Martina Purdy reckons that the PUP was sustained through all the ups and downs of the last ten years largely on the charisma of its leader, David Ervine. Aside from the singular Bob McCartney, the PUP is the last of that plethora of unionist parties that came into the original Assembly in 1998. 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 …
Everytime the Francie Brolly off message remarks have been mentioned on Slugger, we’re told they are irrelevant. Now without attempting to gainsay such proper scepticism, there were two things worth testing against future (or indeed non) delivery: 1 According to Francie Sinn Fein would rather accept policing but after and not before an election; 2 despite a notably peaceful parading season (‘both sides delivered’), he intimated that this year could be tricky. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He …
Martin Galvin, once the high profile spokesman of Noraid, has a piece in the latest edition of The Blanket naming the person Lawrence O’Neill claims intimidated him out of attending the Conway Mill meeting on policing… 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
Now this is interesting. The cases against Dominic McEvoy and Martin McAliskey have been dropped. Resident Magistrate Paul Mateer said: “The court having been informed that the evidence has been carefully examined and the decision is not to proceed I will allow the matter to be dropped.” Only one suspect remains in custody. Chris Ward has been remanded until 31st January. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics …
Thanks to Blogorrah for pointing us in the direction of Ryan Foley’s top ten songs on the Troubles. But I’m inclined to agree that the Cranberries’ Zombie is a glaring omission from the list… Not least for the line, “And the violence caused such silence…”Ryan’s: 1 – Streets of Sorrow – The Pogues 2 – Cypress Avenue – Van Morrison (bit of a cheat , but there is footage of 1979 Belfast in the video) 3 – Sunday Bloody Sunday …
Just listen to this. Morning Ireland repeated a recording first made on Christmas Eve 1999, to mark the publication of one of the most powerful and simply written books of the Troubles: Lost Lives. The quote above is from George Mitchell’s quotation of the simple and moving words of a desperately remorseful loyalist killer Billy Giles… The new edition is due to be issued in January.. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts …
According to today’s Irish News there could be movement (subs needed) in train shortly on the Garvaghey Road/Drumcree stand off (now ten years old): A spokesman from the Portadown district lodge told The Irish News the order was willing to meet the residents’ group under an independent chair as part of a mediation process. The development marks a major U-turn in the Orange Order’s central policy of refusing to talk to residents’ groups. “Portadown district has always been willing to …
There were nine people arrested in Limavady and Coleraine in an operation aimed at clamping down on criminal activity amongst dissident Republicans in the north west. 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
According to figures obtained by Sylvia Hermon, that’s how many soldiers have been convicted for a wide range of offences over the last six years. 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
While the point-scoring between the Unionist parties continues, RTÉ reports on Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s speech at the Annual Liam Mellows Commemoration, the full text is available here. As well as announcing that 16 Moore Street is to be declared a national monument, he adds a reminder of what should be obvious to most by now – “[Sinn Féin] now know that the path to shared government in Northern Ireland passes through a Sinn Fein Ard Fheis at which the policing …
An Irish Times report picks up on comments by Maurice Hayes in the Seanad, asking for postponement of a debate on the Oireachtas committee report on the bombing of a Dundalk pub in the 1970s, which go some way towards revealing how The Process™ works[subs req] [or doesn’t – Ed].From the Irish Times[subs req] This was an issue that would not go away or be forgotten. Dr Hayes said he respected Mr Walsh’s concern arising from the Kay’s Tavern bombing. …
There may well be a story in the unpublished Barron Report, but it is one that, for reasons best known to itself, the Irish Government is reluctant to make public. Instead, we have had a drip feed of committee and sub committee reports hinting at what it might have said, or what it could hint at. As Brian Feeney says in his column yesterday, “another report to the Oireachtas was as much use as emptying a bucket of water into …
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
Chris may think it all spin, but Jim Allister was not exactly pulling tightly against the party line this evening. “Ian Paisley did say that he could do certain things, upon delivery. There has be delivery by the Republican movement, tested and proved over a credible period of time. And it is very clear that they haven’t even started the clock on any of this, because they only start the clock whenever they call the Ard Fheis”. Later: “Sinn Fein …
Noel McAdam with a report of trouble brewing in Antrim, where the party’s six councillor’s are asking for reassurances that the party will not agree a fixed timetable for the devolution of policing and justice powers to a devolved Assembly. That’s a particularly aggressive move since Gerry Adams has said he is not prepared to go to his party’s Ard Comhairle on Policing unless that is agreed.However there was also some questioning of the Assembly party’s tactics on last Friday. …
Question Time comes to Belfast again. Let’s hope the panel can talk about something other than just Northern Ireland. They are: Peter Hain, Lord Trimble, Mark Durkan, Martin McGuinness and Jeffrey Donaldson. Our Secretary of State has some work to do to push his profile a bit higher in the race for the DPM’s job. 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 …
We’re getting news that the PSNI have informed Gerry Adams of a death threat aimed at him. At this stage it is not clear whether it comes from a dissident Republican group, or from Michael Stone. Update: Here’s the link to the PA Report. 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 …
Alex Reid has just been talking to Olivia O’Leary in a superlative piece of radio… Controversial and, in parts, extremely moving, he recounts the day two British soldiers were beaten and then shot on the day of the funeral of the men killed by Michael Stone. All the while he held the first communication between Sinn Fein and John Hume. Asked afterwards by one senior member of Sinn Fein if he still had the documents, he replied, “Yes, and they …
This short piece from the LA Times really captures the sense of kind of bridges slowly being reconstructed, even in heavily polarised areas like West Belfast. Former Republican prisoner Caoimhin Mac Giolla Mhin takes the writer on a tour of nationalist West Belfast, until he hands them over, as though at some latter day Glienicke Bridge, to his Loyalist business partner on the other side. “We’re working on a project with a loyalist ex-prisoners group to do joint tours on …
Ken Maginnis has just asked for a public inquiry into how Michael Stone got into Stormont with weapons on the Stephen Nolan Show. He was concerned at the absence of the PSNI on Friday. Westminster, which was mentioned, is heavily policed for the obvious reason that it is a prime terrorist target in a way that Stormont just isn’t – whatever can be said about Friday’s attack. But the Oireachtas is probably a better comparator. It also relies on civilian …
