SINN FÉIN Foyle MLA Martina Anderson has called for calm, restraint and commonsense around the Apprentice Boys’ march in Derry on Saturday.

“The priority for this coming weekend must be to ensure that the disruption and inconvenience to the citizens of the city is kept to an absolute minimum.

"Those organisations and individuals who are participating or have responsibility for... Free article

SINN FÉIN Assembly member Gerry Kelly has welcomed the announcement by the First Minister and deputy First Minister a number of changes have been made to the Parades Bill to ensure that the primary purpose of the legislation – dealing with contentious parades – is guaranteed.

“The purpose of this legislation is to deal with the issue of loyal order parades. In our party submission... Free article

SINN FÉIN MP for Mid-Ulster Martin McGuinness has branded those responsible for an overnight arson attack on an Orange Hall in Pomeroy as “motivated solely by sectarian bigotry”.

He said the attack is aimed at raising tension ahead of this this weekend’s Apprentice Boys parades.

“The overnight arson attack on the Orange hall in Pomeroy is unacceptable. It is wrong and it needs to... Free article

Roof-top protest at Fianna Fáil TD’s office wins public debate on youth unemployment, Sun shines on National Youth Camp in County Down, Ógra flying column flies West and Slogadh na nÓg Free article

BY PEADAR WHELAN

POLICE OMBUDSMAN Al Hutch-inson has been forced to withdraw his report into the 1971 bombing of Catholic-owned McGurks’s Bar after an angry outcry by families of the victims, pointing to serious errors in the report.
His findings were “flawed and unforgivable”, according to some relatives of the dead.
They were outraged that Hutchinson’s findings, which took... Free article

Sinn Féin council mayors and chairs elected across Ireland

SINN FÉIN COUNCILLORS have been elected to be mayors or chairs or deputy mayors and deputy chairs across the island of Ireland, a tribute to the hard work that they and all Sinn Féin activists put in on behalf of their communities, day in, day out.

ARMAGH
Mary Doyle has been elected Deputy Mayor of Armagh City.

CAVAN
John... Free article

THE annual Derry Volunteers Commemoration on the last Sunday in June was a time of reflection for all republicans and remembrance of the sacrifices made particularly by IRA Volunteers but also the civilian population in epic struggles against the RUC and the British Army such as the Battle of the Bogside and the fight for justice for the fallen of Bloody Sunday.
Martin McGuinness,... Free article

SEÁNIE FITZPATRICK is on his uppers. The one-time darling of Celtic Tiger Ireland and the political establishment has hit rock bottom. Sympathy for Seánie – chief bottle washer at the toxic and now state-owned Anglo Irish Bank – is in short supply. Seánie may have fallen but he brought everyone with him. He may be bankrupt but he has his wife’s €3.6million to fall back on. Yes,... Free article

SO, ‘Ulster’ rejects the Eames/Bradley Report, though we don’t know how many of the responses to the consultation proposals came from Donegal, Monaghan and Cavan.
It seems few bothered to respond at all. Of the 174 individuals and the 72 organisations who did, the majority gave a resounding ‘No’ to all the recommendations put forward by the Consultative Group headed up by Denis... Free article

Taoiseach, a chara,
I hear that Bertie has decided against running for the Áras. Is fearr rith maith ná droch sheasamh – a good run is better than a bad stand, I suppose.
Anyway, what set me thinking about the upcoming election for President of Ireland was a photograph in the Belfast Telegraph of Poles going to the polls in a community centre on the Ormeau Road. Then I met some... Free article