Up to twenty human rights activists are believed to have been killed
and scores injured after Israeli commandos attacked a humanitarian aid
flotilla of ships this morning in international waters.
![[Irish Republican News]](https://republican-news.org/graphics/title_gifs/rn.gif) | ![[Irish Republican News]](https://republican-news.org/graphics/title_gifs/harp.gif) |
May 31, 2010
Israel attacks aid convoy
Up to twenty human rights activists are believed to have been killed
and scores injured after Israeli commandos attacked a humanitarian aid
flotilla of ships this morning in international waters.
UVF kills again
A cold-blooded murder by the UVF in broad daylight on the Shankill Road
on Friday has challenged British propoganda about the loyalist
paramilitary ceasefires.
Rocket strikes Derry PSNI base
The PSNI have vowed to further increase their fortifications in the
North after republican armed group Oglaigh na hEireann (ONH) launched a
mortar rocket attack on a PSNI barracks in Derry in Friday.
PSNI ‘vetting’ dispute escalates
Sinn Fein has warned the PSNI it may consider its levels of co-operation
unless a row involving a former Catholic priest is resolved.
Inquest ordered by new Attorney General
The North’s new Attorney General John Larkin has ordered that a new
inquest be held into a controversial British army ‘shoot-to-kill’ case.
Outrage at welfare cuts
Thousands of lone parents whose youngest child reaches 13 will no longer
be able to claim one-parent family payments under a new Social Welfare
bill that has been slammed as “harsh” and “heartless” by unions and
opposition parties.
Action alert over Israeli attack
An action alert to hold Israel to account over the murder of
international human rights activists and the hijacking of their aid
flotilla.
Prison lessons have not been learnt
Prison reform which was painfully won by people, most of whom in
normal society would not have been in prison at all, must not have to be
struggled for again because of the unwillingness of those in authority
to recognise reality inside prisons, or out of them.
May 28, 2010
Loyalist paramilitary shot dead in Belfast
A senior loyalist paramilitary was shot dead at point blank range by
masked gunmen this afternoon on the Shankill Road in Belfast.
May 27, 2010
Welcome for Sunday report publication date
Twelve years after the inquiry began, the Saville report into the Bloody
Sunday massacre in Derry will finally be published on June 15.
End of hunger protest welcomed
Republican Liam Hannaway has ended his hunger strike at Maghaberry
prison following intensive efforts to resolve his dispute with prison
authorities.
Ruling paves way for shoot-to-kill inquest
Official reports into British Crown force “shoot-to-kill” murders in the
Six Counties should be released to the victims’ families, the High Court
ruled today.
Demand for access to Maghaberry prisoners
The family of prominent County Armagh republican Colin Duffy have
challenged a decision banning them from visiting him in jail.
‘Dysfunctional’ government behind child deaths fiasco
The failure of government health officials in the 26 Counties to
ascertain the number of children who died in state care since 2000 is
“genuinely frightening”, Amnesty International warned today.
McCausland abandons the pretence
The so-called ‘culture minister’ for the Six Counties, the DUP’s Nelson
McCausland, has sent an extraordinary letter to museum chiefs in the
North asking them to give more prominence to alternative views on the
origin of the universe, Ulster-Scots and the Orange Order.
The course towards convergence
The address by Sinn Fein Deputy First
Minister Martin McGuinness to a North South Consultative Conference in
Farmleigh in Dublin on Wednesday.
The unhappy fate of unionist leaders
The disintegration of British union supporters in Ireland has come not
from their opponents outside but from their friends inside.
May 25, 2010
End Hannaway’s hunger strike
There have been calls for urgent efforts to be made to save the life of
a republican prisoner on hunger strike at Maghaberry prison.
‘Historic’ appointment of Attorney General
A Six-County Attorney General, John Larkin, was appointed today
[Monday], the first to hold the post since 1973.
Tensions at sectarian interfaces, Ballymena march
There have been outbreaks of trouble at so-called ‘peace lines’ tonight
[Monday night] in both Derry and Belfast.
Unity calls cast a new light
The ‘Grand Master’ of the Orange Order has said a single unionist party
is needed to prevent a united Ireland, while a leading member of the
SDLP has withdrawn a surprise statement calling for a single nationalist
party in the North.
Tory cuts inspire ‘Celtic’ alliance
The threat of cuts imposed by the new Tory Prime Minister, David
Cameron, has brought together the leaders of the devolved Assemblies in
Belfast, Edinburgh and Cardiff.
No Rising centenary for North - DUP
The DUP ‘Minister for Culture’ in the Six Counties, Nelson McCausland
has rejected a call by Taoiseach Brian Cowen for the centenary of the
1916 Easter Rising to be commemorated both north and south of the
border.
Nora Connolly O’Brien
In an excerpt from her memoirs,
Nora Connolly O’Brien talks about her father’s final days and the courage and
inspiration that James Connolly gave to her and continues to give today.
Maghaberry And David Ford
A conversation came back to me on learning of the visit by British micro-minister for Justice David Ford to Maghaberry Prison
May 20, 2010
Paisley’s lies exposed
A Historical Enquiries Team report into the British/loyalist multiple
killing of three south Armagh brothers in 1976 has finally confirmed
that the murders were purely sectarian.
Minister visits Maghaberry
The Six-County Minister for Justice David Ford has made an official
visit to Maghaberry as tensions continue to rise inside the
high-security jail.
Process will survive Tories - McGuinness
The Stormont Deputy First Minister, Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness, says
he doesn’t believe the change of government in London will have a
negative impact on the peace process.
Pfizer deals crippling jobs blow
Up to 785 people are set to lose their jobs in Ireland after the
pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced a major restructuring of its
manufacturing business.
Cardinal rejects resignation call
The head of the Catholic church in Ireland, Cardinal Sean Brady has
indicated he has decided to stay at the head of the Irish Catholic
church despite an unprecedented scandal over clerical child abuse and a
subsequent cover-up by the church hierarchy.
Donegal residents resist Garda tax clampdown
A campaign is mounting in Donegal against a tax imposed by the Dublin
government on cars purchased in the Six Counties.
An appalling abuse of rights
There are 32 republican prisoners in Roe House in Maghaberry Prison
living in appalling conditions and one prisoner, Liam Hannaway, has been
on hunger strike in another part of the prison for the past month.
New proconsul has much to learn
We have had some pretty ropey proconsuls here in the last thirty-eight
years. The signals from the latest one are not good.
May 17, 2010
Crisis at Maghaberry
A Sinn Fein Stormont delegation visited Maghaberry on Friday as anger
mounts at the conditions inside the jail.
Empey to quit as unionism struggles with election aftermath
Ulster Unionist Party leader Reg Empey has confirmed he is to stand down
in the autumn and has called on Peter Robinson to consider his position
as head of the DUP.
Gardai seek to repress street protests
Four members of eirigi held a peaceful protest on the outer porch of
Anglo Irish Bank’s headquarters in Dublin before they and three
supporters were attacked and injured by members of the Garda police.
‘Mistakes were made’ - Cowen
The 26-County Taoiseach Brian Cowen has been strongly criticised
following a speech in which he sought to justify his actions as Minister
for Finance and Taoiseach while acknowledging that he played a part in
the economic crash.
New Direct Ruler has visited ‘darkest Ireland’
The new British Conservative Direct Ruler, Owen Paterson, has held out
the prospect of allowing the the Six-County Assembly to make some tax
varying decisions.
Rockall ‘planning permission’ granted
The 26-County of Foreign Affairs has said a British bid to claim
jurisdiction to the distant Irish island of Rockall is a “stunt”.
Parades proposals threaten all public assembly
A long-term solution to the problem caused by sectarian parades can only
be found in the implementation of a policy which includes a broad
acceptance of the right of host communities not to have parades forced
through against their will.
Release Saville report now
It is crucial that the new Northern Ireland Secretary of State Owen
Paterson ensures that the Saville Inquiry findings into Bloody Sunday
are published without any further delay.
May 14, 2010
Nightmare on Downing St?
Newly elected British prime minister, Conservative party leader David
Cameron has vowed to “alter the shape of British politics forever” as he
took office at Downing Street this week alongside his deputy prime
minister Nick Clegg, the leader of the Liberal Democrats.
Owen Paterson is new Direct Ruler
Owen Paterson, the Conservative spokesman on the North of Ireland, has
been appointed the North’s new ‘Secretary of State for Northern Ireland’
in British Prime Minister David Cameron’s new coalition cabinet.
Gardai clash with cutbacks protest
Protestors at Tuesday night’s ‘Enough is Enough’ march, called by the
Right to Work campaign, were subjected to a sudden attack by panicked
Garda police outside the Dublin parliament.
Long sentences for loyalist child killers
The loyalist killers of 15-year-old Thomas Devlin were described as
having “deeply ingrained sectarian attitudes” towards Catholics by the
judge as he sentenced them to a minimum of 30 years and 22 years
respectively.
Gaza relief ship refused permission to leave port
The first ship of an international flotilla aiming to break the Israeli
blockade on Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid to the strip is being held
up in an Irish port, apparently because of an Irish tricolour painted on
its side.
Govt crackdown on ‘head shops’
‘Head shops’ selling ‘legal highs’ from their shelves all around the 26
Counties closed their doors or withdrew most of the products from their
shelves following the announcement of new legislation to ban the sale to
the public of a list of chemical compounds this week.
Slick operator: The BP I’ve known too well
Responding to an oil spill may be easy and simple, but not at
all cheap. And BP is cheap. Deadly cheap.
It was just like the old days in Fermanagh/South Tyrone
To help Bobby Sands, republicans came in from all over Ireland; they did the
same for Michelle Gildernew.
May 12, 2010
Cameron become British PM as Brown throws in towel
David Cameron has become the first Tory British Prime Minister in thirteen years after a sudden announcement by Gordon Brown tonight that he was standing down.
May 10, 2010
Brown steps aside, calls for talks
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced on Monday evening he was
quitting as Labour leader as it was confirmed that he is to hold formal
talks with the Liberal Democrats over a “progressive coalition” British
government.
Prisoners demand political status
Disturbances are continuing inside Maghaberry prison in County Antrim
amid concern by families of the prisoners that the situation inside the
jail is increasingly dangerous and combustible.
Robinson backed as unionism coalesces
The DUP says it “stands four-square behind Peter Robinson” to continue
as party leader and First Minister following a party meeting at
Stormont.
Family flees sectarian attacks
A nationalist family in Derry city’s Waterside says they’re being
hounded out of their home by repeated sectarian attacks.
Shell condemned by human rights group
The publication of a Frontline human rights report on the Corrib gas
dispute is a damning indictment of human rights abuses that have been
suffered by campaigners against a high-pressure gas pipeline and
refinery on the coast of county Mayo.
Famine commemoration in Mayo
The loss of two million Irish people through starvation and emigration
is to be remembered in Mayo this week when the second National Famine
Commemoration’s programme opens today [Monday].
Result could underpin the future of Stormont
In Britain, the outcome of the Westminster general election has brought
uncertainty and instability, with the possibility of a second election
within a year.
Things may never be the same again
The British electorate has not so much spoken as seemingly held its
political nose, by delivering its most remarkable election result since
1929.
May 8, 2010
Sinn Fein in pole position
A dramatic election in the North has strongly boosted the
nationalist parties but appears set to ‘decapitate’ the leadership of unionism.
Journey into the unknown for British politics
There is scepticism that Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg will forge a
deal with the Conservatives this weekend after the British election
produced a hung parliament.
Bomb disrupts election count
Despite a major PSNI offensive against republican militarists ahead of
election day, a ‘viable’ pipe bomb left outside an election count centre
in Derry interrupted counting for several hours early on Friday morning.
MI5 agent testifies in ‘entrapment’ trial
A member of British military intelligence (MI5) has given evidence from
behind screens in the trial of three County Armagh men charged in
connection with what is alleged to be an international plan to import
arms by dissident republicans.
Death of Bloody Sunday campaigner
Bloody Sunday campaigner Johnny Duddy died in Derry this week aged 87,
with still no date set for the release of the inquiry into the killings.
Further increase in emigration
The number of Irish people emigrating to the US increased by 12 per cent
last year, and there was also a slight increase in the number of people
from the 26 Counties registering to live and work in Britain in 2009,
according to new figures compiled by the US and British authorities.
Election results round-up
The election results from all of the North's 18 Westminster constituencies.
More guns than votes
Each time a republican activist is
labelled a criminal, particularly by those who were republicans in the
era of Bobby Sands, it is a sleight on the enormous sacrifice made by
him and his comrades.
May 7, 2010
Sinn Fein hold Fermanagh/South Tyrone
Sinn Fein’s Michelle Gildernew has remarkably retained her
Fermanagh-South Tyrone seat by four votes after a third recount.
Without majority, Cameron makes bid for power
The Tories are to attempt to form a government after the Westminster
election returned a hung parliament for the first time since 1974
Recount drama in Fermanagh/South Tyrone
After two recounts at the Enniskillen count centre, Sinn Fein’s Michelle
Gildernew is ahead by just two votes over unionist unity candidate
Rodney Connor.
SF set to be largest party; UCUNF shut out
Sinn Fein could take over the DUP to become the largest party in the
Six Counties on vote share, according to early estimates from the
Westminster election counts this morning.
Peter Robinson defeated by Alliance Party’s Naomi Long
The result of the election in east Belfast has delivered a major shock
with the defeat of DUP leader and First Minister Peter Robinson by Naomi
Long of the Alliance Party.
May 6, 2010
Surprise exit poll indicates knife-edge election result
The result of the Westminster election is still completely
unpredictable despite a major exit poll released at 10pm tonight.
Turnout up as DUP predicts ‘Orange Card’ election
A slightly higher turnout of the North’s electorate is predicted in
today’s Westminster election following early reports from the polling
stations.
May 4, 2010
Election push comes to shove
Sinn Fein has attacked the “blanket denial” of postal and proxy vote
applications by the Electoral Office in some areas of the North.
Former prisoners targeted in frame-up plot
Two men convicted of a controversial abduction by the Provisional IRA
have said the PSNI have since tried to set them up using a paid
informer.
Border region hit by job loss ‘tsunami’
About nine hundred staff at Quinn Insurance Ltd will be made redundant
over the next 12 to 15 months as part of a major restructuring of the
business by its joint administrators.
Limerick teens urged to join ‘Royal Irish Army’
A Limerick jobs centre funded by the 26-County Administration body FAS
has had to be be ordered to stop promoting careers in the British army,
a criminal offence under the 26-County Defence Act of 1954.
Hunger strike parade passes quietly
The United Independent Hunger Strike Commemoration took place without
major incident on Sunday despite passing the loyalist Shankill Road area
en route from Belfast city centre to west Belfast.
Sudden death of Irish radio celebrity
Gerry Ryan, one of Ireland’s most successful broadcasters, died
unexpectedly on Friday morning.
Westminster 2010 constituency profiles
A guide to this week’s political showdown in the North and
what to watch for when the newsflashes come rolling in.
Making it quite clear
Sometimes a politician says something and an issue that’s been swirling
around in the public consciousness suddenly takes on a clear, sharp
form.
