The Gown quizzes political big-shots
In interviews with some of the main party leaders in Northern Ireland yesterday The Gown asked how things are really going in Stormont, how the politicians view student radicalism nowadays and whether, as many have speculated, the SDLP will merge with Fianna Fail in the near future.
While Ian Jr feels "the Union is strong, ideologically Unionism has won and Republicanism has had to change", Gerry Kelly states that these are simply "boasts" and a United Ireland is as much a Sinn Fein aim as it ever was.
In terms of student politics today, Mark Durkan agrees that "party politics along traditional and conventional lines don't appeal to students and young people the way they did" but all three were adamant that students, by their very nature will always have some sort of motivation to get involved. It seems that now the "game-playing" of the past however takes a back seat to the "real issues" of the present.
For the full interviews with the DUP's Ian Paisely Jnr, Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly and the SDLP's Mark Durkan check out The Gown's next issue, to be released at the end of October.
While Ian Jr feels "the Union is strong, ideologically Unionism has won and Republicanism has had to change", Gerry Kelly states that these are simply "boasts" and a United Ireland is as much a Sinn Fein aim as it ever was.
In terms of student politics today, Mark Durkan agrees that "party politics along traditional and conventional lines don't appeal to students and young people the way they did" but all three were adamant that students, by their very nature will always have some sort of motivation to get involved. It seems that now the "game-playing" of the past however takes a back seat to the "real issues" of the present.
For the full interviews with the DUP's Ian Paisely Jnr, Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly and the SDLP's Mark Durkan check out The Gown's next issue, to be released at the end of October.
posted by Gown Team at
1:08 pm
30 Comments:
Well done on some very goos journalism yesterday.
Some very big names; Ian Paisley, Jeffrey Donaldon, Sammy Wilson, Mark Durkan + Reg Empeey.
Anyone understand why the O Sinn Fein stall's only political visitor was Gerry Kelly?
Or why the only Queen's Student manning it was Michal Harkin? Where was their Chairman from last year, Dermot Keenan?
N Nic Shim - is it not clear that O Sinn Fein are a dying organisation at THE QUEENS University's Student's Union. The fact that they only had one political visitor says it all, any anyone who was manning the stall (with the exception of VP Education) wasn't even a Queens student. I wonder if the VP education had the 26th September booked off or was he merely skiving!
Well done to The DUA, UUP + SDLP youth.
But come on oger sinn fein? Is this the best you can do??
yawn yawn yawn
Is it true an application has been submitted with the Vice President Clubs and Services for recognition of "The Elizabeth Windsor University Republican Sinn Fein Society"?
Proposed: Dermott Kennan
Seconded: Caoimhe Crossan
How many members to ogwa sinn fein have at QUB?
Hatfield Whore, this would not surprise me if they did, it would be kinda funny though. They would be acknowledging the fact that they are attending her Majesty's University, Belfast, United Kingdom of Great Britain and NORTHERN Ireland.
Rule Britaina!
Wasn't aware 'Her Majesty' has a university in Belfast - although there is QUB, named after a Queen who was dead when it was established.
Ideological radicalism doesn't solve the problems created by the last 25 years, it adds to them.
Am I anti-politics? By all means no. But comments such as those I read on this site will do nothing but fuel the kind of extremism and hatred of "the other side" that terrorised both communities during the troubles. Is the Stormont Executive ideal? No, not by any means...but it is a means to a peaceful end. Bite your lips. Those from the "other side" are people too. They have family. They have friends. They go 2 uni, go to work and earn a bob or 2 just like you. They have different beliefs and causes that they believe to be true...but then again, don't you? This country isn't going to become a better place until both communities can sit with each other, live side by side and seek to find resolutions to the problems that have driven them apart.
Stop being the problem.
Start being the solution.
To those of you elected.
Sit down and address the issues. You were not elected to represent your party. You were elected to represent the student body. Stop thinking about yourselves and your parties and start thinking about your DUTY to those of you gave you the power to represent.
By the way, this ridiculous business of "The Elizabeth Windsor University Republican Sinn Fein Society". I wonder what name they put down for the University in their original undergraduate application?
What about the real issues like the state of the student housing (including the Halls!), the often appaling behaviour of students in the Holylands area or improving the University facilities? Or does blind ignorance dictate petty political agendas?
You wonder why their is political apathy in Northern Ireland? 30 years of politicians bickering with each other like school children in a canteen, and now that THEY have finally grown up, looks like we have another generation coming through that is one step forward and two steps back.
I appeal to both political alliances, give the majority of us who can live with each other the hope that you can resolve your own issues with each other for the good of the SU.
Is it true that Meaghealghghgh Harkin is going to resign his post as VP (uneducated) Education?
Is is only me or has Eddie Hannah been very quiet lately? He's usually shouting on about having saved the Students' Union from numerous dangers or how fantastic he is in general.
Or is it that he is embarrassed about having been beaten by a virtual nobody in the mature students' officer election? Where did that huge personal vote of his go? The thousands of fans of his....
P.S: Did he not run for DUA chairman this year, or did he get beaten (again)?
Depressing times for the "voice of protestantism at Queen's".
Eddie Who?
Bar Staff,
What sort of a sheltered life have you been living? You must know EDDIE HANNA!
Good to see an attack on Mr Hanna.
I have not seen him for a while either, I understand he is studying 1 night a week. Maybe he knew when his time was up at Queens. Haven known the guy I know he made a smart change before the elections to move over and let another person take the community position- Maybe he knows more than you think Irish.
Well lets see I understand that Big Eddie did more for the Protestant culture at Queens than most and I am sure that another year in the Union was completely out of the question after his concert.
Lets see
1) Ulster Scots concert with MYD at it- Well what can I say I have to take my hat of to him
2) won two elections- firstly by beating the head of the cumman at Queens
3) Helped bring Union under university control with the rest of the executive team.
4) Worked on the door in the Union- I am sure not many Prods done this in their time- Helped make Prods welcome.
5) Helped push bar time for the N.I supporters club
6) Well how many Irish handbooks and signs were put up whilst he was elected
and finally may I say my final year at Queens, Sinn Fein was a large club but what happened after one year with the big lad being there. Yes your right they fanished. Now I know the guy fairly well and when I have said to hime about this he always says it was a smashing team effort, With Mark and Graham and then Jenny and Mike the following year- So well done to them all.
I don't know about the DUA elections as I am not a member but I sure this does not take away from the achievement over the last few years at helping give the culture a new found confidence at Queens.
Well done to all.
From the Listullycurran gang
Does Eddie Hanna not realise that when he puts 2 comments up praising himself, within a few minutes of each other, that this can be seen?
-Eire-
Eddie Hanna? He lies so much i'm not even sure that is his real name!
Not know him and want an example of his lies? just read the last few posts
it makes you want to vomit - not just his comments, but the man generally.
The events regarding the Northern Ireland fans being prohibited from entering the Student's Union only represents the bigitory and discrimination which we as fans face on a daily basis. However, one would have thought that on a match night that the fans would be allowed to enter in our country's shirts etc, especially as Barney Hughes said to me today (18/10/07) that he "welcomes the finanical benefits of the supporters being in the Student's Union" - somewhat hypocritical one might say. Although tinternational teams such as the Republic of Ireland who were not allowed to enter, and as witnessed GAA tops were!!! Irrespective of what people choose to accept and / or acknowledge we do live in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom and it is our natioal team. This only shows how much the management of the Union have to do, in an attempt to catch up with surrounding bars in an attempt to eradicate bigitory and intimation we as a minorty face.
Perhaps the Gown should do an article on this issue as opposed to the goings on in Portugal!!
i thought ed hanna had secured bar time for the nisc? why was he not on the door to 'make prods welcome'?
gown team: please investigate!
Sharon, give us a break.
Maybe instead of crying about football you could do some actual work? I'm sure its important and all that but are there not more pressing issues you could be dealing with?
You student community action person - is that right? What have you done since the events in the holy lands? have you meet with students or residents? Hve you done anything constructive or worthwhile?
Or have you just sat in the corner and complained about Northern Ireland fans? A big well done to you then. well done!the student body can now rest assured that their votes were well cast.
What a joke!
Sorry, but how can Sharon Simpson be a waste of money when she doesn't actually get paid?
I think the previous comment is the biggest joke!
Anon,
Challenged though i'm sure you am, you seem to have fumbled onto a point which (if only for your benefit) needs explaining.
It is indeed correct that Sharon Simpson the Student Community Action (SCA)officer does not receive a salary...
However she does have a budget assigned to her which is supposed to help and support her as carries out her work. Now, on my estimation, she has done no work (apart from sticking up for Northern Ireland Fans, which I'm more that sure is part of her SCA brief) and so she would need £0
However, this sadly is not the case she does receive money, expenses and sign out stuff from the Union shop free of charge. She used union facilities (computers, printers, photocopiers, Office space etc) and that doesn't all come free.
So when i said she was a waste of money i was indeed correct and so it wasn't the previous comment which was the biggest joke but rather you incompetence and lack of understanding of union affairs.
Perhaps in future you could refrain form commenting on matters which are way above what you could possibly understand?
@ Waste of money
"The Student Community Action Officer is responsible for liaising between the Union and local voluntary groups – including children, the homeless and senior citizens."
Perhaps if you knew what her job was, you'd not look like a common spotted idiot quite so much, eh?
Bill,
Oh great, so she has stuck up for Northern Ireland fans - a local voluntary group- meanwhile the holy lands has turned into a bit of a warzone with students getting threated and are afraid of getting burned out.
I ask one simple question-
Has Sharon ever met, or got involved or helped or in any other way assisted with the recent events and postmortem in the holy lands?
As much as Sharon may have appeared not to have done anything this academic year it could be worse she could be getting PAID and still doing nothing, eh Mehole???
sharon who!? does you do anything?! nope didnt think so
Sharon 'The Bigot' Simpson .......
Carlsberg dont make predjudice zenophobes... but if they did!?!
Graham, I think you're refering to Xenophobia, which is a fear of strangers or foreigners. But last I heard Sharon Simpson was helping with the Chinese Welfare Assoc, so to call her "zenophobe" is pretty short sighted.
Should have gone to Specsavers.
It is obvious than none of the non sabbs are doing anything.
I got a list of them from the SU lately.
SCA- Sharon Simpson- has she done anything?
Post grad- David mcKeown- Who?
Culture- Alex Hobson? What ever helferty tells her to do
Editor of PTQ- Robbie Davis- I havn't seen anything published.......
Time to get your act together guys....
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