God, Religion, the Troubles, and the Christian Peacebuilding

For much of the world, the Troubles in Northern Ireland were about Catholics and Protestants fighting each other. With those labels being used as shorthand to this day to describe members of the two main communities, it's easy to see why. But whilst for some the conflict clearly included a r…

Families search for truth over 1983 south Armagh murders

Paddy Mackin and Eamon MacMahon's bodies were found on the morning of the 13th of July, 1983. They both had been blasted with a shotgun as close range. The murders of the 34 year olds were first blamed on INLA leaders Dominic and Mary McGlinchey. But their families don’t believe that – they…

Culture war rages in the wake of Prof Jason Arday resignation

At 37, Jason Arday became the University of Cambridge’s youngest black professor. However, he is now at the center of a plagiarism accusations which have cast a shadow over his career – and thrust him into the international limelight. Parts of his CV have been rubbished, and his most implaus…

Fleadh Cheoil hailed as an enormous success for Belfast

Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann took over Belfast City Centre for over a week drawing huge crowds. The all-Ireland traditional Irish music competition and festival has been near universally hailed as an enormous success. It has been cited as having made a massive cultural, social, and economic im…

Inside the court as alleged godfather Daniel Kinahan charged and jailed 

Daniel Kinahan sounded bemused when he described the frenzy around his life as “movie stuff”, but the scenes that accompanied his trip back to Ireland were undeniably cinematic. A trip on a €53m government jet that was tracked by the public in real-time, a ring of steel around parts of Dublin as h…

'Where have all the Prods gone?': 'Exodus' from Londonderry 'ignored'

The Protestant exodus from Londonderry's cityside was ‘largely ignored or denied’ according to a new report. Its authors say they would like to see 'acknowledgement’ and 'acceptance' of the massive population shift and its causes. A report says the mass movement from the west to the east…

Mystery as News Letter editor Ben Lowry dumped – and won't be replaced

Ben Lowry is no longer the editor of the News Letter. The outspoken commentator was removed from his position without explanation. Mr Lowry had spent 19 years at what is the world's oldest continuously published English language daily newspaper. The 288-year-old unionist paper now appears to be…

New IRA: Republican terror group active on both sides of the border

The seizure last week of a bomb containing almost 400g of Semtex plastic explosive has put the New IRA back on to the front pages after a lull in violence. Two people connected to the political group Saoradh have been charged in relation to the incident. The sophisticated device has fuel fears tha…

West Belfast accountant blames office arson on death driver's friends

A west Belfast Accountant whose business was destroyed in an arson attack is blaming associates of a convicted death driver. Tim ‘Timo’ Molloy says people close to Martin Olali Jnr, who is awaiting sentencing for mowing down a pedestrian and his pet dog in a hit-and-run, are to blame. Mr Mollo…

LucidTalk Polling: DUP's support tanks in Donaldson aftermath

The DUP's support has slumped disastrously – that's according to the latest Belfast Telegraph / LucidTalk polling. The dramatic fall in backing for the party comes in the wake of former leader Jeffrey Donaldson's conviction for child sex offences. Sinn Féin and the Alliance party have also s…