Review of Patrick Hennessey’s exellent book The Junior Officers’ Reading club. Appeared in the Sunday Business Post a few weeks back. ‘When all else fails, a blind refusal to look f acts in the face will see us through.” Blackadder’s feckless General Melchett was a hilarious send up of Lord Kitchener, but his fatuous words […]
Tribal Divide Behind Racist 'Stain of Shame'
An analysis piece on the racist attacks in Belfast i wrote for the opinion pages of The Scotsman: On Monday night the windows of City Church in Belfast were smashed by vandals. Attacks on religious buildings are common in Northern Ireland, but this was different: the small City Church, near Queen’s University, was where 22 […]
Racist attacks on Roma are latest low in North’s intolerant history
ANALYSIS: Can recent violence towards immigrants in Belfast be linked to the BNP’s success in European elections, writes PETER GEOGHEGAN. (The Irish Times 18/06/09) WITH ITS new, purpose-built Chinese centre, popular Asian supermarket and plethora of speciality shops, the Ormeau Road is Belfast’s most visibly diverse and multi-ethnic neighbourhood. On sunny days, nearby Ormeau Park […]
My Starring Role in the Mourne Supremacy
A piece on an exhilarating weekend in the Mournes, first published in The Irish Times: ‘I’VE BEEN CLIMBING since I was six,” says Ian, our amiable instructor at Tollymore Mountain Centre, as my girlfriend takes her first, tentative steps on the climbing wall. “My dad rented a climbing frame for my birthday, I loved it […]
Hotel Review, Fairmont in St Andrew's
Originally appeared in The Irish Times: I realised the Fairmont was upmarket long before we arrived. What gave it away was not the price of a room, the fancy website or the hotel’s five stars but the automated e-mail booking confirmation: alongside rail and car hire, its getting-there options included helicopter charters from Edinburgh and […]
Antony and the Johnsons, Waterfront Belfast
Review originally appeared in The Sunday Business Post: ‘The only time I’ve ever played here,” Antony Hegarty’s sonorous voice intoned from behind his grand piano, ‘‘a lady gave me a packet of magic Rolos and said they’d bring good fortune.” Touted by Lou Reed since their early days, Antony and hi s band, the Johnsons, […]
For Anyone Doing A Viva…
A gruelling inquisition or a friendly chat – PhD candidates’ experiences of vivas can vary widely. Preparation is essential, writes Peter Geoghegan, but universities could do more to help, too. Originally appeared in Times Higher Education I will never forget the day I submitted my PhD for examination. Having spent most of the previous night […]
Oh, What A Lovely War! Review Sunday Business Post 11/04/09
Joan Littlewood once said Oh, What A Lovely War! ‘is not aconventional play and will not come to life if treated as such’. From the Perriot clown who chastises the audience taking their seats to the pre-recorded sing-song by Bruiser Production’s patron Duke Special, this revival of Littlewood’s savage evisceration of the first world war […]