Three Books | International Brigade against Apartheid | On the Blanket by Eoghan MacCormaic
Three Books I thought it would be a good idea to dedicate an occasional column to books. We can return to Brexit, the Protocol and other such matters at another time. So in this column I am reviewing three books. United Nation by Frank Connolly. On The Blanket by Eoghan Mac Cormaic and International Brigade against Apartheid: Secrets of the People’s War that Liberated South Africa’ By Ronnie Kasrils. International Brigade against Apartheid: Secrets of the People’s War that Liberated S...
19 Juni 202218min
Confronting sectarianism | A wedding and a strike | I am not guilty – I want to go home
Confronting sectarianism The posting online of a vile video showing members of the Orange Order mocking the murder of Michaela McAreavey has been widely condemned. Last week in another video Pastor Barrie Halliday appeared on social media describing Catholics as ‘rats that need to be murdered with rifles and grenades.’ A wedding and a strike James Connolly is one of my heroes. He was a socialist, a republican, a writer, a thinker, a trade union leader. He fought for the rights of workers a...
12 Juni 202215min
The Planter and the Gael | Time for Truth | The Springhill/Westrock Massacre
The Planter and the Gael. Last week US Congress member Richie Neal, Chair of the Ways and Means Committee on Capitol Hill, led a Congressional delegation from Washington to Brussels, London, Dublin, the Blasket’s, Derry and Belfast. The delegation met with a very wide range of political representatives including Government representatives as well as civic society. Time for Truth Natasha Butler’s grandfather Paddy was killed by the British Army on the evening of 9 July 1972. He ...
5 Juni 202216min
A referendum on the Future | Acht na Gaeilge Anois | Defending journalists
A referendum on the Future Sunday marked 24 years from the historic referendum in May 1998 that saw almost three quarters of people in the North vote in support of the Good Friday Agreement. Despite the twists and turns in the years since then the Agreement has proved resilient in maintaining peace and in plotting a course for constitutional, political and economic change in the North and across these islands. Acht na Gaeilge – Anois The echo of thousands of cheerful, excited voices ...
29 Maj 202218min
Lá Mór Dearg | Employers must talk to workers | Murder of Shireen Abu Akleh
Lá Mór Dearg As this column goes to print Boris Johnson comes to visit our political leaders in Hillsborough. Whatever he may say or not say one thing is clear. We do not need him to govern us. But more of that anon. Employers must talk to workers Several trade unions are involved in industrial action in the public and private sectors in an effort to get employers to increase wages and improve conditions for workers. With inflation heading toward 10% some current pay rates ...
22 Maj 202219min
A transformative election | Attacks on Human Rights laws must be opposed
A transformative election The overwhelming majority of citizens on this island want our future to be different from what went before. Those who voted last Thursday want those they have elected to represent their interests, to make power sharing work and to shape a new future. Attacks on Human Rights laws must be opposed The British government confirmed this week that it plans to replace the Human Rights Act with a British Bill of Rights. In a letter to Boris Johnson over 50 human rights gr...
15 Maj 202214min
A historic election
The Sun Is Setting. The legacy of empire, of colonialism and of slavery is for many still a matter of the present and not the past. This is especially true for many of the former British colonies in the Caribbean. Last November Barbados formally removed Queen Elizabeth II as its Head of State. Since then the British government sent two groups of British royals as part of a charm offensive to the region in an effort to solidify waning British influence. The tours had the opposite effect. Cand...
8 Maj 202219min
May 5th - The Peoples Day | Taking a stand against hate crime | In Praise Of Napping
May 5th - The Peoples Day Less than one week to polling day and the pundits and pollsters are filling the airways and column inches with their take on who will be the big winners and who will be the losers. Who will emerge with more or fewer Assembly seats? Will the Protocol galvinise a so far lack lustre unionist campaign? Will the DUP/TUV and their loyalist allies succeed in frightening unionist voters into toeing the line? Or will Sinn Féin up-end a century of partition and the...
1 Maj 202217min
