Eammon Fitzgerald, finds the only way he can to bid farewell to the paradoxical character that was Charlie Haughey. Who better to turn to than Joyce: His last lie on the earth in his box. When you think of them all it does seem a waste of wood. All gnawed through. They could invent a handsome bier with a kind of panel sliding let it down that way. Ay but they might object to be buried out of another fellow’s. …
From the 100 anniversary, the Economist wonders if Bloomsday is not a better experience than reading the book itself. Though as Kevin Cullen notes Charlie Haughey’s funeral may be a case of life imitating art.He talks to Senator David Norris: ‘‘At the end of the day, Charlie was a great Joycean,’’ Norris said in a telephone interview from Dublin, where he is a senator and lecturer at Trinity College. ‘‘I am quite confident that Charlie would never have dreamed of …
Hearts and Minds is on at 9pm on BBC2 tonight, because of the football (England 2 Trinidad and Tobago 0, btw). Charlie Haughey will provide the nationalist interest, whilst Gordon Brown renewal of British patriotism and flag waving should provide Unionists with a rare glimpse of a UK national issue. Though the programme will no doubt, “remind him of a few of the risks involved when you seek to encourage national fervour”. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He …
Bill Lynch, a native of Ballybunion has lifted the top honour in the Ernst & Young 2006 World Entrepreneur Of The Year. A long time resident of South Africa he was one of two Irishmen who’d taken national honours, the other being Aidan Heavey of UK-listed Tullow Oil. 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 …
Here’s a thing. Former SDLP Mayor of Belfast Martin Morgan and an ex vice chair Eddie Espie are talking to the Dún Laoghaire Fianna Fáil tomorrow night as part of a discussion of the party’s future role in Northern Ireland. There was some considerable speculation on the possibility of Fianna Fail moving north, just prior to a better than expected SDLP performance in the last Westminster election. It’s thought that there are up to about 100 private members already in …
Damien Mulley picks up the story that Irish Labour has engaged the services of an old Howard Dean crony, Zack Exley. Labour 2.0 in the offing? It may not be as simple as that! 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
Conor Feehan took his national pride in hand, donned an England shirt and walked the streets of Dublin and chanced his arm. But in cosmopolitan Dublin, it seems few people noticed. 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
Regarding the latest hiccup in Irish jurisprudence, I’m with Simon: ie, the political consequences for the Republic’s election are still hard to discern. If the ruling coalition continues to take a battering on other things, this episode may weigh heavily on their credibility in a crisis. But, as Fionna has argued, the policy issue at the heart of this crisis should not go away. Continue reading at IrishElection.com. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on …
The controversy over the Republic’s supreme court decision seems to be dying down as the Oireachtas cancels its ten day Bank Holiday break, to… well, after today there won’t be that much to do. As I type the new laws are being debated has been debated in both Houses (and passed). The previous loophole is now closed. Over on the Guardian site, I’ve laid out my thoughts on the onward grind the Republic’s written Constitution on weak and feeble laws …
Conradh na Gaeilge (aka, the Gaelic League), the primary membership organisation for the promotion and propagation of Irish, is now organising a campaign to ask people not to vote Fine Gael, since it’s adoption of a policy to change the compulsory status of Irish in the Republic’s school system. Gearóid O Cairealláin is all for it. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and …
The Irish Times today celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of the accession of TK Whittaker to the humble civil service post of secretary to the Department of Finance. Marc Colman charts Whittaker’s crucial role (subs needed) in developing, inputting and ultimately actioning key intellectual capital into a state that, economically, was going backwards. As Colman argues, possibly without exaggeration that if the Rising made the Republic’s independence possible, this unassuming Co Down man made it viable.Whittaker sets the context for his …
The Sunday Business Post/Red C tracking poll results for May have been published and as Pat Leahy points out – see below the fold. The electorate are clearly open to persuasion, but they haven’t been persuaded yet. The major moves in this poll are all in threes: Fianna Fail drops three points since the last tracking poll four weeks ago; Fine Gael adds three points; Labour adds three points. All the changes in support for the other parties are one-point …
In another slow newsday story, Jo Duffy on RTE this afternoon lifted the lid on a FAS leaflet doing the rounds of the EU, which apparently has a map in which the most of Donegal north of Letterkenny (don’t panic Damien) is annexed by Northern Ireland. We haven’t seen said offending article, but it won’t be the first time someone in Dublin has forgot to keep the bit of the south that’s north of the north where it belongs. Cecilia …
I’m old enough to recall the bump in the road between Derry and Donegal as left the smooth well kept surfaces of Northern Ireland for the bumpy ride of the Republic. How times have changed. 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
The next Leviathan Political Cabaret is on the question: “Should we now privatise the health service completely?” will be on Sunday June 18th at 9pm in CrawDaddy, in Dublin. The panel discussion will be hosted by David McWilliams, along with a showing of the next brand new cartoon from Langerland.com as well as music, comedy and satire from Paddy Cullivan and guests. The last podcast is lengthy, but worth a listen. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has …
Following this year’s Irish Supreme Court overturning of a 2003 High Court ruling, a 3rd October 2006 date was set for the trial of the prominent Provisional IRA member Brendan McFarlane by the Special Criminal Court for the kidnapping of businessman Don Tidey in 1983, shortly after McFarlane’s escape from the Maze prison – he was initially charged in January 1998. Yesterday the High Court granted leave to McFarlane’s lawyers to bring a second set of judicial review proceedings aimed …
Although it was hardly the most unpopular of moves, but the Dundalk based Augustinian Order in Ireland, whose three Dundalk based priests were behind the concelebration of Mass with a local Anglican vicar “deeply regrets the pain, confusion and damage caused as a result of the Easter Sunday Eucharistic celebration at its church in Drogheda”. A letter of apology was sent to the Archbishop of Armagh, Archbishop Seán Brady; to the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto; and to Fr Robert …
Interesting blog from North Report which has Caoimhghin O’Caolain calling for a raising of the key level of corporation tax and a raise to 50% income tax for those earning €100,000. Even for ‘cyclists’, ie those who believe that the current centre of gravity at the right of centre in southern Irish politics will inevitably be followed by a lurch to the centre left, it is a big ask given the Republic’s high dependence on foreign investment. Or it may …
Jason Walsh takes another look at the economic prospects for the Republic, and finds that it may not have the ‘broad shoulders’ and ‘sturdy legs’ some in Northern Ireland believe. 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
Colm O’Gorman has had something of a mauling at the hands of formerly sympathetic voices in the Irish media: from the Sunday Independent to Vincent Browne in the Irish Times (subs needed). Yesterday, the latter gave him a right of reply (subs needed). If the PDs Conference (most pointedly not an Ard Fheis) over obessed on economic development, then O’Gorman has his eyes set on social outcomes. In an Ireland flushed with our economic success, what matters now is how …
