vanhelsing

NI Universities show strong religious imbalance in student numbers

vanhelsing on October 18, 2011, 3:25 pm | Readers 432

The Minister for Employment and Learning, Stephen Farry, was asked yesterday by MLAs Jim Allister and Gregory Campbell how many Protestants attended universities in Northern Ireland. The answer – only one third of students. Firstly let’s be clear – it doesn’t matter when students achieve a university place what religion they are. What I am more interested are the reasons behind the figures. Pupil numbers in terms of Secondary and Grammar schools in Northern Ireland can be found on the …

The truth and damn lies

vanhelsing on October 13, 2011, 9:03 pm | Readers 26

I was chatting recently with a colleague in work about the Pat Finucane case and the fact that there wasn’t going to be a full Public Inquiry into the murder of the solicitor. It should be noted [if anyone missed the fact] that Ken Barrett was charged and convicted of the murder in 2004. As the discussion progressed about the minutia of such a process he simply said, Lots of people know the truth here [Northern Ireland] – they’re just …

Elliot and Kennedy facing Loyal Orders disciplinary proceedings

vanhelsing on September 14, 2011, 9:27 pm | Readers 71

Danny Kennedy, the Minister for Regional Development and Tom Elliot the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party are to go before a Loyal Orders disciplinary hearing due to their attendance at the funeral of Constable Ronan Kerr. Few things to get clear first… I’m not a member of the Loyal Orders I support the Loyal Orders and would attend both the main 12th demonstration every year and also go to Scarva to see the Black Men on the 13th. …

Israel and Unionism

vanhelsing on September 3, 2011, 12:49 pm | Readers 165

One thing that raises tensions on Slugger more than the ‘traditional route’ of the Orange/Green debate is anything to do with Israel and the West Bank/Gaza. There have been several comments in the past month which have questioned the reasons behind the linkage, perceived or otherwise, between NI Unionists and the state of Israel. Yesterday [Friday 2nd] Turkey expelled the Israeli Ambassador following the leaking of a UN report concerning the boarding of the ‘Mavi Marmara’ in May 2010. So …

‘The broken society tops my agenda’

vanhelsing on August 15, 2011, 8:53 pm | Readers 7

David Cameron has said tackling the “broken society” is back at the top of his agenda following last week’s riots. This is indeed good news as clearly there are some underlying issues to deal with. In his speech today he also highlighted the fact that he would ‘turn around’ the lives of 120,000 of the most troubled families. In fact he said he will put “rocket boosters” under the families the efforts to turn round these difficult social units …

The Legal Aid Problem – it isn’t going away you know..

vanhelsing on June 14, 2011, 8:39 am | Readers 33

In this mornings paper copy of the Belfast Telegraph [sorry not on the interweb at time of writing] Deborah McAleese writes, “A high profile solicitor [DG Bell] who broke ranks in the legal aid dispute has dramatically withdrawn his offer to work for reduced fees amid allegations of bullying in the increasingly bitter battle between lawyers and the Justice Minister. It is understood that the firms owner took the decision after being subjected to hostility in court from other solicitors”. …

Everyone loves a mandate…maybe even a couple?

vanhelsing on April 20, 2011, 6:46 am | Readers 11

In response to Mark McGregors [limited] piece about double jobbing/dual mandates I thought I’d expand it a little and look at a comparative piece on the Alliance Party – candidates who are running for both Local Council and NI Assembly. At the end of this post there are also some percentage figures on MPs who are also running for the Assembly by Party. Choice of party for the first study was simply down to time limitations – I would love …

Kerr funeral: A day of contrasts

vanhelsing on April 7, 2011, 10:24 am | Readers 28

I caught the last five minutes of Cardinal Brady’s address at Constable Ronan Kerr’s funeral mass on BBC Radio Ulster, you can hear the full address here. I have taken three excerpts and transcribed them, “There have been many defining moments in the ongoing journey towards reconciliation and peace but today as we honour the courage of this valiant young man may we should all resolve to make this a defining moment in our own lives…let us resolve to do …

Is it time to arm the rebels?

vanhelsing on March 14, 2011, 7:06 pm | Readers 3

Writing in ‘The Times’ today the former Foreign Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind called for arms to be provided to the rebels fighting the regime in Libya. Of course treading carefully in this area is important as the well cited example of getting it wrong is the US support for the then Mujahedeen resistance in the war with the Soviets at the start of the 1980’s. At that time Bin Laden was part of Maktab al-Khadamat [a group fighting the Soviet …

Marty’s new bestest friend – the Secretary of State!

vanhelsing on February 7, 2011, 12:45 pm | Readers 5

This is an excerpt from Hearts and Minds [about 27 mins in] Thursday night where Owen Patterson was being asked to hypothesise about the election results in May [school error to start off with there]. Noel ‘so the election of Martin McGuiness as First Minister should make no difference [to Unionists]; it wouldn’t be in any way in your view a set back?’ Secretary of State ‘Well I think it would be an extraordinary endorsement of the progress that has …

Mistruths, untruths, disingenuousness and Claudy – when is it ok to lie in Politics?

vanhelsing on August 27, 2010, 8:45 am | Readers 38

Last week Owen Patterson the NI Sec State said: “Our position is completely clear, and consistent with previous governments, you cannot have meaningful talks, serious discussions, real negotiations whatever you want to call them with people who are not absolutely committed to peaceful means of pursuing their goals,”. Using a good Northern Ireland phrase ‘the dogs in the streets’ know that previous British governments had been talking with terrorists all the way back to the early 70’s. So is Patterson …

Dissident Republicans target ex Police Officer – the third attack in seven days

vanhelsing on August 13, 2010, 9:20 am | Readers 24

A booby-trap bomb has been discovered under the car of an ex Police Officer in Cookstown, County Tyrone. The device went off as a man drove away from his home in the Sweep Road area of Cookstown. He was not injured in the attack. The man is a former police officer who currently works as a guard at the town’s PSNI station. PSNI Chief Supt Michael Skuce said those who planted the bomb had “scant regard” for human life. It …

Father Gary Donegan “It was a bit like Euro Disney Theme Park for rioting”

vanhelsing on July 14, 2010, 10:53 am | Readers 242

Father Gary Donegan Parish Priest of the Holy Cross Parish in Ardoyne has spoken to the BBC and in an interview has given an amazing first hand account of the rioting in Ardoyne last night [14th July]. In his interview he states he pulled a brick out of the hands of a 9 year old and when he asked where the boy was from it was discovered that he was from a Parish over a mile away. Father Donegan asked …

The Glorious 12th in Belfast

vanhelsing on July 12, 2010, 10:38 pm | Readers 46

Slightly inspired by Drumlins Rock piece ‘The Marching Season – What’s it all about?’ I decided to conduct a little [non scientific] research of my own on the Belfast parade today. When collating the results below we took the respondents answers and categorised them into one of a number of set replies. Armed with clipboard in hand and my wingman for the day DMcC we surveyed just over 100 people at the event to see what they thought of the …