St Patricks Day. Getting better, but more work to do…

St Patrick’s Day in Belfast used to have a reputation for being a damp squib. Festivities were normally confined to the West; even then, the parades were small affairs. I can’t remember when parades first started entering the city centre—maybe in the late 1990s or early naughties? There was the usual Unionist wailing and gnashing of teeth about ‘Republican hoards taking over the city centre’, but after a few years, things settled down. But it was never the most family-friendly …

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Open sunday – politics free zone…

Street vendor with a suitcase

In addition to our normal open Sunday, we have a politics-free post to give you all a break. So discuss what you like here, but no politics. Brian O'NeillI help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism, I am not a member of any political party. Oddly for a member of the Slugger team, I am not …

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Open Sunday – discuss what you like…

open sunday sign, signage, open

The idea for Open Sunday is to let you discuss what you like. Just two rules. Keep it civil and no man/woman playing. Brian O'NeillI help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism, I am not a member of any political party. Oddly for a member of the Slugger team, I am not that interested in daily …

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It looks like a Trump Biden rematch for the American Presidency…

If you think our politics are bleak in the land of the free, (terms and conditions apply). Out of over 300 million, the best they could come up with is these two. Over in the red corner, we have the 77-year-old Donald Trump who, according to the BBC: The 77-year-old, who is the first former president in US history to be criminally charged, now faces 91 charges across four separate cases. And his legal troubles don’t end there, as Mr …

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Cillian Murphy becomes the first Irish-born winner of the best actor award…

Here’s some good news for a change: Cillian Murphy took home the Best Actor award for his role in the smash hit light-hearted romantic comedy about nuclear annihilation – Oppenheimer. Cillian Murphy wins Best Actor for his role in #Oppenheimer at the 2024 #Oscars pic.twitter.com/UmRAiLO9Qg — The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) March 11, 2024 From the BBC: The film dominated proceedings, winning best picture, best director for Christopher Nolan, and best supporting actor for Robert Downey Jr. Murphy was named best …

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Open sunday – politics free zone…

Street vendor with a suitcase

In addition to our normal open Sunday, we have a politics-free post to give you all a break. So discuss what you like here, but no politics. Brian O'NeillI help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism, I am not a member of any political party. Oddly for a member of the Slugger team, I am not …

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Open Sunday – discuss what you like…

open sunday sign, signage, open

The idea for Open Sunday is to let you discuss what you like. Just two rules. Keep it civil and no man/woman playing. Brian O'NeillI help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism, I am not a member of any political party. Oddly for a member of the Slugger team, I am not that interested in daily …

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Stakeknife interim report released…

After 7 years and 40 million,  the Operation Kenova interim report has been released. Summary from the BBC A British Army spy operating at heart of the IRA during the Troubles in Northern Ireland probably cost more lives than he saved, an investigation finds Freddie Scappaticci, codenamed Stakeknife, was linked to 14 murders and 15 abductions; he worked in a ruthless IRA unit known as the “nutting squad” UK security forces failed to prevent some murders to try to protect …

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Voting begins on Irish referendums on Family and Care…

woman holding man and toddler hands during daytime

From BBC News: Voters will be given two ballots – one white and one green. The white ballot will ask if voters want to accept or reject the Thirty-Ninth Amendment of the Constitution Bill – otherwise known as the family amendment. This proposes inserting the words “whether founded on marriage or on other durable relationships” into the constitution. The current protection afforded to families under the constitution, as currently written, only extends to families built around a marriage. However, if …

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In politics, as in life, a bit of civility costs nothing and goes a long way…

Post No Hate grafitti

Last week, it was Michelle O’Neill at Windsor Park. This week, it is Emma Little Pengally’s turn to visit her first GAA club. Paying a visit to St Pauls GAA club in West Belfast yesterday, Emma even had a go at camogie. Commenting on her visit, the Deputy First Minister said: Only £3.70 a pint? This place is class. I will bring Richard back here for a session Ok, she didn’t. She said: Thank you to all at St Paul's …

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Looks like the jig is up…

Hey, it was fun while it lasted… Brian O'NeillI help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism, I am not a member of any political party. Oddly for a member of the Slugger team, I am not that interested in daily politics, preferring to write about big ideas in society. When not stuck in front of a …

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Right you two. Say sorry…

text

In their new role as the official opposition, the SDLP is allocated one day a month to set the agenda in the Assembly chamber. From Enda Mc Clafferty over at the BBC: The SDLP has tabled three motions for Monday: To ask MLAs to express their shame at the suspension of devolution over the past 10 years and to accept responsibility for the “decline in public services” during that time. Members are asked to apologise to public sector workers who …

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Open sunday – politics free zone…

Street vendor with a suitcase

In addition to our normal open Sunday, we have a politics-free post to give you all a break. So discuss what you like here, but no politics. Brian O'NeillI help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism, I am not a member of any political party. Oddly for a member of the Slugger team, I am not …

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Open Sunday – discuss what you like…

open sunday sign, signage, open

The idea for Open Sunday is to let you discuss what you like. Just two rules. Keep it civil and no man/woman playing. Brian O'NeillI help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism, I am not a member of any political party. Oddly for a member of the Slugger team, I am not that interested in daily …

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The Casement Park controversy rumbles on as latest estimates put the build cost at around £308 million….

As the costs spiral higher and higher, Casement Park is becoming a real point of contention for our new executive. From the BBC: The cost of redeveloping Casement Park in west Belfast for the Euro 2028 soccer tournament could be more than £300m. An official estimate puts the total at around £308m. The figure was quoted in a recent letter by the Northern Ireland Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris to the Communities Minister Gordon Lyons. However, the price of the …

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“Our people may be British but our cows are Irish…”

brown and white cow on green grass field during daytime

At Slugger, we are big supporters of recycling, so forgive me for using this headline originally used by Mick in 2009. From Mick’s original post: Jonathan Powell has some brief thoughts on the significance of the mutual membership of the EU for Ireland and the UK: The border between Ireland and the UK just came to mean much less once we were both in the EU. This was particularly brought home to me when Ian Paisley, the fire-breathing DUP leader, …

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George Galloway wins Rochdale by-election…

From the BBC: George Galloway is back in Parliament with a resounding win in the Rochdale by-election after a campaign in which the Gaza war was a running theme. “Keir Starmer – this is for Gaza,” the former Labour MP said, after polling 12,335 votes, nearly 6,000 more than any other candidate. Labour, which had a 10,000 majority, had withdrawn support for candidate Azhar Ali over antisemitic comments. Mr Galloway will take his Commons seat for the Workers Party of …

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Sir Jeff is “in the business of winning converts and growing support” for the Union…

man facing clouds during golden time

Jeffrey Donaldson seems to be trying to win the hearts and minds of the ‘others’. I am not sure what brought about this turnaround; maybe he was visited by three ghosts. From Suzanne Breen in the BelTel: Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said unionists must recognise they no longer live in a place where “70% of the population are red, white and blue British”. The DUP leader said the choices unionists make today “will either grow support for Northern Ireland or …

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You can have your operation, but be prepared to travel…

doctor holding red stethoscope

It is a general aspiration of the good people of Northern Ireland that there is a hospital, employer and a wide range of shops at the bottom of every street. I get that people like convenience and their local hospital, but the realities of modern medicine mean that as treatment gets more specialised, the only option is to centralise services at a few key sites. Once upon a time, you had general surgeons who would turn their hands to everything …

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First Minister Michelle O’Neill attends Windsor Park…

From the BBC: First Minister Michelle O’Neill has described her first Northern Ireland game at Windsor Park as a “thoroughly enjoyable experience”. She was joined by Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly at the game between the NI women’s team and Montenegro. The Uefa Women’s Nations League play-off match ended in a 1-1 draw, meaning NI secured a 3-1 aggregate victory. Ms O’Neill praised the team as “magnificent role models”. “I believe in the power of sport to unite communities and …

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