Following the autocrat’s playbook, Trump and his MAGA cartel are attacking alternative sources of power; universities, the media, and the judiciary — all of which pose a threat to the unchecked power Trump seeks. My latest for Byline Times bylinetimes.com/2025/04/30/t...

Secretary of State Hilary Benn is dragging 87-year-old widow Bridie Brown to the Supreme Court in London, refusing to accept the court order to launch a public enquiry into the murder of her husband Sean Brown. I cannot express how grosteque this is. Utterly utterly shameful.

As a peace activist, I am far less concerned by the artistic expression of music artists than I am by the human suffering being endured by the people of Palestine. My view on the furore around Kneecap: www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...

Slán Ireland! I'll be in New York, Washington, and Chicago over the next two weeks. Heading straight from the airport in New York to deliver a guest talk on peace processes later today, just how I like it - flat out!

Just Jim Wells saying Irish citizens in Northern Ireland who want to vote for their president should move across the border. No problem with British citizens in Dublin having UK voting rights - just not themmuns. www.newstalk.com/podcasts/hig...

There is nothing controversial about Kneecap. Art being provocative is as old as time. Music has long been a vehicle for challenging oppression and injustice, especially rock and hip hop. Rage against the Machine, N.W.A., Public Enemy. Music and politics go hand in hand.

It will be civic society that moves the dial on a United Ireland, not political leaders. Change, whether it was the Good Friday Agreement or repealing the 8th amendment, came from ground up.

Rounding out the week with a glass of homemade apple wine, circa 2021.

My view: We can not continue to celebrate the success of the Good Friday Agreement while bereaved families are denied justice. Families are spending decades trying to access truth and justice. Many have died without seeing either. Many might still. www.thejournal.ie/readme/bridi...

Trump's tariffs 0 Lettuce 1

This should be easy pickings for the Democratic Party, but rather than counter the Trumpification of the Republicans, the Democrats are flailing in the wind, directionless, while the ideological divide in America widens. My latest via @thejournal.ie www.thejournal.ie/readme/trump...

I'll be back in the US in a couple of weeks to deliver a guest talk on the power of civic engagement in peacebuilding at Cornell University. Very much look forward to meeting students and staff at the Reppy Institute. events.cornell.edu/event/the-po...

My recent article for the Belfast Telegraph on citizens assemblies. 84 citizens delivered 38 policy recommendations via an assembly model in November. Politicians already committed to launching one assembly a year, so where are they? Why is civic society having to launch them?

A northerner should run in the Irish presidential election as a reminder of the abject failure of consecutive governments to give Irish citizens in the North a vote in presidential elections. We can run for the office of the president, but we can't vote for our president.

So looking forward to taking part in this panel discussion next Saturday as part of @imaginebelfast.bsky.social 'How to lose a referendum!' Featuring a pre-panel referendum quiz, come along and have your say! Register ⬇️ imaginebelfast.com/event/how-to...

Israel killed at least 174 Palestinian children on Tuesday, inflicting “one of the largest one-day child death tolls” in the enclave’s history, says Defense for Children – Palestine.

“Today, Gaza’s one million children – who have endured more than 15 months of war – have been plunged back into a world of fear and death. The attacks and the violence must stop – now,” UNICEF’s Executive Director Catherine Russell

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said all ceasefire negotiations will take place “under fire” after Israel resumed its assault on the gaza strip killing hundreds of civilians including women and children, breaking the ceasefire. We are witnessing a genocide in real time.

Celebrating St Patrick's Day and the global impact of the Irish community with Ireland’s mission to the UN team in New York City last night. Important remarks from the UN Ambassador & Tánaiste on resilience amid global challenges to peace and security.

Join me at Fairfield University Tuesday evening, where I'll be delivering a guest lecture, 'When Citizens' Decide: The Role of Youth, Women, and Communities in Advancing Northern Ireland's Peace Process' Information and registration ⬇️ events.fairfield.edu/event/guest-...

What we are seeing in the US is a complete dismantling of the founding principles the country was built on. Everything is being politicised down ideological lines. Law firms are having their security clearances revoked for working with democrats. The free press is under seige.

In November, 84 citizens ratified 38 policy recommendations to address NI's housing crisis. Could empowering communities through a citizens’ assembly structure be key in gaining momentum after decades of political inertia? My latest via The Belfast Telegraph m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/feature...

Such a joy to host Siobhán McSweeney in New York City for a special National Committee on American Foreign Policy luncheon. Over lunch, we spoke about belonging, identity, resilience, representation, and building understanding North and South in Ireland. Siobhán is an inspiration, a trailblazer!

Slán Ireland! I'll be in the US for the next 3 weeks with stops in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Washington DC. I'll be delivering a series of guest lectures on peace processes, women, peace and security, politics, and Irish unity. First stop NYC!

The election results in Germany are a warning to United Irelanders; a land grab of the North will not unite the people of this island. Advocates for a United Ireland must make the case for a new, unified state. My latest via @thejournal.ie www.thejournal.ie/readme/unite...

I am Irish. Being born in Derry does not make me less Irish than someone born in Dublin. Living in Fermanagh does not make me less Irish than someone living in Monaghan. The president of Ireland is my president. The president represents all the people of Ireland.

New LucidTalk polling for the Civic Initiative shows public backing for greater cross-border cooperation in several areas, including infrastructure (71%), health (67%) and economic development (60%)

Martina Devlin is repping us women like the legend she is, but #BBCTheView needs to do better. 6 men, and 1 woman to discuss a United Ireland. Women make up 50% of the population. The in studio panel was a manel. Not good enough.

New polling carried by LucidTalk on behalf of the Civic Initiative shows public backs the use of Citizens' Assemblies by the NI Assembly 1,051 full responses, poll carried January 22-26 Report launching on Monday at QUB. Register: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/civic-init...

This, alongside suggestions for a query facility for MLAs & MPs around passports and consular issues in NI, a joint sitting of the Dail na nOg & the Northern Ireland Youth Assembly as well as all-Ireland Consultative Civic Forums, are quite good ideas. m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/republi...

Back to Fermanagh after a day of Dublin meetings with the goods: Nomo Ramen.

Mark Hennessy: ‘No one’s talking about it’: How Irish unity has slid down the political agenda We are being collectively failed by a lack of political courage and leadership to advance unity from a governmental level. www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2025...

UK citizens living abroad retain the right to vote in UK general elections. A lifelong right. Irish citizens are broadly denied all voting rights when outside the 26 counties. This is not normal. Over 125 countries enfranchise their citizens abroad. Ireland is an outlier.

Researching housing statistics for an article this morning and having to do a double take at & new dwellings stats: Just 89 new social housing dwelling starts in the first two quarters of 2024/25 compared to 1,508 in 2023/24 Meanwhile, 48,366 households are on the waiting list

In 2020, Fianna Fáil & Fine Gael committed to holding a referendum to extend presidential voting rights for Irish citizens in NI & abroad in the lifetime of the last government. They didn't. Both parties have dropped this pledge. I won't get to vote for my president this year.

It was such a pleasure to deliver two guest talks at John Carroll University in Cleveland yesterday. In the morning, I spoke with Irish studies students on positive vs. negative peace, followed by an evening public lecture on effecting societal change.

A brisk (-6c) walk through Acacia Reservation this morning before I head over to John Carroll University. I'll be delivering two guest talks today: How Youth, Women, and Communities Make Social Change Peace-Building in Post-conflict Societies: From Negative to Positive Peace

Taoiseach nominates 11 senators to Seanad Éireann - not one from the North. Since 2002, only 3 people from NI have been nominated. If Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael were serious about a shared island, they would give the North a voice.

As an Irish citizen in the North, I can run for the office of President, but I can't vote for the President. Disappointed that not only did FG-FF not bring forward the referendum to extend the franchise, but both have dropped the commitment entirely. www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

We are being collectively failed by political leaders unwilling to advance preparation for a referendum on Irish unity. The Irish government has a constitutional imperative to unite this island, yet refusing to work towards it. www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025...

Trump proudly suggests a US invasion of Gaza, the mass displacement of the Palestinian people, calls Gaza "hell", a "demolition site" next to the grinning war criminal that did it. This is ethnic cleansing. Genocide. And would be an illegal invasion.

If you could have breakfast anywhere in Dublin, where would it be?

Taoiseach nominees are likely to be announced this week. A prime opportunity to increase representation for underrepresented communities and to bolster expertise. Democracy and representation would be strengthened with migrant, disability, Northern, and disapora nominations.

Delivering two guest lectures at John Carroll University in Ohio next week: ➡️ How Youth, Women, & Communities Make Social Change ➡️ Peace-Building in Post-conflict Societies: From Negative to Positive Peace Followed by Villanova University, Fairfield University, & Cornell

Trump acting like he forced Canada's hand on border security with the tariffs bluff when Canada announced the $1.3 billion investment to bolster security at the border in December. www.canada.ca/en/public-sa...

Independent Senator Eileen Flynn makes history, again! As the first traveller to elected to Seanad Éireann. Hearty congratulations!

Newly-elected Sinn Féin Senator Conor Murphy has said he will help advance the debate around Irish Unity in the Oireachtas. Tanaiste Harris recently said unity was not a priority for him. Taoiseach is reported to be nominating a unionist as a "countermove" to Murphys election.

Northern Ireland's Economy Minister Conor Murphy is heading to Seanad Éireann.

New Irish government cabinet announced. 12 men. 3 women. Cabinet is 80 per cent male. Ireland has the lowest proportion of female parliamentarians in western Europe.