcome when they return home from the Paris Olympics on Monday. It will be the first time the Irish Olympic Team have received a civic reception on their return home. They won seven medals at Paris 2024 – four gold and three bronze – with four of those medals taken by athletes from Northern Ireland. It is Ireland’s most successful …

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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. Brian O'NeillI 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. Oddly for a member of the Slugger team, I am not that interested in daily …

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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. Brian O'NeillI 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. Oddly for a member of the Slugger team, I am not …

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Right-wing protesters are very keen to highlight that they are only against the unvetted illegal migrants who are only here to sponge off the state, rape our daughters and behead our sons. Fair enough, I suppose. One issue is all the skilled migrants look at what is going on and may decide, feck this, I am out of here. Take the case of Leilani Molina. After a night of hard work caring for people, she came home to find her …

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Like many people, I wondered why the PSNI stood idly by and watched a few dozen people go on a rampage around the city centre, seemingly attacking people and property at will. Let’s face it: the PSNI are no strangers to riots; if they were on Mastermind, it would be their specialist subject. In today’s Irish News, Newton Emerson comments that the peelers can’t win.  Amnesty Northern Ireland has provided a bleakly comic insight into how the PSNI cannot win. …

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The PSNI said: “In a second night of rioting and disorder, mainly in the areas of Donegall Road and Sandy Row, police officers came under sustained attack over a number of hours with multiple petrol bombs, heavy masonry and bricks thrown in their direction. “Petrol was also poured over a police landrover and set alight, thankfully the occupants of the vehicle were not physically harmed and remained on duty. “Earlier in the evening, a protest and counter-protest involving approximately 40 …

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I am not really sure what to make off it all. It’s all a bit weird to say the least. I don’t have any great insights so I will keep this post as general observations. Questions need to be asked of the PSNI. A few dozen people were allowed to go on the rampage through Belfast attacking people and burning businesses with seeminlgy no real effort to stop them. This is completely unacceptable and a massive failure of the police …

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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. Brian O'NeillI 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. Oddly for a member of the Slugger team, I am not that interested in daily …

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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. Brian O'NeillI 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. Oddly for a member of the Slugger team, I am not …

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It’s an odd day in the great metropolis that is Belfast. In the city centre a rag bag collection of far right gathered at city hall to protest Muslims, 5g, covid and whatever else was on their minds. A counter protest drew a bigger crowd The far right bigots and thugs were outnumbered 10 to 1 at Belfast city hall today by anti racist activists. Well done to everyone who turned out to say no to Islamophobia. pic.twitter.com/YYdIPeYERs — People …

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If you follow the news, the biggest story of the week seems to have been an overexcited peeler driving around a roundabout. The police officer celebrating Armaghs All Ireland victory, is depending on your political views, either a massive PR boost for the PSNI with the Catholic community or reckless endangerment and and an example of the PSNI losing all independence. My reaction was a shrug of the shoulders and a view that that whole incident has been blown completely …

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In an interview with the BBC Red Lines Podcast, SDLP Deputy Leader Claire Hanna talks about how she and others discussed setting up a new party in the event of an SDLP merger with Fianna Fáil. From the BBC: An SDLP MP has said she and party colleagues discussed forming a new party in 2019. Claire Hanna told the BBC’s Red Lines podcast the discussions took place against the backdrop of the now-ended partnership between the Social Democratic and Labour …

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Not sure if he is being serious or not. American politics is batsh*t crazy at the best of times. They’re losing it… Fox News' Jesse Watters: “When a man votes for a woman, he actually transitions into a woman." pic.twitter.com/rQkoiA1WLe — Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) July 31, 2024 Brian O'NeillI 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 …

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