This is the first of my politically themed podcasts – ‘Mallie on Politics.’
The subject for discussion this week is Margaret Thatcher and Ireland.
I am joined in the studio by one of the most authoritative figures in Irish politics Mr David McKittrick and former Ulster Unionist activist, writer and thinker Mr Alex.Kane.
LIsten to the show below or download the MP3:
Notable points for discussion are documented below
(Times are indicated should you wish to listen to any specific point raised):
00.00: Introduction
00.40: ‘The Iron Lady’ – thoughts on the movie
03.00: Margaret Thatcher’s break through into big time politics
05.40: Was Mrs Thatcher an ideas lady or did circumstances dictate?
07.00 Was she always a heroine for unionism?
10.00: Was she more flexible than the persona she promoted in public?
13.30: Relationship with Garret Fitzgearld/Irish government and her reaction to New Ireland Forum “out out out”
16.10: How did the Anglo-Irish Agreement ever happen following her ‘out out out’ outburst?
17.26: Will there ever be a confluence of opinion or a meeting of the waters between unionism and nationalism where she was a force for some good?
19.45 What would Mrs Thatcher have thought of the settlement now? Would she have done the deal?
22.40: Aren’t there so many contradictions in this woman?
26.55: Brighton bomb response and impact
32.15: Was she the greatest Irish nationalist from outside the island of Ireland? Did she stick it to loyalism and unionism?
38.20: Were Unionists deluded?
41.46: Will the Anglo-Irish Agreement be her contribution in the eyes of nationalism and her poisoned chalice – in terms of what she delivered to unionism?
46.30: How will Thatcher be remembered on this island?
50.28: End
