Awards – Slugger O'Toole

And the winner is…

Pete Baker on October 21, 2010, 2:30 pm | Readers 3

The BBC’s Nick Robinson, apparently. According to the [ei] Comment Awards he’s the “Best Blogger” of 2010… At the Telegraph blogs, Toby Young suggests that “Asking Robinson to blog is like inviting a eunuch to an orgy and expecting him to participate”. Nevermind, Toby. Maybe next year… But, perhaps, that’s who [his BBC colleague] Andrew Marr had in mind? A lot of bloggers seem to be socially inadequate, pimpled, single, slightly seedy, bald, cauliflower-nosed, young men sitting in their mother’s basements …

Two Irish books shortlisted for the Orwell Prize

Mick Fealty on March 26, 2010, 3:11 pm | Readers 2

No Irish bloggers in this year’s Orwell Prize long listing (Chekov made it last year), but two writers make it for their non fiction work: Fintan O’Toole forShip of Fools: How Stupidity and Corruption Sank the Celtic Tiger and Ruth Dudley Edwards for her magnum opus on the experience of the relatives of the Omagh bomb victim in their ten year plus quest for justice Aftermath: The Omagh Bombing and the Families’ Pursuit of Justice… Both feature in various of …

Londonderry makes shortlist for UK City of Culture 2013

Pete Baker on February 24, 2010, 9:20 pm | Readers 6

The BBC notes that Londonderry has made the shortlist in its bid to become the UK’s first City of Culture in 2013. Also in the running are Birmingham, Norwich and Sheffield. [Brian will be pleased – Ed] Perhaps… According to the BBC report It is expected that the successful city would see economic and social benefits which could leave a lasting legacy. The winner could host events such as the Turner Prize, BBC Sports Personality of the Year and the …

Quote of the day…

Mick Fealty on January 11, 2010, 3:42 pm | Readers 1

From a great thread on Malachi O’Doherty’s Facebook page in which I expressed concern about the likelihood of the Slugger Awards running next Autumn… to which this reply: “Perhaps you could introduce a “Scandal of the Year” award.” 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

McGuinness on the importance of contention and dialogue…

Mick Fealty on November 30, 2009, 10:42 pm | Readers 4

It went hard with me that the end piece on the (excellent) UTV report on the Slugger Awards last week ended on a stalled video of the deputy First Minister… I’d given him a pretty deadpan intro to the effect that we’d often given his party a hard time on Slugger but in the certainty that he had a good riposte… He did, but technical difficulties beat us on the night… There is always a danger that when you do …

What Slugger readers got right about our politician of the year…

Mick Fealty on November 30, 2009, 7:28 pm | Readers 2

The art of politics is not just about the possible, it’s also about the plausible… There was a certain amount of disgruntlement with the choice of Martin McGuinness as Slugger’s Politician of the Year (and for good reason when you consider how his party has blocked the capacity of the Executive to progress any serious legislative measure in lieu of devolution of policing and justice)… But a poll of readers by the Belfast Telegraph came to a similar conclusion to …

What a good Stormont Chair needs to do: hold his minister’s feet to the fire…

Mick Fealty on November 27, 2009, 5:58 pm | Readers 0

I’ve had a look back at the water rates issue after blogging Tom Kelly’s piece and found this little gem from our archives, in which our Stormont Chair of the Year Fred Cobain spells out the bleedin’ obvious to the Minister Conor Murphy who, so far as we can tell, is still ignoring the ticking time bomb over water… Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the …

Slugger Awards: Those late results…

Mick Fealty on November 25, 2009, 6:17 pm | Readers 9

For those waiting on results last night, I’m sorry for the late arrival of this post (behind the MSM for once, must be getting old or middle aged or something)… Martin McGuinness won best politician of the year. Although he only received one nomination in the comments zone, both the readers panel and the judging panel felt that the moment when he stood with Hugh Orde and Peter Robinson on the steps of Stormont after the Masserene and Craigavon killings …

Slugger Awards: The shortlist…

Mick Fealty on November 24, 2009, 7:20 pm | Readers 6

There’s been a fair amount of speculation as to who has made the shortlist and who hasn’t. Some of the choices made themselves and there will certainly be some surprises. But this is who you have nominated, the readers panel with the judges finally picking the winners. The list is not, nor was it ever meant to be definitive. And I have no doubt there are potential winners not mentioned. Once in the year, it’s our attempt to recognise the …

Slugger Awards: Join our readers’ panel next Tuesday…

Mick Fealty on November 12, 2009, 9:51 pm | Readers 0

I’ve booked a room at Jury’s Inn at the foot of the Grosvenor Road for next Tuesday evening… Meeting at 7.00pm and working through till 9-10… Tea and biscuits provided and may a pint afterwards before we all head home… Limited spaces I’m afraid, but if you want to come drop me a line… [email protected] 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 …

And the Slugger Awards Playlist…

Mick Fealty on November 12, 2009, 2:30 pm | Readers 2

This is my nomination for the music play list up to the point I make my welcoming remarks. I might even try to work some of the lyrics into those same remarks: A little less conversation, a little more action please All this aggravation aint satisfactioning me A little more bite and a little less bark A little less fight and a little more spark Let us have your suggestions… And remember time is running out to add your own …

Slugger Awards has now sold out…

Mick Fealty on November 11, 2009, 8:47 pm | Readers 0

Hard to believe, but those fifty tickets we made available yesterday are now sold out. Because of the constraints on space, we just can’t give any more out. But we’d encourage you put your name on waitlist which you’ll find on the eventbrite site… Also, if you’re coming, join the Awards night’s Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=178311514617&index=1 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 …

Slugger Awards sold out. More tickets made available – get them while they’re there!

Mick Fealty on November 10, 2009, 8:40 pm | Readers

It seems that demand is a good deal higher than we were expecting for the Slugger Awards. All of the 250 tickets that we’d allocated are gone already with two more weeks to go (we only put the link on the site here on Thursday!) The capacity of the venue is slightly larger so we’re going to make another 70 tickets available on the assumption that one or two of you will have booked a free ticket but won’t turn …

Why health of local papers is more important to democracy than the crumpling of big media…

Mick Fealty on November 10, 2009, 4:17 pm | Readers 6

This year and last year we have deliberately left out the big three newspaper titles from our local newspaper competition. The reason for that is that to lump them in with the Mourne Observer, Mid Ulster Mail and the Londonderry Sentinel would be uneven competition. But also because they have in the past been the pure life blood of politics at its most local. Now that has been under pressure for years. In today’s Guardian George Monbiot offers a case …

Slugger Awards: what makes a good councillor?

Mick Fealty on November 9, 2009, 10:43 pm | Readers 70

The front runners in the councillor of the year award so far… Cara McShane currently Chair of Moyle District Council; Councillor Walter Cuddy, UUP councillor for Dungannon town; the SDLP’s PJ McAvoy in Ballymena; the DUP’s Adrian McQuillan in Coleraine; Sinn Fein’s Lord Mayor of Belfast last year Tom Hartley and his party colleague Conor Maskey. Matthew McDermott of the SDLP on Lisburn City Council. UUPs Alderman Michael Copeland from Castlereagh Borough Council. UUP veteran politician at various levels, Jim …

Slugger Awards: Politician of the Year…

Mick Fealty on November 9, 2009, 4:29 pm | Readers 2

This is the last category to be announced and comprises all categories of politician in Northern Ireland, including Westminster MPs and MEPs. But it also includes parliamentarians sitting in both the UK and Irish upper houses, who increasingly are being called upon to play significant roles both inside and outside government. Who represents us well? Who articulate expresses their a strand of opinion, whether or not you agree with it? Who do you admire? Or, who simply does their job …

Book your tickets for the Slugger Awards

Mick Fealty on November 6, 2009, 5:51 pm | Readers 2

Welcome to any U105 listeners! This is just a quick note to let you know that you can get your tickets for the awards online now – hurry before they’re all gone! Also, nominations are still open (see the appropriate ‘threads’ below the follow). Please visit them and give us your suggestions. Remember, we’re being a bit more attentive to these threads than most and we’re enforcing something of a ‘positivity rule’ – we want know who you do like, …

Slugger Awards: Keep those nominations coming in…

Mick Fealty on November 4, 2009, 8:15 pm | Readers 1

You can see from the side bar that we have nearly got through all the categories for the Slugger Awards… Next Monday we’ll be looking for politician of the year… But we are still looking for new names and reasons for voting them the champions of their category. Please note, that if you prefer you can lodge your nominations with me and I will post them to the appropriate thread… my email address is: [email protected] Mick FealtyMick is founding editor …

Slugger Awards: Journalist of the Year…

Mick Fealty on November 2, 2009, 5:03 pm | Readers 13

This is open to all journalists who have contributed to the political health of Northern Ireland, whether writing for any of the local newspapers, nationals, or working as a freelancer. The last year has been a tough for purveyors of political news: not least since for 150 days plus last year that the Executive did not actually sit. It’s been a frugal year for politics, when journalists have had to be resourceful and begin to find ways to educate their …

Slugger Awards 2008: Best Campaign of the Year…

Mick Fealty on October 30, 2009, 2:45 pm | Readers 4

Right, here’s a variation on last year’s theme. This time, although we’re asking you for nominations, it will be the politicians themselves who vote for the winner of this category. It’s the best campaign of the year. Now, for this, it can be an ad campaign, a website, good use of Facebook or Twitter or Pledgebank… And it only has to be focused on some aspect of politics or public affairs in general. It can be pretty public facing like …