WEST Belfast was at the double at the Irish Film & Television Awards in Dublin last night with Anthony Boyle winning the Lead Actor in a Drama award for his performance in House of Guinness, and Lola Petticrew lifting the Lead Actress in a Drama award for Trespasses.

A NORTH Belfast housing campaigner is calling for social housing to be built on a site that has lain vacant for over 50 years.

LIVING in Belfast isn’t great for a bloke like me. Over my long decades at the coalface of local weekly journalism, I’ve reported on and experienced so much violence and bad news in this city that there’s barely a corner I can walk round without being reminded of some part of it. And I don’t like this city much because of it.

LAST week marked 50 years since the death of Frank Stagg on hunger strike in Wakefield Prison in England. Events, including a black flag vigil and a march and rally, were organised to remember the Mayo man. Gerry Kelly, who was on hunger strike in England in the 1970s for over 206 days, during which he was force-fed 167 times, gave the main oration in Ballina and spoke of Frank’s great courage and commitment.

ON a freezing cold Saturday night Dublin footballers won their first league game of the year against Monaghan. In post-game interviews team members refused to be filmed beside the hoarding of the League’s sponsors Allianz due to that company’s strong links to the Israeli state. Simple but determinative moments like this tell us where the people of Ireland stand on gross human rights violations, and crimes against humanity. That GAA officialdom is not listening to this is as instructive as it is shameful.