No doubt over the next few days there will be television and newspaper coverage (and not forgetting the boul Facebook of course) that will once again portray Orangemen as evil and wicked two headed demons from the netherworld, whose sole reason for existence is to tramp poor Catholics into the mud. It is the perspective more…
It is the 11th of July, and tomorrow is not just the 12th; it’s the ‘Twelfth’. And with the Twelfth comes the annual reams of highly predictable media and social media commentary. The world will be told that the entire occasion is a sectarian hate fest. A ‘throw back’. An anachronism whose participants are nothing more…
The Insurrection in Dublin during Easter 1916 involved less than 1,700 men and women. It was the brainchild and initiative of a minority, of a minority of a minority- a small conspiratorial grouping within the leadership of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, who had itself been using and manipulating the Irish Volunteers behind the scenes, who more…
‘Suck it up!!!’ That’s what us evil Orangemen have been once again told over the past few days. “Suck it up. Yes the painting does indeed show Orangemen be-decked in Ku Klux Klan garb. Yes it does indeed impose a direct connection and all the connotations of the ‘Klan’ onto the Orange Order with no more…
A general theme of ‘new’ political thinking is evolution. The concept is basically the view that society changes. So change with it. Old morals and systems have no intrinsic value or legitimacy, sometimes they have less value, and we should not shirk changing them. Traditions should change/ evolve, indeed some should disappear we are told. more…
As featured in today’s Belfast Newsletter, Irish News and Belfast Telegraph; tonight a new report is being launched by the Northern Ireland Youth Forum. The report has interviewed a cross section of bands people across Northern Ireland, looking at views and highlighting the levels of marginalisation felt. The responses to reports like this are close more…
The upcoming Balmoral Review anniversary procession has been gaining some media attention lately. Primarily that attention has been via Sinn Fein, who some have accused of scaremongoring. All of the details of the event have been in the public domain for some time, however Sinn Fein have repeatedly appeared to be ‘confused’ and unable to more…
Cormeen Rising Sons of William press release following the success of their 8th annual band procession, this year held in Armagh City:- The Cormeen Rising Sons of William Flute Band sincerely thank all those who contributed to making their St Patrick’s evening band procession in Armagh a success. Despite certain groups attempting to ratchet up more…
The Stephen Lawrence case has once again brought race issues to the forefront of the media. Over its many years of work, the campaign to bring convictions for the young man’s murder has raised many topics that it has deemed as being broadly related to making those convictions and for what it defines as racist more…
Christmas week saw Newry and Mourne Sinn Fein Councillor Brendan Curran make another contribution to his party’s on-going attempts at ‘Unionist engagement’, endeavouring to understand the Unionist psyche, and of course creating a situation and atmosphere where Unionism will embrace and accept symbols, language and historical/ cultural expression important to Irish Republicanism. Brendan was reacting more…
On the back of Alan in Belfast’s ‘Culture night’ topic, I thought I would share a relevant experience I had last weekend. On the morning of Friday 16th I left home to make my way to London, the occasion being the annual Lord Carson Memorial Parade organised by the London Somme Association. I’ve taken part more…
Latest reports on the now underway supergrass ‘show trial’ have revealed that a key witness has openly admitted he is ” an alcoholic and drug user who fled NI with money stolen from his parents.” His admissions, as reported by the BBC, include confessions of being a lifelong alcoholic and user of cocaine, LSD and more…
There have been several prominent incidents of internet activity resulting in prosecution in the last few months. The Facebook threat cases of Gregory Campbell and Neil Lennon are particularly relevant to ‘our wee country’, but there are several others, including Facebook/ Twitter activity during the recent English riots. The incidents in question however seem to more…
On Saturday I paid my first visit to Kilmainham Gaol. All I can say is wow. Is it any wonder we have supposed dissident republicans!!! Is it any wonder we still have young men queuing up to ‘fight for Ireland’!! Kilmainham front to back is a monument and appeal for blood sacrifice. It’s an overtly more…
The issue of flags and emblems is a tricky one, and one with a phenomenal capacity for the famous ‘whataboutery. This post will avoid the ‘other side’. UVF flags and banners are carried and flown in Northern Ireland (and further afield incidently) today. Its raised continually as a bone of contention. I prepared text for more…
Last Saturday was my annual pilgrimage to the Maiden City to commemorate the Relief of Derry. Personally I have never been one of those Unionists who got overly hung up on the interchangeable use of the words Derry and Londonderry. I’ve been a member of the Apprentice Boys of Derry for 20 years this very more…
The GAA and its members/ proponents (not always the same thing) on a regular basis continue to supply the air waves (and internet waves of course) with endless claims and assertions of how inclusive it is, with particular emphasis on how welcome the Unionist community is within the ranks. Recent events have however reinvigorated the more…
Brian Kerr, Republic of Ireland Football manager from 2003-2005, has admitted publically that the current conveyer belt of defections from Northern Ireland to the Republic doesn’t ‘sit right’ with him. He goes as far as saying that It’s not a good situation and I hope it will change, because it’s not good for a lot more…
Given the preoccupation over the past month among many regarding the ill’s and evil’s of bonfires, its surprising that the events of last night have raised relatively few eyebrows. A Divis Street internment anniversary bonfire last night resulted in substantial chaos. One of the busiest thoroughfares in the Province (if not the busiest), the Westlink, more…
As a long time reader of Slugger, the old chestnut of ‘big bad bands’ (over 660 in Northern Ireland alone) has had a regular airing. What is blatantly obvious however is that broadly speaking, Irish Nationalism simply doesnt understand or comprehend what bands are about. Put simply, marching and parading is an alien concept to more…
