Category Archives: Uncategorized

Commemorating Easter 1916

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

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SDLP Leadership Election …

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

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

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

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SDLP Event…Civil Society.

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

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Civil Society …The Enemy Within

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

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Colum Eastwood Launches Campaign For Leadership

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

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The Great North Antrim Sinn Féin Selection Controversy

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

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

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

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The Great East Belfast Alliance Party Selection Controversy

i cant say that I have seen much about the Alliance Party and East Belfast on Slugger O’Toole. And yet Naomi Long is their favourite politician. interesting to note that Judith Cochrane MLA has decided not to seek re-selection. She … Continue reading

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SDLP Leadership Contest

If you are travelling over the Glenshane Pass tomorrow afternoon, look out for a bus load of  SDLP “Derry wans” heading to Belfast. They are heading for the official launch of Colum Eastwood’s Leadership Election Campaign. Thursday is of course … Continue reading

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