It was a day when the ‘B’ words fell from the political dictionary. The bluff and bluster of Boris; all the talk of Brexit, the border…
Author: Brian Rowan
Brian Rowan
Brian Rowan is a journalist/author. A former BBC correspondent in Belfast, four times he has been a category winner in the Northern Ireland Press and Broadcast Awards. He is the author of several books on the peace process. His latest book (published by Merrion Press) POLITICAL PURGATORY – the battle to save Stormont and the play for a New Ireland is now available at www.merrionpress.ie
IT was one of those occasions. A republican set piece gathering in Belfast; a speech from Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald to a packed…
There is something quite ludicrous and laughable about a Paisley advising anyone to “dial down the megaphone diplomacy”. This is not 1985 - not that…
In every political negotiation there are moments of chatter, when talk and messages come from the inside out. The challenge is trying to decode the above. So, what…
The talk is of another of those ‘pushes’ and of the two governments looking for some sort of outcome to the Stormont negotiations this week.…
There is a picture emerging in a jigsaw of commentary about the politics of this place; a commentary that is much more significant and relevant than…
By noon on Friday the Northern Ireland Office will have published a long overdue report on its legacy consultation - a document that will be structured around the…
Remember the talk at the outset of these Talks? That narrow window in which to push through an agreement to rebuild the broken politics of…
One negotiator speaking with me on Sunday, gave this assessment: “I don’t think Sinn Fein have moved away from their demand, and the DUP has not…
When the party leaders and governments meet in roundtable session on Monday, it will be close to decision time; what to do with this negotiation in…
TALKS: THAT PANTOMIME ON THE POLITICAL HILL CANNOT CONTINUE - By Brian Rowan In the Stormont Talks structure that often-described window of opportunity has already been…
This website has obtained some of the latest discussion documents from inside the Talks - papers on key issues that will make or break this…
In this place of political checkmate, they were playing chess on Friday; the Ulster Schools’ finals sponsored by Alliance MLA Chris Lyttle. It is two-plus…
When you read inside the Stormont papers you come across this sentence: “The significance attached to the forthcoming centenary of the establishment of Northern Ireland was…
The Stormont Talks move to their next level and phase on Monday; a step up from the five working groups to a leaders’ negotiation that will…