Category Archives: Northern Ireland

In a world of ugly leaders, this attractive social democratic politician is a breath of fresh air

Posted on Wednesday, 9 April, 2025 by andypollak

We live in a world in turmoil, dominated by extremely ugly political leaders: right-wing megalomaniacs like Donald Trump, warmongers like Vladimir Putin and Benjamin Netanyahu, fascists and authoritarians like Marine Le Pen and Victor Orban. So it is a breath … Continue reading →

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In this cruel new Trumpian world, who cares about little Northern Ireland any more?

Posted on Monday, 10 March, 2025 by andypollak

The world has been reeling in the past 10 days since President Donald Trump and Vice-President J.D. Vance’s cruel two-handed public humiliation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the White House. Even more shattering has been the realisation that NATO … Continue reading →

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Theme for an all-island Values Forum: Love is the doctrine of this country?

Posted on Thursday, 20 February, 2025 by andypollak

I am going to return to the theme of my last blog earlier this month: the need for a forum to discuss not the constitutional politics which continue to divide the people of this island, but the values – peace, … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-border cooperation, General, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Is it time to reconvene the 1994-1996 Forum for Peace and Reconciliation?

Posted on Tuesday, 4 February, 2025 by andypollak

Last week on the same day I was involved in two very interesting conversations about the way forward for this island. I had lunch with a young Belfast-born, Dublin-resident solicitor called Ross Neill. Neill is that rare thing: somebody from … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Irish reunification, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Alliance leader Naomi Long talks a lot of sense (including about a Border poll)

Posted on Monday, 13 January, 2025 by andypollak

Alliance Party leader and Northern Ireland Justice Minister Naomi Long is somebody who is rarely interviewed or profiled by the Southern media, and almost never appears on public platforms in the Republic. But she is an impressive woman. I was … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Northern Ireland | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

A rare story of mercy and forgiveness between former combatants in Northern Ireland

Posted on Saturday, 28 December, 2024 by andypollak

At year’s end, and in the spirit of my last blog about the need for hope, I am once again going to shamelessly lift a whole column from another writer, and once again it’s from the superb Belfast Telegraph journalist … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Northern Ireland | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Talking to a Northern Protestant woman who is passionate about Irish language and culture

Posted on Wednesday, 2 October, 2024 by andypollak

Catherine Pollock (no relation – different spelling) from Derry is an unusual and remarkable woman. From a working class unionist background, she now works for the Irish language and cultural organisation Cultúrlann. She says of herself: “I’m not a unionist, … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Irish reunification, Northern Ireland, Protestantism, unionism and loyalism | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Is Olympic success a sign that Ireland can be made attractive to Northern Protestants?

Posted on Wednesday, 14 August, 2024 by andypollak

In all the wonderful hype about Ireland’s four Olympic gold medallists, there was one aspect that went relatively unreported – at least here in the republic. The fact that two of them – Daniel Wiffen in the 800 metres swimming … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Ireland, Europe and the world, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland | 2 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