sluggerotoole--2020-12-23--Exiling NI Expats Can’t Become Another Political Game

30 January 2020 was my 27th birthday .
That weekend also turned into my last time in Northern Ireland for a full 6 months .
The pandemic that we have all experienced has been suffered in many different ways , and to different degrees .
I won ’ t pretend that being a stranded celt in London meant I was on the sharper end of the experience , but you can only live through it the way you did and so while I ought not to have found it so hard – I did .
My partner had never really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ugly gurning into her shoulder , when I realised my weekend home at the end of March 2020 wouldn ’ t be possible .
I shattered again on having to cancel trips home in April , and in May and then jettison plans to fly home in June – plans that were the light of what felt like a mightily dark tunnel during April and May .
In the grand scheme of things , I certainly did not have a hard lockdown .
But god , did my face splinter on seeing my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of me , repeatedly .
When I treaded that well-trodden path , of going to England for a job in the end of 2017 , a significant part of my soul would always be anchored in Ulster and I felt it as an acute ache to be marooned from that part of my soul for so long .
On 8th July 2020 however , holding my partner ’ s hand , with flamboyant masks strapped across our glinting faces , we stepped back into Northern Ireland for the first time in 6 months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , my country ’ s Deputy First Minister made a statement .
She said an all-Ireland approach was necessary , and she described those coming from England into Northern Ireland as “ the greatest risk ” that Ireland faced .
Not the fact that our government didn ’ t exist for three years , crippling our state ’ s ability to respond to this pandemic ; not the fact that some in our Executive still have an ability to find pettiness in the face of severity .
The greatest risk was me , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hand sanitiser visiting my family , after half a year of separation , at a time when London had – by today ’ s standards – an extremely low rate of covid incidence ( my area Ealing only having 6.4 per 100,000 at the end of July ) .
I returned to NI two more times before a long weekend at the start of October , after which I knew I ’ d have to hunker down to reduce risk , and earn Christmas with my closest of kin .
Like thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my plans to fly on Christmas Eve-Eve after a long hard year were torn from me .
The light was extinguished and I was left , suitcase in hand , trying to breathe slowly to allow my eyes the time to adjust to the tunnel ’ s pitch darkness .
I have been mostly calm since – focusing on how to give my partner – herself stranded from Cymru – and myself the best London-stranded-Christmas we can muster .
I ’ ve not allowed myself to catalogue the beautiful collection of moments Christmas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that was all severely tested on seeing politics in NI again trying to exile expats in GB as part of petty tribalism ; trying to block those in England lucky enough not to be in Tier 4 from returning home .
The Deputy First Minister said “ Belfast and Dublin must act together to keep everyone on this island safe ” .
Safe from the GB-based expats , a grouping that this carefully thought through language ‘ others ’ with surgical precision .
I have tried to understand why the Deputy First Minister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have stung so much , and have realised it has two aspects .
Firstly , it could not be more personal .
Depriving someone of the ability to be home , to see family and experience their home place cuts right to the heart of something you innately feel to be a birth right .
Secondly , I felt I was being ‘ othered ’ .
I am in Tier 4 , and so I should not be allowed to leave my area .
I understand that .
But those in low covid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeing their family , just because they are working in a low incidence area in GB rather than a low incidence area in ROI .
There is no scientific basis for that , with the new variant of the virus now present in GB and ROI ; the only basis is an ideological one – like why Trump wants to build a wall with Mexico , and not with Canada .
The freedom of movement for NI expats in GB and in ROI needs to be handled with far greater care than it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using sensitivity , the DUP and Sinn Fein have used the topic as another proxy war for constitutional debate .
Expats ’ experience , especially those cut off by the Irish Sea , has been one of visceral separation ; no political should be exacerbating that experience to titillate their bases .
If this debate was around the level of risk GB expats bring – less than 1 in 100 , and “ significantly less ” for the new variant – why did we again see some unionists calling for ROI travel to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fein calling for GB travellers to be banned ?
This pandemic has required extremely hard decisions from politicians throughout : every time , we have had to respond with resilience , positivity and inventiveness to make the most of it .
But while I sit away from my parents and outside of Ballymena for the first time in my whole life on Christmas Day , I ask that politicians deal with this debate with the level of seriousness I felt when my parents rang me up to let me know I can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For those away from their families this year , I wanted to quickly share some writing from David Brooks of the New York Times : real tough people aren ’ t hard , but are “ strong like water .
A blow might sink into them , and when it does they are profoundly affected by it .
But they can absorb the blow because it ’ s short term while their natural shape is long term…grit , resilience and toughness are not traits that people possess intrinsically .
They are not tools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of themselves .
They are means inspired by an end “ .
Hard to think of a better end to inspire than finally returning home , whenever I next can .
Photo by Skitterphoto is licensed under CC0

30 January 2020 was my 27th birthday. That weekend also turned into my last time in Northern Ireland for a full 6 months.
The pandemic that we have all experienced has been suffered in many different ways, and to different degrees. I won’t pretend that being a stranded celt in London meant I was on the sharper end of the experience, but you can only live through it the way you did and so while I ought not to have found it so hard – I did.
My partner had never really seen me cry like that before – ugly gurning into her shoulder, when I realised my weekend home at the end of March 2020 wouldn’t be possible. I shattered again on having to cancel trips home in April, and in May and then jettison plans to fly home in June – plans that were the light of what felt like a mightily dark tunnel during April and May. In the grand scheme of things, I certainly did not have a hard lockdown. But god, did my face splinter on seeing my chances of getting home-home disappear in front of me, repeatedly.
When I treaded that well-trodden path, of going to England for a job in the end of 2017, a significant part of my soul would always be anchored in Ulster and I felt it as an acute ache to be marooned from that part of my soul for so long.
On 8th July 2020 however, holding my partner’s hand, with flamboyant masks strapped across our glinting faces, we stepped back into Northern Ireland for the first time in 6 months.
The day after returning to London, my country’s Deputy First Minister made a statement. She said an all-Ireland approach was necessary, and she described those coming from England into Northern Ireland as “the greatest risk” that Ireland faced.
Not the fact that our government didn’t exist for three years, crippling our state’s ability to respond to this pandemic; not the fact that some in our Executive still have an ability to find pettiness in the face of severity. The greatest risk was me, my mask and my copious amounts of hand sanitiser visiting my family, after half a year of separation, at a time when London had – by today’s standards – an extremely low rate of covid incidence (my area Ealing only having 6.4 per 100,000 at the end of July).
I returned to NI two more times before a long weekend at the start of October, after which I knew I’d have to hunker down to reduce risk, and earn Christmas with my closest of kin.
Like thousands of others, on Saturday 19 December, my plans to fly on Christmas Eve-Eve after a long hard year were torn from me. The light was extinguished and I was left, suitcase in hand, trying to breathe slowly to allow my eyes the time to adjust to the tunnel’s pitch darkness.
I have been mostly calm since – focusing on how to give my partner – herself stranded from Cymru – and myself the best London-stranded-Christmas we can muster. I’ve not allowed myself to catalogue the beautiful collection of moments Christmas in Ballymena would have pooled.
But that was all severely tested on seeing politics in NI again trying to exile expats in GB as part of petty tribalism; trying to block those in England lucky enough not to be in Tier 4 from returning home.
The Deputy First Minister said “Belfast and Dublin must act together to keep everyone on this island safe”.
Safe from the GB-based expats, a grouping that this carefully thought through language ‘others’ with surgical precision.
I have tried to understand why the Deputy First Minister’s two statements on exiling expats have stung so much, and have realised it has two aspects.
Firstly, it could not be more personal. Depriving someone of the ability to be home, to see family and experience their home place cuts right to the heart of something you innately feel to be a birth right.
Secondly, I felt I was being ‘othered’.
I am in Tier 4, and so I should not be allowed to leave my area. I understand that. But those in low covid incidence areas should not be deprived from seeing their family, just because they are working in a low incidence area in GB rather than a low incidence area in ROI. There is no scientific basis for that, with the new variant of the virus now present in GB and ROI; the only basis is an ideological one – like why Trump wants to build a wall with Mexico, and not with Canada.
The freedom of movement for NI expats in GB and in ROI needs to be handled with far greater care than it has been thus far: instead of using sensitivity, the DUP and Sinn Fein have used the topic as another proxy war for constitutional debate.
Expats’ experience, especially those cut off by the Irish Sea, has been one of visceral separation; no political should be exacerbating that experience to titillate their bases.
If this debate was around the level of risk GB expats bring – less than 1 in 100 , and “significantly less” for the new variant – why did we again see some unionists calling for ROI travel to be blocked, and SDLP and Sinn Fein calling for GB travellers to be banned?
This pandemic has required extremely hard decisions from politicians throughout: every time, we have had to respond with resilience, positivity and inventiveness to make the most of it.
But while I sit away from my parents and outside of Ballymena for the first time in my whole life on Christmas Day, I ask that politicians deal with this debate with the level of seriousness I felt when my parents rang me up to let me know I can’t be with them this Christmas.
**
For those away from their families this year, I wanted to quickly share some writing from David Brooks of the New York Times: real tough people aren’t hard, but are “strong like water. A blow might sink into them, and when it does they are profoundly affected by it. But they can absorb the blow because it’s short term while their natural shape is long term…grit, resilience and toughness are not traits that people possess intrinsically. They are not tools you can possess independently for the sake of themselves. They are means inspired by an end“.
Hard to think of a better end to inspire than finally returning home, whenever I next can.
Photo by Skitterphoto is licensed under CC0


sluggerotoole--2020-12-22--Buy Slugger A Christmas Drink and watch our End of Year Review Show for free…

What a year eh ?
I imagine like me you will be glad to see the back of 2020 .
It was a busy aul year for us at Slugger .
We had over 1.7million visitors to the site , who read over 5 million pages of content .
We have had 950 posts so far this year , which lead to over 125,000 comments in the discussions .
How we can maintain civil discussion around the notoriously divisive subject of Northern Ireland politics is a Christmas Miracle in itself .
In addition to the core site , we also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and launched our new podcast .
Before the pandemic really hit we even managed to have a few full house live events , remember going out ?
All this is quite an achievement for a site that is run by unpaid volunteers .
Slugger values our readers too much to ever melt your head with intrusive ads .
Instead , we have gone for a reader-supported model .
Your donations help us cover the costs of running the site .
If you like what we do , please consider buying Slugger a Christmas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pint or even a round .
Or for the non-drinkers , the price of a grande latte and muffin .
As well as getting a warm philanthropic glow in your heart , you also get to watch our recent Slugger End of Year Review Show .
This is spread across three episodes that you can watch in the comfort of your own home .
None of that aul Zoom malarky either , the guests were recorded live at the Accidental Theatre Belfast .
Your hosts Alan Meban and David McCann were joined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of FSB NI ) and Tim Cairns ( Commentator and former SPAD ) • Alex Kane ( Commentator ) and Allison Morris ( Security Correspondent with the Irish News ) You can watch a quick preview of the review below .
To view it all just give a donation of at least £5 .
To donate just fill in the form below .
( If you have Apple/Android Pay click here ) .
Whatever you get up to over Christmas , I hope it will be healthy and peaceful .
“ Walking in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Color street photography ” by Giuseppe Milo ( www.pixael.com ) is licensed under CC BY

What a year eh? I imagine like me you will be glad to see the back of 2020.
It was a busy aul year for us at Slugger. We had over 1.7million visitors to the site, who read over 5 million pages of content. We have had 950 posts so far this year, which lead to over 125,000 comments in the discussions. How we can maintain civil discussion around the notoriously divisive subject of Northern Ireland politics is a Christmas Miracle in itself.
In addition to the core site, we also put out monthly episodes of Slugger TV and launched our new podcast. Before the pandemic really hit we even managed to have a few full house live events, remember going out? All this is quite an achievement for a site that is run by unpaid volunteers.
Slugger values our readers too much to ever melt your head with intrusive ads. Instead, we have gone for a reader-supported model. Your donations help us cover the costs of running the site.
If you like what we do, please consider buying Slugger a Christmas drink. Give us the price of a pint or even a round. Or for the non-drinkers, the price of a grande latte and muffin.
As well as getting a warm philanthropic glow in your heart, you also get to watch our recent Slugger End of Year Review Show. This is spread across three episodes that you can watch in the comfort of your own home. None of that aul Zoom malarky either, the guests were recorded live at the Accidental Theatre Belfast.
Your hosts Alan Meban and David McCann were joined by:
Tina McKenzie (Chair of FSB NI) and Tim Cairns (Commentator and former SPAD) Sarah Creighton (Commentator) and Chris Donnelly (School Principal & Commentator) Alex Kane (Commentator) and Allison Morris (Security Correspondent with the Irish News)
You can watch a quick preview of the review below. To view it all just give a donation of at least £5.
To donate just fill in the form below. (If you have Apple/Android Pay click here).
Whatever you get up to over Christmas, I hope it will be healthy and peaceful.
“Walking in the snow – Dublin, Ireland – Color street photography” by Giuseppe Milo (www.pixael.com) is licensed under CC BY


sluggerotoole--2020-12-22--If we are going invent new traditions on the island please let us include Seamus Heaney?

“ It is the contrast between the constant change and innovation of the modern world and the attempt to structure at least some parts of social life within it as unchanging and invariant , that makes the ‘ invention of tradition ’ so interesting for historians of the past two centuries.
” The decade of 100th anniversaries in our island history has got tougher , more challenging and divisive as it gets closer to partition and the founding of two separate parliaments that the drafters of the 1920 Act imagined would be temporary .
Tempers got short last week when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Our Story in the Making : NI Beyond 100 ” campaign .
The SDLP leader captured the chippy mood with a famous piece of Seamus ’ verse : In came the big guns .
By week ’ s end , Diarmuid Ferriter ( who sits on the southern but not the northern commemoration committee ) lent his thunder to an echoing chorus of outraged nationalists .
[ Culture war over a fecking picture ?
What are we like ?
?
– Ed ] It was “ inappropriate and distasteful ” to associate Seamus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Northern Ireland ’ s future ) .
“ Less is better ” he advised the north after an RIC commemoration that helped SF to top the southern poll a few weeks after .
It marked a restart in the Republic of a new civil war politics that is still being played out between Sinn Féin and Fine Gael .
With Irish history it is always advisable to tread carefully ( we northerners have learned as much the hard way ) .
It ’ s odd such commemorations can spark more anguish in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ answer lies in the fact that the southern education system barely taught Irish history after 1920 until post primary education arrived in the 60s .
At the moment most historical accounts being aired on RTÉ either ignore Northern Ireland completely , or when they do look north tend to take a highly partial , pro nationalist view of what happened during the Troubles .
The thoughts and feelings of the majority of the population of Northern Ireland ( ie , those who are non nationalists ) remain a closed book to the majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For instance , none of the Frontline docs have made RTÉ ’ s cut .
Of all the coverage , at the time , Freya McClements captured the wisest observer in my own personal hero of the peace processing era , the poet Michael Longley , who patiently explained : I ’ m sure that ’ s right in both respects .
But there is the man and there is his art .
In the case of Heaney the power of his art surely lies beyond the capture of politicians either in life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ himself said to the Nobel Institute , poetry has… ‘ ….the power to persuade that vulnerable part of our consciousness of its rightness in spite of the evidence of wrongness all around it , the power to remind us that we are hunters and gatherers of values , that our very solitudes and distresses are creditable , in so far as they , too , are an earnest of our veritable human being.
’ Who ’ d deny us Nordies such wisdom as we fumble towards a compassionate but unsentimental rendering of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back in 1998 ?
Oh , and if we are going to invent new traditions , I for one want Heaney ina measc .

“It is the contrast between the constant change and innovation of the modern world and the attempt to structure at least some parts of social life within it as unchanging and invariant, that makes the ‘invention of tradition’ so interesting for historians of the past two centuries.”
– Eric Hobsbawm, The Invention of Tradition
The decade of 100th anniversaries in our island history has got tougher, more challenging and divisive as it gets closer to partition and the founding of two separate parliaments that the drafters of the 1920 Act imagined would be temporary.
Tempers got short last week when Seamus Heaney was honoured/misappropriated by the “Our Story in the Making: NI Beyond 100” campaign. The SDLP leader captured the chippy mood with a famous piece of Seamus’ verse:
'Be advised my passport's green.
No glass of ours was ever raised
to toast the Queen.' pic.twitter.com/9HnYLQBD0t — Colum Eastwood 🇺🇦 (@columeastwood) December 14, 2020
In came the big guns. By week’s end, Diarmuid Ferriter (who sits on the southern but not the northern commemoration committee) lent his thunder to an echoing chorus of outraged nationalists.
[Culture war over a fecking picture? What are we like?? – Ed]
It was “inappropriate and distasteful” to associate Seamus with the project (intended to explore Northern Ireland’s future). “Less is better” he advised the north after an RIC commemoration that helped SF to top the southern poll a few weeks after.
It marked a restart in the Republic of a new civil war politics that is still being played out between Sinn Féin and Fine Gael. With Irish history it is always advisable to tread carefully (we northerners have learned as much the hard way).
It’s odd such commemorations can spark more anguish in the south than the north. Perhaps one answer lies in the fact that the southern education system barely taught Irish history after 1920 until post primary education arrived in the 60s.
At the moment most historical accounts being aired on RTÉ either ignore Northern Ireland completely, or when they do look north tend to take a highly partial, pro nationalist view of what happened during the Troubles.
The thoughts and feelings of the majority of the population of Northern Ireland (ie, those who are non nationalists) remain a closed book to the majority of people south of the border. For instance, none of the Frontline docs have made RTÉ’s cut.
Of all the coverage, at the time, Freya McClements captured the wisest observer in my own personal hero of the peace processing era, the poet Michael Longley, who patiently explained:
“Seamus is so loved and revered, everyone wants a bit of him, including unionists,” says his friend and fellow poet Michael Longley. “I think he would probably have been embarrassed by his totemic status.”
I’m sure that’s right in both respects. But there is the man and there is his art. In the case of Heaney the power of his art surely lies beyond the capture of politicians either in life or in death.
As the man himself said to the Nobel Institute, poetry has…
‘….the power to persuade that vulnerable part of our consciousness of its rightness in spite of the evidence of wrongness all around it, the power to remind us that we are hunters and gatherers of values, that our very solitudes and distresses are creditable, in so far as they, too, are an earnest of our veritable human being.’
Who’d deny us Nordies such wisdom as we fumble towards a compassionate but unsentimental rendering of the promise of peace we agreed to way back in 1998? Oh, and if we are going to invent new traditions, I for one want Heaney ina measc.


sluggerotoole--2020-12-24--WRC asserts right of student from majority population to take the place of one from a tiny minority

It ’ s an old principle in business comms that ‘ everything communicates ’ .
Whether we like it or not other people will pick up and interpret the signals you send , even the ones you don ’ t intend for them to pick up .
As certainty has grown around a future United Irealnd particularly amongst the younger cohorts in the south , nationalism is giving off signals that even the standards of pre power sharing NI don ’ t need to be adhered to .
The south ’ s Workplace Relations Commission ( WRC ) has found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ favouring for admission Church of Ireland students from a local primary school .
WRC adjudication officer Brian Dalton has also ordered the community school to cease giving pupils of Church of Ireland faith attending the nearby national school priority when it comes to enrolment in first year .
In addition it has been ordered to amend its admissions policy to ensure the prohibited conduct under the Equal Status Act ends .
The school , not named in the ruling , contended it complies with the Equal Status Act and that it does not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over another when deciding who it admits into first year .
However , Mr Dalton found that it was difficult to reconcile how giving preference to Church of Ireland students is consistent with that stated objective while at the same time admitting it does give preference to a particular religious denomination .
Now , as far as I know , no one has ever questioned the right of Catholic Schools in Northern Ireland to discriminate on religious grounds even in the deepest darkest depths of its pre Troubles history .
In many ways @ @ @ @ @ @ @ access to a whole range of subjects and interests that were simply not available in mainstream state education .
Things like language , sport and history .
Of course this is a multi-demoninational school , not a religious one .
But it is blatantly obvious that without inclusion of the tiny minority of Protestant students in the south that it would very quickly lose that status .
The southern government has long record of promising protection to this minority of southern schools such as feeder schools , ethos and for provision of transport @ @ @ @ @ @ @ honoured over generations .
It ’ s a particularly sour note to finish the year on to demand a religious minority should surrender its rights in a case which asserts the right of student from a majority pop to take the place of one from a tiny minority .
It won ’ t be missed by those in Northern Ireland , who wonder how their minority status will respected in a new United Ireland .
Advocates for a UI might be advised put an end to throwing dry timber on its own funeral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ licensed under CC0

It’s an old principle in business comms that ‘everything communicates’. Whether we like it or not other people will pick up and interpret the signals you send, even the ones you don’t intend for them to pick up.
As certainty has grown around a future United Irealnd particularly amongst the younger cohorts in the south, nationalism is giving off signals that even the standards of pre power sharing NI don’t need to be adhered to.
The south’s Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) has found that a multi-denominational secondary school discriminated by favouring for admission Church of Ireland students from a local primary school.
The Irish Times reports:
WRC adjudication officer Brian Dalton has also ordered the community school to cease giving pupils of Church of Ireland faith attending the nearby national school priority when it comes to enrolment in first year. In addition it has been ordered to amend its admissions policy to ensure the prohibited conduct under the Equal Status Act ends. The school, not named in the ruling, contended it complies with the Equal Status Act and that it does not favour any one religious faith or none over another when deciding who it admits into first year. However, Mr Dalton found that it was difficult to reconcile how giving preference to Church of Ireland students is consistent with that stated objective while at the same time admitting it does give preference to a particular religious denomination.
Now, as far as I know, no one has ever questioned the right of Catholic Schools in Northern Ireland to discriminate on religious grounds even in the deepest darkest depths of its pre Troubles history.
In many ways those of us who attended got privileged access to a whole range of subjects and interests that were simply not available in mainstream state education. Things like language, sport and history.
Of course this is a multi-demoninational school, not a religious one. But it is blatantly obvious that without inclusion of the tiny minority of Protestant students in the south that it would very quickly lose that status.
The southern government has long record of promising protection to this minority of southern schools such as feeder schools, ethos and for provision of transport, very few of which have been honoured over generations.
It’s a particularly sour note to finish the year on to demand a religious minority should surrender its rights in a case which asserts the right of student from a majority pop to take the place of one from a tiny minority.
It won’t be missed by those in Northern Ireland, who wonder how their minority status will respected in a new United Ireland. Advocates for a UI might be advised put an end to throwing dry timber on its own funeral pyre.
Photo by Life Matters is licensed under CC0


sluggerotoole--2020-12-24--“Covid-19 does not care about the Battle of the Boyne…”

These were words ushered by Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly in a recent Newstalk interview when asked about an all-island approach being adopted to tackle Covid-19 .
The irritation in his voice evident .
The events over the past week will only strengthen his contempt for the Northern Ireland Executive .
His Northern Ireland counterpart , Robin Swann , claimed they were blindsided by Ireland ’ s ban on travel from Britain and did not see it coming .
Quite an extraordinary claim given the heavy media speculation that such a ban was in the pipeline and many countries within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It suggested Swann was left with little choice but to come to a compromise with the unionist parties regarding banning travel from the UK .
Allowing travel to and from and the UK to remain open , it has created a funnel for people from the UK to get into Ireland .
Early indications suggest the new strain of the virus is 70 % more contagious .
Such a statistic of course did not stop Arlene Foster claiming that the particular strain of the virus was already on the island and such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not necessary as a result .
You do not require a Masters in Public Health to understand that severely limiting a wave of people carrying a far more contagious strain coming into your country is a wise move .
Unfortunately for the rest of us , their wisdom and common sense is being blinded by their political agendas .
Such political agendas are so distant from actually protecting its citizens from the virus , one twitter user claimed that the DUP was the political wing of Covid-19 .
As put by Sky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Asking Unionists to prohibit travel from Great Britain is akin to asking the Irish government to prohibit travel from Northern Ireland.
” Yet , people seem to forget that inter-county travel has been banned under all lockdowns meaning travelling was essentially prohibited to Northern Ireland and vice versa anyways .
A recent clip resurfaced of Michelle O ’ Neill saying “ Leo Varadkar has demonstrated that he is completely out of touch with the reality of life on this island ” after Varadkar had suggested cross-border travel over the Christmas period could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the clip has aged not like a fine wine but that of sour milk .
In the midst of all this and throughout last week , we also got to witness O ’ Neill and Foster taking pops at one another over which of their parties had broken more public health guidelines .
Seeing the two ‘ leaders ’ of Northern Ireland throwing paper airplanes at each other when the classroom is on fire , is always a spectacle .
Turning public health advice into a political battleground is only going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on this one island , meaning there is a significant opportunity to actually contain and suppress this virus in the long-term as the vaccine is being rolled out .
It is not a united Ireland proposition to work together , it is a common sense proposal .
The virus does not give an ounce of consideration whether someone is green or orange before it infects them , so it is about time a proper all island approach to tackling the virus is taken .
Because it will save lives , something which so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the goal .
“ Boris Johnson Northern Ireland Visit ” by UK Prime Minister is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

These were words ushered by Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly in a recent Newstalk interview when asked about an all-island approach being adopted to tackle Covid-19. The irritation in his voice evident. The events over the past week will only strengthen his contempt for the Northern Ireland Executive.
His Northern Ireland counterpart, Robin Swann, claimed they were blindsided by Ireland’s ban on travel from Britain and did not see it coming. Quite an extraordinary claim given the heavy media speculation that such a ban was in the pipeline and many countries within the EU had already implemented such measures. It suggested Swann was left with little choice but to come to a compromise with the unionist parties regarding banning travel from the UK. Allowing travel to and from and the UK to remain open, it has created a funnel for people from the UK to get into Ireland.
Early indications suggest the new strain of the virus is 70% more contagious. Such a statistic of course did not stop Arlene Foster claiming that the particular strain of the virus was already on the island and such a ban on travel from the UK was not necessary as a result. You do not require a Masters in Public Health to understand that severely limiting a wave of people carrying a far more contagious strain coming into your country is a wise move. Unfortunately for the rest of us, their wisdom and common sense is being blinded by their political agendas. Such political agendas are so distant from actually protecting its citizens from the virus, one twitter user claimed that the DUP was the political wing of Covid-19.
As put by Sky News’ Ireland correspondent David Blevins “Asking Unionists to prohibit travel from Great Britain is akin to asking the Irish government to prohibit travel from Northern Ireland.” Yet, people seem to forget that inter-county travel has been banned under all lockdowns meaning travelling was essentially prohibited to Northern Ireland and vice versa anyways. A recent clip resurfaced of Michelle O’Neill saying “Leo Varadkar has demonstrated that he is completely out of touch with the reality of life on this island” after Varadkar had suggested cross-border travel over the Christmas period could be restricted. It is fair to say that the clip has aged not like a fine wine but that of sour milk.
In the midst of all this and throughout last week, we also got to witness O’Neill and Foster taking pops at one another over which of their parties had broken more public health guidelines. Seeing the two ‘leaders’ of Northern Ireland throwing paper airplanes at each other when the classroom is on fire, is always a spectacle. Turning public health advice into a political battleground is only going to lead to failure.
We all live on this one island, meaning there is a significant opportunity to actually contain and suppress this virus in the long-term as the vaccine is being rolled out. It is not a united Ireland proposition to work together, it is a common sense proposal. The virus does not give an ounce of consideration whether someone is green or orange before it infects them, so it is about time a proper all island approach to tackling the virus is taken. Because it will save lives, something which so many people have seemed to have forgotten is the goal.
“Boris Johnson Northern Ireland Visit” by UK Prime Minister is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0


sluggerotoole--2020-12-24--The year of Robin Swann, a one term populist president, Covid 19 and an uncertain future…

As Christmas beckons we aren ’ t out of the Covid woods .
But as the crisis has worn on we ’ ve gone from dismissal , to ( in my case , at least ) existential fear and dread , then something human kicked in and we made the abnormal , normal .
The summer came and infections dropped , we gave thanks for the alleviation after lockdown .
In September we finally got the kids back to school ( and if you are a parent you will know just how important this has been to their wellbeing ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Statesman 2020 was a year of the Great Humbling and “ a revelation of the fragility that lies at the bottom of our way of life ” .
The idea of human supremacy , he argues , was alway as “ dangerous illusion ” .
In Irish politics , this is most obviously seen in the inevitability myth perpetuated by fundamentalist believers of various political faiths .
But who thought at the beginning of 2020 that Robin Swann would be our top politician by year end ?
Further , who thought a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard news that they didn ’ t particularly want to hear ?
I doubt Robin has anything like the huge harvest of Facebook likes or RTs on Twitter of his more popular rivals .
Populism lost its sheen .
Covid showed up its lack of competence ( and compassion ) that lurks underneath .
Trump lost after just one term in the Whitehouse .
The hysterical reflex of the liberal media finally rested after four years of hyperactivity .
With Brexit almost done , gradually a no deal shifted throughout the years so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it might have looked last January or March .
I suspect the reality of Brexit Britain will prove to be a disappointment to both sides of that internal argument .
But it also holds that a mild neighbourly deal may deny that abject surrender note from unionism that so many republicans so confidently predicted for much of the last four years .
In the Digital Age the half life of any strategy is vanishingly small .
Micheál Martin slowly emerged as a pragmatic , technocratic Taoiseach confounding populist rivals on either side of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political ruck with a credible approach ( and money ) for N/S relations .
For now .
Slugger managed to wrangle its way through often by ignoring much of the froth of the day to day and bringing on new writers like Terry Wright to find fresh perspectives on many familiar questions .
Nice guest slot from the Dissenter too .
We have the gifted cartoonist , Fergus Boylan ( you can find him elsewhere as @ infiniteguff ) .
We ’ ve also had Annemarie and Lisa ‘ s informative missives from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the front line with the bees ( and against “ Neonics ” ) .
[ PS , people who keep bees are doers and well worth a read , or a vote if you ever get a chance to express such a preference . ]
We love finding new talent regardless of their political background .
One established commentator is the Irish News columnist ( and my own personal mentor when it comes to understanding the intricacies of US Baseball ) , Chris Donnelly .
So it is good to see that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stepping forward in other media and fora as an intelligent forward looking unionist voice within the mainstream .
Nice to see them spark off each other in our year end review .
In a year which was challenging for many , Slugger did better than many of us perhaps expected .
As Brian has already noted we had 1.7 million readers who read over 5 million pages of content .
That ’ s 948 posts so far with over 125,000 comments .
Which reminds me that thanks are due to our growing band @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day and night to remind our community of the rules that bind them to a pluralist approach to debate and discussion .
Our comment zone and our play the ball not the man rule has been highlighted over the years in papers as politically diverse as the Times of London and the Irish Times for the way we bring together people of different perspectives .
Despite what some may suggest , we have a politically diverse group of moderators doing largely thankless job with a devotion I ’ m deeply grateful for , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the trade as they go .
We can always use more !
One big successes of the year has been the Slugger TV project , driven by David and Alan .
This year they discovered The Accidental Theatre ( above what used to be more familiar to us oldies as the Northern Bank in Shaftesbury Square ) .
My personal favourite was the culmination of our Reset project with Ulster Bank with their Chief Economist Richard Ramsey and the CBI ’ s Angela McGowan… The real delight of the Slugger TV project is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which means that this content goes out on Community TV in Belfast and not just to the wild hoards of the Internet .
For me personally 2020 has been a year in which I have probably pulled back more than in previous years .
Family and friends have come to matter more to me than the reductive world of party politics , particularly those touched by COVID .
There was more time for reading and much that was useful to read on important shifts in the wider world , like Lonergan and Blyth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Greed is Dead and Jaron Lanier on how social media makes politics impossible .
Thanks to a core team that as ‘ editor ’ I tend to ‘ manage ’ though neglect than in any direct way ( none of them are particularly open to direction anyway ) .
For me , this independence of thought is key to Slugger distributed approach .
As we come up end stage Brexit I ’ d also like to thank Brian Walker ( and in previous years , my good and steadfast friend Pete @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loop with intelligence and patience .
And Claire Mitchell for her support and sage advice .
And there ’ s the amazing Brian O ’ Neill , whose tech and business nous has transformed us into a slick and well resourced operation .
It ’ s hard to think of a part of the operation Brian has not had a hand in in improving in some way or another .
Brian has helped establish productive relationships with a range of third level education institutions , not least at Ulster University and the Public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Most importantly , he has shown how it is possible to establish an independent relationship with our readers that has helped us to develop and grow as a challenging online political forum with thought provoking articles .
Our growing base of regular donors is a welcome development .
It helps secure Slugger ’ s independence , allows us to plan ahead and take on new projects with confidence .
So thanks for the crack , your kind support , and those end of year ‘ pints ’ .
So over Christmas do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might join that happy band of Friends of Slugger who do so much in keeping us solvent and going .
In the meantime , enjoy your Christmas as best you can .
And see you next year !
To donate just fill in the form below .
( If you have Apple/Android Pay click here ) .
Photo by Wokandapix is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA

As Christmas beckons we aren’t out of the Covid woods. But as the crisis has worn on we’ve gone from dismissal, to (in my case, at least) existential fear and dread, then something human kicked in and we made the abnormal, normal.
The summer came and infections dropped, we gave thanks for the alleviation after lockdown. In September we finally got the kids back to school (and if you are a parent you will know just how important this has been to their wellbeing).
As John Gray writes in the New Statesman 2020 was a year of the Great Humbling and “a revelation of the fragility that lies at the bottom of our way of life”. The idea of human supremacy, he argues, was alway as “dangerous illusion”.
In Irish politics, this is most obviously seen in the inevitability myth perpetuated by fundamentalist believers of various political faiths. But who thought at the beginning of 2020 that Robin Swann would be our top politician by year end?
Further, who thought a politician could become popular by telling people hard news that they didn’t particularly want to hear? I doubt Robin has anything like the huge harvest of Facebook likes or RTs on Twitter of his more popular rivals.
Populism lost its sheen. Covid showed up its lack of competence (and compassion) that lurks underneath. Trump lost after just one term in the Whitehouse. The hysterical reflex of the liberal media finally rested after four years of hyperactivity.
With Brexit almost done, gradually a no deal shifted throughout the years so it wasn’t the same as it might have looked last January or March. I suspect the reality of Brexit Britain will prove to be a disappointment to both sides of that internal argument.
But it also holds that a mild neighbourly deal may deny that abject surrender note from unionism that so many republicans so confidently predicted for much of the last four years. In the Digital Age the half life of any strategy is vanishingly small.
Micheál Martin slowly emerged as a pragmatic, technocratic Taoiseach confounding populist rivals on either side of him. His government emerged from the political ruck with a credible approach (and money) for N/S relations. For now.
Slugger managed to wrangle its way through often by ignoring much of the froth of the day to day and bringing on new writers like Terry Wright to find fresh perspectives on many familiar questions. Nice guest slot from the Dissenter too.
We have the gifted cartoonist, Fergus Boylan (you can find him elsewhere as @infiniteguff). We’ve also had Annemarie and Lisa‘s informative missives from rural Co Down haven, and Natasha on the front line with the bees (and against “Neonics”).
[PS, people who keep bees are doers and well worth a read, or a vote if you ever get a chance to express such a preference.]
We love finding new talent regardless of their political background. One established commentator is the Irish News columnist (and my own personal mentor when it comes to understanding the intricacies of US Baseball), Chris Donnelly.
So it is good to see that 2020 has seen our own Sarah Creighton stepping forward in other media and fora as an intelligent forward looking unionist voice within the mainstream. Nice to see them spark off each other in our year end review.
In a year which was challenging for many, Slugger did better than many of us perhaps expected. As Brian has already noted we had 1.7 million readers who read over 5 million pages of content. That’s 948 posts so far with over 125,000 comments.
Which reminds me that thanks are due to our growing band of moderators who operate often throughout the day and night to remind our community of the rules that bind them to a pluralist approach to debate and discussion.
Our comment zone and our play the ball not the man rule has been highlighted over the years in papers as politically diverse as the Times of London and the Irish Times for the way we bring together people of different perspectives.
Despite what some may suggest, we have a politically diverse group of moderators doing largely thankless job with a devotion I’m deeply grateful for, and who are committed to keep learning the trade as they go. We can always use more!
One big successes of the year has been the Slugger TV project, driven by David and Alan. This year they discovered The Accidental Theatre (above what used to be more familiar to us oldies as the Northern Bank in Shaftesbury Square).
My personal favourite was the culmination of our Reset project with Ulster Bank with their Chief Economist Richard Ramsey and the CBI’s Angela McGowan…
The real delight of the Slugger TV project is our partnership with Northern Visions’ NVTV which means that this content goes out on Community TV in Belfast and not just to the wild hoards of the Internet.
For me personally 2020 has been a year in which I have probably pulled back more than in previous years. Family and friends have come to matter more to me than the reductive world of party politics, particularly those touched by COVID.
There was more time for reading and much that was useful to read on important shifts in the wider world, like Lonergan and Blyth’s Angrynomics, Collier and Kay’s Greed is Dead and Jaron Lanier on how social media makes politics impossible.
Thanks to a core team that as ‘editor’ I tend to ‘manage’ though neglect than in any direct way (none of them are particularly open to direction anyway). For me, this independence of thought is key to Slugger distributed approach.
As we come up end stage Brexit I’d also like to thank Brian Walker (and in previous years, my good and steadfast friend Pete Baker) for keeping us in the loop with intelligence and patience. And Claire Mitchell for her support and sage advice.
And there’s the amazing Brian O’Neill, whose tech and business nous has transformed us into a slick and well resourced operation. It’s hard to think of a part of the operation Brian has not had a hand in in improving in some way or another.
Brian has helped establish productive relationships with a range of third level education institutions, not least at Ulster University and the Public Engagement Team at Queens University, Belfast.
Most importantly, he has shown how it is possible to establish an independent relationship with our readers that has helped us to develop and grow as a challenging online political forum with thought provoking articles.
Our growing base of regular donors is a welcome development. It helps secure Slugger’s independence, allows us to plan ahead and take on new projects with confidence. So thanks for the crack, your kind support, and those end of year ‘pints’.
So over Christmas do consider whether in the next year you might join that happy band of Friends of Slugger who do so much in keeping us solvent and going. In the meantime, enjoy your Christmas as best you can. And see you next year!
To donate just fill in the form below. (If you have Apple/Android Pay click here).
Photo by Wokandapix is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA


sluggerotoole--2020-12-25--Welcome to the most wonderful day of the year (Terms & conditions apply).

Happy Christmas !
or Bah Humbug !
Depending on your view , Christmas is either an annual orgy of excessive consumption or a time to rejoice in the Birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ .
When it comes to Christmas I find myself ambivalent about it , bordering on full-blown hostility .
According to our Twitter poll , Christmas does divide opinion : On the negative side , excessive shopping horrifies me .
The amount of sheer garbage that people buy for presents fills me with despair .
All the clothes bought for people whose wardrobes already groan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The novelty gifts like mini pool tables or USB vacuum cleaners for your keyboard .
The rubbish books like a ‘ Cats guide to golf ’ or ‘ Ladybird Guide To Brexit ’ etc .
All those presents that will be unwrapped and then after a few days will find their way into the back of the cupboard or more likely the bin .
My issue with presents is from an ecological perspective .
The waste is staggering .
There is no more depressing sight than to visit the recycling centre after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that people are binning , most of it non-recyclable .
Unwanted toys , in particular , are very damaging .
A better tradition to start is just to buy your own present so you get something you actually want .
I treated myself to the new iPhone 12 mini .
The wife said her mum used to buy her own presents , wrap them up and then act surprised when she opened them .
O wow , the new iPad that I bought myself that Tuesday , just what I always wanted .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ time of the year for some , for others it is a time of loneliness and melancholy .
All those missing places at the dinner table as we remember people no longer with us .
Or maybe your family members could not make it home for Christmas or they are stuck in quarantine .
Christmas also tends to be a peak time for alcohol abuse and domestic violence .
In some ways , I actually like the melancholy nature of Christmas .
I recoil at enforced happiness .
The pressure to have ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sure to elicit a feck away off from me .
The arts have long realised the dark side of Christmas .
‘ It ’ s A Wonderful Life ’ is the tale of a broken man about to hurl himself off a bridge in despair .
I think we all like the idea of having a Clarence the angel in our lives .
Someone who can show us what ’ s important in life and lead us back onto the path of redemption .
The best Christmas songs are the ones tinged with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas ’ were : Judy Garland thought they were too bleak and got them toned down .
When the Queen of Tragedy tells you something is too bleak you know you have a problem .
But for me , the best song for wallowing in Christmas misery is Joni Mitchell ’ s ‘ River.
’ For a full analysis of the song have a read of this .
I imagine quite a number of people will be maudlin drunks weeping along to this song over the course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expectations of Christmas .
The pressure to make the day ‘ special ’ is such that the reality could never meet the expectation .
Many years ago the late great Gerry Anderson told a story about how he saw a lady in Sainsbury ’ s break down in tears as she exclaimed that Christmas was ruined as they had run out of Brandy Butter .
A better strategy is to do the absolute bare minimum .
I no longer buy presents for anyone , except our son .
In the world of Prime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far more than any of us need .
Instead , we donate money to charity .
A quick trip around Lidl or Sainsbury ’ s is more than enough to pull together what you need for a Christmas feast .
We used this week to get out to some restaurants .
While enjoying the Bengal Brasserie two course lunch for a tenner the other day I was able to look 0ut at people queuing in the cold to get into the M & S store across from us .
I know where I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safest place to be this week , for a time yesterday there was just the three of us in Little Wing Pizzeria .
Christmas is also the perfect example of the contrary nature of our humanity .
There are those of us with a full house who yearn for some solitude , at the other end are those of us on our own who long for some company .
I realise this post is a bit bleak so I guess I should list some positives .
The big one for me is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are lucky in that we get two weeks off work to chill .
I know not all jobs will get time off but if you do it ’ s a good chance to recharge the batteries .
It can also be very pleasant going on some new walks over the holidays .
In normal times it is nice to visit family and friends .
I can understand the temptation to bugger off to Lanzarote or someone sunny .
A more appealing idea is to go to Donegal or somewhere with some friends .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ pints and chips in a pub with an open fire sounds like heaven .
There are some good TV shows and movies available at the moment .
‘ Angela ’ s Wish ’ on Netflix even managed to bring a tear to my cynical eyes .
There is also the dubious nostalgia-fest of a Northern Ireland Christmas on the BBC .
Here is your thought for the day , maybe you are not meant to enjoy Christmas .
Instead , we are collecting memories .
In years to come when the kids have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the photos and remember the good times .
We will edit out of the bad parts or turn the disasters into good family stories to tell every Christmas .
However you are spending the day please feel free to use the comments for a bit of an aul chat .
We can alternate between happy and sad together .
You can share your memories of Christmas past , or give us a laugh with your tale of Christmas escapades .
I promise when civilisation does return I will organise a Slugger Christmas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Photo by Free-Photos is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA

Happy Christmas! or Bah Humbug! Depending on your view, Christmas is either an annual orgy of excessive consumption or a time to rejoice in the Birth of Shane McGowan our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
When it comes to Christmas I find myself ambivalent about it, bordering on full-blown hostility. According to our Twitter poll, Christmas does divide opinion:
Do you like Christmas? — Slugger O'Toole (@SluggerOToole) December 18, 2020
On the negative side, excessive shopping horrifies me. The amount of sheer garbage that people buy for presents fills me with despair. All the clothes bought for people whose wardrobes already groan with clothes that have never been worn. The novelty gifts like mini pool tables or USB vacuum cleaners for your keyboard. The rubbish books like a ‘Cats guide to golf’ or ‘Ladybird Guide To Brexit’ etc. All those presents that will be unwrapped and then after a few days will find their way into the back of the cupboard or more likely the bin. My issue with presents is from an ecological perspective. The waste is staggering. There is no more depressing sight than to visit the recycling centre after Christmas and see the volume of stuff that people are binning, most of it non-recyclable. Unwanted toys, in particular, are very damaging.
A better tradition to start is just to buy your own present so you get something you actually want. I treated myself to the new iPhone 12 mini. The wife said her mum used to buy her own presents, wrap them up and then act surprised when she opened them. O wow, the new iPad that I bought myself that Tuesday, just what I always wanted.
While it may be the most wonderful time of the year for some, for others it is a time of loneliness and melancholy. All those missing places at the dinner table as we remember people no longer with us. Or maybe your family members could not make it home for Christmas or they are stuck in quarantine. Christmas also tends to be a peak time for alcohol abuse and domestic violence. In some ways, I actually like the melancholy nature of Christmas. I recoil at enforced happiness. The pressure to have ‘a wonderful Christmas time!’ is sure to elicit a feck away off from me.
The arts have long realised the dark side of Christmas. ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ is the tale of a broken man about to hurl himself off a bridge in despair. I think we all like the idea of having a Clarence the angel in our lives. Someone who can show us what’s important in life and lead us back onto the path of redemption.
The best Christmas songs are the ones tinged with sadness.
They’re singing “Deck the Halls” But it’s not like Christmas at all I remember when you were here Oh and all the fun that we had last year. From Baby please come home.
The original opening lyrics to ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ were:
“Have yourself a merry little Christmas / It may be your last / Next year we may all be living in the past.”
Judy Garland thought they were too bleak and got them toned down. When the Queen of Tragedy tells you something is too bleak you know you have a problem.
But for me, the best song for wallowing in Christmas misery is Joni Mitchell’s ‘River.’ For a full analysis of the song have a read of this.
It’s coming on Christmas
They’re cutting down trees
They’re putting up reindeer
Singing songs of joy and peace
I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
I imagine quite a number of people will be maudlin drunks weeping along to this song over the course of today.
We create completely unrealistic expectations of Christmas. The pressure to make the day ‘special’ is such that the reality could never meet the expectation. Many years ago the late great Gerry Anderson told a story about how he saw a lady in Sainsbury’s break down in tears as she exclaimed that Christmas was ruined as they had run out of Brandy Butter.
A better strategy is to do the absolute bare minimum. I no longer buy presents for anyone, except our son. In the world of Prime next day delivery, we all have far more than any of us need. Instead, we donate money to charity. A quick trip around Lidl or Sainsbury’s is more than enough to pull together what you need for a Christmas feast. We used this week to get out to some restaurants. While enjoying the Bengal Brasserie two course lunch for a tenner the other day I was able to look 0ut at people queuing in the cold to get into the M&S store across from us. I know where I would rather be. Restaurants were the safest place to be this week, for a time yesterday there was just the three of us in Little Wing Pizzeria.
Christmas is also the perfect example of the contrary nature of our humanity. There are those of us with a full house who yearn for some solitude, at the other end are those of us on our own who long for some company.
I realise this post is a bit bleak so I guess I should list some positives. The big one for me is the Christmas pause. A lot of us are lucky in that we get two weeks off work to chill. I know not all jobs will get time off but if you do it’s a good chance to recharge the batteries. It can also be very pleasant going on some new walks over the holidays. In normal times it is nice to visit family and friends.
I can understand the temptation to bugger off to Lanzarote or someone sunny. A more appealing idea is to go to Donegal or somewhere with some friends. Walks on a blustery beach, then pints and chips in a pub with an open fire sounds like heaven.
There are some good TV shows and movies available at the moment. ‘Angela’s Wish’ on Netflix even managed to bring a tear to my cynical eyes. There is also the dubious nostalgia-fest of a Northern Ireland Christmas on the BBC.
Here is your thought for the day, maybe you are not meant to enjoy Christmas. Instead, we are collecting memories. In years to come when the kids have all left home we will look back at the photos and remember the good times. We will edit out of the bad parts or turn the disasters into good family stories to tell every Christmas.
However you are spending the day please feel free to use the comments for a bit of an aul chat. We can alternate between happy and sad together. You can share your memories of Christmas past, or give us a laugh with your tale of Christmas escapades.
I promise when civilisation does return I will organise a Slugger Christmas party and you are all invited.
Photo by Free-Photos is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA


sluggerotoole--2020-12-26--2020 through the lens of disability…

2020 through the lens of disability…

This year I ’ ve been mostly at home , maybe that ’ s been your experience too .
This isn ’ t new for me as since 2015 I ’ ve been living with chronic illness .
The essence of 2020 has been our shared experience of being forced by circumstances beyond our control to stay in , when all you really want to do is go out .
As the stark reality of having an altered Christmas becomes ever more apparent you may be longing for those heady days of living your life just the way you want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ play tennis with friends , go to work , go for a long walk in the forest , lose myself in the beauty of nature , or just aimlessly mooch around .
I could almost feel my heartbreak when it dawned on me that I was unlikely to do any of those things ever again .
I was in denial for such a long time even though I couldn ’ t walk or talk , never mind go back to work .
Eventually , I learned to love the memories and be grateful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on .
Before you barf/balk let me tell you I also miss those times with heartache and sorrow .
I ’ m not sitting here pontificating that you shouldn ’ t feel upset , low , scared , lonely….or try to make you guilty for not having any of those feelings .
I was talking to a friend last week and I was lamenting about how even after 5 long years of living with a disability I still wasn ’ t used to having severe flare-ups ( in bed for days , barely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it wasn ’ t really about “ getting used to ” disability .
My friend was born with a disability and has a lifetime of experience of being frustrated and annoyed when she ’ s can ’ t do the things others take for granted .
I believe there is balm in our collective understanding of how lives are changed .
Long before Covid arrived I had given up trying to explain how altered my life now was .
My ( mostly ) housebound situation was completely alien to many others and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as I thought they could cope with .
To tell the truth I think some folks found my stories to be unbelievable and I was exhausted trying to validate my own experience .
In my frustration , I allow myself some scepticism which I think is healthy , right ?
For example , consider the amazing endurance athletes who can manage feats of derring-do .
If they want a real challenge I ’ d set them a fortnight alone in bed .
That might initially feel like a blessed relief after their heroics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soon wear off .
Don ’ t get me wrong , my life isn ’ t all bad .
The past 5 years have taught me some valuable life lessons .
I know exactly what time to tune in to Bargain Hunt DON ’ T JUDGE ME ( It ’ s 12.15 ) Over the years I ’ ve witnessed various telly spectacles such as elections , The Olympics , Brexit referendum , US elections , but they ’ ve come and gone .
Unlike the seemingly permanent COVID news .
I do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a point .
There is other news out there , life is going on all around us .
Like this , for example which refers to a change in advice for rehabilitation from Long Covid .
It was particularly interesting as it makes no reference to the fact that the common symptoms of Long Covid are exactly the same as those with people who have chronic fatigue .
In short the health advice was to do gentle , focused exercise in order to help alleviate fatigue , but this is now not recommended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heard people from the chronic fatigue community complain that this strategy was harmful .
I sit on the fence with this , that ’ s if I can get up on the fence in the first place .
Activity is a good thing , I can ’ t make any reference to exercise myself .
Although I have to say that advising someone with chronic fatigue to exercise is like telling someone who is burning to get better by putting their hand in the fire .
Our collective experience of 2020 echoes life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or otherwise .
Your life is turned upside down , you get some relief from the pressure and think it ’ s all over , only for it to come back with a vengeance .
So if you want my advice I ’ d say allow yourself to get frustrated but remember to care for yourself .
Even if that means lying under the quilt and having a Big Cry .
I see lists of useful phone numbers being shared on social media , people are sharing that they are stressed , upset @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m living proof that it ’ s possible to live through difficult times .
I used to tell myself that I couldn ’ t go around it , I had to go through it .
But I needed support to learn compassion and understand what it means to feel vulnerable , which isn ’ t the same as being weak .
Please don ’ t suffer in silence , reach out and get the help you need .
Contact your GP if you need support , the doors may be closed but they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I ’ d like to close on a personal note and say thanks to you dear reader , Brian and all at Slugger O ’ Toole and wish you all a very happy Christmas and a better 2021 !
Photo by akashskyprince is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA

This year I’ve been mostly at home, maybe that’s been your experience too. This isn’t new for me as since 2015 I’ve been living with chronic illness. The essence of 2020 has been our shared experience of being forced by circumstances beyond our control to stay in, when all you really want to do is go out. As the stark reality of having an altered Christmas becomes ever more apparent you may be longing for those heady days of living your life just the way you want to. I remember when I could play tennis with friends, go to work, go for a long walk in the forest, lose myself in the beauty of nature, or just aimlessly mooch around. I could almost feel my heartbreak when it dawned on me that I was unlikely to do any of those things ever again. I was in denial for such a long time even though I couldn’t walk or talk, never mind go back to work. Eventually, I learned to love the memories and be grateful for having those experiences to look back on. Before you barf/balk let me tell you I also miss those times with heartache and sorrow. I’m not sitting here pontificating that you shouldn’t feel upset, low, scared, lonely….or try to make you guilty for not having any of those feelings.
I was talking to a friend last week and I was lamenting about how even after 5 long years of living with a disability I still wasn’t used to having severe flare-ups (in bed for days, barely able to function). She replied that it wasn’t really about “getting used to” disability. My friend was born with a disability and has a lifetime of experience of being frustrated and annoyed when she’s can’t do the things others take for granted.
I believe there is balm in our collective understanding of how lives are changed. Long before Covid arrived I had given up trying to explain how altered my life now was. My (mostly) housebound situation was completely alien to many others and I ended up telling people as much as I thought they could cope with. To tell the truth I think some folks found my stories to be unbelievable and I was exhausted trying to validate my own experience. In my frustration, I allow myself some scepticism which I think is healthy, right? For example, consider the amazing endurance athletes who can manage feats of derring-do. If they want a real challenge I’d set them a fortnight alone in bed. That might initially feel like a blessed relief after their heroics but trust me, the shine would soon wear off.
Don’t get me wrong, my life isn’t all bad. The past 5 years have taught me some valuable life lessons. I know exactly what time to tune in to Bargain Hunt DON’T JUDGE ME (It’s 12.15) Over the years I’ve witnessed various telly spectacles such as elections, The Olympics, Brexit referendum, US elections, but they’ve come and gone. Unlike the seemingly permanent COVID news. I do like to stay informed but only to a point. There is other news out there, life is going on all around us. Like this, for example which refers to a change in advice for rehabilitation from Long Covid. It was particularly interesting as it makes no reference to the fact that the common symptoms of Long Covid are exactly the same as those with people who have chronic fatigue. In short the health advice was to do gentle, focused exercise in order to help alleviate fatigue, but this is now not recommended. Over the years I’ve heard people from the chronic fatigue community complain that this strategy was harmful. I sit on the fence with this, that’s if I can get up on the fence in the first place. Activity is a good thing, I can’t make any reference to exercise myself. Although I have to say that advising someone with chronic fatigue to exercise is like telling someone who is burning to get better by putting their hand in the fire.
Our collective experience of 2020 echoes life with limitations, be it a disability or otherwise. Your life is turned upside down, you get some relief from the pressure and think it’s all over, only for it to come back with a vengeance. So if you want my advice I’d say allow yourself to get frustrated but remember to care for yourself. Even if that means lying under the quilt and having a Big Cry. I see lists of useful phone numbers being shared on social media, people are sharing that they are stressed, upset, anxious, lonely. I’m living proof that it’s possible to live through difficult times. I used to tell myself that I couldn’t go around it, I had to go through it. But I needed support to learn compassion and understand what it means to feel vulnerable, which isn’t the same as being weak. Please don’t suffer in silence, reach out and get the help you need. Contact your GP if you need support, the doors may be closed but they are busy working to support the community.
I’d like to close on a personal note and say thanks to you dear reader, Brian and all at Slugger O’Toole and wish you all a very happy Christmas and a better 2021!
Photo by akashskyprince is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA


sluggerotoole--2020-12-27--I’m a Rock Star… Get me Out of Here!

I’m a Rock Star… Get me Out of Here!

Stuck away in my garage are piles of vinyl LPs , singles and cassette tapes .
The evidence of a lifelong interest in pop music .
Some interesting stuff survives : Telstar by the Tornados with more crackles on it than what was originally put there in the studio .
Sgt Pepper , mono LP .
Worth a few quid if it wasn ’ t for all those scratches on it .
I ’ ve always loved pop music but it ’ s not just the music , it ’ s everything that goes with it .
The characters , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lows .
Every Christmas when I hear the opening bars of Fairytale of New York I can ’ t help but think of poor Kirsty MacColl , killed while swimming in Mexico , the perpetrator never brought to justice , shielded by the high and mighty .
For all the stories of fame and fortune in the rock business I guess there are just as many tales of misfortune and bad luck .
So here we go .
Every time I hear a talent show hopeful saying “ I want it so much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ etc ” , I wonder if they have any idea what they are getting in to , for the history of rock is littered with artists who have been ripped of .
It seems that even now nothing has changed and stories are starting to emerge about talent show bands and artists being made to work punishing schedules with little regard to their physical or mental wellbeing .
As I write this Jesy Nelson has left Little Mix because of the pressures .
I could list so many artists down the years who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prime example is Leonard Cohen who I had the pleasure of seeing at the SSE Arena a few years ago in what I would rate the finest concert I have ever been to .
Cohen was forced back on the road in 2008 at the age of 74 as a result of his former manager clearing out his retirement fund to the tune of 5 million pounds .
No I ’ m not talking about Daniel O ’ Donnell ( sorry fans ) but rather those artists who flame never got a chance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too soon .
Again there are so many .
Judy Garland , Buddy Holly , Elvis , Jimi .
The list goes on and on .
Here are two whose work I admire .
Younger brother of actress Gabrielle Drake .
Nick was an intelligent and athletic young man who went to Cambridge in 1967 .
He dropped out to pursue a career in music .
Practically unknown in the 70 ’ s his music is more appreciated now than it was back then .
Nick knew he was good but couldn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On medication for depression he died in 1974 from a suspected overdose of prescribed drugs .
His family have always believed his death was accidental .
A meagre three albums was his output but all three appear on Rolling Stones 500 greatest albums of all time and in 1998 his album Bryter Layter was placed number one in the Guardian ’ s Alternative Top 100 Albums Ever .
Nick who ?
Steve was the cheeky chappie lead singer of legendary 60 ’ s band the Small Faces .
By the end of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ niche that the Small Faces were stuck in .
He toured for three years with Peter Frampton in Humble Pie before drink and drugs took their toll .
Peter went on to record “ Frampton Comes Alive ” , one of the biggest selling live albums ever .
In 1991 after flying home from America Steve went home to bed the worse for wear , had a fag in bed and fell asleep .
His house burned down and he died in the fire .
Who knows if Stevie could have scaled the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end for a great 60 ’ s icon .
How many of you watched the final episode of Breaking Bad ?
Well that closing song was Baby Blue .
And you know that great Nilsson song , Without You , also covered by Mariah Carey ?
Well both were written by a band from Swansea called Badfinger who had hit songs in the early seventies .
Early in their career they were talked about as the next Beatles , so what happened ?
Well they were locked into a disastrous contract and subsequent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money from their songs and were unable to issue any new recordings .
Their main songwriter , Pete Ham , became depressed with this situation .
It all got too much for him and he hung himself .
His pregnant wife found his body and one month later their daughter was born .
A few years later his co-songwriter Tom Evans also committed suicide .
It was said he never really got over Ham ’ s death .
Thankfully there is now a plaque in Swansea dedicated to these guys which ensures they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , sad story .
The Irish rock scene has had its own casualties.The two that come to mind are Phil Lynott and Rory Gallagher .
Rory bowed out in his forties .
Phil never reached 40 .
Those two demons , drink and drugs , had the final say here .
But the path was paved for Bono and his mates to conquer the world .
And that story is still running .
Time to put another dime in the jukebox .
What have we got here ?
an old man said to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one ….
” Photo by 12019 is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA

Stuck away in my garage are piles of vinyl LPs, singles and cassette tapes. The evidence of a lifelong interest in pop music. Some interesting stuff survives: Telstar by the Tornados with more crackles on it than what was originally put there in the studio. Sgt Pepper, mono LP. Worth a few quid if it wasn’t for all those scratches on it. I’ve always loved pop music but it’s not just the music, it’s everything that goes with it. The characters, the history, the highs and the lows.
Every Christmas when I hear the opening bars of Fairytale of New York I can’t help but think of poor Kirsty MacColl, killed while swimming in Mexico, the perpetrator never brought to justice, shielded by the high and mighty. For all the stories of fame and fortune in the rock business I guess there are just as many tales of misfortune and bad luck. So here we go.
Unscrupulous managers
Every time I hear a talent show hopeful saying “I want it so much, I’ll work so hard etc”, I wonder if they have any idea what they are getting in to, for the history of rock is littered with artists who have been ripped of. It seems that even now nothing has changed and stories are starting to emerge about talent show bands and artists being made to work punishing schedules with little regard to their physical or mental wellbeing. As I write this Jesy Nelson has left Little Mix because of the pressures. I could list so many artists down the years who have suffered from bad managers. A prime example is Leonard Cohen who I had the pleasure of seeing at the SSE Arena a few years ago in what I would rate the finest concert I have ever been to. Cohen was forced back on the road in 2008 at the age of 74 as a result of his former manager clearing out his retirement fund to the tune of 5 million pounds.
Tragic artists
No I’m not talking about Daniel O’Donnell (sorry fans) but rather those artists who flame never got a chance to burn or was snuffed out far too soon. Again there are so many. Judy Garland, Buddy Holly, Elvis, Jimi. The list goes on and on. Here are two whose work I admire.
Nick Drake
Younger brother of actress Gabrielle Drake. Nick was an intelligent and athletic young man who went to Cambridge in 1967. He dropped out to pursue a career in music. Practically unknown in the 70’s his music is more appreciated now than it was back then. Nick knew he was good but couldn’t understand why success eluded him. On medication for depression he died in 1974 from a suspected overdose of prescribed drugs. His family have always believed his death was accidental. A meagre three albums was his output but all three appear on Rolling Stones 500 greatest albums of all time and in 1998 his album Bryter Layter was placed number one in the Guardian’s Alternative Top 100 Albums Ever. Nick who?
Steve Marriott
Steve was the cheeky chappie lead singer of legendary 60’s band the Small Faces. By the end of the sixties Steve had tired of the pop niche that the Small Faces were stuck in. He toured for three years with Peter Frampton in Humble Pie before drink and drugs took their toll. Peter went on to record “Frampton Comes Alive”, one of the biggest selling live albums ever. In 1991 after flying home from America Steve went home to bed the worse for wear, had a fag in bed and fell asleep. His house burned down and he died in the fire. Who knows if Stevie could have scaled the heights again, but what a tragic end for a great 60’s icon.
The saddest story in rock
How many of you watched the final episode of Breaking Bad? Well that closing song was Baby Blue. And you know that great Nilsson song, Without You, also covered by Mariah Carey? Well both were written by a band from Swansea called Badfinger who had hit songs in the early seventies. Early in their career they were talked about as the next Beatles, so what happened? Well they were locked into a disastrous contract and subsequent legal wrangles meant that they received no money from their songs and were unable to issue any new recordings. Their main songwriter, Pete Ham, became depressed with this situation. It all got too much for him and he hung himself. His pregnant wife found his body and one month later their daughter was born. A few years later his co-songwriter Tom Evans also committed suicide. It was said he never really got over Ham’s death. Thankfully there is now a plaque in Swansea dedicated to these guys which ensures they will never be forgotten. A sad, sad story.
And….Irish Rock?
The Irish rock scene has had its own casualties.The two that come to mind are Phil Lynott and Rory Gallagher. Rory bowed out in his forties. Phil never reached 40. Those two demons, drink and drugs, had the final say here. But the path was paved for Bono and his mates to conquer the world. And that story is still running.
Time to put another dime in the jukebox. What have we got here?
“It was Christmas Eve babe
in the drunk tank,
an old man said to me,
won’t see another one ….”
Oh dear…
Photo by 12019 is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA


sluggerotoole--2020-12-28--NI Department of Health has already vaccinated at least 50% of care home residents…

This is one reason why I ’ ve never bought into the slightly daft idea that just because we are on the same island that the north and the south should synchronise public health policies… On Christmas Eve , Peter put these figures into proper perspective… Because the Republic ’ s shipment only landed on Saturday ( almost I expect the rollout there to be almost as rapid ) , who in their right mind would have wanted the health Minister to hold back until now ?
[ Yes , that ’ s the , er , logic – Ed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small region with substantial devolved power ( certainly relative to England ’ s regions which have virtually no power over public health since the Tory take over in 2010 ) insider the UK .
You can not synchronise across borders when resource opportunities are unequal and public representatives have primary duties to those they actually represent rather than those they aspire to represent .
In respect of the vaccines that now still slowly coming online , it has been a staggeringly successful collaboration within and between the public sector higher education and private @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BTW , if anyone tells you again how the NHS doesn ’ t work and how we need more private healthcare initiatives , just throw a bit of that cussed old British Tory PM Churchill at them… We shall not fail or falter ; we shall not weaken or tire .
Neither the sudden shock of battle , nor the long-drawn trials of vigilance and exertion will wear us down .
Give us the tools , and we will finish the job .
“ A hospital corpsman prepares a flu vaccine dose aboard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
” by Official U.S. Navy Imagery is licensed under CC BY

This is one reason why I’ve never bought into the slightly daft idea that just because we are on the same island that the north and the south should synchronise public health policies…
On Christmas Eve, Peter put these figures into proper perspective…
So far, just over 50% of Northern Ireland care home residents, 75% of care home staff, and 18% of front line medical staff in Northern Ireland have been vaccinated against COVID-19. Legitimately world leading, and very good on data/transparency, too. Unambiguously good news. https://t.co/7yr6dQdezF — Peter Donaghy (@peterdonaghy) December 24, 2020
Because the Republic’s shipment only landed on Saturday (almost I expect the rollout there to be almost as rapid), who in their right mind would have wanted the health Minister to hold back until now? [Yes, that’s the, er, logic – Ed]
It shows the advantage of being small region with substantial devolved power (certainly relative to England’s regions which have virtually no power over public health since the Tory take over in 2010) insider the UK.
You cannot synchronise across borders when resource opportunities are unequal and public representatives have primary duties to those they actually represent rather than those they aspire to represent.
In respect of the vaccines that now still slowly coming online, it has been a staggeringly successful collaboration within and between the public sector higher education and private sector investment in research and development.
BTW, if anyone tells you again how the NHS doesn’t work and how we need more private healthcare initiatives, just throw a bit of that cussed old British Tory PM Churchill at them…
We shall not fail or falter; we shall not weaken or tire. Neither the sudden shock of battle, nor the long-drawn trials of vigilance and exertion will wear us down. Give us the tools, and we will finish the job.
“A hospital corpsman prepares a flu vaccine dose aboard USS John S. McCain (DDG 56).” by Official U.S. Navy Imagery is licensed under CC BY


sluggerotoole--2020-12-28--Northern Irish students to access Erasmus+ via partnership with Republic’s HE institutions…

Welcome news for ALL NI Students… Third level students from Northern Ireland colleges will continue to be able to study in Europe under the Erasmus+ scheme after the UK leaves the EU because the Irish Government will fund them .
The estimated cost will be around €2.1m per year .
Erasmus enables third level students to study for part or all of their degree in another EU member state or undertake a work placement abroad , with their fees and costs paid .
The exchanges usually take place during the second or third year of a course and can last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 649 students and staff from Northern Ireland took part in the scheme .
Erasmus+ covers EU member countries plus a number of non members who opt in , like North Macedonia , Iceland , Liechtenstein , Norway , Serbia and Turkey as well as large number of partner countries across the globe .
According to the BBC : From January the UK government say that it is considering transferring the rest of the UK to a national scheme to be named after the mathematician Alan Turing .
However the details are sketchy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the meantime the UK programme will continue in 2021 : UK universities are still eligible to participate in Erasmus programmes .
And as long as funding is awarded before the end of 2020 , students and staff will be able to go ahead with their exchanges even if they take place after the end of the transition period .
Universities UK ’ s guidance is that : “ In effect , this means staff and students can complete mobility periods and receive funding up until the end of the 2021-22 academic year.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ RTÉ story is to what degree some Northern Irish students will still have to deal with new immigration regulations which only allow stays in an EU country for 90 out of every 180 days without a visa .
“ FESTVERANSTALTUNG “ 30 JAHRE ERASMUS ” ” by Universität Salzburg ( NaWi-AV-Studio ) is licensed under CC BY-ND

Welcome news for ALL NI Students…
Third level students from Northern Ireland colleges will continue to be able to study in Europe under the Erasmus+ scheme after the UK leaves the EU because the Irish Government will fund them. The estimated cost will be around €2.1m per year. Erasmus enables third level students to study for part or all of their degree in another EU member state or undertake a work placement abroad, with their fees and costs paid. The exchanges usually take place during the second or third year of a course and can last up to 12 months. Last year, 649 students and staff from Northern Ireland took part in the scheme.
Erasmus+ covers EU member countries plus a number of non members who opt in, like North Macedonia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Serbia and Turkey as well as large number of partner countries across the globe.
According to the BBC:
The Erasmus programme is run in seven-year cycles and the next one will be from 2021 to 2027. The European Commission has proposed doubling the funding of Erasmus for the next cycle to €30bn (£27bn).
From January the UK government say that it is considering transferring the rest of the UK to a national scheme to be named after the mathematician Alan Turing. However the details are sketchy, to say the least.
In the meantime the UK programme will continue in 2021:
UK universities are still eligible to participate in Erasmus programmes. And as long as funding is awarded before the end of 2020, students and staff will be able to go ahead with their exchanges even if they take place after the end of the transition period. Universities UK’s guidance is that: “In effect, this means staff and students can complete mobility periods and receive funding up until the end of the 2021-22 academic year.”
What’s not clear from the RTÉ story is to what degree some Northern Irish students will still have to deal with new immigration regulations which only allow stays in an EU country for 90 out of every 180 days without a visa.
“FESTVERANSTALTUNG “30 JAHRE ERASMUS”” by Universität Salzburg (NaWi-AV-Studio) is licensed under CC BY-ND


sluggerotoole--2020-12-29--13 reasons we might be cheerful about big changes in 2020…

Mick is founding editor of Slugger .
He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and @ @ @ @ @ a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland , the UK and Europe .
Twitter @ @ @

Donate to keep Slugger lit!
For over 20 years, Slugger has been an independent place for debate and new ideas. We have published over 40,000 posts and over one and a half million comments on the site. Each month we have over 70,000 readers. All this we have accomplished with only volunteers we have never had any paid staff.
Slugger does not receive any funding, and we respect our readers, so we will never run intrusive ads or sponsored posts. Instead, we are reader-supported. Help us keep Slugger independent by becoming a friend of Slugger.
While we run a tight ship and no one gets paid to write, we need money to help us cover our costs.
If you like what we do, we are asking you to consider giving a monthly donation of any amount, or you can give a one-off donation. Any amount is appreciated.


sluggerotoole--2020-12-30--Second major COVID vaccine already in NI for Monday….

Looks like the Oxford vaccine is on its way… The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine has been approved for use in the UK @ @ @ @ @ due to be given on Monday amid rising coronavirus cases .
The UK has ordered @ @ @ @ @ to vaccinate 50 million people .
This would cover the entire population when combined with @ @ @ @ @ Pfizer-BioNTech jab , Health Secretary Matt Hancock said .
It comes as millions more people @ @ @ @ @ be the toughest tier four restrictions .
Vaccination centres will now start inviting patients to @ @ @ @ @ from next week .
Priority groups for immunisation have already been identified , starting with @ @ @ @ @ over-80s , and health and care workers .
But all adults , including the under-50s @ @ @ @ @ a vaccine .

Looks like the Oxford vaccine is on its way…
The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine has been approved for use in the UK, with the first doses due to be given on Monday amid rising coronavirus cases.
The UK has ordered 100 million doses – enough to vaccinate 50 million people.
This would cover the entire population when combined with the full order of the Pfizer-BioNTech jab, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said.
It comes as millions more people in England are expected to be the toughest tier four restrictions.
Vaccination centres will now start inviting patients to come and get the jab from next week.
Priority groups for immunisation have already been identified, starting with care home residents, the over-80s, and health and care workers.
But all adults, including the under-50s, will eventually be offered a vaccine.


sluggerotoole--2020-12-30--Slugger’s Fergus Boylan is joint winner of Young Cartoonist of the Year…

Great news !
[ Not again !
!
– Ed ] Our own Fergus is a joint winner of Young Cartoonist of the Year… The Guardian reports… The under-30s competition was won by 29-year-old Fergus Boylan from Antrim , who goes by the handle @ infiniteguff , for his depiction of Boris Johnson ’ s infamous adviser Dominic Cummings stuck deep in a hole , and looking upwards with trepidation .
At ground level , Johnson , Gove and Hancock dig with gusto , splattering four essential workers stood behind them .
The judges called it “ another excellent piece @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adding : “ The works – and the visual representation of Dominic Cummings ’ defining malevolent nerdiness , is so accurate it could be a photo.
” The competition , now in its 25th year , is often a strong indicator of future success and has produced winners including Nick Edwards , who went on to win an Emmy for his work on Uncle Grandpa in the US , the New Yorker cartoonist Will McPhail , and political cartoonist Matt Buck .
Let ’ s hope this is just the start of bigger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man..