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October 27, 2005
The tale behind the kidnapping...
The former Dutch industrialist Dr Tiede Herrema was back in Limerick recently, where he donated his collection of papers relating to his kidnapping by the IRA 30 years ago to the local university. What was even more fascinating than how easily Herrema forgave his captors, was kidnapper, Eddie Gallagher, explaining the political thinking behind the whole plot. Worth a read. [more] October 26, 2005
When is a victim really a victim?
The recent appointment of Bertha McDougall brought some warm responses from Unionists recently. But, Mark Devenport asks, will she be able to change the current catchall definition without starting a major political storm? The Newsletter yesterday made the case that there is a substantive difference between perpetrators and victims. It seems that both nationalist parties are unhappy with McDougall's appointment. October 19, 2005
McCartney sisters win PR Week Award
PR Week have named the McCartney sisters Communicators of the Year Award. It was quite a story, that several times looked as if if might have slipped under the radar but for the persistence Robert McCartney's partner and his sisters. 7th IMC report published The 7th IMC report has been made public, assessing paramilitary and criminal activity from 1 March to 31 August this year. Available here [pdf file]. Its general tone could be accurately described as cautious.. maybe, at a stretch, even cautiously optimistic. But the same [cautious, that is] could not be said for Secretary of State, Peter Hain. [more] October 18, 2005
Nazi comments were a sectarian slur
And the wrangling in the wake the Father Reid outburst continues. Eammon McCann, writing on Sunday, argues that, "it was an ignorant, sectarian slur. People who defend Alec Reid on a "Yes, but" basis speak volumes about their own attitudes". [more] Why (or rather how) Alec Reid was right... Jude Collins is one of the few commentators to put a cogent argument in favour of Alec Reid's comparison between Nazis and Unionists. He argues that though there was no literal truth in the accusation, the analogy still holds to some limited degree. He also accuses Unionist politicians of political artifice in their emotional responses to the issue.
Adds: Thanks to reader James, see this Terrance O'Neill quote (subs needed) from today's Irish Times:
[more] October 16, 2005
Remembering Alec Reid's moral courage
Ruth Dudley Edwards argues that although Father Alec Reid has made himself look foolish both through his much publicised outburst and his assertion that he believed the IRA over the Republic's Justice minister, people should also remember the man's moral courage in times past. The price of peacemaking... Liam Clarke believes that Alex Reid simply compounded his heated response to aggressive questioning at Fitzroy Presbyterian Church when he persisted in his belief that the IRA had not been behind the robbery of the Northern Bank. According to Clarke his innocent credulity has been crucial to Reid's positive role in drawing Republicanism towards peace, but it may also have papered over a few important cracks. October 13, 2005
Commissioner: Sinn Fein mistaken over Cork notes
Confirmation from the Gardai that the money seized in Cork came from the Northern Bank robbery. Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy told a cross border police seminar yesterday that he was convinced they have provable evidence that there is a connection. Hugh Orde had already stated the same back in early June, and the Taoiseach as early as March. Conroy: [more] 'Slab' denies any involvement in money laundering The game goes on. Despite having his name plastered all over the shop last week in relation to an ongoing ARA operation, Tom Murphy has broken his self-imposed silence to deny that he is involved in any money laundering, or indeed that he owns any property, not even his farm which he states he had to sell in order to fight a libel campaign against the Sunday Times in the 1990's. October 11, 2005
Loyalist identity: reading the runes
Pete linked to this excellent essay on loyalism and Unionist identity yesterday at Open Democracy. I thought it might worth re-visiting in a series of posts. Professor Stephen Howe's starting point is the Loyalist rioting in Belfast and elsewhere during the summer which contains, he believes, some indications as to where things may be headed in future: [more] October 09, 2005
Senior Orangeman "unable to condemn" loyalist rioting
The Irish News yesterday carried more detail on the Billy Mawhinney story: the senior Orangeman who was suspended from his job as doorman at Stormont after remarks made on Spotlight last week. It stems from a longer interview with a local tv station: [more] A clean bill of health...? THE next IMC report is due out next week and is expected to point to an 'inactive' IRA. However, this will be seen by unionists as an interim or 'holding' report, with another in January expected to lead to real pressure on unionism to re-enter government with Sinn Fein. Liam Clarke also reports that the reason decommissioning lacked enough transparency for unionists was to avoid a split in the IRA. October 06, 2005
British in full chase after IRA 'bookkeeper' trail
The BBC News is dominated by the raids taking place in Manchester. It would be foolish not to caution people not to jump to conclusions too early, but they are very prominently tying this into the name of the IRA. Kevin Connolly, BBC London's top man in Ireland: The new front line in the struggle against political violence in Northern Ireland will be the accountant's desk and the lawyer's mobile phone, not the fields of south Armagh. Michael McDowell seems intent on the same line. October 05, 2005
Six held over Gray's killing...
That's fairly quick for Northern Ireland standards. This discussion on Morning Ireland (sound file) indicates it may have been part of a local fragmentation of the UDA. Jim McDowell points out that in contrast to 1994 when the Loyalists took only six weeks to follow the IRA's ceasefire, the paramilitaries of today are a patchwork quilt of local barons, rather than a coherent movement - an increasingly loose Association in fact. October 04, 2005
Former UDA leader murdered
Last Wednesday, 28th Sept, Secretary of State Peter Hain, as reported by the BBC said that if loyalists refused to disarm and end their violence they would face a "ruthless" security clampdown. Earlier today, while visiting a Catholic primary school in Ballymena, he said again that loyalist paramilitaries must end their violence. This evening former UDA leader Jim Gray, on bail on money laundering charges, was shot dead in East Belfast by two gunmen. Window's in Paisley's church smashed? Buried in this story carrying the remarks of Bertie Ahern on the Carnmoney threats to Catholic graves is a reference to dozens of windows being broken in the Martyr's Memorial church on the Ravenhill Road. No regrets over Brighton bomb... PA also reports a minor ruck in Blackpool between David Burnside and Conor Murphy when the latter told the fringe meeting that he had no regrets over the Brighton bomb, but that it was simply part of the IRA's long war. SDLP: UVF behind the desecration threat SDLP South Antrim MLA Thomas Burns said he believes the UVF was behind the protest at the Carnmoney Blessing of the Graves and subsequent threats to desecrate Catholic graves. [more] Deprivation should be tackled on basis of need Conor Murphy told Conservatives in Blackpool today that it was time for Unionists to get real: " There is no alternative plan. The Agreement is as good as it gets". [more] Tories will oppose deal on OTRs Conor Murphy is the first member of Sinn Fein to take part in a Conservative party conference almost 21 years after the IRA attempted to kill large numbers of the then Tory government Cabinet. Nevertheless, the Tories remain implacably opposed to any concessions towards the OTRs. David Liddington: [more] Paisley: loyalist attackers must be isolated Ian Paisley visited one of the Catholic schools that recently came under attack from Loyalists, St Louis Primary School in Ballymena this morning. Of the attackers he said, "What we have to do now is to see how these people are isolated and that they know that all sections of the community are opposed to what they are doing." Carnmoney: the lost souls of the DUP? There is certainly a theological argument in protests against Cemetary Sunday, the day when Catholics remember their loved ones by visiting their graves and praying for them. Although, on All Souls Night, protestants the length and breadth of Sweden make a similar visit to light the graves with candles in the darkest of Nordic nights. What is decidedly not theological, is the threat by some of the protesters to dig up the graves of individual Catholics in revenge. Susan McKay draws a fairly powerful literary comparison (subs needed). [more] City Council censure of Loyalist violence Belfast City Council at its first plenary of the autumn has urged people to support the PSNI and called on all elected representatives to disassociate themselves from the violence of the summer. October 02, 2005
They're quare and cocky and confident...
Ruth Dudley Edwards has been travelling in Northern Ireland and finds the Protestant inhabitants west of the Bann subdued and wary of some the younger generation amongst their Catholic neighbours. In an area where RTE is no stranger to local protestants, she detects some shift in attitudes around the GAA: [more] Have we the mindset required bring peace? Eric Waugh, now a columnist for the Belfast Telegraph, was a BBC correspondent for most of the troubles. He recalls two gruesome episodes from the early stages of the 'war' with great (and disturbing) clarity, the IRA's firebombing of the La Mon House Hotel in which twelve people were incinerated. And one of the earliest atrocities, the UVF bombing of McGurk's Bar in which 15 perished in the run up to Christmas 1971. He wonders whether in decommissioning military materiel the mindsets have also changed sufficiently to bring a lasting settlement and peace. Arms decommissioning over, what next? Despite reports that the IRA have held on to a small number of personal firearms, Mark Devenport pronounces the decommissioning question now extinct. But that's clearly not the end of the story. September 30, 2005
Secret of good leadership is in the timing...
A sharp but not entirely complementary analysis of the leadership qualities of Gerry Adams from Malachi O'Doherty on Hearts and Minds last night. The programme contains a good analysis session with Noel Doran, Martina Purdy and David McKitterick. Decommissioning: they said it would never happen... On 10th May 1998 just after the Belfast Agreement, Gerry Adams told his party's Ard Fheis that "The IRA has made it clear that it will not surrender its weapons". And Danny Morrison as recently as 2001 felt confident enough to state "...there will never, ever, be IRA decommissioning, an IRA surrender." Throughout however, one consistent voice of dissent has been Anthony McIntyre, who now reflects on the significance decommissioning in the wake of Monday's press conference. Just the two stripes, not three?! More scepticism on Sinn Fein's intentions for the future from William Sjostrum, who sees a (presumably unintended) significance in a flag he saw in Dublin last weekend. Although, personally, I've never heard of the two striped flag he's refering to. Update: Ah, William, you may just have gotten it wrong after all - thanks Henry! |
Slugger O'Toole records news, commentary and diverse opinion on Northern Ireland. Produced by Mick Fealty News, tips or crits here: mick.fealty -at- gmail.com Topics a long peace?books Britain Conflict Culture Economy Education election 2003 Election 2005 Enviroment environment Europe Gaeilge Glossary Government Highlights Human Rights Humour International Manifesto Media Nationalism Negotiations Parties Policing Soapbox Society Sport the south unionism
Highlights
Out with the crystal ball...Just a Mo... Commenting Policy A backgrounder on the McCartney affair Northern Bank raid and political fallout, so far
Readers comments
More corrupt than last year? - (4)Living on an island or in a state? - (31) a combination of historical ignorance and monumental self-pity - (42) Payout time... - (4) New Lansdowne revealed - (24) Far right 'imagination'... - (13) Nazi comments were a sectarian slur - (3) The price of peacemaking... - (17) belfast metropolitan area plan unveiled - (23) Why (or rather how) Alec Reid was right... - (37)
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