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Online December 31, 2011

A time to reflect on the year gone by and prepare for 2012

This is the time of year when we pause to take stock of what has occurred in the year just past. Sports clubs do this as well. What were the highlights? What went wrong? What lessons can be learned for the incoming year?

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Online December 25, 2011

Drink drives the mistake of taking the wrong car

The news last week that someone had borrowed a Garda car after being stopped suspected of drink driving reminded me of a couple of events from the past.

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North Belfast News October 31, 2011

The writings and rebellions of a St Malachy’s old boy

Joseph Campbell, a poet, playwright, patriot and artist was the man behind the words to the famous My Lagan Love.Joseph went to St Malachy’s College and in 1892 in the Intermediate Examination he won an exhibition, £20 and a cup. The following year his poem “The Road Makers” was published.

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North Belfast News October 11, 2011

Committees make their point by closing Hightown

Now that the GAA inter county season has ended, apart from some county finals and provincial championships, the pendulum switches to off-field activities. This is the committee season where rules and regulations are pored over and discussed in great detail. Not least among them will be the latest offerings on discipline. Ah! Discipline. The GAA takes discipline very seriously. They seek to control the games efficiently. It could be argued that they do this very well. However, consistency is another matter altogether.

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Online September 28, 2011

Just some of the retiring types

Last Sunday I met a man in Meaghar’s pub in Dublin before the All Ireland final. Meaghar’s must be the biggest pub I was ever in. As happens all too often these days he said hello to me and called me by name.

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Online September 19, 2011

At Croke Park it’s very much a case of the Maor the, ah, Perrier

The GAA have all but abandoned their name Cumann Lúthchleas Gael – the logo GAA is now emblazoned on all jerseys probably as a contribution to the new Ireland and an aid to Jim Wells’ army to spot members of ladies’ football teams collecting money. Where does all the money go, you might ask? But that’s another story entirely, one for a winter’s evening.

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Columnists February 17, 2012

Terms of justice should not be left to victims

Al Hutchinson, who is no longer officially our Ombudsman but is keeping the seat warm until his successor is installed, has stirred the pot of the past in recent days.

Andersonstown News February 16, 2012

A time for great rejoicing?

GENERAL hilarity erupts in West Belfast, firstly at news that Rangers had applied to go into administration; secondly, at news that they had indeed gone into administration; and thirdly, that the inevitable 10-point docking had taken place.

Andersonstown News February 16, 2012

Why snack lovers are getting that old sinking feeling on this 100th anniversary

AWAY from the Occupied Six-Counties fry, another staple food of Noel ’n’ Alan was in the spotlight this week. In the research and development wing of Tandragee Castle, Tayto have…

Andersonstown News February 16, 2012

Chemical fly in the oinkment

A CORRESPONDENT – ‘Pig-Ignorant’ – texts the paper this week complaining about some bacon he bought for his Saturday morning fry-up. He’s unhappy first of all about the fact that the bacon had an irridiscent sheen when he removed it from the packaging

Andersonstown News February 16, 2012

Resilience a recurring theme, from Conamara to Ground Zero

That great hero of Conamara, Seán Ó Coisdealbha, was in the Cultúrlann on Saturday to launch his new poetry anthology Stadhan. A veteran troublemaker – in the best sense of the word – and the dynamo behind some of the best community ventures in the Gaeltacht,

Columnists February 15, 2012

Bitsa ramblings on travel – both time and otherwise

In the mid-90s I briefly took a break from playing Goldeneye on the Nintendo 64 and worrying about who would win the musical face-off between Blur and Oasis to watch children’s television.