Mick Fealty – Page 695 – Slugger O'Toole

NI’s ‘green’ agenda non-existent

Mick Fealty on August 28, 2002, 12:00 am

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The First Minister will attend the Earth Summit at Johannesburg for the last three days of the Summit. Mark Devenport compares Northern Ireland’s performance on the environment with Scotland and the Republic; and finds it badly wanting. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty

World Summit in Jo’burg

Mick Fealty on August 26, 2002, 12:00 am

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As Trimble confirms his attendence at the WSSD comment has been slow to gather about this major world event in Ireland, North or South. The Belfast Telegraph gave editorial space to it to today: With Northern Ireland rapidly running out of landfill capacity such questions suddenly seem pertinent. The mountains of redundant fridges are the tip of an environmental iceberg. Even those who are going to take a ringside at the biggest event since a similar summit in Rio ten …

This month’s bizarre headline

Mick Fealty on August 21, 2002, 12:00 am

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Sinn Fein defend DUP’s top post – John Kelly of Sinn Fein tells republicans, that they must not seek to dominate unionists. A clear signal from Sinn Fein that it will do business with the DUP after the next election. It also provides an indication that the DUP will not be as hard line in practice as its record and current rhetoric leads many of us to believe when it comes to the crunch. Eammon McCann asks if Republican violence …

De Klerk speaks at Glencree Summer School

Mick Fealty on August 19, 2002, 10:37 am

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I am just back from a weekend spent at the Glencree Summer School, where a variety of speakers gave presentations to a mixed audience from both sides of the Ulster community, the Republic and the UK. The keynote address was given by the ex-President of South Africa, FW de Klerk. Though it was clear from the discussion that followed his initial address that there were few direct parallels between the circumstances in the two situations, a number of interesting points …

De Klerk at Glencree

Mick Fealty on August 19, 2002, 12:00 am

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I am just back from a weekend spent at the Glencree Summer School, where a variety of speakers gave presentations to a mixed audience from both sides of the Ulster community, the Republic and the UK. The keynote address was given by the ex-President of South Africa, FW de Klerk. Though it was clear from the discussion that followed his initial address that there were few direct parallels between the circumstances in the two situations, a number of interesting points …

James Murray Brown

Mick Fealty on August 16, 2002, 12:00 am

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in the FT talks to John White, former spokesman for the now disbanded UDP, and close associate of Johnny Adair. In the course of his interview he says: “We understood that in a divided society there had to be compromise in the negotiations. But it’s anathema to think we can’t fly our national flag on public buildings. It’s anathema to see that republicans and nationalists are opposing loyalist parades in many parts of the province.” Murray Brown goes on to …

Priomhoide briste as a phost

Mick Fealty on July 31, 2002, 3:19 pm

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Dhearbhaigh an Foras Pátrúnachta cinneadh bhord bainistíochta Ghaelscoil Thulach na nÓg Tomás Ó Dúlaing a bhriseadh as a phost. Mar a duirt ceann den a na tuismitheoirí na scoile, i mBearla: “I feel sickened. We wanted to give our kids something different. We wanted them to learn more about religion than we ever had. Now bloody religion has come along and divided us and the school after all. What hope do those in the North have?” Dearainn Ian Malcolm, “Níl …

There is an inevitable gloom

Mick Fealty on July 23, 2002, 12:00 am

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There is an inevitable gloom gathering once again over North Belfast, in the wake of the killing of Gerard Lawlor early yesterday morning. Loyalists claim the killing, but insist that it was in response to “…the onslaught against the Protestant community by the republican gunmen”. Further action is threatened if there is no abatement. That gloom will not be helped as we approach Trimble’s deadline of tomorrow night. For what seems like the umpteenth time in the four years since …

Trimble: Biography of an enigma

Mick Fealty on July 18, 2002, 12:36 pm

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Just finished reading Henry McDonald’s biog of Trimble (US). One of those last minute impulse buys waiting for an early morning flight out of Aldergrove. And still Trimble largely remains the enigmatic creature he was before. However the book is a useful reference for some of the action we’ve had since April 1998 (though it cuts off when the end-game was still in it’s early stages). Several things leapt out at me: 1 The key influence that several Catholic/former Nationalist …

Stop, go again

Mick Fealty on July 18, 2002, 10:04 am

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The story of the peace process post Belfast Agreement seems to have been one of deadlines. Despite the apology from the IRA the UUP still intend to stick to theirs on 24th July. But, in this ‘theatre-in-the-round’, nothing is as planned and predictable as it once was in Ulster, and the main players are more interdependent that than they would sometimes like. Meanwhile, David McKittrick applauds the change in language and tone from the IRA, but goes on to point …

Here’s an in-depth article giving

Mick Fealty on July 18, 2002, 12:00 am

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Here’s an in-depth article giving good background to the Catholic-Protestant change in fortunes. It’s almost worth registering with the New York Times for!! Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty

Trimble

Mick Fealty on July 18, 2002, 12:00 am

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Just finished reading Henry McDonald’s biog of Trimble (US). One of those last minute impulse buys waiting for an early morning flight out of Aldergrove. And still Trimble largely remains the enigmatic creature he was before. However the book is a useful reference for some of the action we’ve had since April 1998 (though it cuts off when the end-game was still in it’s early stages). Several things leapt out at me: 1 The key influence that several Catholic/former Nationalist …

Census 2001: Some preliminary thoughts

Mick Fealty on July 17, 2002, 6:01 pm

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There’s only weeks to go before the results of the 2001 census are announced, we’ve not heard much in recent times about the demographic timebomb that awaits the Northern Ireland electorate. Though the proportion of the electorate voting Nationalist has risen exponentially in the last 30 years, the implications are not as clear-cut as it may seem on first sight. One Unionist politician I spoke to recently was at pains to point out that everyone is behaving as though the …

Census 2001

Mick Fealty on July 17, 2002, 12:00 am

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Though there’s only weeks to go before the results of the 2001 census are announced, we’ve not heard much in recently about the demographic timebomb that awaits the Northern Ireland electorate. Though the proportion of the electorate voting Nationalist has risen exponentially in the last 30 years, the implications are not as clear-cut as it may seem on first sight. One Unionist politician I spoke to recently was at pains to point out that everyone is behaving as though the …

The trouble in and around

Mick Fealty on July 16, 2002, 12:00 am

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The trouble in and around the Short Strand comes in for some attention. Anthony McIntyre asks for the hyperbole to be taken down a notch or two, suggesting, “replacing the need to state what is with a penchant for the ridiculous only invites ridiculing of the needs of people going about their daily lives in a climate of adversity.” There are signs that Unionists of all shades are taking up the idea of Civil Rights to boost their own political …

First of all, prize for

Mick Fealty on July 16, 2002, 12:00 am

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First of all, prize for the most eye-catching headlne of the year has got to go to Police Praise IRA, and Rosie Cowan’s article in the Guardian last Saturday. There have been a few rumblings about the border/link with Britain poll in the last few days. Newshound reprint an Andersonstown News (agus i nGaelige) story by Concubhar � Liath�in, whilst Trimble seems confident that the next Assembly elections will share the billling with a referendum on the issue. Mick FealtyMick …

Interesting piece on one of

Mick Fealty on July 15, 2002, 12:00 am

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Interesting piece on one of Northern Ireland’s largest and most ignored natural assets, according to Gary Grattan. “LOUGH Neagh – at 152 square miles the largest inland area of water in the UK – is not being exploited to its full tourism potential. “Sensitively and sensibly handled, the marketing of Lough Neagh as a recreational waterway is not in any way detrimental of ecological aspects of the lough. “The development will also create wealth in the surrounding areas via the …

Following the widely trailed violence

Mick Fealty on July 15, 2002, 12:00 am

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Following the widely trailed violence on the Springfield Road, the PSNI believe that this twelth was a relatively relaxed affair. Though Henry McDonald suggests that the Orange Order need to take a long hard look at itself. Others within the Order like George Patten apparently agree. John Coulter highlights an impending collapse in confidence within the Yes-camp unionist camp, and further suggests that Trimble has no choice but to make a serious shift to the right: “Strategically, Trimble is holed …

“…courtly yet testy; an eloquent

Mick Fealty on July 12, 2002, 12:00 am

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“…courtly yet testy; an eloquent speaker yet a poor communicator; atavistic yet sophisticated; stubborn yet not quite sure of where he wants to go.” Brian Walker believes Trimble is the perfect paradigm of contemporary Ulster Unionism. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty

Today is known as the

Mick Fealty on July 12, 2002, 12:00 am

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Today is known as the Glorious Twelfth for many in Northern Ireland, celebrating a history of civil and religious freedom. For others it an opportunity to break and head for the hills of Donegal, or other more tranquil spots. Of the many parades that take place each year, most pass off with little comment and even some with the active approval of the local Catholic population. This from Irish Times journalist Theresa Judge on the annual parade in Rossnowlagh, Donegal …