Ireland – Page 8 – Slugger O'Toole

Expand ‘community planning’ and focus on wellbeing, urges McGinley

Paul Gosling on July 29, 2019, 7:01 am

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Community planning provides a model that builds on the tradition of the “very strong community spirit that prevailed in Northern Ireland” during the Troubles, argues Aideen McGinley in the latest Forward Trust podcast. McGinley is a trustee of Carnegie UK, co-chair of its embedding wellbeing project in Northern Ireland and a former senior civil servant. Aideen stresses that we need to be positive rather than fearful as we look to the future. “The bottom line is that people do not …

If You Were Cast Away On A Desert Island Which Eight Rebel Songs…?

John Mooney on July 23, 2019, 7:19 pm

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A tip of the hat to Mr Roy Plomley and eight gramophone (sic) records and the Tyrone bus. People might be upset at the idea of rebel songs but this type of music, national defiance is long-established. If you sing along to “Who Do You Think You Are Kidding Mr Hitler”…you will see my point. And Vera Lynn and the Wolfe Tones have been doing this for years. So the decision that the Tyrone bus has been “cleared” will be …

Politicians feel threatened by the prospect of a civic voice, argues Robin Eames

Paul Gosling on July 22, 2019, 10:00 am

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Politicians in Northern Ireland feel threatened by the concept of a strong civic society, but we should pursue the ambition of creating a ‘People’s Assembly’, argues Lord Robin Eames, the former Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland. Robin was interviewed in the latest Forward Together podcast. “We’re at a very delicate stage where our society is beginning to learn that the party politic regime doesn’t necessarily reflect their deepest concerns,” he says. “I’m talking about …

The Orange Order: An Insider’s View of The Twelfth Day

Choyaa on July 21, 2019, 6:16 pm

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Choyaa is an Fermanagh Orangeman It’s the Sunday following the Twelfth and I arrive into church a few minutes early. The pews are generally empty as it’s the Twelfth period and our minister is on his annual holidays. A lady watches me attentively as I sit in one of the pews, I watch her from the corner of my eye and I suspect something is wrong. I have never spoken to this lady before but I have seen her in …

Unionist concerns and fears of a united Ireland: where are the women?

Sarah Creighton on July 20, 2019, 10:33 am

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Another day, another report into a united Ireland. This time Senator Mark Daly has published his findings on, ‘Unionist Concerns and fears of a United Ireland.’ The report is based on a recommendation given to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. Daly’s research contains writings and submissions from unionist political figures such as Mike Nesbitt, Kyle Paisley and Trevor Ringland. Dr James Wilson, at the request of Senator Daly, also conducted focus groups with …

‘Brexit means that Northern Ireland’s constitutional future has become an issue for Europe’, says Denis Bradley

Paul Gosling on July 19, 2019, 7:01 am

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Denis Bradley was keen to move on in the latest Forward Together podcast interview to discuss the constitutional position of Northern Ireland. “Well that’s the one that intrigues me because I don’t know the answer!,” he says. “First of all I think something very important happened within the last couple of weeks and has not received attention. And that is that the Europeans have said if there a no deal situation we will still have to deal with the Northern …

Royal Portrush: our biggest ever event, worldwide appreciation, old school nostalgia.. it’s got it all. Let’s give ourselves a big break

Brian Walker on July 18, 2019, 3:05 pm

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Amid all the and doom and gloom over Brexit, I can’t let this week pass without a hefty mention of the Open at Royal Portush. Here surely is a piece of British exceptionalism all can enjoy, the un-neurotic side of identity. Note that it’s called “the Open”. No “British” prefix is needed (although I see the Irish Times wouldn’t you know it has added it, just in case somebody thinks it’s the Uzbek Open). This piece of swagger was pointed …

Unionist fears of identity loss and land grabs in a United Ireland

David McCann on July 18, 2019, 12:29 pm

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Senator Mark Daly has today launch a report looking at Unionist fears in a united Ireland. The report interviewed a number of different sections of the Unionist community, although it has to be pointed out that no women seem to be included in any of the comments put forward. It summarises the main points of concern as follows; 1. Loss of Identity and the place of unionism within a united Ireland 2. Triumphalism 3. Retribution on former members of the …

Eames-Bradley process ‘should have done more to take the Irish government with it’ – says Denis Bradley

Paul Gosling on July 15, 2019, 7:01 am

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The Eames-Bradley process should have engaged more closely with the Irish government and ensured it was on board with the recommendations, says co-chair Denis Bradley in the latest Forward Together podcast. Eames-Bradley – properly called the Consultative Group on the Past – was published more than a decade ago and was intended to provide a way of dealing with the past and the needs and concerns of victims and survivors.Denis says “I do [think the] report itself is an extremely …

SOAPBOX – Tech for Good: walking in the footsteps of medieval monks to harness collective intelligence and technology for social good

Soapbox on July 14, 2019, 5:08 pm

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Máirín Murray, co-founder of Tech for Good Dublin, calls on us to walk in the footsteps of medieval monks to harness our collective intelligence and technology for social good to make tools that serve and empower our communities. To forge new connections. To hammer out practical solutions. To shape technology towards new positive purposes. Together, she argues, we can change our world for the better, and make a positive dent in the universe.

‘Looking at how we got here can help us deal with the present and the future’, argues historical geographer

Paul Gosling on July 12, 2019, 7:01 am

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A better understanding of our history is important as a means of bringing our society together, believes Anthony Russell of the Thomas D’Arcy McGee Foundation. “One of the things that we have been trying to do in the Thomas D’Arcy McGee Foundation is to use history as a tool for reconciliation, rather than something that has to be fought over,” he explains. “Looking at how we got here” can help us to deal with the challenges we face today, says …

By acting on abortion and equal marriage, Westminster has changed the dynamic of the talks

Sarah Creighton on July 10, 2019, 9:27 am

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One day in politics can change everything. The Northern Ireland Executive Formations Bill was, until the 9th July, an uninteresting piece of legislation. It proposes to amend the Northern Ireland (Executive and Exercise of Formations Bill) 2018, a law passed in the wake of the collapse of the Assembly. The Secretary of State introduced the 2019 Bill to extend the period in which an Executive must be formed until the 21st October 2019. There’s a clause allowing an extension of …

Making progress on parading – can Northern Ireland learn from Derry-Londonderry?

Paul Gosling on July 8, 2019, 7:01 am

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As Northern Ireland moves towards what will hopefully be a peaceful 12th July, the manager of ‘the Derry Model’, Maeve McLoughlin – a former Sinn Fein MLA – reflects on how peaceful parading was negotiated, after years of conflict and tension in Derry-Londonderry. “It was spurred on by a commitment to the city,” she says, “and by people who genuinely wanted to be in a better place. “That was the feeling of the Apprentice Boys as well. They love …

UN Report: The Full Picture of Poverty in the UK is Obvious to Anyone who Opens their Eyes

Luke Butterly on July 6, 2019, 9:01 am

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“[T]he full picture of poverty in the United Kingdom, much of it the direct result of government policies… is obvious to anyone who opens their eyes. There has been a shocking increase in the number of food banks and major increases in homelessness and rough sleeping; a growing number of homeless families…” – Philip Alston, the UN special rapporteur on poverty in the UK (22 May 2019) “I reject the idea that there are vast numbers of people facing dire …

We have an Urgent Duty to LGBTQ+ people in this country…

Soapbox on July 5, 2019, 11:07 am

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Today I had two experiences that have deeply disturbed me. The first was to listen to Jim Wells MLA on the BBC Nolan Show and the second to read former MLA Nelson McCausland’s article about a ‘flood of transgenderism’ in the Belfast Telegraph. Both contributions displayed appalling ignorance as to the reality of lives for LGBTQ+ people in this country. I am in my 30’s and came out when I was 17. At that time, there were many more voices …

‘We need an agency to promote social integration’, says Father Martin Magill

Paul Gosling on July 5, 2019, 7:01 am

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Northern Ireland needs a body lobbying for social integration, learning from the success of the Integrated Education Fund in its work promoting integrated schools, says Father Martin Magill. Without an agency pushing the integrated housing agenda, it will be difficult to make sufficient progress, he says. Martin was interviewed in the latest Forward Together podcast. “I grew up living in a neighbourhood where my next door neighbour was Presbyterian; further on down the road Church of Ireland; further down the …

New way of consulting with civic society is part of the talks negotiations, discloses Naomi Long

Paul Gosling on July 1, 2019, 8:00 am

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Creating a new mechanism for consulting with civic society is part of the talks negotiations aimed at getting Stormont back, Alliance Party leader Naomi Long has disclosed. Naomi is a newly elected MEP, former MP and has just resigned her role as an MLA. She was interviewed in the latest Forward Together podcast. “We need to find a role for engaging with civil society,” suggests Naomi. “I think there is a lot of good work that goes on in our …

‘Social integration begins with integrated education and integrated housing’

Paul Gosling on June 28, 2019, 7:00 am

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For Northern Ireland to become more integrated, there has to be a greater focus on integrated schools and integrated housing, argues the chief executive of the Integrated Education Fund, Tina Merron. She was interviewed for the latest Forward Together podcast. “I think the majority of people in Northern Ireland want a shared future and a united community,” says Tina. “We need to give civil society more of a say. We need to encourage people to speak up and especially young …

‘A stronger role for civic society must be central to getting government back’

Paul Gosling on June 24, 2019, 7:00 am

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International peace negotiator John McKinney has urged the political parties to include a stronger role for civic society in a reformed structure of governance for Northern Ireland. John – a former chief executive of the Special EU Programmes Body and of Omagh District Council – was speaking in the latest Forward Together podcast. Asked how civil society in Northern Ireland should be strengthened, John says: “I don’t think we have a framework adequate to do it. I think we had …

Breaking the Union: Brexit, Boris and the Backstop

Chris McKee on June 22, 2019, 6:30 pm

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Analysed too closely, the Tory leadership race and its implications becomes more surreal by the day. Understanding its rules, relating to this, is futile: we can only observe and remark, our noses pressed with disbelief against a window of a strange and distant court that will soon decide our immediate fate. At this crucial point, we can all agree whatever is coming will mean something for us. The only questions are what, how and when. The who will likely be Boris Johnson, less probably Jeremy Hunt. Both Eton …