Current Affairs, Politics, Irish Unity, History and Culture.
Subscribe:.rss.atom.json.md.m3u.pls
Live Last read · last published · next check
Saves to your Listen queue, to pick up on another day or another device.
Anger Is Not A Strategy! Monday’s Irish Times has an editorial dealing with the possibility of the collapse of the Northern Assembly at Stormont. This is the latest media driven piece of speculation in recent weeks – based on nothing other than the view of the authors - that Sinn Féin plans to bring down the Executive and Assembly. No evidence is presented to support this opinion. Thoughts on the…
The Féile and the Fleadh Following on from Tradfest - well done Dónal and everyone involved- Féile and the Fleadh were mighty. Sixteen days of Féile An Phobail, seperate but running parallel with a week of the first Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann to be held in Belfast. An estimated one million plus Fleadh hoppers meandered their way through Belfast soaking up the music, the craic and the joyful…
Choosing the Struggle by Martina Anderson Last Saturday a packed St. Mary’s gave a huge welcome to Martina Anderson who was launching her personal and hugely important autobiography – Choosing the Struggle. This is an honest and heartfelt account of Martina growing up in Derry, her experience of poverty, witnessing the excesses of the British Army and RUC and the injustice of the northern state,…
The Re-Conquest of Ireland Well done Mayo in the all-Ireland football final. Commiserations to Kerry. Both teams played their hearts out but in the end Mayo were worthy winners. Next month on August 30 I will be in Ballina, Mayo for the 45th anniversary of the 10 hunger strikers who died during the 1981 hunger strike. The event will also remember the three Mayo Hunger Strikers, Jack McNeela…
Andy Burnham As I conclude this column on Monday afternoon Andy Burnham is taking up his position as British Prime Minister. As I dispatch these lines he is addressing the media and supporters outside 10 Downing Street. I wish him well. I also hope he will be the last British Prime Minister to interfere in Irish affairs. Our ambition is for the people of Ireland to govern ourselves. As soon as…
Another step in the right direction The decision by Micheál Martin last week to oppose Sinn Féin’s “Planning for Constitutional Change Bill 2026” was no real surprise. His opposition to any meaningful planning for Irish Unity has been transparently obvious for many years. Despite Fine Gael spokespersons declaring that Fine Gael would not oppose the Sinn Féin Bill they then chose to support An…
Unionism and Unity This week significant developments that can shape the future direction of constitutional politics on this island are taking place in Leinster House. On Tuesday Sinn Féin’s Bill setting out a practical plan to achieve a united Ireland is up for discussion. Fine Gael is moving ahead with its plan for a blueprint for Irish Unity for November. And other parties, including the Social…
Momentum around Unity Grows I want to begin by commending the SDLP for organising last week’s conference – The Future of these Islands: Preparing for Change. It was a well-attended day-long event, held in Belfast, on the issue of Irish Unity. Among those who contributed to the series of discussions was Dublin Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan, former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Sinn Féin’s Conor…
The Unity Bill passes its First stage The “Planning for Constitutional Change Bill 2026”, which I referenced in last week’s column, has passed its first hurdle in the Dáil. It will now go to second stage on 7 July and then on to the Committee stage before returning to the Dáil later in the year. The Bill sets clear goals and timetables for measures that have to be taken to properly plan and…
Stand-Up to Racism The bullet holes from the August 1969 sectarian pogrom against the people of the Falls area are still visible on the front wall of St. Comgall’s Primary School, Divis Street. Last Thursday lunchtime, a few yards from where, on that occasion, whole terraces of houses were burned out, scores of community activists from across Belfast came together in Ionad Eileen Howell to discuss…