Martin McGuinness (1950-2017)
OBITUARY – Kathryn Johnston co-authored the biography “Martin McGuinness: From Guns to Government” with Liam Clarke. She reflects on the life of the former deputy First Minister who died this morning.
Ireland
Martin McGuinness’s limited self revelations of the IRA boss and the peace-making politician, will be worth studying for years
Although I may be speaking too soon, it comes as a relief that the traditional Irish decencies are being observed on the death of Martin McGuinness, not only on merit but for the sake of preserving relations between the DUP and Sinn Fein. It’s too early to speculate how his death will affect the interparty talks. I doubt if we’ll ever be sure whether quitting the Assembly was fully his own decision, or if his need to retire from illness …
“Wolfe, Russell and McCracken did not found a society for a united Ireland, but a society of United Irishmen…”
Seneca once wrote in his Letters from a Stoic: “enjoy present pleasures in such a way as not to injure future ones.” There have been fewer moments when the old Roman philosopher, statesman, and dramatist was more relevant to the politics of Northern Ireland. Sinn Fein’s recent and significant gains on political unionism has given rise to a slew of journalists (and others) who create an impression that they are just looking at the issue for the very first time: touting solutions which …
Gerry Adams ups the ante on Unity, just as it comes under fresh critical examination
Gerry Adams knows exactly how to deploy sweet reasonableness as a weapon and end up with a perfect circle of obstruction. He had had several “businesslike, friendly engagements” with DUP leader Arlene Foster since the talks began, and he had “no reason to doubt” she was innocent of accusations over the “cash for ash” Renewable Heat Initiative which precipitated this month’s Northern Assembly election. However, the affair needed to be “properly scrutinised”. Why block a resolution of the impasse if …
Imagine the impact it would have if even 1-2pc of the Irish diaspora were enfranchised?
On that plan to globalise voting rights for the Presidency, Shane Coleman with a (two )large bucket(s) of cold water in his hands… …without any detail to accompany the sweeping vision, it all smacks of “never mind the quality, feel the width”. There are far, far more questions than answers. How would it work? Who would get votes – everybody across the world eligible for an Irish passport, including second and third-generation Irish? Or just those who grew up in …
Theresa May’s fightback to support the Union through Brexit is only work in progress. The Irish are creating a benign vision of a United Ireland. Do the British want to match it?
The imminence of triggering Article 50 has at last woken up the British government to the reality of the threat to the Union. In a reported forthcoming tour of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to explain a negotiating position that has seemed to ignore them, propping up support for her “beloved Union” has become Theresa May’s priority. Her first line of defence will be to convince the massed ranks of critics that a “hard Brexit” is a misnomer which does …
Whatever the parties say the post #AE17 dissolution is no stepping stone to a united Ireland…
With the plethora of positive comment in that direction, you’d certainly think was already coming in the post. It’s certainly good to get the subject out on the table (even if the party politics of it obscures more than it reveals of the subject). It’s good to know Fianna Fail is working on a 12 point plan (although the proper time to judge the worthiness of any such plan will come when they actually release it). The something in the …
Former Bishop of Galway Eamon Casey dies…
Given all the scandals we have had in the Catholic Church since then, Bishop Eamon Casey fathering a child now seems a relatively minor indiscretion. But back then in 1992 it rocked the Irish Catholic Church and the State itself to the core. In fact you could argue that it was the turning point for the Catholic church – it was all downhill from there. Not long after in 1995 Fr Ted hits our screens and it was game over …
How to explain Ireland’s Brexit dilemma to your mates…
Brexit for Ireland as like when you’re out with all your mates on the sesh. Having a great time, Germany’s buying shots for everyone which is grand cause we only brought enough out for three drinks. Then England and Wales start getting in a huff cause Sweden and Germany invited Syria and Yemen along. England and Wales are going on that it’s not about who was brought along, they just thought it was gonna be the usual group who was out and they didn’t want to be getting into rounds with people who’ve only come along halfway through.
Trading partners wanted, apply within…..
In the past twelve months, politics has changed the world utterly and impacted directly on the trading potential of Ireland. Ireland makes do as being a small, open economy, seen as a stepping stone into the European Union. The top export destinations of Ireland are the United States ($28.5B), the United Kingdom ($19.2B), Belgium-Luxembourg ($18.2B), Germany ($10.8B) and France ($7.98B). Concluding a free trade deal between the EU and the USA remains a key priority of the European Commission, however, …
When journalistic confidence marginalises “the more basic and important obligation not to deceive”…
Michael Foley is professor emeritus of journalism at Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT). Writing in the Irish Times he picks up on an interesting angle arising out of Mr Justice Peter Charleton’s opening remarks at the Disclosures Tribunal: At the opening of the Garda whistleblower tribunal, the tribunal chairman Mr Justice Peter Charleton, said he wanted to know if the media was being “used as an instrument for the dissemination of lies”. For most people his remarks are perfectly reasonable, …
WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement particularly relevant to post Brexit NI
The World Customs Organisation has welcomed the entry into force of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement which may be particularly relevant to post Brexit Northern Ireland along with other customs facilitation agreements like the UNECE eTIR Project / TIR convention TIR Convention (1975) facilitates trans-boundary exchanges between member states. More info: https://t.co/aLDrN71nqg pic.twitter.com/2yTd1VgJnk — UNECE (@UNECE) August 9, 2016 The WTO TFA states: ‘Each Member shall ensure that its authorities and agencies responsible for border controls and procedures dealing with …
A United Ireland is not inevitable – here is why
There has been much recent discussion about a border poll & the “inevitable” move towards a United Ireland yet there has been scant detail. Nationalist politicians have cited the economic benefits of an all island economy but looking at the lastest statistics from the Department for the Economy I find that 86% of all Northern Ireland sales are with Northern Ireland & Great Britain. If we exclude internal Northern Ireland trade we find that sales to the rest of the …
Joint authority? “What on earth have you been smoking?”
In the Irish Times Newton Emerson takes issue with two of the talking points being promoted by the SDLP and Sinn Féin – EU ‘special status’ for Northern Ireland and ‘joint authority’. From the Irish Times Northern nationalism has an alternative to Brexit – special status for the North within the EU. Nobody has a clue what this means but at least Brussels has been asked if it will consider the possibility (it has said no). Northern nationalism also has …
#Irexit: it’s make your mind up time for the Irish Republic.
Jeff Peel has already made the case for welcoming the opportunities that Brexit offers Northern Ireland business. Down South, the mood has changed from believing Brexit would never happen, seeing it happen, to a realization of the change that brings to the Republic’s economic outlook. It needs to decide on its best options going forward, and soon. Nothing new, but there have been hugely irresponsible noises coming out of Dublin to the effect that Brexit means a return to violence …
After #AE17, Sinn Féin…
Sinn Fein has delivered an object lesson in how to do disruptive politics. A classic example of Tzu Sun’s famous aphorism that: “If your opponent is temperamental, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest.” No one, outside the party, expected or was prepared for what followed. There were two aspects to the success of its campaign. One was seizing the prime opportunity out of the DUP’s …
Back to life, back to Brexit reality
Given the superb contributions posted on Slugger over the past few weeks, I thought it best to voluntarily suspend my regular postings until the Assembly election was over. So now that all the votes have been counted, the seats declared and the government negotiations underway, I thought I’d return to the massive elephant in the corner of the room: Brexit. We are now into March and it is expected that this will be the month that Theresa May triggers Article …
“No surrender” from Arlene, as she calls for a united unionist party on the eve of negotiations
Arlene’s call for a single unionist party in the Belfast Telegraph is a clear sign she’s going make fight of it. Coming on the eve of first stage negotiations, it suggests a different focus – defiance. The move is out of kilter with the one action that would false foot Sinn Fein or get them back in government – standing aside as first minister even temporarily. Ideally, I would like to see a renewed attempt to create unionist unity where …
“concepts and terms like “special status” give rise to serious concerns for other EU partners about precedents that might be set elsewhere”
A much needed, for some, lesson in the real politik of negotiations with other EU states, in regard to the UK leaving the EU, from the Irish Government Minister for Foreign Affairs, Charlie Flanagan, in a Dáil written answer last week. 457.Deputy Darragh O’Brien asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the need for a special status for Northern Ireland in view of Brexit has been placed on the agenda and discussed formally at any EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting; and if …
Observe the sons of Ulster, marching towards the bin
It was the best of campaigns, it was the worst of campaigns. Arlene’s decision to meet the three letter problem of RHI with the three letter solution of IRA worked masterfully in terms of holding the DUP’s vote together; despite three months of unremitting negative publicity and a collapsed government, DUP losses were kept to just 1.1%, with the drop in seats not much worse than the five likely to go with the shrinking of the Assembly. The DUP actually …