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Jeffrey Donaldson has called for the reopening investigations into around 300 murders that took place in South Armagh during the troubles. These include the Kingsmill massacre. He said that if the investigations were not complete he would request an independent inquiry. This welcomed by many as it may go some way to resolving the torment of bereaved families. But with a police service already understaffed and under pressure with current investigations, is the PSNI capable of acting effectively on this …

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A change is gonna come. Well, maybe. The Department for Social Development wants to hear your thoughts on plans to renew Belfast City Centre. Worryingly, the Press Association focuses on how the city could “double its available shopping space in 15 years”, but there’s more to the consultation document (pdf) than that.. Amongst other things, they’re talking about taking the buses out of the city centre, and starting work on a “rapid transport network” which would seem like an environmental …

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Michael McKevitt has been found guilty on counts of directing terrorism and of being a member of the Real IRA by Dublin’s Special Criminal Court – Details and background inside. I’ll list any good related pieces here BBC’s Kevin Connolly on how the conviction will affect the Real IRA The Press Association examines McKevitt’s career, and the lengths he was willing to go to to achieve his aims Omagh relatives express their delight at the verdict Thursday – This does …

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Student Gareth McAteer got a bit of a shock on Monday when the Army decided to perform on a controlled explosion on his mum’s car (which was parked legally). It’s a reminder of how things were back in the day, and makes you wonder – who pays when the army gets things wrong? 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 …

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After the arrests in Clonmel yesterday and as there now is support for the international war against terrorism, which has manifested itself as backing the war in Iraq, on both sides of the border (at least from a governmental perspective), can any paramilitary group continue to operate? Do these paramilitary groups bring into doubt the international credibility of both the U.K. and the Republic of Ireland as forces in the war against terror? Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. …

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Thanks to the ever essential Nuzhound.com for bringing this to my attention. Many newspapers have already brought us the news that the Pope has called on all RC politicians to vote against legally binding homosexual unions. This Scottish journalist gives her take on the matter but puts an interesting addendum to her article. She uses her (facetious) assumption that all RC politicians will vote against ‘gay marriages’ to suggest that Catholics should stop camapaigning to have the law that the …

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Whatever you think of Nigel Dodds, or indeed his party this speech given yesterday is probably one of the most substantive statements made by any Northern Ireland politician on the subject of Human Rights. It provides some support to Eammon McCann’s argument that personal attacks on the chief commisioner were misplaced; that Dickson’s problems lie in the fact that commission has raised huge expectations that it cannot hope to fulfill. Speech by Nigel Dodds MP on the way forward for …

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I seem to be the least political of the new bloggers, so I might concentrate on the cultural side of things. On that note, here’s Sharon Neill. If you’re in Ireland, you’ll probably have heard of her – a Belfast-born and based blind psychic/medium. Anyway, she seems to be trying to break out of the province by performing at the Edinburgh festival. The Observer checks her out. Sharon seems, to me, to be a uniquely Irish celebrity. Are other cultures …

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There’s an interesting letter in last night’s Belfast Telegraph arguing that Nationalists are wasting their time opposing the existence of the Orange Order per se, as there is no prospect that a substantial minority of Protestants will abandon their attachment to the organisation. 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. …

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From Monday, I will be on holiday, but we will keep Slugger moving with substantial blogging coming from a team of five writers, who may be new to the blogging world, but in their various ways are very famliar with the world of Northern Ireland politics. Cushy Glenn is the nom de guerre of an articulate defender of the Orange Order. He believes that protestants and Unionists need to be less defensive of their tradition and values. He is fiercely …

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Elsewhere the conversation between the DUP and Nationalists has been characterised as the dialogue of the deaf. But over the last few weeks there has been an interesting batting back and forth of ideas between Nigel Dodds and Sean Farren of the SDLP. In his latest reponse, Sean Farren moves away from addressing the DUP’s concerns around accountablity, and calls upon it to lend it’s support to the institutions under the current Agreement. Response to Nigel Dodds from Sean Farren …

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By all accounts the appearance of the three Irishmen in a Bogota courtroom has ignited huge interest in the case within the Colombian media, as the defence prepares to present its case. 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

Noel Whelan’s experience of listening to Martin McGuinness, the main act at the Patrick McGill summer school in Glenties, Co Donegal, leads him to question just how well prepared Northern Ireland politicians are to talk about the issues that are bread and butter to politicians in more normalised societies. 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 …

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Phillip Chaston at the Airstrip One blog, examines the background of the Northern Ireland born judge Lord Hutton, the man recently appointed to investigate the death of Doctor David Kelly. 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

This week Paul Dunne has produced a passionate editorial on the Shamrockshire Eagle, defending the merits of nationalism in the broadest sense. 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

Monday’s edition of the Andersonstown News has an interesting interview with Jeffrey Donaldson. It’s interesting not least because he is asked questions from a political point of view he’s rarely exposed to. There’s more to come in Thursday’s edition. 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

It’s clear that whatever the appeal from Peter Robinson, or Jeffrey Donaldson, Gerry Adams is not set for any watering down of the Belfast Agreement. Instead he appeals to the British to bring further pressure to bear on what he sees as the recalcitrant wings of Unionism. Though it’s not clear what form that pressure might take. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media …

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Steven King takes opportunity of the summer lull to go on a full scale offensive against the calling of elections before any movement from the IRA. Although he, and the leader of the pro-Agreement Unionists David Trimble, appears to be the only ones arguing for a continued postponement of elections, they will be banking heavily on Tony Blair’s loyalty to win them a further period of suspension. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the …

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Where they are not able to get into the editorial pages, it seems politicians are keen to get their own particular memos in to the public domain. Both Sam Foster and John Taylor (Lord Kilclooney) have made it into tonight’s Belfast Telegraph’s letter pages – the former with the particularly provocative jibe at Jeffrey Donaldson, that he is firing into his own trenches. In the Irish News, Father Aidan Troy has mounted a vigorous defence (subs needed) of the HRC’s …

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It’s probably one of the most overworked cliches in circulation, that Northern Ireland is a small place – so this is just one more story that proves it is a cliche mostly because it’s true. I glimpsed through some of the weblogs in the list here on Slugger last night to discover that Peter Cuthbertson of Conservative Commentary had just returned from his first trip to Belfast. I immediately responded with a short email entitled Ships that pass.., saying I …

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