As anybody interested in books in Ireland will know by now, an academic historian, Diarmaid Ferriter took advantage of being given my recent book, ‘1916: The Mornings After’, to review in The Irish Times to blast what he clearly viewed as the work of a non-academic writer in what was called on Politics.ie a contender…
Category: Irish History
One Book Two Blogs!
After a period of silence I am not merely producing one blog but in effect two! One has to do with my own work the other as we will see later is the creation of the distinguished artist Robert “Bobby” Ballagh. Following on from my last blog the launch of my current book which I…
Do Cry for Us Argentina
I solicit tears, not because of rugby but because of the conclusions I have been driven to by the research for my next book. The reason for my long absence from bloggerdom will become apparent from Wednesday of this week onwards. My new book, 1916: The Mornings After, is being launched in Easons of O’Connell…
Disgustingly Obvious
There is no doubt about it Irish controversies have a distinctly Irish flavour to them. Where else would you find it necessary for a slew of cabinet ministers to suggest to the officer in charge of the countries organisation charged with preserving the civil peace An Garda Síochána to act with civility. Of course Commissioner…
Haul in the Bloody Bankers
Haul in the Bloody Bankers! Bring the bloody bankers before the Public Accounts Committee! There should be three important steps taken as a result of what can only be described as the spectacularly successful hearings of the Public Accounts Committee. One, the lawyers cant about Dáil Committees being an intrusion upon the work…
Eat, Drink and be Merry, For Tomorrow…..
Eat Drink and be Merry For Tomorrow…. In the past week I was reminded of how friendship and tragedy, distance and proximity can echo across the world to resound unexpectedly in one’s daily life. In the same forty eight hours I was most generously entertained by Nisheeth Ta with members of my family in the…
Scottish Independence Go For it
Whoever thought that the worst nightmare of Belfast Loyalists would be in danger of coming true this year? But ‘tis true they, and those that think like them are dependent on a TAIG, the loyalist term for a Catholic, to preserve the Union. The Taig, Mr David Cameron of Eton and Westminster has emerged Toff…
Water could start the Fire.
There is an uncanny resemblance between the present Irish Government and the first Cumann na nGael administration of the 1920s. Both took draconian decisions and had the fortitude to see them through even in the case of Cumann na nGael, to the extent of taking the horrific step of executing former comrades. The present Fine…
Fr. Alec Reid, Peacemaker Extraordinary
Father Alec Reid, an appreciation by Tim Pat Coogan By the acid test; “Did his life enhance or detract from human happiness?” Father Alec Reid’s sojourn on this earth must be judged a spectacular success. He was the initiator of the peace process and the most tireless worker for it. But when this shy diffident…
Kathleen Ní Houlihan needs a perp’s walk.
Kathleen Ní Houlihan needs a perp’s walk. If the Government didn’t share my views on the need to make people accountable for what was done to our people and our economy under Fianna Fáil, I’d say the opinion poll results which came out since I wrote my l blog below went far to changing their minds.…