A United Ireland. Opening up the discussion.

[6th sam]

Do you ever hear the tripe that Ben Lowry of the Newsletter spouts on Eamonn Dunphy's podcast...

Each and every single time:

- 10 to 15 to 20% of Catholics believe... x ... I can't remember the exact figure...
- only 5 to 10% of Catholics are dissident republican in their view
- it wasn't an apartheid state cos look it wasn't South Africa, its impossible

Then he just meanders through a pile of guff relating to the issue of the day and how, you guessed it, Portrush is as British as Finchley

These f**king morons have lost the ideological battle and are staring down the barrel and they know it

No issue at all sharing a new Ireland with would be Unionists and incorporating a proportionate amount of their views and culture, but they'd need to reflect hard on what got them to this point

Not a bad suggestion from Bertie to have the vote on the 30th of The Agreement there or thereabouts, wouldn't be keen on anything longer than that

Is Ben Lowry deluded or dishonest or both. An apologist for all the failings of NI , given far too much airtime. I don't know any nationalist or republican politician who doesn't want to respect British identity , but I have to say political unionism still fails to respect Irish identity . As an Irish nationalist I've lived under British rule all my life, and had to just get on with it. To reassure unionists this didn't in anyway dilute my Irishness ( arguably it reinforced it) , so when unionists move under Irish jurisdiction their Britishness is likely to be reinforced.

Who is Ben Lowry?

I think he's deputy editor of the news letter, he's wheeled out by tv/radio presenters as an analyst , and   Because he's a journalist he is often perceived as neutral , whereas he's exclusively  unionist/British in his outlook. Obviously he's entitled to those views ,  but he has a very limited insight or interest in the  "Irish" viewpoint . He's a fairly insignificant player Tbf, but since you've asked.

[pbat]

Hes a bigot who's slightly more educated than Bryson, his big issue last autumn was there was too many taigs going to Queens. Big mate of Ruth Dudley Edwards which in itself says it all. Sam Mc Bride who is editor of the Newsletter is a lot more balanced and at least tries to give the Unionist point of view with out the whole them'uns did this crap you get from Lowry.

[johnnycool]

Hes a bigot who's slightly more educated than Bryson, his big issue last autumn was there was too many taigs going to Queens. Big mate of Ruth Dudley Edwards which in itself says it all. Sam Mc Bride who is editor of the Newsletter is a lot more balanced and at least tries to give the Unionist point of view with out the whole them'uns did this crap you get from Lowry.

GAA tops were preventing unionists from going to Queens FFS.

[Angelo]

Hes a bigot who's slightly more educated than Bryson, his big issue last autumn was there was too many taigs going to Queens. Big mate of Ruth Dudley Edwards which in itself says it all. Sam Mc Bride who is editor of the Newsletter is a lot more balanced and at least tries to give the Unionist point of view with out the whole them'uns did this crap you get from Lowry.

McBride is only better at hiding it.

The Newsletter is a unionist rag and should be discounted as any sort of credible media outlet.

[trailer]

Hes a bigot who's slightly more educated than Bryson, his big issue last autumn was there was too many taigs going to Queens. Big mate of Ruth Dudley Edwards which in itself says it all. Sam Mc Bride who is editor of the Newsletter is a lot more balanced and at least tries to give the Unionist point of view with out the whole them'uns did this crap you get from Lowry.

Sam is the Political Editor not the Editor. Lowry is the Deputy Editor.

[general_lee]

I've only heard Ben Lowry a couple of times but on each occasion he waffles through his piss weak argument sounding like he's on the verge of crying

[marty34]

Newsletter is all 'fury'.

Every headline is 'unionist fury' - always angry.

[Snapchap]

Do you ever hear the tripe that Ben Lowry of the Newsletter spouts on Eamonn Dunphy's podcast...

Each and every single time:

- 10 to 15 to 20% of Catholics believe... x ... I can't remember the exact figure...
- only 5 to 10% of Catholics are dissident republican in their view
- it wasn't an apartheid state cos look it wasn't South Africa, its impossible

Then he just meanders through a pile of guff relating to the issue of the day and how, you guessed it, Portrush is as British as Finchley

These f**king morons have lost the ideological battle and are staring down the barrel and they know it

No issue at all sharing a new Ireland with would be Unionists and incorporating a proportionate amount of their views and culture, but they'd need to reflect hard on what got them to this point

Not a bad suggestion from Bertie to have the vote on the 30th of The Agreement there or thereabouts, wouldn't be keen on anything longer than that

Is Ben Lowry deluded or dishonest or both. An apologist for all the failings of NI , given far too much airtime. I don't know any nationalist or republican politician who doesn't want to respect British identity , but I have to say political unionism still fails to respect Irish identity . As an Irish nationalist I've lived under British rule all my life, and had to just get on with it. To reassure unionists this didn't in anyway dilute my Irishness ( arguably it reinforced it) , so when unionists move under Irish jurisdiction their Britishness is likely to be reinforced.

Who is Ben Lowry?

Deputy Political Editor of The Newsletter. It's actually the oldest English language daily newspaper in the world. It's a unionist paper, and is the only daily newspaper from one community that does not have, and never has had, a weekly columnist from the 'other side', and it recently recruited as it's most recent columnist one Ruth Dudley Edwards. So yeah. It's an absolute rag. So sectarian minded is it, that a recent article they published about the lockdown was headlined: "Covid-19: Loyalist doctor and republican doctor each voice fears over fresh lockdown". Yep. They even managed to take doctors' views on the lockdown and turn it into "ussuns and themmuns" story. Mercifully, it has an absolutely tiny readership.

Ben has regular appearances on BBC Ulster's 'Talkback'. William Crowley is a very good presenter and when his views are challenged by William, Ben generally ends up getting into angry rants which typically end up in having what sound like genuine emotional breakdowns. He gets so angry and emotionally charged that he tends to sound like he's going to start crying. It's genuinely funny to listen to sometimes, particularly when he gets worked up over such trivial things (eg BBC not playing 'Rule Britannia' on Last Night of the Proms' anymore) or when challenged on his overtly sectarian opinions which he of course denies are motivated by sectarianism (e.g. too many GAA tops around Queen's University).

[marty34]

Do you ever hear the tripe that Ben Lowry of the Newsletter spouts on Eamonn Dunphy's podcast...

Each and every single time:

- 10 to 15 to 20% of Catholics believe... x ... I can't remember the exact figure...
- only 5 to 10% of Catholics are dissident republican in their view
- it wasn't an apartheid state cos look it wasn't South Africa, its impossible

Then he just meanders through a pile of guff relating to the issue of the day and how, you guessed it, Portrush is as British as Finchley

These f**king morons have lost the ideological battle and are staring down the barrel and they know it

No issue at all sharing a new Ireland with would be Unionists and incorporating a proportionate amount of their views and culture, but they'd need to reflect hard on what got them to this point

Not a bad suggestion from Bertie to have the vote on the 30th of The Agreement there or thereabouts, wouldn't be keen on anything longer than that

Is Ben Lowry deluded or dishonest or both. An apologist for all the failings of NI , given far too much airtime. I don't know any nationalist or republican politician who doesn't want to respect British identity , but I have to say political unionism still fails to respect Irish identity . As an Irish nationalist I've lived under British rule all my life, and had to just get on with it. To reassure unionists this didn't in anyway dilute my Irishness ( arguably it reinforced it) , so when unionists move under Irish jurisdiction their Britishness is likely to be reinforced.

Who is Ben Lowry?

Deputy Political Editor of The Newsletter. It's actually the oldest English language daily newspaper in the world. It's a unionist paper, and is the only daily newspaper from one community that does not have, and never has had, a weekly columnist from the 'other side', and it recently recruited as it's most recent columnist one Ruth Dudley Edwards. So yeah. It's an absolute rag. So sectarian minded is it, that a recent article they published about the lockdown was headlined: "Covid-19: Loyalist doctor and republican doctor each voice fears over fresh lockdown". Yep. They even managed to take doctors' views on the lockdown and turn it into "ussuns and themmuns" story. Mercifully, it has an absolutely tiny readership.

Ben has regular appearances on BBC Ulster's 'Talkback'. William Crowley is a very good presenter and when his views are challenged by William, Ben generally ends up getting into angry rants which typically end up in having what sound like genuine emotional breakdowns. He gets so angry and emotionally charged that he tends to sound like he's going to start crying. It's genuinely funny to listen to sometimes, particularly when he gets worked up over such trivial things (eg BBC not playing 'Rule Britannia' on Last Night of the Proms' anymore) or when challenged on his overtly sectarian opinions which he of course denies are motivated by sectarianism (e.g. too many GAA tops around Queen's University).

Anybody know how much these lads get paid for going on The Nolan Show and Talkback etc?

Would journalists also be getting an appearance fee or is it just the 'commentators' like Bryson etc. who get paid?

By the way, how do you become a 'commentator' - there's a woman from Magee Uni on quite regularly (can't remember her name now) but I think she's high up in the university. She is on at election time and  etc.  But I was wondering how is she 'qualified' to be on tv or what do you need to have etc.?

[BennyCake]

Low readership or not, the Newsletter still continues so it must be doing alright. Never read it in my life, so can't comment on it.

However, Nolan also drags up trivial sectarian matters, starts a phone in and the bitter rants begin. He's one of the things that keep the whole bitter sectarianism going in this place. Most people wouldn't hear of these trivial, minor things if they weren't highlighted by the likes of Nolan, and would continue on their merry way going about their business oblivious.

[pbat]

Low readership or not, the Newsletter still continues so it must be doing alright. Never read it in my life, so can't comment on it.

However, Nolan also drags up trivial sectarian matters, starts a phone in and the bitter rants begin. He's one of the things that keep the whole bitter sectarianism going in this place. Most people wouldn't hear of these trivial, minor things if they weren't highlighted by the likes of Nolan, and would continue on their merry way going about their business oblivious.

Back in Mid 90s worked in a newsagents and Monday - Friday we wouldn't have sold any but sold a handful on a Saturday as it had the prices from sale yards around the North. Don't know if that would still be the case.

[6th sam]

Low readership or not, the Newsletter still continues so it must be doing alright. Never read it in my life, so can't comment on it.

However, Nolan also drags up trivial sectarian matters, starts a phone in and the bitter rants begin. He's one of the things that keep the whole bitter sectarianism going in this place. Most people wouldn't hear of these trivial, minor things if they weren't highlighted by the likes of Nolan, and would continue on their merry way going about their business oblivious.

Agree, I wouldn't underestimate the influence of Nolan in keeping sectarian fires burning. Totally unrepresentative particularly since DUP snd SF boycott the show at various times. Wheels out divisive characters with no mandate, and public phoners are often bigoted , inarticulate "slabbers " with little to do . Articulate intelligent argument is drowned out by contrived controversy and ignorance. People are quick to get the boot into politicians and what they are paid , but in reality they get paid a fraction of what Nolan walks home with. A shamelessly divisive character

[marty34]

I'd say anybody could start their own show and play the Nolan roll - just make the topic always orange and green and there's an hour filled every day.

I always think Talkback is the middle class version of The Nolan Show

[armaghniac]

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/republic-beats-northern-ireland-for-life-expectancy-and-households-are-3300-better-off-40061262.html

Households in the Republic have €3,800 (£3,300) more disposable income annually than those in Northern Ireland, new research shows.
This equates to a 12% gap after accounting for price differences in both areas.
Life expectancy is also now 1.4 years longer in the south, according to the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).

[Rossfan]

I see on the RTÉ News a big investment in Derry/Strabane of around £1Billion.
Includes €500m from the Taoiseach's Shared Island Unit.

Angela won't like that.