Fleadh 2026 Belfast

[Snapchap]

I used to do a thing of listening to him every day for a month to make a note of who was contributing most often. The stats came out quite surprising. It was more balanced than I was expecting.

I raised an eyebrow on reading this. I recall this discussion being debated in the Stephen Nolan thread some time ago. You posted your stats for his show in June 2023. Here's your results:

The same statistical analysis shows that in the same period, he had 8 guests representing the Belfast Telegraph and 1 from the Irish News.

On the same thread, I posted a breakdown of guests I did myself from Febrarury the same year:
Unionists: 22
Nationalists: 6 (3 of which are Alison Morris who is a journalist for a Unionist Newspaper)
Other: 4

[RedHand88]

Are SF, the biggest nationalist party, still boycotting the show? Would that be a big factor?

[Snapchap]

Are SF, the biggest nationalist party, still boycotting the show? Would that be a big factor?

I would assume they are still boycotting it, but 25 unionist guests in one month and not a single nationalist one? Unless you believe Nolan and his production team aren't aware of any nationalist who isn't in SF, then no, it's obviously not a factor/justification.

[JPGJOHNNYG]

I haven't been counting whose on when I tune in from time to time but Chris Donnelly and Carl Whyte are on quite a bit and would obviously be nationalist. Bryson is on loads and part of me is really annoyed as he is a wee shit who represents noone but then part of me loves it because every time he opens his mouth he contradicts himself and says stupid things

[johnnycool]

Are SF, the biggest nationalist party, still boycotting the show? Would that be a big factor?

I would assume they are still boycotting it, but 25 unionist guests in one month and not a single nationalist one? Unless you believe Nolan and his production team aren't aware of any nationalist who isn't in SF, then no, it's obviously not a factor/justification.

Chris Donnelly and others shouldn't participate as it gives this "light entertainment" show the façade of balance.

Apart from who's on the show the actual topics are very lopsided.

I don't listen anymore but I bet he did days and days on the girl with the bomb getting bail, but there would have been a fraction of the coverage of Winkie getting bail after getting caught with guns in the boot of the car!

[weareros]

SDLP also boycott after Nolan cut off Matthew O'Toole's phone for saying the difference between David Campbell's Loyalist Council and loyalists was "pedantic". This was after Campbell, as spokesman, in a nice suit was issuing threats on behalf of Loyalists over protocol. Winkie Irvine was a prominent member of the LCA at that time and not long after was caught with bombs/guns in boot of car. O'Toole was proven right but not a word about it.

[Franko]

It hasn't been, that's the point.

A select few are desperately trying to do so.

Then they shouldn't succeed and the likes of Nolan who normally thrives on this shouldn't be given any oxygen and that includes Nationalist participating in his "debates"!

Exactly this

Clearly it is good to get out of the 'echo chamber' and listen to other perspectives

(Even better to blow about it on the internet to try to look enlightened)

But for the love of christ pick a better medium than big Steekie Nolan

Look who's back! I was worried about you for a bit.

I never went away you know 

[ONeill]

Everything about this Fleadh was joyous. I've attended and competed in countless Fleadhs, including this one, and this was by far the most memorable.

It's hard to put the finger on why, especially as an non-Belfastian, but the feel-good of it was off the scale. Quite emotional.

[screenexile]

Shine will be the ruination of Belfast... wtf is Pete Snodden doing a DJ set every day in Custom House Square for during the fleadh?!!

Was Shine who cancelled the gigs in the Telegraph building as well shafting all the musicians!

[Eamonnca1]

I used to do a thing of listening to him every day for a month to make a note of who was contributing most often. The stats came out quite surprising. It was more balanced than I was expecting.

I raised an eyebrow on reading this. I recall this discussion being debated in the Stephen Nolan thread some time ago. You posted your stats for his show in June 2023. Here's your results:

The same statistical analysis shows that in the same period, he had 8 guests representing the Belfast Telegraph and 1 from the Irish News.

On the same thread, I posted a breakdown of guests I did myself from Febrarury the same year:
Unionists: 22
Nationalists: 6 (3 of which are Alison Morris who is a journalist for a Unionist Newspaper)
Other: 4

I remember debunking the oft-repeated claim that Bryson and Allister were on everyday. But now that you mention it, I seem to remember the balance not reflecting the share of assembly seats with a skew towards unionism. But then with SF boycotting the show, and I think the SDLP were too, it's probably inevitable.

[Puckoon]

How many nationalists can you really count on if SF and SDLP are boycotting the show? I think this is a real signal that party politics in the north need to be gone. We need real leaders there, where they come from - I don't know.

[brokencrossbar1]

Shine will be the ruination of Belfast... wtf is Pete Snodden doing a DJ set every day in Custom House Square for during the fleadh?!!

Was Shine who cancelled the gigs in the Telegraph building as well shafting all the musicians!

Yeah,  didn't even tell the musicians directly. Most of them found out by the by. As for Pete Snodden,  that was a joke! 

[Snapchap]

I used to do a thing of listening to him every day for a month to make a note of who was contributing most often. The stats came out quite surprising. It was more balanced than I was expecting.

I raised an eyebrow on reading this. I recall this discussion being debated in the Stephen Nolan thread some time ago. You posted your stats for his show in June 2023. Here's your results:

The same statistical analysis shows that in the same period, he had 8 guests representing the Belfast Telegraph and 1 from the Irish News.

On the same thread, I posted a breakdown of guests I did myself from Febrarury the same year:
Unionists: 22
Nationalists: 6 (3 of which are Alison Morris who is a journalist for a Unionist Newspaper)
Other: 4

I remember debunking the oft-repeated claim that Bryson and Allister were on everyday. But now that you mention it, I seem to remember the balance not reflecting the share of assembly seats with a skew towards unionism. But then with SF boycotting the show, and I think the SDLP were too, it's probably inevitable.

There are any amount of nationalist political commentators/journalists/ex politicians etc etc they could have asked on. To go one full month with no nationalist guest, and 25 unionist ones, shouldn't be "inevitable" on a public service broadcaster.

Re Bryson/Allister, nobody is suggesting they are on EVERY day. The argument is that they are given undue prominence relative to their profile. Allister and his party were political minnows when Nolan began platforming him multiple times a week. Bryson is an unelected nobody and owes his entire "career" to Nolan. Can you think of a single other show that gives him airtime, let alone multiple times per week?

I know I posted this before, but what typifies Nolan for me was his capers in February 2018 when stormont was collapsed, and talks were at an advanced stage aimed at reinstating the assembly. He spent months and months criticising politicians for not compromising to get the institutions back, until lo and behold, the first day news leaked that a compromise may have been reached, Nolan was all over it the next morning like a rash, whipping unionism into an absolute frenzy over the news that the DUP had made an apparent compromise on an Irish Language Act.

In the space of the ten days in/around that time in February '18, Nolan had Jim Allister on as a guest on his radio/tv shows on the 9th, 11th, 12th, on BOTH his radio and TV shows on 14th, on 15th and the 19th. That's seven times in ten shows. Unionism was whipped into a fury and the DUP were forced to pull the rug from under the deal. "Public service" broadcasting?

[RedHand88]

Only way to redress the balance is to actually go on the show when asked!
What nationalist commentators would yous want on if SF and SDLP aren't going on? Chris Donnelly is a busy man I'm sure.

[Milltown Row2]

I know very few people that watch it, I also know very few people that concern themselves with what he says or who he has on, most people I know work, have families, have outside things that for them are more important than what a teletubbie agitator says on tv, is generally in bed before he comes on and in work when his radio show is on also..

People go out of their way to get annoyed or ashamed or whatever, politicians are clean useless, they are not, any of them that matter pulling their weight or trying to improve any of the basics improvements that ordinary working people want

Maybe that's the circle I run in, what I do see on social media though is a division that is getting bigger by the year, some of the posts that are put up are sad