ard fheis

“A very unlikely setting to prepare for unity!”

Pete Baker on September 12, 2011, 12:23 am

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Alex Kane on Sinn Féin’s ‘historic’ Ard Fheis in Belfast. It was an altogether different bunch of rebels last night, an army of united-Irelands, many of whom had travelled a very long way (maybe even passing Prince Charles as he visited this part of his future kingdom) to debate, among other things, a motion calling for the ‘practical planning for Irish unity to begin now’. The conference programme may have referred to the six counties, but the reality was that …

Final look back at Sinn Féin’s ard fheis

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on September 11, 2011, 9:15 am

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I’ve only been to the Sinn Féin ard fheis twice. Eighteen or so months ago the coffee area outside the main hall in Dublin’s RDS resounded with the voices from across the south of the island. But northern accents were scarce, and as a visitor it heightened the feeling of being an outsider and in a minority. This weekend, the situation was reversed. While the theme was ‘a new republic’ and ’32 county thinking’, the accents floating across the concourse …

David Latimer’s speech: if an opportunity; one he missed completely

Turgon on September 10, 2011, 7:23 pm

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Following on from Mark’s blog with Rev. David Latimer’s speech to the Sinn Fein Ard Fheis, I thought an analysis of the speech from a unionist perspective was maybe worthwhile. I have already suggested some possible motives for why Latimer said what he said. However, leaving aside the poor delivery, the preening, the media chasing and anything which might though accurate be described as man playing: why was it nonsense and incorrect? The first reason is simple whataboutery. Whataboutery is …

Some observations from the opening night of the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on September 10, 2011, 12:52 am

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Rev David Latimer addresses the Ard Fheis 2011

Metal barriers surround the Belfast’s Waterfront Hall this afternoon. A police landrover sits discreetly across the road. Yellow bibbed security teams thoroughly examine the bags of everyone arriving. Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness are in the main hall rehearsing their conference speeches using the teleprompter. Earlier in the day, twenty five or so elected representatives and rising stars rehearsed their two minute speeches that will delivered during the “live” section on Saturday when BBC and RTE are broadcasting live from …

Rev. David Latimer at the Ard Fheis

Blank on September 9, 2011, 8:39 pm

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For those that missed it you can see Martin McGuiness introduce his friend David Latimer to the Ard Fheis and then his speech from 15mins on: Video streaming by Ustream Mick Adds: Blank

SF #ardfheis LiveStreaming and LiveBlog

Blank on September 9, 2011, 7:09 pm

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RTE Live has better sound quality… Blank

Sinn Féin’s Ard Fheis this weekend in Belfast #ardfheis … kicking off party conference season

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on September 6, 2011, 8:45 am

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Sinn Fein Gerry Adams shadow at 2011 manifesto launch

Update – Sinn Féin launched the clár (agenda/timetable) for the Belfast Ard Fheis this morning. Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neill and Belfast Lord Mayor Niall Ó Donnghaile spoke briefly afterwards about the conference coming north, the value of bringing in external guests to speak (including Rev David Latimer – see below), an overview of some of the themes that will be covered in the motions. I also asked whether the issue of Sinn Féin supporting an Irish Presidential candidate would be …