Category Archives: General

Cycling through the ‘hidden heartlands’ of this wondrous island

Posted on Wednesday, 31 July, 2024 by andypollak

July is the month I take a break from political commentary and go cycling around Ireland. Two years ago – with my friend David Ward – I cycled from Mizen Head in west Cork to Fair Head in north Antrim. … Continue reading →

Posted in General, The island environment | 4 Comments

We have a kind of peace in the North, but ingrained hatreds live on

Posted on Monday, 15 July, 2024 by andypollak

The results of the British general election in Northern Ireland confirmed what we already know. The DUP is in deep trouble: the loss of three of its heartland seats in Lagan Valley (the constituency of its former leader Sir Jeffrey … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Northern Ireland | 2 Comments

The dreadful state of the Northern Ireland health service: an argument for unity – or convergence?

Posted on Thursday, 27 June, 2024 by andypollak

I was at the big Ireland’s Future rally in Belfast earlier this month. The line-up of speakers was impressively broad and sometimes not obviously nationalist: from former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to former Alliance leader Lord John Alderdice, from the SDLP’s … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Northern Ireland | 1 Comment

Why I am glad to see the Sinn Féin vote cratering in the Republic

Posted on Thursday, 13 June, 2024 by andypollak

Regular readers of this blog will not be surprised when I say that I am glad to see the Sinn Féin vote cratering in the local and (to a lesser extent) European elections in the Republic. 12% in those local … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Irish reunification, Republic of Ireland, Sinn Fein | 3 Comments

Something is happening in Ireland and it’s not pretty: the rise of an anti-immigration movement

Posted on Wednesday, 22 May, 2024 by andypollak

There is something happening in Ireland (the Republic) and it is not pretty. It is the mobilisation by far-right actors of anti-immigration sentiment in response to a sharp increase (from a low base) in the number of asylum seekers arriving … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Republic of Ireland | 2 Comments

One fan’s view of the farcical shenanigans of the Football Association of Ireland

Posted on Tuesday, 30 April, 2024 by andypollak

This blog is about football: not Gaelic football, but football as it is played by many millions of men and women around the world, the ‘beautiful game’ as it is played by Brazil and France and Argentina, at Real Madrid … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Republic of Ireland | 1 Comment

Two states, one system: a novel idea worth considering

Posted on Wednesday, 17 April, 2024 by andypollak

Regular readers of this blog will know that I like new ideas which go beyond the binary unionist-nationalist straitjacket which has dominated (and constrained) debate about the future of this island for most of the past hundred years. Thus over … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 1 Comment

Leo Varadkar and Ireland’s Future have very different ideas of reconciliation and consent

Posted on Thursday, 28 March, 2024 by andypollak

I wouldn’t have said this seven years ago, when he first became Taoiseach, but I am sorry to see Leo Varadkar stepping down from that post. I do not agree with many of his right-of-centre policies on economic and social … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Irish reunification, Northern Ireland | 2 Comments

Ireland in 2024 is a rather good country, despite the begrudgers

Posted on Wednesday, 13 March, 2024 by andypollak

Maybe because St Patrick’s Day is coming up and we’re in the middle of Seachtain na Gaeilge, I’m feeling a bit patriotic – so am going to write about why I think the Republic of Ireland is a rather good … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Republic of Ireland | 4 Comments

Why the Republic of Ireland needs a new John Bruton

Posted on Tuesday, 20 February, 2024 by andypollak

With the death earlier this month of former Taoiseach John Bruton, we have lost an important and courageous voice in the Republic of Ireland. We will need a new John Bruton to appear from somewhere: a nationalist leader who will … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Republic of Ireland | 7 Comments