Anthony Neeson began his career in journalism with the Tyrone Times in Dungannon in 1995 before freelancing with Belfast daily and Sunday titles in both news and sport. He joined the Andersonstown News as Sports Editor, before moving across to the News Desk as a reporter, eventually becoming Deputy Editor. Anthony also spent time as Deputy Editor of Daily Ireland and was appointed Editor of the Andersonstown News in 2016. Anthony is also the Ireland correspondent with the Irish Echo in New York.
TÁNAISTE Simon Harris has said that he is “supportive” of extending voting rights in Presidential elections to Irish citizens living in the North.
A FORMER West Belfast teacher has penned a fascinating new book on the history of teacher training for young Catholic men in the north of Ireland from partition to the present day. Readers may think that ‘Strawberry Hill and Afterwards’ is a strange title for the book, until author Jim O’Hagan explains its significance. Strawberry Hill was the Catholic college in London where in the 1920s young Catholic men from the newly created state of Northern Ireland were sent to be trained as teachers. For those who would later attend St Joseph’s at Trench House the book features many familiar names of lecturers and students from the college’s 30-year history.
SINN Féin will hold a major party conference on an all-Ireland health service next month.
Irish American small business leaders in New York have been told by the publisher of the Irish Echo that by extending the franchise to the diaspora, the Irish Government could turbo-charge transatlantic relations.
ULSTER Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt has told students in West Belfast that if nationalists want a referendum on Irish unity then it’s not in their interest to describe Northern Ireland as a failed state. Mr Nesbitt was speaking at St Mary’s University College on the Falls Road as part of an event organised by the John and Pat Hume Foundation. The Stormont Health Minister spoke about his own upbringing and working as a television broadcast journalist at the time of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. Looking back at the formation of the northern state over 100 years ago, he said he can understand how “creating a country with a built-in majority of unionists was deeply frustrating to nationalists”. “You could have a Stormont election every month – Unionists were always going to win,” he said. “And the fact is, nationalists by and large decided they were not going to play that game. And by and large unionists could have done more to reach out to their nationalist neighbours. That does not justify a single death. Nobody needed to die for us to get where we are today.” Mr Nesbitt said majoritarianism does not work in the north and power-sharing is the only way forward. “Unionists – or most of us – realise we cannot govern this place without the active support of nationalists and republicans. Nationalists and republicans – or most of them – realise they can no longer describe this place as a failed, ungovernable statelet," he said. “For the first time, everyone – unionists, nationalists and republicans – sense the need to make Northern Ireland work. Our motivations may be different, but that’s no obstacle to make this place function for the benefit of all.” He said unionists have always wanted to make Northern Ireland work "to justify partition". “Nationalists haven’t," he added. "But when was the last time you heard a senior nationalist politician describe this place as a ‘failed, ungovernable statelet’? If you are the lead party of government, it’s not a sentiment you are likely to endorse. Especially if you are looking forward to a border poll and the potential for constitutional change.
MYSTERY surrounds the identity of a West Belfast writer whose collection of short stories has been praised as “exceptional”. ‘Every One Still Here’ has been written under the pseudonym of Liadan Ní Chuinn and is published by Stinging Fly Press. Early versions of some of the stories were first published in The Stinging Fly magazine and in Granta online. This is Liadan’s first book. Liadan Ní Chuinn was born in 1998 and has requested no interviews to publicise the book's launch.
A STATUE of Bobby Sands was unveiled in Twinbrook this afternoon, not far from the IRA hunger-striker's home.
THE Court of Appeal in Belfast has affirmed a previous High Court ruling ordering the British government to hold a public inquiry into the LVF murder of GAA official Sean Brown.
OVER 100 artists and musicians have signed a letter to “register opposition to any political repression of artistic freedom”. It comes after a week of hostile criticism of Belfast rappers Kneecap. Earlier this week the band's manager, Daniel Lambert, said the trio are being targeted by a "concerted campaign" designed to silence artists who speak out about the situation in Gaza. The statement signed by the artists reads: “This past week has seen a clear, concerted attempt to censor and ultimately deplatform the band Kneecap. “In Westminster and the British media, senior political figures have been openly engaged in a campaign to remove Kneecap from the public eye, with veiled threats being made over their scheduled performances at gigs, outdoor events and music festivals, including Glastonbury. “Chillingly, it is also clear to us that influential figures and personalities within the wider music industry are attempting to influence this campaign of intimidation. “As artists, we feel the need to register our opposition to any political repression of artistic freedom.”
FAMILIES of victims of the conflict continue to have no confidence in a controversial legacy body set up by the British government – a year after it was established. This morning families were joined at a protest outside the offices of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) by human rights groups Relatives for Justice, the Pat Finucane Centre, Amnesty International, the Committee for the Administration for Justice and Time for Truth.
FAMILIES of victims of the conflict are to protest in Belfast city centre this morning– one year on from the introduction of the controversial Legacy Act. Relatives of those who were killed during the Troubles, along with supporters, will protest outside the offices of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR), which was controversially established under the previous British government. Organised by Relatives for Justice (RFJ), the Pat Finucane Centre, the Committee for the Administration of Justice, Time for Truth and Amnesty International, those who have fought campaigns for truth and justice down through the years will gather at 11am. Irati Oliega, Relatives for Justice Advocacy Director, said the demonstration marks one year since the introduction “of the shameful Legacy Act". A legislation, she says, "that guillotined truth and justice in order to perpetuate state impunity”.
POLICE have issued a warning to supporters ahead of Saturday's Irish Cup Final at Windsor Park.
FORMER Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams’ libel case against the BBC has got underway at the High Court in Dublin today. Mr Adams is claiming that he was defamed in a 2016 BBC NI Spotlight programme which alleged that he sanctioned the murder of informer Denis Donaldson. Mr Donaldson was shot dead in 2006 in Donegal. The Real IRA claimed responsibility for the killing. Originally from the Short Strand area of Belfast, Denis Donaldson was a member of Sinn Féin.
KNEECAP have apologised to the families of two murdered MPs after footage emerged of one of the rap band's concerts in 2023 where one member appeared to say: "The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP."
TAOISEACH Micheál Martin has weighed into the Kneecap controversy, asking for the rap trio to clarify if they support Hamas and Hezbollah. It comes after the Metropolitan Police said that it was assessing video footage which appeared to show a member of the band shouting “up Hamas, up Hezbollah” during a concert in London in November last year.