Archive for the ‘Opinion’ Category
COMMENT AND OPINION: Sectarianism isn’t over
Saturday, February 6th, 2010
The recent revelations concerning the two meetings between the DUP and UUP, hosted by the Grand Master of the Orange Order Robert Saulters, attended by a representative of the British Conservative Party, and centred on the possibility of a unionist electoral pact, have raised several significant issues. Despite their apparent failure, and the subsequent downplaying of their importance by both the UUP and the Conservatives, the talks reiterate the fragility of the Stormont Executive and the persistence of tribalism in the “new” northern society. What comes out of the DUP and UUP getting together with the Orange Order and deciding how to thwart Sinn Fein is the familiar sign that politics and religion remain intertwined in unionism’s highest levels, a mutually beneficial relationship that also resulted in the prominence of the parade issue in recent discussions on the devolution of policing and justice.
BY PADRAIC GRANT
Tags: Gown, newspaper, Padraic Grant, Queen's, queen's university, student, The Gown
Posted in Opinion | 3 Comments »
COMMENT: The Iraq Inquiry
Saturday, February 6th, 2010
The past few weeks have seen intense media interest in the Iraq Inquiry which began in July with private hearings, but has only recently began to publicly feature high-profile members of the Establishment, the most prominent being Tony Blair but also members of the then-British cabinet including Alastair Campbell, Jack Straw and Clare Short, with Gordon Brown to be interviewed sometime in the future. The Inquiry’s remit includes analysing the reasons the war on Iraq was undertaken in the first place, if preparations for the war were satisfactory, if British soldiers were properly equipped, and whether the British government had a workable plan for the aftermath of the invasion.
BY PADRAIC GRANT
Tags: Gown, newspaper, Padraic Grant, qub, Queen's, queen's university, student, The Gown, The Iraq Inquiry
Posted in News, Opinion | No Comments »
FEATURE: Would an independent Scotland spell the end of the Union?
Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
On Monday, people around the world celebrated Burns Night. The 25th of January was also to be the date the SNP released the bill that they hoped would be a first step towards an independent Scotland. What would this mean for Northern Ireland?
BY CATHAL MC GUIGAN
Tags: Cathal McGuigan, Gown, newspaper, qub, Queen's, queen's university, student, The Gown
Posted in Features, News, Opinion | 7 Comments »
COMMENT: Horror strikes Haiti
Tuesday, January 19th, 2010
On January 12th 2010, the world got a deadly reminder as to just how destructive nature can be. For the people of Haiti, it came without warning and left a trail of devastation in its wake. While earthquakes are nothing new to the island, this latest vicious seismic event was the worst the country has seen in 200 years. It measured 7.0 on the Richter scale with its epicentre being 16 miles west of the island’s capital, Port-au-Prince, and its focus has been noted as approximately 8 miles underground. The earthquake was followed by 33 aftershocks ranging from 5.0 to 5.9 according to the United States Geological Survey.
BY DON MCDERMOTT
Tags: Don McDermott, Gown, newspaper, qub, Queen's, queen's university, student, The Gown
Posted in Features, News, Opinion | No Comments »
LETTER RE: Library Toilets
Thursday, December 17th, 2009
Dear Gown,
Perhaps you could run an article on the state of the lovely new library toilets…
My reason for this suggestion –
Tags: Gown, newspaper, qub, Queen's, queen's university, student, The Gown
Posted in Opinion | 5 Comments »
LETTER RE: Heaney story (Issue dated Monday 14th December)
Wednesday, December 16th, 2009
Dear Gown,
I read with interest your article ‘The Poet didn’t know it’ (14th December 2009). As an alumnus of Queen’s I am concerned that the University is in danger of seeming to snub Seamus Heaney. I am sure that would not be their intention.
(more…)
Tags: Gown, Letter, newspaper, Poetry Loving Alumnus, qub, Queen's, queen's university, Seamus Heaney, student, The Gown, the poet didn't know it
Posted in Opinion | 11 Comments »
COMMENT: Annoyance at non-existent quiz for clubs and societies
Wednesday, December 16th, 2009
The latest Students’ Union clubs and societies’ quiz scheduled for earlier this month was cancelled at the last minute to an apparent “lack of student interest”. This cancellation means that the funded quiz has yet to be held this year despite being a weekly fixture in previous years. After already having been delayed this year the quiz had been postponed until the 24th November but on that morning an e-mail was circulated stating its cancellation, with no plans for further rescheduling. Historically the quiz had been a weekly event held in one of the SU bars with substantial financial prizes but now there are serious doubts as to whether it will be undertaken by the Union at all in the next semester.
BY CIAN DOHERTY
Tags: Cian Doherty, Clubs and Societies quiz, Gown, newspaper, qub, QUBSU, Queen's, queen's university, student, The Gown
Posted in Opinion | No Comments »
COMMENT: Light up, light up…as long as it’s a celebrity
Friday, December 11th, 2009
The turning on of the Christmas lights, for many, marks the official beginning of the Christmas season; despite most lights being turned on in November. The role of turning on Christmas lights has different connotations; prestige of the location or compassionate life changing opportunity.
BY NUALA MCADAMS
(more…)
Tags: Christmas, Gown, newspaper, Nuala McAdams, qub, Queen's, queen's university, student, The Gown
Posted in Opinion | No Comments »
OPINION: We’ve come a long way baby?
Monday, November 23rd, 2009
I don’t know anyone that failed to notice that when most of the starry-eyed new group of Freshers entered the Bazaar in the union this year, their first port of call was not the LGBT stall. People swarmed like daisies around the Amnesty and soccer groups and God help them, even the Dragonslayers seemed to reel in a few loose ends. Yet, you would be forgiven for believing that over at the “rainbow-tastic” stall they were giving out free goody bags full of anthrax. So why has the LGBT seemingly died a sudden death and what are the reasons behind this?
BY ORLA MACKLE
Tags: Gown, LGBT, newspaper, Orla Mackle, Queen's, queen's university, student, The Gown
Posted in Opinion | 2 Comments »
Comment: New library- Drive for excellence or unholy mess?
Saturday, November 21st, 2009
For those old timers at Queen’s like myself, it can certainly be agreed that the new library is a welcome addition to the University. For years we had the overcrowded and noisy Seamus Heaney library; a place that at times perhaps mirrored a night out rather than a study venue. We’ve had an antiquated, crumbling tower block, and a Science Library that also looked like something from the past. It was thought that The New Library at Queen’s would offer the ‘be all and end all’ solution to these problems. After all, it IS part of the University’s master plan: 1) Russell Group status 2) drive for Top 100 University status in world 3) attract as much money/investment as possible…blah blah blah…
BY PAUL LILLY (more…)
Tags: Gown, Library, newspaper, Paul Lilly, qub, Queen's, queen's university, student, The Gown
Posted in Opinion | 27 Comments »
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