Make Your Mind Up Time. 

As I write this column the rumours are rife that the European Commission and the British government are close to an agreement – maybe – on the Protocol. It could be this week –it could be next week – it could be tomorrow. It may be done by the time you get to read this. The British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak added to the speculation by jetting into the North last Friday to brief the parties. 

Watching the spin and manoeuvring my instincts and experience suggest that it is likely the deal is already done. The work now is probably down to crossing the t’s and dotting the I’s and getting the PR strategy right. Which means it could still unravel. The big question is whether it will be enough for Jeffrey and the DUP? Will the Conservative right wing European Research Group (ERG) buy into it?

Irish Unity is the Future

As unionist political leaders worry that they are about to be sold down the river – again – the alternative to the Union with Britain was up for discussion last week in Donegal.

People packed into the Balor Theatre in Ballybofey to take part in the Donegal People’s Assembly organised by Sinn Féin’s Commission on the Future of Ireland. The event was opened by Pearse Doherty TD. 

The Ballybofey meeting was the third such public meeting held by the Commission. The first took place in Belfast last October and the second was in Derry just before Christmas. The next will take place in the Carrickdale Hotel at the end of March

Standing up to Fascism

Well done to the tens of thousands who took part in Saturday’s ‘Ireland for All’ solidarity march and rally in Dublin. It was an impressive and timely rebuttal to the small number of fascists who encourage hate crime through the targeting of emigrants and asylum seekers.

Racism, intolerance of and discrimination against citizens takes many forms. All of us have a responsibility to make a stand against such injustice and intolerance whatever form it takes. Fair play to all of those who took part on Saturday and thanks to our friend Christy Moore who sang a beautiful rendition of Viva La Quinta Brigada, a song in tribute to Irish soldiers who fought against fascism in the Spanish civil war.

Letting Sleeping Dogs Lie.

Regular readers of this column will know I am a dog lover. Dogs have been part of my life since I was an infant. Our oldest lad has had the same experience. If I gave him nothing else I gave him a love of dogs. Like me he has had a madadh all his life and I’m glad to say the little people in our  lives are doggie people also. We have two dogs. Fionn and Fiadh. Fiadh is a she dog. Fionn is a he dog.  Fiadh is smaller, smarter and more biddable than Fionn.  As I write these lines they are stretched out across the room from me. Usually they don’t get in the house.