Strabane

A fresh start for the A5 – but at what cost?

Andy Boal on November 19, 2015, 1:55 pm

| Readers 1946

Disclaimer: being a strong public transport advocate does not stop me from enjoying the open road, gliding effortlessly past slower traffic [You don’t say – Ed] Indeed – but we all have too many things to do that cannot conveniently be done by bike, bus or train… Mick has already considered the opportunity cost of the £75 million promised by the Irish Government for the A5 scheme from Newbuildings to Strabane, although I think that money could buy several Narrow …

Dave Duggan’s DENIZEN – a dissident republican addresses the court – drama performed in an actual courtroom

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on March 24, 2015, 10:00 pm

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The word ‘denizen’ conjures up the notion of a citizen, yet perhaps one with fewer rights or living somewhere that isn’t home. It’s also the title of Dave Duggan’s new play, a courtroom drama written in verse which opens in the north west this weekend and will be performed in two courthouses. Interviewed last week, the playwright told me: The conceit in the play is that the judges have given Denizen an hour to speak to the court of public …

Welcome to The [Gay] Central [Bar] in Strabane…

Mick Fealty on March 26, 2014, 8:18 pm

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THE MOST REMOTE GAY BAR IN THE UK v2 from Vik Patel on Vimeo. Until the video owner sets the permissions to allow his video to be embedded on Slugger’s domain, here’s the shorter Channel 4 report: How tackle homophobia? Just opening gay bars, one at time.. A life affirming film from Anna Leach and Vik Patel… with a H/T to Channel Four News Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the …

Belfast Telegraph: Strabane Fermanagh

Turgon on August 2, 2013, 12:05 pm

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Belfast Telegraph headline: Strabane gets shirty over patriotic top American company thinks Fermanagh town’s in Scotland The Belfast Telegraph has an article poking fun at an American company producing a t shirt with a Union Flag and the name Strabane on it. The company told the Belfast Telegraph it was Strabane Scotland which according to the Bel Tel’s research does not exist. Unfortunately on its front page the Belfast Telegraph also has a non existent town: Strabane, Fermanagh. Update: They …

Strabane District Council consider restricting public and press from committee meetings

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on January 19, 2013, 8:27 pm

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Back in 2009 I talked a lot on my own blog about the varying levels of accountability and transparency of local councils. Many councils did not publish council online. Some did not publish accurate – or any – lists of upcoming meetings that the public could attend. When FOIed for minutes, some obfuscated, some delayed, and at least one required an internal review to get an electronic copy (though they printed and scanned them first to reduce the searchability). During …

Culture Night … tonight in Belfast, Strabane, Derry and beyond

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on September 23, 2011, 12:00 pm

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Across Ireland, tonight’s the night when arts taster events will be run in a town near you … for free. Last September, Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter was buzzing late into the evening as families walked around the streets, guided by maps and diverted by what their ears and eyes could pick out of the smorgasbord of music, pictures, talks, dance, comedy, street performers and one man soulfully playing trumpet from an upstairs window. Tonight, the organiser has crammed in even more …

RAADical reporting? Pinch of salt required?

Blank on September 15, 2010, 11:31 pm

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A pipebomb attack on a car in Strabane and the foolish heroism of a local man in dealing with the device has been widely reported. In recent coverage much of the MSM has dropped the term ‘community worker’ to describe him, he is now reported as a ‘taxi driver’ facing a death threat from a ‘criminal gang’ along with the intended target of the device (an alleged drug dealer he has no connection with, who has already left the country). …

R.A.A.D. all about it!

Aldous Duke on May 31, 2010, 10:51 pm

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Republican Action Against Drugs have been engaging in something of a PR drive in Strabane of late. The group, which claims to target drug dealers in republican areas has been mainly active in the north-west (i.e. Derry and Strabane) since last year, but have also claimed responsibility for a recent shooting in Newry. During election week at the start of May, the group released this photo to Strabane Chronicle journalist Conor Sharkey. It shows gunmen saluting dead RAAD member Roger …