Category: Ireland
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By-elections: fragmentation, disillusionment and anger against the establishment
The by-elections have shown an unprecedented degree of political fragmentation in Irish politics. In Dublin Central, Daniel Ennis of the Social Democrats walked away with the seat, while in Galway West, Fine Gael’s Seán Kyne clinched the seat on the last count from Independent Ireland’s Noel Thomas. Across just these two constituencies, six different parties…
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Racism, ‘accountability’ and the killing of Yves Sakila
On 15 May, 35-year-old Congolese man Yves Sakila was killed by five security guards who pinned him down for five minutes on Henry Street in Dublin. The crime that earned Sakila this excruciating public execution? Allegedly shoplifting a bottle of perfume from Arnotts. When Gardaí arrived at the scene, their first response was to handcuff…
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“Let down at every step”: institutional misogyny and the rottenness of the PSNI
The release of the report into the murder of 21-year-old Katie Simpson from Tynan, County Armagh – and the utter failure to protect her or even properly investigate her killing – has cast a brutal light on the institutional misogyny that runs deep within the PSNI. The 203-page report makes for harrowing reading. In its…
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Ulster University lay-offs: kick the capitalists off campus!
In the latest round of attacks on the education sector, Ulster University has just announced plans to cut 450 jobs from a total of 3,100 staff. This represents a whopping 14 percent of the total workforce of the university. The consequences will be felt not only by hundreds of workers and their families, but also…
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“Not One More” – fight the epidemic of violence against women!
On Saturday, April 25, thousands of outraged workers and young people filled the streets of Belfast, rallying under the call “Not One More” in response to the ongoing epidemic of femicide, which has claimed 30 women’s lives in the North of Ireland since 2020. In a chilling continuation of this violence, just prior to the…
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An Garda Síochána: Yet Again Abuse and Cover-Ups
After 14 long years of judicial delays, Trevor Bolger, a former detective with An Garda Síochána, was finally brought before a court. In 2012 he brutalised his then wife over an hour while they were at home with their infant children. But outrageously, he was served a mere three-month suspended sentence for this crime. Once…
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Fuel protests show the way
“At this stage Micheál Martin is not in control. The people of Ireland are in control. They have every motorway blocked in Ireland. They have businesses shut down. […] This is a revolution.” These words by James Geoghegan – agricultural contractor and prominent spokesperson of the Dublin’s protest – broadcast across national radio waves at…
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Mitchell and Epstein: clear out this stinking system!
The saying goes “the bigger they are, the harder they fall”. But for the big bust of George Mitchell at Queen’s University Belfast, there was no fall… In fact it simply vanished, without a trace! George Mitchell – former US senator, ‘peace’ envoy, Chancellor of QUB, and celebrated midwife of the Good Friday Agreement –…
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Boutcher and the RIC – who are the real terrorists?
Jon Boutcher, the PSNI’s chief constable, while speaking at a commission on the Kenova report, remarked: “I was at an event on Sunday for … Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) officers murdered before the creation of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) by terrorism.” We hope the irony will not be lost on our readers. While denying…
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A generation pushed to the brink
Students in the South are facing a worsening education system, deteriorating living conditions, and a decline in every aspect of student life. From soaring rents, to a crumbling health-care system, students have been left without meaningful support – financial or otherwise. Even with grants such as SUSI, the limits of the marketisation of higher education…