BBC broadcaster Mark Sidebottom is presented with the Edward Carson Trophy, named after the unionist icon who was a keen hurler, by Francie Molloy

THERE IS a scene in the ‘Michael Collins’ film where Liam Neeson is pacing a darkened room in brooding silence. Julia Roberts, as Kitty Kiernan, senses that something is up and says to him, “You’ve sent your boys out tonight, haven’t you?”
There were several of us of a similar demeanour at my sister’s wedding in Tullamore last Saturday as 7 o’clock approached and we realised that... Free article

Man shot in back by British Army was ‘innocent’

FOUR DECADES to the day an unarmed Belfast man was shot in the back and killed by the British Army in 1971, the Historical Enquiries Team declared he was “innocent” of any wrongdoing. The British Army had consistently argued that Billy McKavanagh was an armed IRA activist.
British soldiers came upon the 21-year-old Markets man... Free article

BY MARK MOLONEY

JIM ALLISTER MLA was traditionally ranting and raving this weekend, screaming to the media that an Ógra Shinn Féin youthcamp last weekend was a "Terrorfest".

The well-attended weekend included political debates, lectures, a hunger strike exhibition, a historical tour of south Armagh, a talk on the Basque Country and the National Hunger Strike Commemoration on... Free article

Enda Kenny’s hospital emergency

IF Sunday Business Post reporter Niamh Connolly had erased her old election campaign recordings, it may not have been possible to prove that Enda Kenny gave an unequivocal pledge to the people of Roscommon that Fine Gael in government would keep the accident and emergency services in Roscommon County Hospital. Now he’s safely in power, Enda Kenny... Free article

LOYAL ORDER LEADERS have been urged once again by North Belfast Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly to engage in talks with elected representatives and representative community groups around the small number of contentious parades after sustained rioting in Ardoyne and other areas around Orange Order marches on The Twelfth.
The largest outbreak of trouble occurred in Ardoyne in North... Free article

Emergency – Hospitals in danger

» BY MÍCHEÁL Mac DONNCHA

PEOPLE from across the West of Ireland served by Roscommon County Hospital rallied outside the Dáil on 6th July to protest at the axing of the hospital’s Emergency Department (ED). The rally coincided with the Dáil debate on a Sinn Féin motion calling on Government TDs to fulfil their election commitments to retain... Free article

Attorney General orders new inquest into murder organised by top British Army agent in UDA

» BY PEADAR WHELAN

THE FAMILY of west Belfast nationalist Gerard Slane have achieved a major breakthrough in their fight for justice with the ordering by the Attorney General of a fresh inquest into his killing in 1988.
The development has come after the lawyer acting for the family,... Free article

A Turning Point in History

» BY JAYNE FISHER

MARKING the 30th anniversary of the Hunger Strike, one of the most important and courageous struggles to have taken place anywhere in history, anywhere in the world, saw London’s Irish Centre packed on June 18th at a conference to mark this turning point in history. The event was organised by Sinn Féin to remember the Hunger Strike and... Free article