The Editor

WE SAY: Mela means more than just fun

THIS weekend marks the start of Belfast Mela, our biggest celebration of diversity. The programme is once again full to bursting with exciting and fascinating events which underline the richness that our new communities bring.

WE SAY: Fleadh spirit of unity must prevail year-round

Hats off to those two momentous summer celebrations, the World Cup and Mayo's All-Ireland victory, branded by sports fans and media commentators alike as unsurpassed moments of unbridled joy.

WE SAY: For Fleadh's sake, let's keep hitting these high notes

One wag remarked, after the spectacular success of Sunday's Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann opening ceremony at City Hall that, "we should do this every week".

WE SAY: Take your places....Fest, Fleadh and Féile ring the changes

CS Lewis famously said that when living through change, it's all but invisible.

WE SAY: DUP Minister's latest broadside on Irish language will further undermine Executive

What gives with DUP Minister Paul Givan and the Irish language?

WE SAY: Taoiseach's belated word in the ear of IDA must usher in new economic era

Primary criticism of the Irish Government's Shared Island initiative is that cross-border projects approved for funding must pass, in the words of one Dublin diplomat, 'The Jeffrey Donaldson smell test'.

WE SAY: Spectre of MI5 makes normal policing all but impossible

Hardly a week passes now without representatives of the state having to appear before the courts in Belfast to apologise for past murderous misdemeanours and pay substantial damages to relatives and survivors of their 30-year campaign of collusion.

WE SAY: DUP take hypocrisy to a new level

The late Rev. Ian Paisley was fond of quoting Matthew 7:5 when accusing his political opponents of hypocrisy, "Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye."

WE SAY: Brexiteers' dream now a nightmare but restoring links to EU doesn't have to wait until unification

For those deluded souls who really believed Boris Johnson's encomium about the "sunlit uplands" of Brexit this really is the worst of times.

WE SAY: Why's the PSNI so shy about loyalist paramilitaries?

There is an old but perfectly apt Belfast aphorism which best captures the nationalist community's reaction to PSNI claims that loyalist paramilitaries were not behind attacks on our ethnic minorities over the past week: "Do you think I came up the Lagan in a bubble?"

WE SAY: Time to call on the Spirit of 1916 or risk a repeat of August '69

If you think a week is a long time in politics, then what can one make of the five days between our newcomer communities being feted at the Best of the West Awards on Friday past and black and brown people being burnt out of their homes last night?

WE SAY: City Hall's welcome (but long overdue) normalisation of the Irish language

A giant step forward for the Irish language was taken this week with the, eventual, passing of a new policy which will embed An Ghaeilge into every aspect of Council life.

WE SAY: Our policing past is prologue

GIVEN the generous approach of nationalists to the peace process – the other cheek turned, the open hand proffered – there may be a temptation to simply ignore the ongoing and desperate efforts by unionist spokespersons to restore the tarnished reputation of the RUC.

WE SAY: A familiar story from Glasgow

EXTRAORDINARY scenes in Glasgow on Sunday as Celtic lifted the Scottish Premiership trophy with the usual huge compliment of Irish fans there to experience the excitement.

WE SAY: No surprise at ICRIR findings

SINCE its inception in May 2024, most victims’ groups and relatives of people who were killed during the conflict have refused to deal with the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).

Foireann ag Laochra Loch Lao sa Chorn Domhanda Frithchiníochais

Gaelic Games: St John's thrash local rivals St Paul's in quarter-final clash

MATCHDAY LIVE: Moneyglass lead Tír na nÓg in relegation play-off as final ten minutes unfold

BREAKING: Antrim announce McShane as new Antrim senior hurling manager

ROBIN LIVINGSTONE: Hillsborough parade a right royal poser

JUDE COLLINS: Time to shame Martin and Harris into action

TRÓCAIRE: Belfast donations have changed lives in Zimbabwe with UK government support

ANDRÉE MURPHY: The gods of fair play were AWOL on Sunday in Croker

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