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Slow blogging

Apologies for the short hiatus in blogging on Slugger O'Toole. We hope to bring you the new design and news of a new project shortly.

Negotiations: five key areas

Irish government officials have identified five key areas on which they believe substantial progress can be made.

Negotiations: game off?

Mark Devenport finds Gerry Adams's downbeat remarks at the weekend inscrutable, but weighs the consequences of further inaction before the May election:

"If republicans decide, as Gerry Adams indicates, that the time is not right to reach agreement, they will risk alienating London, Dublin and Washington in the uncertain hope of achieving a better deal in the autumn, by which time it's likely that the face of unionism could look rather different."

Adair: Scottish exiles

Ruaridh Nicoll casts a Scottish eye on the new arrivals from Ulster. Meanwhile the Scottish media are turning their attention on Loyalist activities more generally.

As the group disperse throughout Britain the UDA have threatened to track down John Gregg's killer whereever he settles.

Adair: one killing too far?

Henry McDonald tells an epic story of how Johnny Adair may have tempted fate once too often.

Fianna Fail: dangers of organising in the north

John A Murphy warns Fianna Fail that acting on a recent motion to organise in Northern Ireland may do little to further the party's political ambition, and undermine confidence in the Belfast Agreement.

UDA unites after funeral

It is reported that the funeral of John Gregg has united all factions of the UDA, and that the feud is over in Northern Ireland. Meanwhile in a scenario that strangely echoes a motif from ancient legend, John White has vowed to return from Scotland.

Book review: Erskine Childers

This looks a like a good read. The biography of a fascinating historical character, Erskine Childers:

"Born in England but raised in Ireland, he fought for Britain in the First World War, before joining Sinn Fein and then the IRA. He was executed by the Irish Free State, but his son eventually became president of the Irish Republic. Chiefly known in Ireland for smuggling German guns into the country on the eve of the Great War, he is most famous in England as the author of the novel that, some say, anticipated - and may even have helped precipitate - that conflict."

For a more swashbuckling account of escape, The Guardian's book of the week review is of The Voyage of the Catalpa: A Perilous Journey and Six Irish Rebels' Escape to Freedom.

Iraq, Paxman and a Prime Minister

A slight digression, but this piece by emigre Cork academic Kieran Healey is worth a read on the grilling of Tony Blair on the BBC last Thursday.

Northern Ireland economic still below par

Gary McDonald reports (subscription) on the continuing under performance of Northern Ireland:

"It will take 'another generation' for Northern Ireland’s economy to move away from its reliance on the public sector, forecasters warned yesterday. Although the north's economy should grow 'slightly faster' this year than in 2002, the region's economic activity rate will remain the poorest of all the UK regions."

Loyalist feud: a recap

David Gordon with a fairly comprehensive recapitulation of the last few months of the feud.

Portadown News

We don't always get the chance to pass by Portadown-on-the-web, but this week's issue is one of the best yet.

Loyalist feud: political leadership needed?

The Times is not renowned as a leading criticism of Unionism, but it seems the dangers of the Loyalist feud has led it to make this rather stinging criticism of the leadership in Unionism:

"Responsibility rests with local politicians. David Trimble complained yesterday about “some in the Unionist leadership which over the last few years has emphasised only negativity, that it kept on drumming into people”. This was a legitimate swipe at the Democratic Unionist Party but is relevant to Mr Trimble and many of his colleagues as well. The Ulster Unionist Party has too often either steered clear of loyalist trouble-spots or pandered to the sentiments of those at the wilder end of the spectrum. It has been disinclined either to make a positive case for the peace process of the past six years or to challenge the remit of loyalist warlords."

The Scotsman has produced a descriptive list of the main players in the feud itself.

A Catholic police reserve?

Sharon O'Neill reports that most of the new recruits to the part time Police Reserve will be Catholic.

Book review: Nationalism, devolution and the UK

This work by Ulster academic Arthur Aughey takes a longer distance look at the changes in the UK since in 1997 and what it might imply for the British identity. Reviewer Stefan Wolff remarks:

"...the recent devolution of power to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland has created a degree of uncertainty in which the very and continued existence of the United Kingdom is and can no longer be taken for granted with its former sources of pride (the Commonwealth, the constitution, institutional continuity, and status as a world power) having been or being eroded and the answer to the question 'whether there is the political will or the civic energy to make out of modern Britain [an] attractive and inclusive national identity' still open."

Update: There's a more comprehensive review here

An DUP agus Sinn Féin le bheith ag obair le chéile?

Síleann Robert McMillan go bhfuil an greim den fear mhór ar a pháirtí fein ag éirí lag:

"Tuairiscítear go gcaithfidh gach ráiteas a eisítear ar son an DUP dul fríd oifig lár an pháirtí. Ach ó tharla gur thug Hay an chaint, tchím féin é mar chomhartha go bhfuil greim grise an pháirtí ag éirí lag. Le dul in aois Ian Paisley, níl sé le feiceáil nó le cluinstin oiread agus ba ghnách. Tá seo ag tabhairt spáis do bhaill an pháirtí 'smaointiú os ard'."

Críochaigheann sé le seo:

"Ar a laghad beidh an dá Thaoiseach, Bertie Ahern agus Tony Blair, i mBéal Feirste ar an 12 Feabhra le fuinneamh a chur sa phróiseas. Ábhar suntais eile ná go bhfuil Martin McGuinness i Meiriceá fá choinne cainteanna le Richard Haass, Comhairleoir George W. Bush ar Éirinn. Beidh an tUasal Haass in Éirinn an mhí seo. Tá sé seo uilig ag éirí cosúil le choreography, nach bhfuil?"

Negotiations: troop reductions?

The Andersonstown News articulates a Republican view of what's required from the negotiations:

"A bold move, such as withdrawing 5,000 troops immediately and closing down their surveillance watchtowers (or relocating them to areas like Rathcoole and the Lower Shankill which are racked by violence) is needed from the security brass who have undermined the peace process thus far by their foot-dragging and begrudgery."

Negotiations: deal yes, but not without Unionist approval

Newshound has its top story links to a possible historic movement from the IRA. But Richard Hass warns that it will amount to nothing if it is not acceptable to Unionists.

Loyalist feud: nearing the end

The BBC's Brian Rowan suspects that the end is nigh for the low level conflict that threatened to rip the UDA apart. Last night's flit from the Lower Shankill and the defection of 100 members of Adair's C Company may have sealed the end of the rogue outfit.