Brian O'Neill

Lidl is celebrating 25 years in Northern Ireland. I remember going into one of the first Lidl stores in Belfast back in the day. It must have been twenty-odd years ago, and I was curious about what wonders this new shop would have. I remember wandering the aisles and thinking, “This will never work.” The store had all the charm of a Yugoslavian cardboard factory. Stuff was piled up on pallets, there was a very plain decor, harsh over head …

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I know we have been a bit remiss in not covering Say Nothing yet, but I have only watched the first two episodes and was avoiding writing about it until I saw them all. But from what I have seen so far, I think it was excellent. Terrific acting, no dodgy accents, brilliant sets – the CGI Divis Flats were just as bleak and oppressive as I remember them. I was chatting with an ex-IRA man over the weekend who …

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After saying for years that he would not interfere in the legal process, Joe Biden backtracked on his promises and pardoned his son Hunter. Hunter Biden was facing the prospect of years in prison over charges relating to gun possession and tax fraud. Here is the pardon: “Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter. From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as …

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The idea for Open Sunday is to let you discuss what you like. Just two rules. Keep it civil and no man/woman playing. Comments will close at 12 pm on Monday. 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 …

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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. Comments will close at 12 pm on Monday. 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 …

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I like this quote: “Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But since no one was listening, everything must be said again.” ― Nobel Prize winner, André Gide This should be the motto of Northern Ireland 😉 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 …

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This year’s what the actual feck story goes to John Breslin at the Irish News.  Chinese gangsters from one of the country’s southern provinces controlled one of the largest cannabis farms ever discovered in Northern Ireland, police believe. The farm, which delivered herbal cannabis with a street value of close to £2,5m in its year of operation, was discovered on land owned by prominent Co Down farmer Clive Weir. Weir, a father-of-six from Hillsborough, was sentenced this week to three …

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From the BBC: Adults in Northern Ireland are more likely to look at pornography online than those in any other part of the UK. That is according to new research published by the communications regulator Ofcom. It said that more than 430,000 adults in Northern Ireland visited “pornographic content services” online in May 2024 – more than one third of the adult population. Overall, according to Ofcom, adults in Northern Ireland spent an average of four hours and 16 minutes …

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Depending on your view, John Bittles, the owner of the iconic Bittles Bar in Belfast, is a cantankerous aul sod or a genius at PR, or maybe a bit of both. He regularly hits the headlines for refusing to serve people half pints, refusing to serve soft drinks, or banning people for the most arbitrary of reasons. Personally, I think it’s kind of funny. In a world obsessed with (often fake) customer service, it’s nice that there is one place …

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The Irish general election is this Friday. Simon Harris felt pretty confident when he called the election, but he must now be feeling pretty nervous during the last week of the campaign. From Pat Leahy: The Fine Gael share of the vote has fallen by six points in less than two weeks, reflecting a campaign that has been littered with missteps, and now trails both Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin. As the parties embark on a frantic final four days …

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Following the tragic death of cyclist Gary McMahon in Belfast on Friday, questions are again being asked about the Department of Infrastructures’ woeful lack of provision for cyclists. There are less than 5 miles of cycle lanes in Belfast; a bit of green paint on the side of the road does not count. As a cyclist myself, I know all too well that you take your life in your hands cycling in Northern Ireland. The cities and towns have practically …

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The idea for Open Sunday is to let you discuss what you like. Just two rules. Keep it civil and no man/woman playing. Comments will close at 12 pm on Monday. 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 …

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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. Comments will close at 12 pm on Monday. 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 …

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A woman who accused Conor McGregor of raping her has won her claim against him for damages in a civil case. From the BBC: A jury found that the Irish mixed martial arts fighter assaulted Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel in December 2018. He has been ordered to pay her more than €248,000 (£206,000) in damages. Speaking outside the court on Friday, Ms Hand said her story was “a reminder that no matter how afraid you might be to …

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A weapons arsenal in Bryansk region hit after Biden administration lifts restrictions on Kyiv’s use of Atacms missiles. From the FT: The depot is 190km north of the frontline in the neighbouring Kursk region, where Russian forces are trying to push out Ukrainian troops who occupy about 600 sq km of territory after their surprise incursion in August. The strikes came on the 1,000th day of the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Kyiv has pleaded with Washington for more than …

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Our always popular live event returns to the Black Box on Tuesday, the 17th of December 2024. Join Alex Kane, Allison Morris and Alan Meban as they reflect on the year in politics. This event is sponsored by Brown O’Connor. This event always sells out, so to avoid disappointment, book your tickets now… 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 …

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From today’s Irish News: Concerns arose after the London-based Cabinet Office refused to respond to requests for information from lawyers representing relatives of Scappaticci’s victims. Kevin Winters of KRW, who represents 12 families, wrote to the Cabinet Office last year requesting basic information about Scappaticci’s death and burial. He also asked if a post-mortem report was carried out and if any statutory authority was informed of his death. After sending several letters, Mr. Winters was directed to solicitors believed to …

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The idea for Open Sunday is to let you discuss what you like. Just two rules. Keep it civil and no man/woman playing. Comments will close at 12 pm on Monday. 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 …

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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. Comments will close at 12 pm on Monday. 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 …

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