Author, Blogger, Journalist & Writer
AMERICA’S INEVITABLE DECLINE. I had thought it better to hold back on this piece until the euphoria of the United States having a bi-racial president had subsided. Like the revelry through the night every 1st of January. After a few weeks the New Year looks remarkably like the old one. Of course Obama is as different is style from Bush 43 as is possible to get. The problems he has to deal with are the same ones that caused “Dubya” to stare into the headlights. Obama’s soaring rhetoric will not change a few unpleasant facts. The USA is bankrupt. …
I suppose when an institution has been in some kind of existence since the days of the Roman emperors then they know a thing or two about re-positioning themselves to stay at the top table. A leading Vatican official declared recently that Darwin’s theory of evolution was compatible with Christian faith, and could even be traced to St Augustine and St Thomas Aquinas. “In fact, what we mean by evolution is the world as created by God,” said Archbishop Gianfranco Ravasi, head of the Pontifical Council for Culture. The Vatican also dealt the final blow to speculation that Pope Benedict …
Hello all. Due to me being in transit to a sunnier clime over the next week or so you may find that your postings may not appear right away. When I do get to a working terminal I will log on and approve comments. I am encouraged that,in recent weeks, there has been an observeable tendency to robustly play the ball rather than the man. Regards Phil Mac Giolla Bhain PS: last month saw the site register over 170,000 hits. This is the best month since the site was created in 2006.
Ireland has been stunned by the “Roscommon incest case”. People have been incredulous at the details of the case. A mother-of-six from County Roscommon was sentenced last week to seven years in prison after being convicted on ten counts of incest, sexual abuse and neglect of her children. Because the mother was sentenced under 1908 legislation she could only receive a sentence of 7 years. A man convicted of the same offences could face up to life imprisonment. Circuit Court Judge Miriam Reynolds said there was room for future legislation to be drawn up to deal with the actions of …
Hello. I have not approved several comments over the past few days (one tonight specifically was out of order and has prompted this response). If such comments were made in, say, print journalism then they would be actionable. In 20 years of being in print I have never cost any publciation a penny in legal fees. I would not dream of writing such defamatory statements. A basic rule-worth reiterating-is play the ball dont play the man. I have no problem in approving comments that take a 180 perspective on my views. It is heartening to see a robust debate taking place …
This week marks the 90th anniversary of a democratic revolution that would, in time, dismember the biggest empire the world had seen since the time of the Mongols. In the Mansion House in Dublin on the 21st of January 1919 the democratically elected representatives of the Irish people met in session. The winners of the 1918 election in Ireland, Sinn Fein, had stated that they would not attend the British parliament in London if elected. Instead they promised to meet as a parliament for all of the people of Ireland if they were elected. This they did. Of the 105 …
EXCLUSIVE
By Phil Mac Giolla Bhain
An ex-Republic of Ireland international and anti-racism expert has slammed the official inaction at anti-Irish racism in Scotland after the most recent stunt by supporters of Glasgow Rangers.
At the recent old firm match in Glasgow Rangers supporters unfurled a banner with a bus on it imploring that the city’s Irish community should go back to Ireland. The banner was made by “The Blue Order” the Ibrox club’s official fan club.
By Ray McKinney. Murray International Holdings: It happens a couple of times every year- a headline heralding another great performance followed by a few paragraphs that cite a series of impressive statistics. It is one of the UK’s best oiled PR machines in overdrive again. Scotland’s serious newspapers, The Scotsman (Edinburgh) and The Herald (Glasgow) seem to be locked in a mortal duel to curry most favour with one of Scotland’s richest men, Sir David Murray, founder of Murray International Holdings (MIH) and owner of Rangers Football Club. While the trials and tribulations of one of Glasgow’s football giants generates …
So far no one has made a movie of the life of Sir David Murray. I can’t think why as there is certainly enough dramatic material. The story arch is all there and the character bio is engaging. The young businessman who triumphed despite the appalling personal tragedy of the loss of both legs in 1976, following a serious car crash after a Rugby match. The loss of his wife Louise in 1992 due to cancer. In this movie there are also strong supporting roles for good character actors. With broody tough guy Souness and the genial white haired Walter …
I am sure that the recent crop of hagiographies masquerading as obituaries would have nauseated and delighted the late Conor Cruise O’Brien in equal measure. He was brilliant, complex and difficult man. Whatever, or whoever, he was he was certainly significant. In the Irish Independent (30/12/2008. www.unison.ie) Kevin Myer’s memoir of his first meeting with the “Cruiser” was doubly interesting because it recalled an incident told by the Cruiser himself in his seminal “States of Ireland”. Published in 1972 I read the book in the 1980s. One incident stayed with me long after I had put the book down and …
