Last August (1990) I was among a delegation from Irish Northern Aid (Noraid), which visited current prisoners in Long Kesh.
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MLA and TD hit out at ‘cloak and dagger’ tactic by authorities in allowing this drill to take place; implications for South

People Before Profit to move Bill to ban fracking in the Dáil once it resumes

People Before Profit MLA, Gerry Carroll and TD, Richard Boyd Barrett condemn moves to initiate fracking in Co Antrim and warned if test drills go ahead it could open the door for fracking North and South. The statement comes after NI Water’s decision to allow Infrastrata to begin drilling for oil just 380 metres away from Woodburn reservoir in Co Antrim. This could lead to UK company, Tramboran, attempting to drill in Fermanagh, which in turn, could lead to fracking in Leitrim and Cavan. read full story / add a comment

Work is proceeding in Woodburn Forest, near Carrickfergus (NI), to construct a drill site for an exploratory well.
The Stop the Drill campaign opposes the drilling, which will take place 380 m uphill from a major drinking water reservoir serving 130,000 people, arguing that it places drinking water at risk of contamination. The site is owned by NI Water, Northern Ireland’s only water utility, which has given permission for the drilling by Infrastrata to go ahead, on the condition that hydraulic fracturing is not used. read full story / add a comment

Visual Artists Ireland [NI] will open a new dedicated Northern Ireland office on Friday, July 3rd in 109 – 113 Royal Avenue, Belfast BT1 1FF. The office will be a focal point for the advocacy and support of Northern Ireland’s visual artists and will be managed by Rob Hilken, Northern Ireland Manager reporting directly to Noel Kelly, Chief Executive Officer, Visual Artists Ireland who will also have a base there. read full story / add a comment

I am an American currently living in Ireland. I recently attended the Twelfth of July events in Belfast. This particularly piece is on my experiences at the bonfires. read full story / add a comment

A Riot of Our Own: A Symposium on The Clash in Belfast: Call for Papers
University of Ulster, Belfast Campus, Northern Ireland
June 20-21 2014

In the 1970s, with the Troubles at their height, touring musicians were usually unwilling to play in Northern Ireland. One of the few international acts prepared to break what was in effect the cultural boycott of the region was The Clash. In October 1977, the iconic punk band was scheduled to open the Get Out of Control tour with a concert in the Ulster Hall in Belfast city centre. A few hours before the group was due to take the stage, however, the gig was cancelled for reasons that remain disputed and sparking chaotic scenes that are often recalled as amounting to a ‘riot’. Shortly before Christmas, The Clash made good on their promise to return to Belfast and played a legendary concert in the McMordie Hall at Queen’s University. read full story / add a comment

Óglaigh na hÉireann yesterday (17th May) claimed responsibility through the media for a gun and bomb attack on British Police operating in the Twinbrook area of West Belfast. An attack which by all accounts forced a panicked PSNI unit to scramble along the ground for cover before retreating from the area altogether, albeit only for a few hours. read full story / add a comment

Republican Network for Unity today (Friday 16th November) in response to the on-going Israeli slaughter of Palestinian citizens carried out a direct action against the Dead Sea Salt Company trading stations based in Castle Court shopping complex in Belfast. read full story / add a comment

On Monday 12th of November, activists from the 32CSM, 1916 Societies and RNU stood together in a spontaneous protest against the latest PSNI charm offensive in republican west Belfast. read full story / add a comment

On the 3rd and 4th of October the Co-operative Enterprise Hub was launched in Northern Ireland at two events in Derry and Belfast. Jason Brannigan of Just Books presented that organisation as a case study as part of the Belfast launch. read full story / add a comment

The 28th September 2012 will be the centenary of the Ulster Solemn League and Covenant against Home Rule.

Far less well known is the ‘Alternative Ulster Covenant’, signed in October 1913 by some twelve thousand Protestants from County Antrim in support of Home Rule and against partition.

The Alternative Covenant was written by Rev JB Armour and Roger Casement.

A Public Talk on the Alternative Covenant will be held on 3rd October in the Belvedere Hotel, Denmark Street, Dublin, at 7pm. Speakers to include Rev David Frazer and Bill O'Brien. All Welcome. (See http://www.indymedia.ie/article/102491 )

A historical pamphlet discussing not only the Alternative Covenant but also what James Connolly predicted would be a ‘carnival of reaction’, north and south, will be launched on the night. read full story / add a comment

Observers of the north of Ireland are from time to time caught by surprise when the reality of life here contradicts their belief in a steady progress towards normality. Such a moment came outside a Catholic church in Belfast. A 12th July demonstration by one band playing a hate song went viral on Facebook and led to restrictions on further band processions outside the church. The decision of Orange order bands to break the Parades Commission ruling about marching and playing outside the Church was accompanied by unrestrained expressions of sectarian hatred more or less unlimited in the depths of bigotry that were unleashed. read full story / add a comment

SIPTU is seeking the inclusion of a social clause into every funding contract. This clause would set a threshold of decency of employment conditions for every worker employed by community sector organisations funded by the public purse. read full story / add a comment

The prospect of Fracking moves one ominous step closer in the North Coast. Join the No To Fracking campaign! read full story / add a comment

Let's start with red lines. Here it is, Washington’s ultimate red line, straight from the lion’s mouth. Only last week Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta said of the Iranians, “Are they trying to develop a nuclear weapon? No. But we know that they're trying to develop a nuclear capability. And that's what concerns us. And our red line to Iran is do not develop a nuclear weapon. That's a red line for us.”

How strange, the way those red lines continue to retreat. Once upon a time, the red line for Washington was “enrichment” of uranium. Now, it’s evidently an actual nuclear weapon that can be brandished. Keep in mind that, since 2005, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has stressed that his country is not seeking to build a nuclear weapon. The most recent National Intelligence Estimate on Iran from the U.S. Intelligence Community has similarly stressed that Iran is not, in fact, developing a nuclear weapon (as opposed to the breakout capacity to build one someday). read full story / add a comment

Occupy Belfast and other activists have liberated the empty and unused Bank of Ireland building on Royal Avenue, Belfast, in opposition to soaring homelessness, lack of affordable social housing and home repossessions. read full story / add a comment

Occupy Belfast Protest, City Hall Saturday 14th January 1pm Affordable Housing for Everyone- No Evictions, No Repossessions read full story / add a comment

The sixty million payoff to prison officers in Northern Ireland could be much better spent on addressing the causes of crime such as poverty, social deprivation and prison rehabilitation. Prison officers who served during the Troubles could walk away from their jobs with packages of more than £120,000 plus pension as part of a £60m redundancy programme aimed at ‘modernising’ the service. read full story / add a comment

In June of this year Art Ability – a community organisation assisting children and adults with disabilities - based in Agnes Street, Belfast, was given just one week’s notice that it’s funding was to be removed. A SIPTU organised campaign has been running since then to secure funding to protect this vital cross community organisation from closure, and to ensure its client’s needs were addressed. This campaign resulted in the initial securing of limited funding which did not fully protect the organisations future.

However, as a direct result of the SIPTU campaign we are delighted to be in a position to report that interim funding has been secured to enable the organisation to continue to operate. Art Ability will now be in a position to apply for further funding for the autumn quarter, and their doors remain open. read full story / add a comment

7 members of National Clarion Cycling Club are visiting memorials to the Int Brigaders in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast, Dublin, Wales and onto London to mark the 75th Ann of the Spanish Civil War. read full story / add a comment