Discrediting Opponents

Sep 02, 2017

Below is an article by Eoghan Harris. It was written 20-years ago. At the time, Sean O’Callaghan’s reputation was being attacked to discredit him and his story.     It is a compelling read.   A reply to an attack by Vincent Brown By  Eoghan Harris, Irish Times, 24 Dec 1996 Vincent Browne's extraordinary effort to discredit Sean O'Callaghan's critique of the peace process, taken together with his sideswipes at Conor Cruise O'Brien and myself, add up to a political position pretty close to

A Bloody Day

Jul 22, 2017

Imagine you are on a city break somewhere in Europe. All of a sudden there are flashing lights and sirens and police shouting instructions at you.   You know of recent terrorist attacks, never thinking it would happen to you. Survival instincts kick in. You take flight, putting distance between yourself and the threat.   Then, an explosion and you think, panic over. But it has only started. Over the next ninety minutes you are pulled from pillar to post by first responders. There are numerous

Smaller bonfires, fewer flags

Jul 10, 2017

My mother is a widow who lives alone in a council estate. She is 87 and not good on her feet. Carers pop in to help her.   Her bed is in the front living room. For four months she looks out on a bonfire site that rises to the size of a tower block in July. It is 49-paces away.  Flags are part of the package.    My father complained about it to the police and council. He had given up on politics. Nothing was done. An ex-servicemen and trade unionist, he hated how the national flag was