Politics - Mainly Northern Irish

A long time ago - early seventies - nineteen seventies! - I was a foundation member of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (Party Executive member, first Editor & Designer of "Alliance", the Party Newspaper and a  candidate for South Down in the ill-fated 1974 Northern Ireland Assembly).  Old Hat now - but despite the sectarian tensions and violence of the past thirty years Alliance has held the middle ground, just about surviving, and promulgating the notion that the people of N. Ireland can work together.
    I am still 1000% an Alliance Party man.  I have no time for violence, no time for "mainly Catholic" or "mainly Protestant" parties.

    Now, in October 1999, I hope and pray that Senator Mitchell's review of the Good Friday Agreement will bear fruit.  The future of the people of N. Ireland is, once more, in the balance. (28 October 1999)

March 2000
We are in see-saw mode at the moment.
The wonder of a new devolved Assembly followed by further disagreement.  Still, it's a hell of a sight better than constant bombing and killing, and I believe the assembly will be reinstated.  There is too much to lose.  The people know it.  The politicians know it.  the latter must make some sensible compromise - and the men of violence simply must start to disarm.