After thirty years of post-Agreement politics, support for a united Ireland hasn’t moved. The border poll debate needs a reality check — and only one party has worked out what a credible long-term strategy actually looks like.
Came across this seasonal gem via Reddit and the Irish Times: “I return your seasonal greeting card with contempt. May your hypocritical words choke you and may they choke you early in the New Year, rather than later.” Prof Kennedy Lindsay, a Vanguard member of the Northern Ireland Assembly, returning a Christmas card from then minister for foreign affairs, Garret FitzGerald, as reported in The Irish Times I confess I had never heard of the good Professor but having a read …
Enda Kenny reshuffled his cabinet today in the aftermath of disappointing local and European election results in May. While these events generally go un-noticed in Northern Ireland, the appointments made particularly in the Department of Foreign Affairs will have an impact on our daily lives. So, just who is replacing Eamon Gilmore? Drum roll please……..Charlie Flanagan. Yes, I am sure you’ve never heard of him but Flanagan was previously the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. He was also first …
Gregory Campbell just fell off a chair somewhere as Peter Robinson heaped praise on the improving relationship with the Irish government today. He told his audience By focusing on outcomes we have found a way to work together in all of our interests. He continued arguing that what were once controversial issues were now normal (skirting over the fact that his predecessor was one of the people who made those issues controverisal) In many ways, it is remarkable that what …
In the second part of my series of interviews with DUP ministers I bring you Simon Hamilton MLA. The youngest of all the DUP ministers he has impressed a number of people with his solid performance in the Department of Finance. On a personal level I found him very impressive and well briefed on the finance file. He opted for an Ed Miliband speaking without notes speech at the DUP conference which seemed to go down well. The interview is …
The past week has not been a good one for North-South relations as the EU funding was pulled for the Narrow Water Bridge. Mick noted the general disengagement of the Irish government in an earlier post but as I sat at the NI21 Conference, I listened to the Junior Finance Minister, Brian Hayes TD, give his verdict on North-South relations which to me highlights our current problem in this area as he said; There has been too much navel gazing …
I am writing this article in English (though I will probably write something similar in Irish for Gaelscéal) because I want slugger fans, the majority of whom are English readers, to read it and engage with the issue, rather than get bogged down in whether or not it should be in Irish or English. As poet Michael Hartnett wrote in his poem, Farewell to English: But I will not see great men go down who walked in rags from town to town …
