Ireland – Page 15 – Slugger O'Toole

Fianna Fail and SDLP announce joint partnership

David McCann on January 24, 2019, 2:31 pm

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Fianna Fail and the SDLP met today in Belfast to launch their new partnership arrangement. The partnership will have three key themes 1) A politics that works -This will address Anglo-Irish relations, the current political situation in Northern Ireland and a new economic model. 2) Better public services-This will address reforms to key areas such as Health and Education. 3) Uniting Ireland’s people-This will address greater cooperation on the island and the arrangement for a future poll on unity. Specific …

On Brexit be careful, for you tread on my myths

Brian Walker on January 24, 2019, 2:16 pm

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For British and Irish readers alike, Fintan O’Toole is a leading scourge of Brexit, delving deep into British history and culture to explain its mainsprings. For champions of diversity suffused with Brit guilt about unresolved issues of empire and the shifting sands of identity, there’s a thrilling novelty about an Irishman with his history of victimhood, even one with such a cosmopolitan outlook, diagnosing British ills and offering lessons from Ireland’s new minted – and more confident- present. Thank God …

Brexit panic surfaces in Dublin but the EU is implacable on No Deal consequences

Brian Walker on January 23, 2019, 9:12 pm

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Last night I managed to survive the Ivan Rogers Experience, ( YouTube) a remorseless dissection of the entire Brexit debate which was as depressing as it was impressive. With good reason, Rogers is known as the Eeyore among Brexit experts. He was the UK ambassador to the EU who quit in disgust six months into Theresa May’s premiership. Remorselessly he spelled out the defects of every option now facing the UK, including remaining or re-applying. He laid about him with …

This can be an exciting new project, the days and weeks ahead will determine the breadth of opportunity

Soapbox on January 23, 2019, 8:06 pm

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“Somewhere along the course of the road our conversations have drifted. They’ve centred too much on us as a party and not enough on the fate and future of the country. That stops here and now. Colum Eastwood’s first address to party members as leader remains, I believe, one of the most consequential from an SDLP Leader in over a decade. After winning a decisive victory over Alasdair McDonnell, it set the right tone for a party which had suffered …

“The time for sleep-walking, false confidence and even pretence has passed.”

Mick Fealty on January 23, 2019, 5:50 pm

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Not sure what’s triggered it exactly, but it sounds like Dublin is getting itchy over some of the conversation taking place over the backstop. No doubt all members of the cabinet have been briefed to keep schtum. Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed found himself in hot water this morning on Morning Ireland when asked to explain why the government was making plans for a hard border with the UK at the ports (where, to be sure, the volume of trade …

Review of Guy Beiner’s “Forgetful Remembrance: Social Forgetting and Vernacular Historiography of a Rebellion in Ulster”

SeaanUiNeill on January 22, 2019, 4:41 pm

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“This is the past and it has to stay in the past. We don’t want to see any more of it.” Forgetful Remembrance: Social Forgetting and Vernacular Historiography of a Rebellion in Ulster, Guy Beiner, Oxford University Press, 2018. Over the weekend the PSNI were called to manage an incident with a car bomb within the Walls of Derry. The car was parked in Bishop’s Street, just by the courthouse and directly across the road from the Masonic Centre that …

With the Conservative and Labour leaders now under internal pressure, MPs on both sides of the chamber move to take control

Brian Walker on January 22, 2019, 12:15 am

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. The moment of Brexit decision has shifted yet again – closer and closer to default crash out of the EU on 29 March. Theresa May has confirmed that plan B is plan A – basically the deal that was so massively rejected a week ago. But the dynamics have changed. Next Monday she will move a neutral motion to the Withdrawal Bill taking note of her statement today. This will allow amendments to be moved with alternative proposals for …

Varadkar offers a way out of deadock – or a hedge against failure?

Brian Walker on January 21, 2019, 10:44 am

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The UK national papers are united in hopelessness over May’s latest strategy, tempered only by disbelief. Plan B is Plan A. Even the cheerleader for Brexit the Daily Telegraph is not impressed. The Europe editor slaps down the chief political correspondent’s “ exclusive.” Theresa May is considering amending the Good Friday Agreement as part of a fresh attempt to unblock the Brexit logjam, The Daily Telegraph understands. Peter Foster But the mere suggestion that a British government wants to ‘amend’ the Good Friday Agreement should …

No, Brexit Britain doesn’t want her Empire back…

Mick Fealty on January 19, 2019, 9:17 am

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Brexit is about a lot of things, but one thing I agree with John Lloyd it is not (for the vast majority at least) is lost Empire. The sheer narrowness of the vote even in England ought to give some our more enthusiastic purveyors of this line some pause for thought. During the week, John Lloyd, an unenthusiastic remain voter, laid out a more realistic view of the matter to Ivan Yates on Newstalk.. The interview came on foot of …

Break-up of the parties or No Deal Brexit – the looming choice

Brian Walker on January 17, 2019, 4:51 pm

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As matters stand, we’re either heading for crash out No Deal or the main parties are heading for break-up. The Conservative and Labour leaders are dolally. Theresa May is listening but not to anybody who wants a customs union or a second referendum. Jeremy Corbyn will not only not meet her but has urged all Labour MPs not to meet her either. But this request in a letter to his MPs came too late to stop former ministers Yvette Cooper and …

Varadkar “words aren’t enough” to avoid a hard border

David McCann on January 16, 2019, 4:14 pm

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Taoiseach – “Words aren’t enough” to avoid a hard border. Says there must have an agreement on customs union & regulatory alignment. “Its not good enough to say there won’t be a hard border because nobody wants one.” #brexit pic.twitter.com/dLHoQZrwG5 — Darran Marshall (@DarranMarshall) January 16, 2019 David McCannDavid McCann holds a PhD in North-South relations from University of Ulster. You can follow him on twitter @dmcbfs

As good an argument as any for a hard border…

Brian O'Neill on January 16, 2019, 12:11 pm

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Brian O'NeillManaging Editor of Slugger O’Toole. I help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism; I am not a member of any political party. When not stuck in front of a screen, I am a parkrun Run Director.

In spite of a day without precedent, it’s still party before country from the Conservatives and Labour

Brian Walker on January 16, 2019, 1:06 am

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At the very moment Conservative and Labour MPs are passionately proclaiming the need to work together, the two parties are locked in the elemental struggle for power after a major defeat, a vote of confidence in the government. This is Labour’s ritual act to stave off having to commit to a policy. For theirs is a unicorn with a mighty horn, a customs relationship that allows unilateral free trade negotiations and a single market relationship that restricts free movement. On …

Excuse the dampener -don’t be surprised if the moment of truth is postponed – again

Brian Walker on January 15, 2019, 12:04 am

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To be fair, in her direct appeal to MPs “to take a second look,” Theresa May made a better fist at making the case for her Deal in the Commons than she did earlier at the Doulton pottery in Stoke. For the first time she was saying that the Scottish nationalists and the “Ulster” nationalists of the DUP would carry the can for a catastrophic result. As a proud Unionist, I share the concerns of Members who want to ensure …

In Northern Ireland because bad politics has not been punished it has driven out the good…

Mick Fealty on January 14, 2019, 7:00 am

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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

“Sinn Fein’s Arder Carson said that it was his democratic right to choose not to be painted…”

Pete Baker on January 13, 2019, 3:09 pm

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Or, indeed, not to wear clothes… ANYhoo… On Thursday The Belfast Telegraph reported Sinn Féin’s ‘farcical’ attempt to prevent Belfast City Council granting permission for local artist and political cartoonist Brian John Spencer to “sketch the Council Chamber and the Council meeting in January”. At a Council Strategic Policy and Resources Committee meeting in December 2018 a Sinn Féin motion rejecting the request – which “would involve Mr Spencer being allowed access to the Chamber for a couple of hours …

Richard Moore on Forgiveness – Launch of the 2019 4 Corners Festival

Gladys Ganiel on January 13, 2019, 2:49 pm

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The 2019 edition of the 4 Corners Festival (30 Jan-10 Feb) was launched on Friday, with Derry man Richard Moore addressing a prayer breakfast at the Holy Family parish centre in North Belfast. The 2019 Festival theme is ‘scandalous forgiveness’ – something which has characterised Moore’s life. When he was ten-years-old, Moore was walking home from school when he was struck and blinded by a plastic bullet fired by a British soldier. He never regained his sight. But he has …

Plan for a border poll certainly, but as part of new British- Irish and North-South relationships

Brian Walker on January 12, 2019, 12:01 pm

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Deep in the last ditch before Tuesday’s meaningful vote, the UK government are warning that the DUP’s refusal to back Mrs May’s deal brings a border poll nearer. The warning was put into the mouth of Karen Bradley who political anoraks may just remember is the minister with nominal responsibility for Northern Ireland affairs. No 10 put out one of their coy little briefings to say that she “told the Cabinet” that a border poll on the reunification of Ireland …

Future Ireland / Children of the Ceasefire / 2

Soapbox on January 12, 2019, 8:23 am

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This is one of three winning articles for the Future Ireland series. The articles were submitted together – by three friends who met at college – a northern Catholic, a east Belfast Protestant, and a Dublin man. We liked the nuanced content of the pieces, the sense of identities in flux, and the fact that each tried to understand the perspectives of the others. Also how being children of the ceasefires weaves throughout their pieces. By Seanín Little Growing up …

Future Ireland / Children of the Ceasefire / 3

Soapbox on January 12, 2019, 8:22 am

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This is one of three winning articles for the Future Ireland series. The articles were submitted together – by three friends who met at college – a northern Catholic, a east Belfast Protestant, and a Dublin man. We liked the nuanced content of the pieces, the sense of identities in flux, and the fact that each tried to understand the perspectives of the others. Also how being children of the ceasefires weaves throughout their pieces. By William Clarence – from …