Slugger Christmas Playlist 2017: why not take a break from your celebrations to add your own and share a message with short clipped lyrics…? #MerryChristmas #Sluggerverse
On the multiple follies of insider knowledge, in praise of plural thinking…
Sometimes we have to trust experts: If a doctor sends you for a scan you should probably go. Of course you can seek alternative advice but in the absence of specialized knowledge we are rendered rather passive in the face of threats and fears. It is arguable that much of political commentary in Northern Ireland more…
Maurice Hayes, the best of the best
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Surrendering the ‘War on Christmas’
‘Tis the season of war- the ‘War on Christmas’. This is the time of year when, traditionally, conservative media outlets employ that phrase to describe what they see as a supposed marginalization of Christmas and a relentless attack against Christmas symbolism, greetings, displays, and spirituality. Their goal in calling this out, they say, is to more…
“The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena…”
Here’s a, much needed, short instructive video on perspective from Science at Nasa.
Bonfires and Traffic congestion; are we seeing the medical consequences?
DoH’s Health Inequalities; Regional Report, 2016, just published, tells us positively that in general as a population we are in great shape. In spite of our national moaning about our poor health – and interminable complaining about the inadequacies of our health service – we are as a fact, on average, healthier than we ever more…
Spain’s unionist prime minister has just given us an object lesson in how not to hold a country together
If ever a political leader has worked hard to dismember his own country, it is the Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy. Provoking a crisis, pinning all on a regional election and refusing all concessions was a reckless gamble that stood no chance of achieving a new consensus. A narrow majority for remaining in Spain would more…
Joint action by the two governments is overdue but joint authority is a red herring
In the Irish Times today, Mick’s favourite columnist Newton Emerson asks what sort of joint authority is being cooked up in the Republic. This begs a familiar question increasingly in vogue as the Stormont stalemate lengthens. Emerson discerns elements of joint authority thinking in recent statements by Varadkar and Coveney. He raps Coveney for suggesting more…
“there is no corresponding organisation to monitor the work of the Ombudsman…”
It’s not just the Republic who has problems with ‘who guards the guards’. There are two worrying stories on the same day concerning the activities of the Police Ombudsman’s office. One concerns a criminal case which the Judge is reported to have said: …failings in the investigation “resulted in it being impossible for the defendants more…
Slugger TV; Reviewing the year in politics
My panel this month was Brendan Hughes (Irish News), Kellie Turtle (Feminist Commentator) & our own Alan Meban. We reviewed the year in politics looking at the most over-reported and under reported stories of the year, as well as the politicians to watch. Slugger TV will be returning in January 2018. Our thanks to NVTV more…
Ireland and Europe: how Rugby could provide a very positive story in 2018…
The European club championships have now closed down until the new year. Rounds 3 & 4, played over the weekends of 9th and the 16th December, saw all 4 Irish provinces win for the 2nd weekend in a row. Leinster, Munster and Ulster (listed in alphabetical order) are all now well placed in their groups more…
Sean Gallagher successfully sues RTE to protect reputation and “the integrity of the democratic process…”
So RTE has found out the hard way that social media is a dangerous place. It was known as the bogus tweet at the time, now it’s plain old #FakeNews. On Monday, October 24th 2011, as the last week of the Presidential election began, Harry McGee notes that …weekend opinion polls gave the former Dragons’ more…
Brexit strains between London and Dublin are harming Northern Ireland
At the end of the year, instead of adding pressure for the restoration of Stormont, Brexit has banished it to the sidelines. The border issue remains. Without an overall Brexit deal, the default of Northern Ireland remaining in alignment with the single market and customs union cannot easily be reconciled with the continuing integrity of more…
“Perhaps we can begin with social parity.”
Writing in the Guardian, Richard Angell, LGBT officer of the Labour Irish Society and director of Progress, has an interesting suggestion Owen Smith is right to say that if the parties of Northern Ireland cannot get their act together and restore power-sharing government then direct rule, however undesirable, must be used to make progress on LGBT and reproductive rights. But more…
Time for Fianna Fáil to end its northern election taboo?
The Sunday Business Post reported yesterday that Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin is “delaying his decision on whether to run candidates in the North” amid concerns in the party about the impact of Brexit. It’s nearly four years since the party called for active and serious participating and engagement in the political process in the North more…
Coveney says there is a need to repair relations with the DUP
Government needs to repair relationship with the DUP – Tánaiste @simoncoveney tells #twip pic.twitter.com/KGnv3gxOqj — The Week in Politics (@rtetwip) December 17, 2017 This comes after the Fianna Fail Leader, Michael Martin raised some concerns about the Irish governments strategy in an interview with JOE.ie; The problem with, what Martin calls the government’s “megaphone diplomacy” more…
The Unfreemaning of Bob Geldof from the City of Dublin…
Fascinating conversation in council last week on whether Bob Geldof should lose his Freedom the City status, because, well, he handed to them, so they calculated that they have no choice but to accept it and strike him from the record. Formally, you can see the Lord Mayor and the CEO are being procedurally correct. more…
“The prospect written between the lines of this week’s letter is of Sinn Féin sidelining itself….”
I Newton Emerson points out the irony of that letter Chris blogged the other day, signed by 200 members of nationalist civil society. “We appeal urgently to you Taoiseach,” it concludes, “and to the Irish Government, to reassure us of your commitment to stand for equality and a human-rights based society and your determination to more…
Westminster asserts its power over the executive and Whitehall
To all those who think Westminster is irrelevant, last night’s development could prove significant, if not actually decisive… Boom!! Government defeated… Brexit is in the hands of our Parliament, not Executive whim. pic.twitter.com/z4JqQJABig — Mike Galsworthy #FBPE (@mikegalsworthy) December 13, 2017 It certainly won’t bring the government down, but it WILL give the DUP and more…
Give a Christmas donation and help keep Slugger lit into 2018…
They say Christmas is a time for giving and what better cause than to fire some cash towards your favourite politics site? As we never tire of telling you Slugger does not get any funding so we rely on readers like you to keep the good ship afloat. None of the team gets paid, but more…