Comment

Dissident Republicanism in the North

In the North at present there are infrequent attacks by at least three armed Irish Republican insurgent guerrilla 'armies'. 'Dissident' Republicans were responsible for the April 2011 bomb attack in Killyclogher, near Omagh, which killed PSNI member, Ronan Kerr; the Antrim fatal shooting attacks at Massereene Barracks in 2009; a fatal shooting attack in North Armagh, and the Omagh bombing of 1999.

The power of recall

A sign hangs from the gates of Leinster House this week: "gone on holidays" it reads, and it's signed by our entire elected political establishment. As you walk the now silent halls of the Dáil you notice the signs of the hurried summer departure, like schoolchildren at the end of term - hallways empty, offices vacated. All of our newly elected officials, who promised us the world if elected, are gone. Surprised? You shouldn't be. Our apathy let them go.

Traveller film Knuckles perpetuates stereotypes

Ian Palmer's film Knuckles presents Travellers in a prurient and stereotyped way, writes Rosaleen McDonagh.

The film Knuckles both frightened and disturbed me. It confirmed all my fears about voyeurism and creating entertainment from people living on the margins.

Amy Winehouse's death should change how we deal with addiction

Yesterday (26 July), singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse was laid to rest in her native London. For years, the public watched the troubled star battle with severe drug and alcohol addiction. Surprisingly, before her rise to stardom in the mid noughties, not only was Amy not a drug user, but she was avidly anti-drugs.

Phone hacking scandal: A drama of Shakespearean proportions

The phone hacking scandal has all the trappings of a Shakespearian drama, writes Paul McElhinney

Many of Shakespeare’s tragedies involve the key players ending up dead on stage. In the phone hacking scandal so far, two of Britain’s most senior police officers, the CEO of News International and a senior executive of News Corporation, have all resigned and a former News of the World journalist central to the drama, has been found dead – a high casualty level.

Homophobia in Ireland: forgotten but not gone?

There have been some significant steps forward in LGBT rights in Ireland in the last few years, but homophobia is still a problem. This needs to be addressed by significant changes to the education system, writes Alan Moss

The phone hacking story nobody reported

The practice of journalists hacking voicemail inboxes is back in the news for the third or fourth time. Despite all the public and political outrage, there has been little comment on the part of the mobile network operators in the UK, still less any admission of responsibility.

Debunking the myths of Irish capitalism

There is no alternative. We must rely on foreign direct investments and on the private sector to create jobs. Private is more 'efficient' than public. An entrepreneurial spirit will drive economic growth. These are just some of the mantras that we are exposed to on a daily basis from economic commentators, whom our mainstream media promote as 'experts'. They have a monopoly over our airwaves and newspapers, and use it to espouse their ideas as if they were common sense facts that are irrefutable.

Politics: Parenting a nation

It’s not easy. No one said it was. But it is essential. Vital and imperative. As useful as a doctor – although not as highly regarded. As children of our nation we do not always appreciate the presence of politics as it impacts on our lives. Taxes, laws, restrictions and regulations are structuring and safeguarding our present nation and the environment of our grandchildren.

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