Opinion Pieces | Belfast Media

ROBIN LIVINGSTONE: Ulster flag row is itself a powerful symbol

I DON’T like the union jack much.

SQUINTER: The Christmas chip: What’s the season of goodwill without it?

When you’re feeling down and the world’s a dump,When you’re always whingeing and taking the hump;Don’t be so glum and down in the lip,Go get yourself a Christmas chip. If the horse you bet has come in last,If your best days lie in the distant past;If your grip on reality’s starting to slip,Get wired into a Christmas chip. If you’ve been told to vape and bin the fegs,When they keep on taking down your flegs;Do the right thing and take this tip:Stick your face in a Christmas chip. If a united Ireland seems far off,And you’re worried about a persistent cough;When your last good sleep was only a blip,Remember there’s always a Christmas chip.

DÚLRA: This little visitor is such a massive boost

MICKEY Culbert’s powers are extensive. And not just over everything that goes on in the Falls Park, where he’s Park Manager. When Dúlra met up with him last week for a stroll and a chat, it seemed that even nature itself was under his spell.

MOVIES: When motherhood isn’t all smiles, kisses and cuddles

NightbitchBecoming a parent can be one of the most rewarding, yet undeniably challenging life-events in a person's life.

EYE ON THE PAST – November 1983: The scourge of the dole in Twinbrook revealed

We look at the stories that were making the headlines this week in 1983

WE SAY: More of the same is such a shame

IN best Late Late Show fashion, there was something for everybody in the results of last Friday’s election down South when it came to the main three parties.

ANDRÉE MURPHY: Trust has to be earned – whoever is seeking it

THE results of the general election in the South give us all much to think about. Less so on a practical level – unless Fine Gael decide that they want some time out, which is not impossible, it will be more of the same old same old in Leinster House.

JUDE COLLINS: Electoral apathy needs to be tackled head-on

THE South’s election was notable for several reasons, not least that straws in the wind were just that – straws.

ROBIN LIVINGSTONE: East Belfast murals show the Falls the way to go

DUP leader Gavin Robinson has scored a remarkable victory with the removal of pro-Palestine graffiti from an RVH wall fronting the Falls Road. Fair enough, more pro-Palestine graffiti immediately went up, along with a ‘F**k the DUP’ message for good luck.

THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT: Win a copy of Bill Kirk's superb book of Falls memories

RENOWNED photographer Bill Kirk has captured the heart and the essence of West Belfast in his new book 'The Falls': a stunning and beautifully presented collection of black and white photographs from the early years of the Troubles.

JUST THE GOLDEN TICKET: St Joseph's Christmas show is a big hit

THE talented young people of St Joseph’s College put on a showstopping performance of the magical musical, ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’, captivating audiences across three matinee performances and two sold-out evening shows at the South Belfast venue.