David Vance is in trouble again. This time his critic is none other than Ian Paisley junior. Though I’m not sure the BBC isn’t the real target. Update: Vance replies to Paisley. 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
As the NIO publish the Operation of the Terrorism Act 2000 Statistics for 2003, PDF (I had to repair the link from the NIO press section to get the report), something I’ve visited previously, I noted the continuing high use of British Armed forces when one might think with base closures and a process of demilitarisation such operations would be greatly reduced. Yet again the British army searched substantially more premises than the PSNI. 79 under Section 83 of legislation …
The Irish News today carries a report that the Irish Guild of the Church of Ireland, Cumann Gaelach na hEaglaise, is to publish an Irish Version of the new “Book of Common Prayer” only four months after the English version of the first revision since 1926 was launched at General Synod. Irish Language services, based on the 1926 Book of Common Prayer, are regularly held in Co Donegal , Dublin and other places. Cumann Gaelach na hEaglaise ‘was founded 90 …
TWO stories appeared that in the News Letter (neither online – like the paper’s Saturday edition) today on facing pages were a mirror image of each other. On the right, appropriately enough, the Orange Order was urging the Irish Government to invest in the Battle of the Boyne site, while on the left, Sinn Fein wants the British to preserve the Maze Prison site. No-one seems to have asked if either is a viable tourist attraction though. However, the Boyne …
DENIS Murray takes a look at the changing face of nationalist murals in Derry drawn by the Bogside Artists. In contrast to the stark, monochromatic art of the Troubles, the latest works are less literal and more impressionistic, reports the BBC’s Ireland correspondent. Like them or loathe them, murals are enduring symbolic features of our tribal society. More examples and information can be found here, here and here. Bill Rolston’s widely-available ‘Drawing Support’ books are also invaluable for those interested …
Here’s an interesting test case in which Yahoo is being taken to court for the personal abuse of an individual on its message boards. The action is being taken not in Ireland or the UK, but in California where the libel laws are much more liberal than here. If successful, this kind of action could have a profound effect on the nature and structure of online dialogue sites. Thanks Maca! Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written …
THE pampering of politicians in the peace process, ill-judged international indulgence, and devalued interventions by outside leaders and other well-meaning bandwagon jumpers has made reaching a political settlement less urgent than keeping the gravy train running, argues Liam Clarke. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com
Clearly the DUP is back in business and hotting up the public media space with good copy. Following yesterday’s initial salvo, the man some of the party’s political rivals believe may actually be Dr Paisley’s successor as leader of the DUP, Nigel Dodds has an op ed in the Guardian to the run up to September’s intense talks schedule. Clearly the party has used its out of the political limelight, listening to nationalist criticism, and constructing it’s own critique of …
SOUTH Belfast Assembly member Alasdair McDonnell takes condemns racist attacks in the News Letter, but then in the Irish News he complains about local companies hiring foreign workers – something you might associate more with the BNP than the SDLP. Perhaps it’s just his own way of representing some of his constituents in the Village and the Ormeau Road at the same time… Mr McDonnell told the Irish News: “We cannot afford to have local companies looking abroad for workers …
It’s a long time since we mentioned 1169 and counting… Sharon O’Suillibhan’s excellent Republican history blog. The Blanket this week have her well resourced account of Daniel O’Connell’s reform campaign of the early 1840s which highlights the British and monarchist nature of Catholic demands for constitutional reform, before the Famine. 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 …
Henry McDonald argues that the recent successes of Glentoran and Shelbourne in Eurpean competition highlights the fact that there is still homegrown talent on the island, but that pooling that talent is the best way to build on promising start to this season. 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. …
To those of awake enough to care at that time of the day, I’ll be on the Good Morning Ulster programme tomorrow morning at about 7.40 talking about the Yahoo legal case. You’ll have to catch it live as they don’t archive the programme for the net as yet. 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 …
A report in today’s Belfast Telegraph reveals that the Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast, Joe O’Donnell, is seeking planning permission for three town houses on a plot that includes land that he bought just last year from the Housing Executive for £1000. The problem is that the purchase came with conditions – namely a covenant that stipulated the land was to be incorporated into Mr O’Donnell’s back garden. While Joe O’Donnell claims that “I’m not going to be making anything …
RATHENRAW Community Association – previously run by Sinn Fein activists – is holding a press conference tomorrow morning to protest against… Sinn Fein. The local branch, which resigned en masse in May, is now alleging Sinn Fein has intimidated members of the association who criticised SF. Some later raised questions about the party’s relationship with an alleged drug dealer in the Antrim estate. Members of the residents’ association – described as ‘rogue elements’ and a ‘cabal’ (subs needed) by republican …
ARE republicans like Danny Morrison now prepared to see unionist demands for decommissioning as a matter of trust, rather than as a bid to claim victory over the IRA? As the pre-negotiation mood music begins to sound clearer, what are the DUP prepared to offer in return – perhaps to take the junior ministerial policing portfolio under Sinn Fein’s Justice Minister? After all, by then, the IRA will have gone away, you know. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com
It seems that there’s been a rapid escalation in racially inspired attacks in Belfast over the weekend. Chair of the Anti Rascism Network Davy Carlin said today, “these attacks were not specific to any one area. Society needs to acknowledge that racist attacks are not just happening in Belfast, but around Northern Ireland and particularly in areas of social and economic deprivation”. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on …
Dan Keenan in the Irish Times shares the bones of Peter Robinson’s article (subs required) in today’s edition of the paper. It’s probably the first significant story of the summer, marking the beginning of the end to the dullest silly season in Northern Ireland for more than thirty years! Peter Robinson lays out the priniciples under which his party would work with Sinn Fein: – a “definitive and conclusive end” to paramilitary activity; – the decommissioning of all paramilitary weapons …
Lawrie Sanchez today named the Northern Ireland squad for Wednesday’s friendly against Switzerland. The match will be the final opportunity the manager has to cast his eye over the team before the eagerly anticipated World Cup Qualifiers which commence next month. Sanchez will be keen to continue the teams unbeaten run, which now stretches some 5 games. However the Swiss, who are in the same World Cup group as the Republic of Ireland, will be no pushovers as they seek …
Danny Morrison writes on Seanna Walsh’s encounter with Jeffrey Donaldson at the West Belfast Feile , how all the decommissioning in the world can’t remove the knowledge of one man able to create a bomb with a few hundred pounds and how a commitment to peace, politics and building trust is more important. An Issue of Trust By Danny Morrison In 1973, sixteen-year-old IRA Volunteer Seanna Walsh and his comrades were surrounded while robbing a bank. Seanna was arrested and …
The Sunday Business Post gives a taste of what Unionism may have to face in the event of a final settlement on the nature of the IRA, suggesting they may only effectively disband in a situation that involves IRA Volunteers not convicted in British courts becoming policemen in droves and giving control of justice in the North to Sinn Féin. Blank
