Navalnaya's solution - the West supporting Russian civil society, independent media, human-rights defenders - was tried in the '90s. It failed catastrophically. Russians have to solve the problems of their sick fascist-imperialist society themselves, long-term. No more shifting blame to the West.

It may be a controversial take, but we need alternatives to the ubiquitous storytelling, which takes individual stories and weaves bigger issues around it. It's like dumbing down. As if a reader can understand if the story is fed to them peacemeal, packaged in somehow relatable experiences.

I have similar issues with Irish. Can never remember how to say earrings or necklace, but sure as hell know the words for missiles, artillery shells etc etc.

'Tá sé in am againn scneaiceanna 🍗 deasa a cheannach sa siopa' arsa Sirius.

First Russian reconnaissance drones in Poland, now now potential carriers of horrible hypersonic missiles in Estonia. Russia is escalating so rapidly. But then, why not now? Trump is weak, NATO is terrified, and the costs of waging the war against Ukraine are still manageable for Russia.

Thank you so much for chatting to me about your journey and experiences, Nadia!

Amazing article about the documentary about my family 'Idir Dhá Bhaile' by @sweetoblivion.bsky.social for @thejournal.ie . The film is available worldwide on the @tg4.bsky.social player. www.thejournal.ie/nadia-dobria...

"You think, 'Wow, that could be my mother or my auntie, or that could be my sister'. The image of being on holiday is much more relatable to us; what isn't relatable is the looming war just around the corner." www.rte.ie/entertainmen...

Sanatorium is funny and melancholic and poignant and optimistic and beautifully shot. Delighted it will reach a wider audience with the Oscar buzz www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUiG...

Was great to speak to @thejournal.ie for their Explainer podcast on nomination routes for the presidential election. Lots of candidates appearing before councils now but it’s an uphill battle for them all. Could be a very short presidential ballot. Listen back at www.thejournal.ie/podcasts/66f...

This is a very interesting interview www.twz.com/news-feature...

Russia is bombing Poland and Israel is bombing Qatar. At this pace, Russia might try and occupy a NATO state just out of spite much sooner than I expected. Trump the Peacamaker in action 👍

‘An indelible imprint’ – Irish Penal Transportation to Australia www.theirishstory.com/2025/02/03/a...

An caitín aoibhinn ag iarraidh ealú as an barróg 😆

When my dad heard about this meeting, he said that this was like state raqueteering under Yanukovych. Gathering the wealthy and explaining to them how much money they owe you from now on. Great times, America.

Our Irish Studies Seminar programme for the autumn is now available - all events will be in hybrid format and everyone is welcome. For more info and registration: www.qub.ac.uk/schools/Iris...

Ok hear me out

Amárach ar Raidió Rí-Rá ag a 10-12am, clár Seal le Seán. Agallamh liomsa faoi chúrsaí taighde, cearta daonna agus go leor eile (beagáinín faoi chúrsaí Gaeilge fosta) - agus le go leor daoine suimiúla eile. Tabhair cluas dúinn!

An bhfuil sibh réidh don séasúr nua? Beidh Fachtna Ó Drisceoil ar ais sa chathaoir inniu- Bígí linn.

New blog post: "'Catholics being exterminated' – seven days in April 1922". A detailed look at a short period during which twenty people killed were killed in vicious sectarian violence - men, women, children, IRA and Fianna members and a Special Constable. thebelfastpogrom.com/2025/08/30/c...

Beidh mo thráchtairecht faoi na comhráite síochána idir an Rúis agus an Úcráin anocht ar Nuach TG4. @nuachttg4.bsky.social #spéirghorm #speirghorm

I was on Newstalk Breakfast today @newstalkfm.bsky.social to discuss how adults can improve their fluency in Irish, especially if they didn't study Irish at school like me. My advice: get yourself into a system of learning and it will pay out. /1 #speirghorm www.newstalk.com/podcasts/hig...

A 5k European force in the rear cities (Lviv? Uzhgorod?) in the post-war Ukraine as a security reassurance? It will certainly contribute to the local gene pool and boost the hospitality sector. But other than that? Not very reassuring. www.justsecurity.org/119673/ukrai...

New blog post, which continues the story of non-republican nationalists in Belfast from mid-1921 until the end of the Pogrom, including attempts to encourage Catholics to join the Specials. "Constitutional nationalists: Part 2." #IrishHistory thebelfastpogrom.com/2025/07/26/c...

Wee bump for this. New blog post coming this Saturday, which looks in detail at a single week when the sectarian violence got so intense that the Belfast Catholic Protection Committee sent a despairing telegram to British cabinet ministers: "'Catholics being exterminated' - seven days in April 1922"

Thank you Nadia 🙏 It was also good to listen to the insights of Nathaniel Raymond, executive director of Yale's Humanitarian Research Lab, as his team has documented the abduction of at least 35 000 Ukrainian children (way more than the authorities' conservative estimate of 20 000 here).

Thank you for your reporting @emmanuellechaze.com on the abductions of Ukrainian children to Russia. You can listen her interview to @newstalkfm.bsky.social here: open.spotify.com/episode/77zT...

Happy Independence Day of Ukraine. We owe it to the thousands defending the country today. Fad saoil daoibh go léir 💙💛

Another Budapest memorandum would be grand, sure 🤣

A second printing of "Unfinished Empire" is already out! The updated back cover features a selection of wonderful endorsements. Delighted to see my book resonating and grateful to everyone who has read, supported, or engaged with it so far!

Language is a funny thing. What is termed 'the coalition of the willing' in English is translated into Ukrainian as 'the coalition of the determined'. There's an aspiration for action in the Ukrainian version, an unfulfilled wish.

The news sucks but Kotyk does not.

So the last night's circus between Putin and Trump was merely more of the same. No ceasefire, abstract waffle re territory swaps(??) and security guarantees, no extra sanctions. It's not humiliating to the US because one needs values to feel humilitated, and this is not the case. Great TV, I guess.

Thanks to Holywell Trust for inviting me to speak at @feilederry.bsky.social last night about my work for @humanrightsfirst.org with volunteers in Kharkiv, Ukraine @nadiadobrianska.bsky.social @glushko.bsky.social #speirgorm

Ukrainian military intelligence reports that Putin is bringing 'historical documents' to prove Russia's claims for Ukraine. Imagine the circus that their press conference will be if Putin gived a history lecture with Trump drooling and snoring in the background.

American administrations have always struggled to comprehend the genocidal nature of Russian occupation. But Trump's admin is genious in its stupidity. Russia is erasing anything Ukrainian under occupation. It literally is settling Russians in Ukrainian property. www.thetimes.com/article/edd3...

The Hunger strike & General strike of 1920. Irish Republicans copied tactic of hunger strike from women’s suffragists. In April 1920 they used it to demand status of political prisoners. A general strike was called by labour demanding release of all prisoners www.theirishstory.com/2020/04/13/t...

#OTD , 9 August 1971, Internment is introduced in Northern Ireland. Unionist NI govt persuaded UK govt to use British Army to enforce internment in belief that it would crush burgeoning republican insurgency. It had the opposite effect. theirishstory.com/2012/08/10/t...

In the public sphere, lines between 'both sides' have become alarmingly blurred. Yet nothing has changed: Russia still attacks Ukraine to expand its territory, murders prisoners, kills Ukrainian civilians, traffics Ukrainian children. Ukrainians are not being unreasonable for defending themselve.

I must be living in an alternate reality, where children are catalogued, where journalists are killed in captivity, where 100s of drones are routinely thrown at Ukraine, because the more I voice those news, the more they are met with indifference or with this: "are Ukrainians hopeful about peace"?

Ok there've been a lot of technical problems with the website, but I'm happy to report that they are now fixed! Brand new hosting location and the site is now fast and sharp again! Lots of new content on the way shortly. Thanks for your patience. www.theirishstory.com

Folks, currently moving the site to a new location. It may be down for some time. But it will be back better! Thanks for your patience.

So Zelensky and his MPs rolled back their attempted power-grab against anti-corruption institutions. Despite the reversal of the legislation, the damage is done. It struck a blow against national trust in the government during a war. It also undermined Ukraine's international credibility.

Lapaí 🥲

Today Ukrainian Parlimanent voted to dismantle independence of two critical anticorruption bodies. If Zelensky signs the bill, it will mark the first steps to turn Ukraine into a dictatoriship. Making all Russian, MAGA et al propaganda a tangible reality. This is suicidal for a nation in wartime.

There were in fact Four ‘Bloody Sundays’ in 20th century Ireland. One of them took place #OTD July 10, in Belfast in 1921. In which, after an IRA ambush, rioting left 16 people dead and hundreds of houses destroyed as @drnightdub.bsky.social describes here www.theirishstory.com/2015/07/10/t...

Me: comparing sectarian violence during the Irish revolution to genocide and ethnic cleansing is too much. The levels of violence are not comparable. Also me: but what if.... voluntary house swaps between Catholics and Protestants in Belfast were population transfers like the Treaty of Lausanne? 🫠

Me: comparing sectarian violence during the Irish revolution to genocide and ethnic cleansing is too much. The levels of violence are not comparable. Also me: but what if.... voluntary house swaps between Catholics and Protestants in Belfast were population transfers like the Treaty of Lausanne? 🫠

In a past life I wrote my BA and MA theses on the ECHR jurisprudence changing UA legal and public spheres. Now it is numbing to see how irrelevant is today's landmark ruling by the ECHR which holds Russia responsible fot MH17 and horrific human right abuses in the occupied Donbas 2014-2022+

I absolutely hate vodka. Also I cannot handle salo since gastrectromy and this makes me sad.