Politics

‘The violence is continuing’: scholars examine embodied memory of conflict

| Readers 426

The International Conflict Research Institute (INCORE) at Ulster University hosted a seminar to mark the exhibition “Aftershocks: The Sensory Afterlives of Violence”, on display at the university’s Belfast campus until 13 May. The seminar brought together Professor Roísín Higgins (Maynooth University), who organised the event and chaired proceedings, in conversation with Professor Élise Féron (Director of INCORE); Dr Lisa Fitzpatrick (Senior Lecturer in Drama at Ulster); and Dr Adrian Grant (Lecturer in History at Ulster). The discussion focused on their research and its relationship to embodied memory — how conflict …

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The Union’s Wildcard: Maybe Farage Can Succeed Where Unionism Has Failed?

| Readers 4669

David McNarry, former advisor to FM David Trimble and a former Strangford MLA for UUP/UKIP argues Unionism’s fractured political landscape may have found its wildcard — but will Nigel Farage’s Reform UK have the courage to play it? It is true that in ceding political primacy to nationalist and republicans, unionists have paid a heavy price. Cringeworthy is the woeful state of unionist representation in the NI Assembly, Belfast City Council and across local councils. And yet the divided party …

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TUV conference – seeking to capitalise on growth in the polls with an instruction to members to “go back to your constituencies as evangelists for Ulster”

| Readers 3146

Around 150 TUV members gathered in the Royal Hotel, Cookstown for their annual conference under a banner of “Bringing Strength to Unionism”. They’re easily the most vocal audience of the (many) local party gatherings I’ve attended in recent years. Every seat seemed to have been provided with a union flag, but people applauded so vigorously they mostly forgot to wave the flags. The party is on an election footing and there was an emphasis on translating growth in the polls …

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Alliance Party Conference – a heartfelt appeal for hope to prevail over fear amid tight margins in two elections next year #APNI2026

| Readers 1553

Party president David Alderdice opened proceedings with a call for members look forward with “hope not fear”. That’s the strapline that the party is using to externally frame their policies and values, speaking into local and global conflict and social divisions. But it also speaks loudly to the internal challenge of the upcoming local government and Assembly elections. Maybe electioneering has totally changed, but the conference felt like a missed opportunity to spur unelected members on to get out and …

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Navigating fraught legacies with trauma-informed archival practice

| Readers 549

The Quill Project recently hosted a comprehensive event focusing on the examination of archival practice, care, and ethical responsibility in a post-conflict context. Hosted by the Quill Project — a digital humanities research enterprise based at Pembroke College, Oxford, which is currently focused on building an inclusive digital archive of the Northern Ireland peace process — the gathering at Holywell Trust in Derry/Londonderry was chaired by Barry Houlihan, an archivist at the University of Galway. The event featured a series …

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Government Decision Confirms : The ‘Powerful Democratic Safeguards’ Deceit

| Readers 3001
Cargo ship loaded with colorful containers at a port

Jim Allister MP argues that the “Stormont Brake” and “Applicability Motions” have failed to protect Northern Ireland’s democratic integrity. He calls for full re-enfranchisement, rejecting these “demeaning mechanisms” in favour of a solution that restores true citizenship and parliamentary accountability.

The power of peacebuilding: McAleese’s personal toll and Hume’s enduring call for dialogue

| Readers 1425

The John and Pat Hume Foundation recently hosted a significant gathering at Clonard Monastery to reflect on the enduring legacy of John and Pat Hume in achieving peace and reconciliation in Ireland. Father Ciaran O’Callaghan, Vice-Director of Clonard, welcomed attendees on behalf of the Rector and community, noting the profound connection between the Hume Foundation and the Redemptorists. The event, broadcast globally to an online audience, featured former President of Ireland Dr Mary McAleese as the guest of honour. Broadcaster Jim …

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Unionism’s Future Will Be Decided by Consent, Not Commentary…

| Readers 6062
a tall tower sitting on top of a lush green hillside

Does demographic change make Irish unity inevitable? Responding to claims that unionism is fading into irrelevance, Lorna Smyth argues that constitutional change requires more than slogans and census data—it requires practical answers on healthcare, the economy, and identity that have yet to be provided.

DFI punched in the face over its active travel strategy…

| Readers 1706
2 boxers sparring in ring, black and white.

For two decades, the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) published unchallenged plans regarding its Active Travel strategies. Like Tyrell Biggs’ pre-fight plan to defeat Mike Tyson, their plans eventually met reality on September 29, 2025. In 1987 Tyrell Biggs said he had a plan to beat Mike Tyson. Tyson famously responded, “everyone has a plan until they get a punch in the face” and then proceeded to punch Biggs repeatedly in the face until his plan fell apart. The Department for …

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Why Northern Tribalism is Slowly Burning Ireland’s Republican Dream

| Readers 6157
The sun is shining through the trees in the field

While Northern Republicanism remains preoccupied with the “semiotics” of defiance and historical score-settling, the dream of a 32-county state is stalling and the divergences between North and South are widening. If the Good Friday Agreement was meant to be a bridge, why has it been turned into a trench? Mick argues it’s time to trade 19th-century tactics for 21st-century statecraft.

Why Unionist Unity is the Wrong Answer to the Wrong Question…

| Readers 4151
Abstract neon lights in red and blue hues

As calls for Unionist unity and electoral pacts resurface ahead of the 2026 elections, Terry argues that political unionism is trapped in a “mental bloc.” The movement is failing to engage a new generation of pro-union voters who value cultural hybridity over old denominational structures. Is unionist re-alignment a path to renewal, or merely the final throes of a tired ritual?

Why Europe (And Ireland) Needs a Reality Check on Russia

| Readers 1828
men in green and brown camouflage uniform

In the high-stakes world of geopolitics, the belief that “chai and chat” can disarm a dictator is a dangerous delusion. From the “bad actor” tactics of Putin to the military vulnerabilities of neutral Ireland, Gary Kent argues Europe must transition from reliance on American to becoming a military superpower in its own right.

Flags and Bureaucracy: Commonwealth Games Standoff Resolved

| Readers 3136
man playing soccer

The row over the Ulster Banner at the 2026 Commonwealth Games must be one the shortest crisis in recent NI history, but it proves that while it doesn’t take much to NI’s successful sporting arena into a political minefield, only time, work and unending commitment can bring the generative change needed to make Northern Ireland a warm house for all.

The Union’s Best Argument: Why Winning the Middle Ground is the Key to the Next 100 Years

| Readers 3644
black mixing console

Northern Ireland is no longer a simple two-way divide. As a growing “middle ground” of voters begins to prioritize economic stability, healthcare, and public services over traditional ideology, Independent Unionist MP Alex Easton argues that Unionism must stop the infighting and start selling the tangible benefits of the UK. From the £25 billion fiscal gap to the strengths of the NHS, Easton explores why the Union remains the most viable path forward—if Unionists can finally get their act together.