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Joint statement issued on behalf of the Harte & McAreavey families
Joint Statement issued on behalf of the Harte and Mc Areavey families. “Today is the final stage of Michaela’s journey home. We are grateful for all the prayers and support we have received from all …
By Tom Kelly
Fri 14 Jan 2011
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Toothless Tiger Assembly roars loudly but lacks bite
Northern Ireland reached new levels of farce following our very own ‘Watergate’ and the need to be seen to be doing something replaced the need to be doing something meaningful. The embarrassed management of Northern …
By Tom Kelly
Mon 10 Jan 2011
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Ireland needs a ‘group hug’… not the ‘cold shoulder’
Watching the protestors in Dublin at the weekend one could feel the anger. These days there is a fair degree of righteousness in the anger of ordinary Irish citizens but there is no doubt that …
By Tom Kelly
Mon 29 Nov 2010
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Irish govt like Monty Python parrot…. it has ceased to be
Thanks to You Tube I was reminded of the great Monty Python, Pet Shop sketch. Mr Praline aka John Cleese, the customer returns a dead parrot to the shop. ‘This parrot is no more. He …
By Tom Kelly
Mon 22 Nov 2010
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Taoiseach not so much leading Ireland as enduring it
Most weeks I fly between London and Belfast and last week was no different. Normally my travelling detainees in the BMI lounge are usually civil servants, business people and a splattering of our MPs or …
By Tom Kelly
Mon 08 Nov 2010
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Light-touch policing as useful as a chocolate fire-guard
All over Northern Ireland, the clocks were put back at the weekend. Larne and Rathcoole tried to go back too. Larne folk got exercised by the prospect of a new detention centre for illegal immigrants. …
By Tom Kelly
Tue 02 Nov 2010
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Ed Miliband’s victory is demise of tired ‘New Labour’
After months of useless debates the Labour Leadership campaign is over. Despite the protestations of brotherly love one suspects that David Miliband is a shattered man this morning. The long suspected successor of ‘Project Blair’, …
By Tom Kelly
Mon 27 Sep 2010
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Papal Visit – missed opportunity for OFMDFM to show maturity & respect
Fifty years ago this week, my grandfather and namesake was in his third year as Chairman of Newry Urban District Council. A quiet, dignified and unassuming man he was heading to Croke Park to watch …
By Tom Kelly
Tue 21 Sep 2010
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Time to lock away sowers of sectarianism
In the week which saw the anniversary of 9/11 the world was reminded once again of man’s capacity for evil. This capacity for evil never ceases to shock; whether it was the conquistadors treatment of …
By Tom Kelly
Mon 13 Sep 2010
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Political biographies getting hotter off the presses
Unsurprisingly my home is littered with hundreds of biographies from the Medici’s to Mary Tudor; from Lincoln to Lloyd George and from Daniel O’ Connell to WB Yeats. Occasionally personalities such as Eric Cantona, Terry …
By Tom Kelly
Mon 06 Sep 2010
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Despite media attacks, Irish remain faithful at Knock
Driving up from Cong in Mayo I decided to detour into Knock. It’s been twenty five years since my last visit. Indeed Knock was responsible for one of my first impromptu marketing initiatives, when along …
By Tom Kelly
Mon 30 Aug 2010
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Ritchie needs to tilt SDLP right for political space
Recent commentary concerning the direction of the SDLP and the positioning of that party by its Leader, Margaret Ritchie has been negative. It is biased against the SDLP but by and large, party members should …
By Tom Kelly
Mon 16 Aug 2010
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Dissident violence is Sinn Féins sword of Damocles
The dissident republicans who planted the enormous bomb in Derry last week have no moral compass; let alone a political direction. Though are far from mindless; they are like a parasitical germ that feeds on …
By Tom Kelly
Mon 09 Aug 2010
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Ireland needs to think about the big ideas
Last weekend I followed such luminaries as Nobel Laureate, John Hume, former Presbyterian Moderator, Rev. John Dunlop, the author, Tim Pat Coogan, banker, Sir George Quigley and politician and Fianna Fail matriarch, Mary O’Rourke as …
By Tom Kelly
Mon 02 Aug 2010
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Media & NAMA need to seperate the sheep from the goats
If there was a prize for effective communication, the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) would win the booby prize. Having decided not to go the route of a toxic bank or indeed a good bank/bad …
By Tom Kelly
Mon 26 Jul 2010
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Condemnation is wasted on Neanderthals
The riots of the past week share one common denominator-dissident republicans and their back to the future strategy. Condemnation is wasted on these Neanderthals. These politically myopic morons manipulate naive, foolish and alienated young people …
By Tom Kelly
Mon 19 Jul 2010
