The finding of an enigmatic lithograph in an antique shop in Greece- an image of the winner of t... more The finding of an enigmatic lithograph in an antique shop in Greece- an image of the winner of the Marathon race in the 1906 Olympics, Billy Sheering, who represented Canada-aroused my curiosity. Why was he wearing a large shamrock on his singlet?. The search for an answer uncovered a network of complex issues of class, status, ethnicity, nationalism and snobbery. Against all the odds Billy won the race but the problems which plagued the original modern Olympic ideal were a foretaste of things to come.
Catalogue of an exhibition of eight belfast artists and their response to the conflict in Norther... more Catalogue of an exhibition of eight belfast artists and their response to the conflict in Northern Ireland
The obsession of the Catholic Church with the control of sexuality found a focus in the newly es... more The obsession of the Catholic Church with the control of sexuality found a focus in the newly established Irish state after 1922 in music and dancing. The dance halls were seen a cesspits of evil and jazz music an instrument of degradation. The church spearheaded the attack on dance halls and the Gaelic League undertook an Anti-Jazz campaign. The Dance Halls Act of 1935 forbade public dancing without the permission of clerg, police and judiciary.
This paper discusses the participation of militant Republican and Loyalist groups in the electora... more This paper discusses the participation of militant Republican and Loyalist groups in the electoral process in Northern Ireland during the 1980s.
This paper looks at urban regeneration in Belfast and its effects on traditionally deprived areas... more This paper looks at urban regeneration in Belfast and its effects on traditionally deprived areas and attempts to examine the interlocking effects of urban policy, industrial decline and globalization.
Historically in Ireland the RCC was forced to thread a thin line between not alienating a predomi... more Historically in Ireland the RCC was forced to thread a thin line between not alienating a predominantly nationalist population and pursuing the goal of strengthening the position of Catholicism in Britain.A rejection of modernity, liberalism and progress dominated papal policy from the19th century onwards. This article offers an analysis of Church policy in Ireland during the nineteenth and 20th centuries,
As analysis of the effects of de-industrialisation on the social structure of Belfast in the cont... more As analysis of the effects of de-industrialisation on the social structure of Belfast in the context of social segregation and political division
An analysis of the shifting ideological discourses deployed to explain the conflict in Northern I... more An analysis of the shifting ideological discourses deployed to explain the conflict in Northern Ireland between the outbreak of conflict to 1990.
This paper discusses the issue of police legitimacy in Northern Ireland through the optic of Habe... more This paper discusses the issue of police legitimacy in Northern Ireland through the optic of Habermas's theory of legitimacy and the shifting locus of conflict from the economic to the cultural sphere. The debate of the reform of the RUC tended to focus on symbolism which distracted attention away from more fundamental issues such as the relationship between citizens, police and the state.
Policing nineteenth century Ireland was the template for colonial policing across the British E... more Policing nineteenth century Ireland was the template for colonial policing across the British Empire. This model was to survive in Northern Ireland after partition in 1922 and was a significant factor in upholding the statelet for over half a century. reform of policing became a central element of the peace process after 1995.
This paper looks at the crisis which faced the official discourse of Irish nationalism as a resu... more This paper looks at the crisis which faced the official discourse of Irish nationalism as a result of the conflict in Northern Ireland and the attempts made to fill the ideological vacuum.
An analysis of the difficulties and challenges facing the reform of policing in a post-conflict s... more An analysis of the difficulties and challenges facing the reform of policing in a post-conflict society through the example of Northern Ireland.
This paper makes the case for a policing model based upon community policing as the most suitabl... more This paper makes the case for a policing model based upon community policing as the most suitable for divided and multi-ethnic societies. The reform of the RUC in Northern Ireland highlights some of the problems and possibilities facing the establishment of such a model.
An interview with the Northern Irish artist Nuala Gregory on the occasion of her exhibition Any ... more An interview with the Northern Irish artist Nuala Gregory on the occasion of her exhibition Any Coloured Thing at the Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast June 7 to June 23 2012.
The finding of an enigmatic lithograph in an antique shop in Greece- an image of the winner of t... more The finding of an enigmatic lithograph in an antique shop in Greece- an image of the winner of the Marathon race in the 1906 Olympics, Billy Sheering, who represented Canada-aroused my curiosity. Why was he wearing a large shamrock on his singlet?. The search for an answer uncovered a network of complex issues of class, status, ethnicity, nationalism and snobbery. Against all the odds Billy won the race but the problems which plagued the original modern Olympic ideal were a foretaste of things to come.
Catalogue of an exhibition of eight belfast artists and their response to the conflict in Norther... more Catalogue of an exhibition of eight belfast artists and their response to the conflict in Northern Ireland
The obsession of the Catholic Church with the control of sexuality found a focus in the newly es... more The obsession of the Catholic Church with the control of sexuality found a focus in the newly established Irish state after 1922 in music and dancing. The dance halls were seen a cesspits of evil and jazz music an instrument of degradation. The church spearheaded the attack on dance halls and the Gaelic League undertook an Anti-Jazz campaign. The Dance Halls Act of 1935 forbade public dancing without the permission of clerg, police and judiciary.
This paper discusses the participation of militant Republican and Loyalist groups in the electora... more This paper discusses the participation of militant Republican and Loyalist groups in the electoral process in Northern Ireland during the 1980s.
This paper looks at urban regeneration in Belfast and its effects on traditionally deprived areas... more This paper looks at urban regeneration in Belfast and its effects on traditionally deprived areas and attempts to examine the interlocking effects of urban policy, industrial decline and globalization.
Historically in Ireland the RCC was forced to thread a thin line between not alienating a predomi... more Historically in Ireland the RCC was forced to thread a thin line between not alienating a predominantly nationalist population and pursuing the goal of strengthening the position of Catholicism in Britain.A rejection of modernity, liberalism and progress dominated papal policy from the19th century onwards. This article offers an analysis of Church policy in Ireland during the nineteenth and 20th centuries,
As analysis of the effects of de-industrialisation on the social structure of Belfast in the cont... more As analysis of the effects of de-industrialisation on the social structure of Belfast in the context of social segregation and political division
An analysis of the shifting ideological discourses deployed to explain the conflict in Northern I... more An analysis of the shifting ideological discourses deployed to explain the conflict in Northern Ireland between the outbreak of conflict to 1990.
This paper discusses the issue of police legitimacy in Northern Ireland through the optic of Habe... more This paper discusses the issue of police legitimacy in Northern Ireland through the optic of Habermas's theory of legitimacy and the shifting locus of conflict from the economic to the cultural sphere. The debate of the reform of the RUC tended to focus on symbolism which distracted attention away from more fundamental issues such as the relationship between citizens, police and the state.
Policing nineteenth century Ireland was the template for colonial policing across the British E... more Policing nineteenth century Ireland was the template for colonial policing across the British Empire. This model was to survive in Northern Ireland after partition in 1922 and was a significant factor in upholding the statelet for over half a century. reform of policing became a central element of the peace process after 1995.
This paper looks at the crisis which faced the official discourse of Irish nationalism as a resu... more This paper looks at the crisis which faced the official discourse of Irish nationalism as a result of the conflict in Northern Ireland and the attempts made to fill the ideological vacuum.
An analysis of the difficulties and challenges facing the reform of policing in a post-conflict s... more An analysis of the difficulties and challenges facing the reform of policing in a post-conflict society through the example of Northern Ireland.
This paper makes the case for a policing model based upon community policing as the most suitabl... more This paper makes the case for a policing model based upon community policing as the most suitable for divided and multi-ethnic societies. The reform of the RUC in Northern Ireland highlights some of the problems and possibilities facing the establishment of such a model.
An interview with the Northern Irish artist Nuala Gregory on the occasion of her exhibition Any ... more An interview with the Northern Irish artist Nuala Gregory on the occasion of her exhibition Any Coloured Thing at the Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast June 7 to June 23 2012.
Proposed research project to develop an action plan to reduce the carbon footprint and improve t... more Proposed research project to develop an action plan to reduce the carbon footprint and improve the sustainability of the greek island of Hydra.
A reassessment of the role of slavery in early Irish society. It is argued that slavery, as the m... more A reassessment of the role of slavery in early Irish society. It is argued that slavery, as the most repressive form of unfree labour, played a central part in underpinning the ethos and practice of a warrior society and retained great importance with the advent and spread of Christianity . The attitude of the Church was pragmatic and ambivalent particularly towards the enslavement of women. Unfree labour was the darker side of the myth of an 'island of Saints and Scholars'.
This chapter examines the way in which social class defines and deforms the lives of people livin... more This chapter examines the way in which social class defines and deforms the lives of people living in Northern Ireland. Although the IRA ceasefire and political reform has improved people's lives, the effects of globalisation and internal change has simply shifted the configuration of class differences rather than initiated any substantial realignment..
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