I WAS at the P J McGrory Memorial Lecture in St Mary’s University College on Friday last, given by the distinguished English barrister Michael Mansfield. It was the first time I’d seen in the flesh this man whose legal work has woven in and out through the history of the Troubles. He has represented […]
Reassuring words at Féile from a champion of justice
When sorry is not enough
You’ve probably heard by now – there’s to be a fresh inquiry into the Kingsmill massacre. Ten Protestants were killed after they’d been ordered from their van. There was one survivor. It happened back in 1976 but in May of this year, the PSNI said they had a “potential DNA match” relating to a […]
The good, the bad and the ugly of life on Twitter
About two months ago I typed four words and was astonished at the passion-filled response they elicited. The four words were “A bit like this”: I was responding on Twitter to a picture of a paramilitary parade in Lurgan and an accompanying comment about Shocking Paramilitary Demonstration In Front Of Children. (There was one […]
Enda playing it hard over the ‘hard border’
I SAW a remarkable sight on the TV last Friday. It was Enda Kenny at a specially convened meeting of the British-Irish Council. Enda was looking and talking serious stuff. “We do not want to see a European border on the island of Ireland”. Right on, Enda. The thing is, might we have to leave […]
The common good badly served by Orange Order
WITH the various bloody and sometimes lethal clashes between blacks and whites in the US recently, you may have missed the emergence of another grouping there. It’s an organisation which is liable to add to the problems of an already-divided society. They’re called the Milwaukee Power Maintenance (MPM), and were established in Wisconsin just under […]
Leavers couldn’t have done a better job destabilizing Britain
I WAS surprised to see tens of thousands of people out demonstrating in London last Saturday against Britain’s decision to leave the EU. Not because I don’t think there are tens of thousands of British people who are appalled to the point of tears by what their fellow countrymen and women have done. No, […]