Academic and writer, and occasional controversialist, Germaine Greer, suggests in the Guardian that the Pope’s recent Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Collaboration of men and Women in the Church and in the World ‘could be the best thing that has happened to feminism in years’. Pete Baker This post was contributed by Pete Baker and added by myself as he is experiencing technical difficulties. Blank
Indymedia carries a report on the forthcoming trial of five anti-war protestors arrested during a demonstration against George Bush’s April visit and the Iraq war. One of the charges seems to be malicious sitting. Blank
The Irish Independent today carries a report that a decision has been taken by RTE, following discussions at Director General Level, to continue broadcasting the Angelus. This followed representations made by the Reform Movement, who pointed out that “there were now 166 nationalities living in Ireland. There are 454,597 people who are not Roman Catholic. About 20,000 are Muslims, 50,000 are Chinese and there are 138,000 who have no religion.” The Reform movement credits RTE with being fair and generous …
The annual Maiden City Festival begins today, partly funded by the Republic`s Department of Foreign Affairs. The week long festival is due to stage a diverse range of cultural events culminating in the Relief of Derry parade on the 14th. Surely the continued expansion of this largely Protestant event can be used as a template for others to create a more inclusive atmosphere promoting equality and respect as well as celebrating diversity? KilsallyIT Technical Manager for a CCTV company in …
Northern Irish football seems to be making good progress recently. We have an All-Ireland competition to look forward to, the City of Armagh Northern Ireland Supporters Club are following through on the IFA`s anti-racism initiative and Northern Ireland also had a team at the recent UK Chinese Football Tournament. KilsallyIT Technical Manager for a CCTV company in the UK & Ireland. Christian, Orangeman, Unionist. Webmaster of Ulster-Scots Online. Occasional blogger on Slugger O’ Toole. Eurosceptic. @Kilsally www.ulster-scots.co.uk
The Irish Independent today announces that a call-centre company based in Scotland is to create 100 jobs in a gaeltacht area . Contact4, which operates from Glasgow, is to establish a centre in the former Comer Yarns factory in Gweedore Business Park. This is being hailed as a success for Udaras na Gaeltachta, showing that jobs can be created away from the larger urban areas. The area has suffered the loss of over 1,000 jobs in the past few years, …
Some good results for Ulster based pipe bands in the recent European Championships held in Lisburn. Possible World Champs in the pipeline? KilsallyIT Technical Manager for a CCTV company in the UK & Ireland. Christian, Orangeman, Unionist. Webmaster of Ulster-Scots Online. Occasional blogger on Slugger O’ Toole. Eurosceptic. @Kilsally www.ulster-scots.co.uk
Gerry Adams talks of being prepared for a future without the IRA while senior Sinn Féin strategist Jim Gibney recalls his doubts over the 1994 IRA ceasefire. Blank
Photo-Journalism has changed how we view the world and how the world views us! The man labelled the father of photo-journalism, Henri Cartier-Bresson, has died at the ripe old age of 96. RIP. Ambrose Uprichard
THE Empire Music Hall in Belfast will host an anti-racism gig this Thursday night, 5th August. The gig is being promoted under the umbrella of ‘Love Music, Hate Racism’, the organisation that grew out of Rock Against Racism and the Anti-Nazi League of the 1970s. The Press Release states: Also involved is the Anti-Racism Network (ARN), which co-ordinates the activities of local community and anti-racist groups. This will be the first of a series of gigs promoting a culture of …
THE DUP’s Gregory Campbell has not backed away from supporting the family of Peter McBride, in their bid to remove his murderers from the British Army. Is he the first unionist to have done so? Mr Campbell told the Irish News: “I support any campaign to ensure that the MoD is transparent in relation to issues where soldiers are convicted of manslaughter or murder and is allowed back into the army or is subsequently promoted. “I do not think that …
A report from WebIndia123 on a book “Crafting Peace in Kashmir through a realist’s Lens” by Retired Indian Vice-Admiral Verghese Koithara, compares the dispute between India and Pakistan over Kashmir to our own border. Blank
After yesterday’s killing, Rueters report that nearly 1,200 Irish ex pats live in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 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
Maigheann Ian Malcolm (colunaí Lamh Dhearg) nach dtugainn muid go leir faoí dheara go bhfuil Gorta Mór eile ag gabhail ar shiul in Afriac Thoir. 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
THE 10th anniversary of the IRA ceasefire has led to a spate of analysis of our ‘imperfect peace’. Interestingly, in two of Barry McCaffrey’s interviews, both a former Taoiseach and a former loyalist negotiator state that loyalist paramilitaries were prepared to commit to a ceasefire before the IRA. As always, there are differing accounts of what happened, or perhaps a different emphasis. Albert Reynolds claims loyalists were prepared to guarantee a ceasefire, but not announce it until the IRA had …
Andrew McCann of A Tangled Web fame and former regular on Slugger is looking for votes for the BBC’s latest appeal (scroll down) for lucid political websites. 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
GRASSROOTS unionist criticism of the late IRA leader Joe Cahill has not been unexpected, but in contrast to some eulogies, not all republicans agreed with his strategy. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com
DUP MLA Ian Paisley junior has told todays Newsletter that the police raid on Stormont had to take place, “for the sake of democracy.” His comments come in the wake of Monday`s statement by Police Ombudsman Nuala O’Loan, which concluded the operation was justified. The Ombudsman has been heavily criticized by Sinn Fein who believe not only was the search politically motivated, but also that the media had been tipped off about an imminent search at Stormont. SoapboxThis is a …
Details of a new north-south competition involving eircom League and Irish League teams are to be unveiled tomorrow morning in Dublin. The deal follows many years of speculation about the prospect of such a tournament and it is understood that a huge sponsorship deal is part of the package. Television coverage has also been secured which will be a further boost to football both north and south The three lucky Irish League clubs who will definitely take part in the …
A Nationalist residents spokesman has issued a stark warning to the Parades Commission ahead of its decision on a contentious march in North Belfast later this month. In a rather ominous statement Ger McGuigan warned people “would come out in numbers” to oppose the 14 August parade by the Ligoniel Walker Club past the Ardoyne shops. Mr McGuigan also suggested he was not convinced the protest could pass off peacefully if it was handled in a similar fashion to the …
