Author Archives: fitzjameshorse

A Nervous Week In SDLP

Posted on November 7, 2015 by fitzjameshorse

Again I emphasise that I am not a delegate at next weekend’s SDLP Conference. And I therefore do not have a vote…as instructed by my local branch. And again, I emphasise that I do not intend to be in Armagh … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

“Je Suis Uncle Andy”

Posted on November 6, 2015 by fitzjameshorse

Now here is a strange thing. Earlier this year, several French journalists were shot dead. Their “crime” in the eyes of Islamist extremists was that their satirical magazine (Charlie Hebdo)  had published unflattering images of the prophet Mohammed (peace be … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Commemorating Easter 1916

Posted on November 5, 2015 by fitzjameshorse

When I fiirst signed into Slugger O’Toole, just about the first threads I read were about the so-called Decade of Centenaries, the series of events including Easter 1916 and the Somme 1916….rwo events that are divisive in Norn Iron and … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment

SDLP Leadership Election …

Posted on November 5, 2015 by fitzjameshorse

First a few facts…I was a member of SDLP from 1973 to 1982 and voted SDLP until 1993. For personal rather than political reasons, I voted Sinn Féin until 2009. I must emphasise that my wife has never voted Sinn … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 8 Comments

Book Review….”The Canterbury Connection” (Kitty Davies)

Posted on November 3, 2015 by fitzjameshorse

One of the strange things about going Online in 1998 was the discovery that everyone I met from Boise, Idaho to Athens, Georgia….was an artist, poet, musician or writer. For the record, I was a novelist of sorts. Not all … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

SDLP Event…Civil Society.

Posted on November 3, 2015 by fitzjameshorse

A high-quality discussion last night. The panel….Brendan Mulgrew from MW Advocate, David McCann from Slugger O’Toole, Professor Deirdre Heenan from University of Ulster and Ryan Feeney a member of the Policing Board. Alasdair McDonnell in the chair. Audience….hard to judge … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Civil Society …The Enemy Within

Posted on November 2, 2015 by fitzjameshorse

Interesting SDLP event tomorrow night. Civil Society…I am not a big fan. But a panel that is chaired by Alasdair McDonnell MP includes Dr Deirdre Heenan from the University of Ulster, Ryan Feeney from the GAA, Brendan Mulgrew, PR guy … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Colum Eastwood Launches Campaign For Leadership

Posted on October 24, 2015 by fitzjameshorse

So…”The Hive”, Grosvenor Road, Belfast. Less than half a mile from where I spent the first seventeen years of my life. Once a Westie, always a Westie. In the end, around two hundred people in attendance. A lot from Derry … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

The Great North Antrim Sinn Féin Selection Controversy

Posted on October 24, 2015 by fitzjameshorse

Let me put a scenario to you. A political party gets less than 13% of the votes in the Westminster Election. Next May, it is defending one seat in a six seat constituency. And it had a Selection Conference two … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 11 Comments

SDLP And Slugger O’Toole…Catch Yourself On, Mick!

Posted on October 23, 2015 by fitzjameshorse

So Slugger O’Toole has issued an invitation for a SDLP Leadership hustings event with local journalists and an audience of SDLP members. Thats awfully decent of Slugger O’Toole. After all, in May this year in East Belfast, Slugger O’Toole did … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment