The Stormont Mile
I've spent the day covering the controversy over whether the Stormont Long Gallery will be used next month for a celebration of the life of the IRA member Mairead Farrell, one of the three shot dead in Gibraltar 20 years ago. The Assembly Commission met to discuss the matter this afternoon. It has adjourned until later in the week, but the word is that the unionists on the commission have enough votes to block the function going ahead. Republicans say if this happens they will hold the event in their party offices.
As Jim Fitzpatrick put it on Stormont Live, the Long War has turned into the Long Gallery War.
Tomorrow lunchtime Jim and I will be gathering with various MLAs from across the spectrum at the Stormont gates in order to make our way up the Stormont mile to the Assembly building. I think we intend to stroll the mile in a fairly leisurely way rather than running, but the event is a precursor to Sport Relief.
Anyone who wants to donate or get involved in Sport Relief should visit this website
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Good luck with the run Mark, I think some of those pen pushers up in Stormont need a good walk!
I wonder what the SAS think of the DUP's plan to use the Long Room to commemorate their actions here.
In fact, I can guess exactly what they think of being used as an excuse for political point scoring.
Maybe I'm wrong, so if somebody in the know can count the number of SAS men at the DUP event, we can find out.
Maybe I'm right, and the DUP have not lost the general unionist habit of making themselves look stupid and petty.
The only celebration should be that Mairead Farrell didn't kill more innocent people like her fellow IRA terrorists.
When the politicians are outside Stormont in a sporting mood why don't they play political football? My money is on John O'Dowd (Peter Crouch) to score a goal from a header and for Ian Paisley Junior to be sent off for a mistimed challenged on Gerry Adams!!!!
When the politicians are outside Stormont in a sporting mood why don't they play political football? My money is on John O'Dowd (Peter Crouch) to score a goal from a header and for Ian Paisley Junior to be sent off for a mistimed challenged on Gerry Adams!!!!