
On the 15th August 1998 the Real IRA parked a car in Omagh town centre containing 500lbs of home-made explosives. Omagh court house was the intended target but the bombers could not find a suitable parking space close enough to the target and instead parked the car some 400 metres away. After the car had […]
Aug 19 2012 | Posted in
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Wright’s murder created major instability in Northern Ireland and the LVF began its revenge for Wright’s death within hours. The night of his murder, LVF gunmen opened fire inside the Glengannon Hotel, where nearly 500 Catholic teenagers were enjoying a disco. Three innocent civilians were injured and a former Provisional IRA man was killed. Wright’s […]
Aug 4 2012 | Posted in
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Any analysis of the Northern Ireland ‘Troubles’ is inextricably linked to the paramilitary leaders at the head of each organization, who organized attacks on the enemy and led their organization through a mixture of fear, charisma and impressive credentials. Billy Wright was no different. Wright was born in July 1960 and joined the UVF in […]
Jul 31 2012 | Posted in
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Political dialogue through various back-channels was still in operation after the breakdown of the first Provisional IRA ceasefire. Church leaders acted as mediators between the republican and loyalist paramilitary factions and relayed their intentions and demands to the British and Irish governments respectively. The Northern Ireland community and the media could sense the significant opportunity […]
Jul 25 2012 | Posted in
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It’s bang smack in the middle of our glorious Irish summer and with little sign of Mr Sunshine and too many outings with the raincoat and umbrella, many of us are looking forward to the annual fortnight abroad for some sun, sea and relaxation. We spend days, weeks and plenty of money getting our bodies […]
Jul 25 2012 | Posted in
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The Provisional IRA’s ceasefire raised hopes initially amongst many in the Northern Ireland community that a peaceful solution could finally be reached. It was welcomed by all, if some a little more cautious and skeptical than others. Irish Foreign Minister Dick Spring claimed it was “historic” and Irish Prime Minister Albert Reynolds called for loyalist […]
Jul 16 2012 | Posted in
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Twenty years after British troops first arrived in Northern Ireland under ‘Operation Banner’ there was fear from within the British Government that the Provisional IRA was planning a “spectacular”. The Provisional IRA was determined to give the British Government a timely reminder that as long as British troops were on the streets, they would be […]
Jun 26 2012 | Posted in
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Insta ‘flippin’ Tweet ‘agram It’s hard enough to know where to begin when developing a marketing strategy for your business, without having reams of ‘so-called’ popular social media channels to siphon through and attempt to understand. One of the biggest points that local businesses often raise with me is the fact that they are dizzy […]
Jun 24 2012 | Posted in
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Pat Finucane was a well known solicitor in the Belfast area. Born a Roman Catholic, his long and distinguished law career saw him represent suspects from both loyalist and republican communities. However, it was his representation of high profile republicans which made his job that much more contentious. His prominence in cases involving republican suspects […]
Jun 15 2012 | Posted in
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Social Media ‘Yer Arse’ The reaction of some people to the idea of using social media to help their businesses grow still amuses me to this very day. “That awl BookFace isn’t worth a damn”, they would say. Or, “The only twit twitting on Twitter is you”. It’s been a rocky road, but the inevitable […]
Jun 7 2012 | Posted in
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