As is typical during Betwixtmas, I have indulged in some ‘Netflix and Chill’ (other platforms are available) and I re-watched Enola Holmes. If you haven’t seen it, it’s a mystery film set in the ...

A few weeks ago, I wrote an opinion piece highlighting how Northern Ireland’s antiquated pub licensing system is damaging the social fabric of our communities. Pubs are closing not because they’re ...

As the year draws to an end, the Financial Times has posted a story revealing that Tokyo has been displaced as the world’s largest city by the Indonesian capital of Jakarta… Alfiyan Elfatah spends ...

A follow-up analysis to ‘Time to Flip the Switch: An Opt-In Model for Religious Education in Controlled Schools’. A four-year-old girl came home from her Belfast primary school and started reciting ...

In addition to our normal open Sunday, we have a politics-free post to give you all a break. So discuss what you like here, but no politics.

I find myself saddened today about something I have been waiting eight years to happen. I’ve been a big fan of Chris Rea since he first appeared in the seventies. My wife and I went to see Chris at ...

I help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism; I am not ...

There was a discussion recently on Reddit about our parsimonious approach to home heating here in the UK and Ireland. The story started with a discussion from a guy who was looking for advice on how ...

In the spirit of the famous 1914 Christmas Truce of WW1, I ask that you avoid our usual divisive subjects, we want to give the mods a well-earned rest. You can chat about what you are up to today, ...

I was a bit pessimistic in my last post about Stormont, so I thought I’d try to restore some balance to the universe and offer something genuinely cheerful this Christmas Eve. Youtuber Casey Neistat ...

On a recent speaking engagement, Fintan O’Toole made the observation of how important it is to avoid an Irish unity process that ends up like the brexit process. This is a wish that other analysts and ...

You might be familiar with the phrase “jumping the shark”. It’s the moment a television show tips from watchable into self-parody. The phrase comes from an episode of Happy Days where the Fonz, having ...