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Towards the cost of SluggerReports  Or as a zip (386KB) 
Through Irish Eyes: how the Irish successor generation views the UK.
Parties and major candidates
AllianceDUP Green Party NIUP PUP SDLP Sinn Fein Sinn Fein UKUP UUP Women's Coalition John Gilliland "Excellent, balanced weblog on Northern Ireland" Guardian "...pulls in people of all persuasions and none." BBC "...dump all your old ideas about what's happening in Northern Ireland" Sunday Independent "Comment from a full range of the political spectrum" ireland.com "Drives debate beyond the web" Sunday Times "Just keep scrolling" Instapundit "No relation, but some fine reporting!" Deborah O'Toole Linking Slugger  rdf |
June 04, 2004 D-Day D-Day commemorations have been taking place around the world. Former Royal Ulster Rifles Sam Lowry and Bill McConnell have recounted their experiences. [more] Allister will work with UKIP DUP election candidate Jim Allister has welcomed the increasing expectation that the UK Independence Party will win several seats in the upcoming European elections. Masons privacy challenge Irish Masons have initiated legal proceedings challenging the obligation on Police Officers to declare their membership of organisations such as the Masonic Order, Ancient Order of Hibernians, Orange Order, Apprentice Boys, Knights of St Columbanus and the Royal Black Institution. The Order`s lawyer argued that the obligation to register membership was a breach of the right to private life as laid down in the European Convention on Human Rights. June 03, 2004 Hearts and Minds... An interview with Martin Morgan is the main feature on Hearts and Minds on the BBC tonight. Tomorrow we'll have his answers to our own questions. Newshound taking weekend break! If you wake up on Saturday and go to log on to John Fay's excellent and most comprehensive Newshound, don't panic when you find it's not been updated. He's taking a much deserved weekend break from the internet in Dungarvan, Co Waterford. Working out your European politics... If you're still confused about what this European Parliamentary elections are all about, and more importantly who vote or who not to vote, give Vote Match a go! At the very least, it's fun. Though not as much fun as the old Vote Monkey which River Path originally helped develop for the first London Mayoral elections. Bertie to depart for Brussels? We're really not sure where Noel Whelan is coming from with this suggestion, but he's very openly speculating that Bertie Ahern (and not Pat Cox) may be considering an offer he can't refuse to take on the new Presidency of the European Commission. Are things really that hot for the Teflon Taoiseach in his southern hot seat? Eastwoods Odds Mr Eastwood has opened his election book. He is taking bets on who will top the poll and he has devised a handicapping system as well. [more] SF follows DUP call for quiet summer Not dialogue, but Sinn Fein were decidedly quick in getting out an affirming statement of Peter Robinson's call for a repeat of last year's quiet summer. The statements come on a day which has seen one man killed outside an integrated school in Dunmurry, and not long after the placing of a bomb in Slemish Way, Andersonstown. John Gilliland - Slugger questions In the first of a series of responses from all European candidates to our reader's questions, independent candidate and former president of the Ulster Farmers Union, John Gilliland outlines his stance on a range of European issues. [more] "All EU countries vulnerable" The EU's anti-terror chief has highlighted the risk posed by the Real IRA while warning that all countries in Europe face a serious threat of terrorist attack. Happy workers? The number of industrial disputes leading to strikes fell to a record low last year, according to the Office for National Statistics - but NI had, by far the highest number of working days lost (almost double the next highest). Taking your time Neil Lennon is still considering a return to the Northern Ireland team - sadly he's missed the glamorous Carribean tour, but maybe he'll be ready in time for the World Cup qualifiers.. Surprising? The Sunday Business Post reported at the weekend that there are still more UK troops in Northern Ireland than there are in Iraq. Which seems surprising, on the face of it. (Thanks Nuzhound) Email overload A Belfast based company seems to have bitten off more than it can chew by launching a new free email service that promises not to fund itself through advertising. Web users are not overly impressed. Strike threat lifted It's back to normal at the Belfast Telegraph, as journalists accept a 3% pay rise with 'new terms' added to the deal. June 02, 2004 Transforming the IRA... CARRIE at Broom of Anger reckons the recent debacles over PIRA and RIRA membership in the courts could be part of a softening up process for legalisation of the PIRA. [more] Teangmhail idir Tír Chonaill 's Cornwall? Comparáid idir dhá phéintéir, James Dixon ó Oileán Thoraí agus Alfred Wallis ó St. Ives Chorn na Breataine, le iris Circa. DUP unhappy at Major's casting vote... Sammy Wilson was not happy at Martin Morgan giving his casting vote to Tom Ekin of the Alliance Party, claiming that, "We are the biggest unionist party in Northern Ireland and we are hectored, lectured, and told that we should be inclusive when it comes to rotation and insuring that everyone is given an opportunity. [more] Unionism should focus on future, not past... In a letter to the Newletter, David Vance argues that public calls for Unionist unity are unnecessary and counterproductive to the building of a confident Unionist voice. He believes that raking over the past is less important than concentrating on future achievements. [more] Israeli perspective on our 'troubles' John at Newshound has tracked an interesting piece comparing our past Troubles with their ongoing Situation from the Jerusalem Post. [more] Headin' south It looks like this year's GAA Ulster football final will be held in Dublin. That is, if Tyrone and Armagh feature. Buried in the same story is the news that one of this year's International Rules tests against the Aussie Rules stars may be held in Casement Park (in West Belfast, for the uninitiated). Fianna Fail to hold its position It looks like the Republic is one of the few countries in which the ruling party is set to consolidate it's position in the European elections. Nicholson and Allister challenge SF... Unionists have turned their fire on Sinn Fein recently, with Jim Nicholson asking for that party to articulate its stance on the EU's war against terror. The DUP with its usual earthy sense of what makes a good soundbite have slammed SF for espousing Semtex economics. MT 3.0 appeal... Thanks to some generous donations from individuals we are already up £150 towards buying a commercial licence so we can run Slugger's public dialogue fields on a more secure basis. This puts us at about US$277, nearly half way to the required total of US$599.95. Join others and send us what you can. And remember many a mickle makes a muckle! Mary Lou to 'surf' into last seat? Royston Brady looks set to take a seat in the Dublin constituency at the expense of his senior party colleague Eoin Ryan, by maximising his already substantial local profile rather than resorting to a media campaign. [more] Local councils to be eclipsed? Last Sunday Henry McDonald highlighted the problems the three minor candidates are having getting heard, whilst the media focuses on the big four. But in Britain the FT claims, it's the local councillors who are struggling for survival as the powerful local political class. Complexities of London's democracy Despite complaints and some internal handwringing over dwindling interest in the European elections, NI has a long way to fall before getting to the levels of apathy over democracy in general in Britain - 35% national average in the last local elections. [more] Convicted for wearing a ring? A Scottish appeal court has upheld the conviction of a man for wearing a ring inscribed with the letters UVF. Certainly for an older generation the term was more readily associated with a hospital in Belfast than a terrorist organisation. Clearly times have changed. June 01, 2004 Ekin is new Lord Mayor... ALLIANCE Councillor Tom Ekin is the new Lord Mayor of Belfast. “I want what is best for Belfast, and my theme for the year will be ‘Unlocking Belfast’s Potential’. I will work to continue the progress we are making towards a brighter Belfast, towards a Belfast we can believe in,” said Cllr Ekin after he was handed the chain of office. [more] Noticeable by its absence... GAIL Walker complains today - well, every Tuesday, but you know what I mean - about the lack of interest in the European election. She writes: "There's talk that some sort of election is looming. I can't be sure, since there seems to be very little political activity in the media or on the streets of the Fair Province, but it has something to do with Europe." Hmmm... I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that her newspaper isn't covering it? Zero election stories today... Individuation and Ulster politics? Is it possible to take an individual view of issues rather than that of one group or another? The BBC blogger muses upon his other role as moderator on the Talk Back message board. B'fhearr linn "Big Brother" ná Strasbourg? Síleann Robert McMillen, nach bhfuil "polaiteoirí ná vótóirí na Sé Chontae aibí go leor le tábhacht, tionchar ná todhchaí na hEorpa a phlé go mion agus go húdarásach" agus é ag scriobh i mBeo sa mhí. B'fheidir. Cífidhmid nuair a tagann freagraí na seacht iarrthóirí amach ar Shlugger sa seachtain seo chugainn. Slimmed down constitution likely... The threat of national referenda may lead to a more conservative constitution than hitherto trailed in public, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit. The aricle cites three reasons why this would be a good thing. [more] NI MOT system needs to be liberalised? It looks like NI's MOT system for validating the road worthiness of older cars is bursting at the seams, as a result of a strike by civil servants recently. So much so that according to Wilfred Mitchell of the FSB says that one local ferry company has adverts for Scottish garages who offer a much quicker turnaround. [more] Morgan attacks SF on Human Rights Criticised for carrying what some referred to as sham fight to the DUP, it seems that with just over a week to go until polling, Martin Morgan is instead targeting their more pressing nationalist rivals, Sinn Fein at his party's manifesto launch today. The Sinn Fein launch was noteably more low key. Remembering Jack... The Blanket carries a memorial to Jack Holland from the Observer's Henry McDonald. Inn particular he recalls Holland's leaving him a copy of Orwell's Letters and Journalism as a seminal moment in his own formation as a young writer. [more] From Gormanghast to the Maze? Jonathan Glancey sees something sinister in the new design of prisons, of which he cites the Maze as an early proto-type. Will nationalists vote for minor candidates? Malachi O'Doherty thinks they might. Gilliland has a reasonable profile west of the Bann that Martin Morgan is working hard to construct over a very limited period of time - that leads his campaigners to believe he may attract some disillusioned SDLP voters to go his way. May 31, 2004 Slugger and the nature of dialogue We've just had to remove a whole thread; the one on the Channel 4 Omagh programme. There has been a steady decline over the weekend, in which too many commenters have completely abandoned the ball not man rule. [more] Perspective needed on levels of conflict Alex Kane calls for a degree of perspective when discussing current levels of violence in Northern Ireland. The dangers now are minimal, particularly when compared with other rising conflict zones. [more] Wing and a prayer. Danny Morrison has been to see 'On Eagle’s Wing'. He seems to have liked the drumming. " ‘On Eagle’s Wing’ is bound to disappoint unionists if they are seeking to have their sense of dislocation reversed. It provides little sense of identity, no cultural security and grants no catharsis. On the other hand, it is a good musical – with some of the great drumming speaking to me from the home across the North Channel…" [more] May 28, 2004 EU's impact on Northern Ireland... Hearts and Minds is worth watching as much for the sandwich piece on how the EU's funds impact Northern Ireland as for the politicians' segments with Jim Nicholson and Eammon McCann. Election is about NI not Europe? Jude Collins believes that there is little else to the Euro election than keeping the momentum from November going... Why vote in European elections? Despite claims that 60% of people in the Republic believe that the European Parliament has more power than the Dail, and the best efforts of Pat Cox, we are set for record levels of voter apathy, particularly in northern Europe. [more] |
Slugger O'Toole records news, commentary and diverse opinion on Northern Ireland. Produced by Mick Fealty News, tips or crits here: mick -at- mickfealty.com 
Readers comments
Hearts and Minds... - (40)Allister will work with UKIP - (16) Working out your European politics... - (13) D-Day - (5) Ekin is new Lord Mayor... - (108) Mary Lou to 'surf' into last seat? - (35) Changing Irish community in London - (62) Masons privacy challenge - (7) John Gilliland - Slugger questions - (52) Wing and a prayer. - (169)
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Core team:Mick Fealty Aaron Scullion Politicos: Belfast Gonzo Brendan McParland Mark McGregor Ulster Decides Topics
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