THIS WEEK IN THE PAPERS 6
I see that the old ‘Prod Basher’- Hugh Jordan has been his usual self again. Last week in the Sunday World he wrote an article about Paula Bradley, a DUP MLA for North Belfast. Jordan variously describes Bradley as a ‘curvaceous party girl, a pretty brunette, a curvy DUP babe, a fun-loving politician with a fondness for Jaegermeister shots, part of a loved-up couple, a lovebird etc.
The article’s main story surrounded the new man in Paula Bradley’s life – Alan Galloway. He mentions Galloway being arrested for a domestic incident – no conviction – and I was expecting Jordan to flesh out his article with a mention of his old convicted ‘wife and child beating colleague’ – John Cassidy. Alas no mention there – funny that isn’t it. Maybe next week!! Good article this month in the ‘Purple Standard’ about some Glasgow Celtic’s supporters bringing imitation firearms to the last Rangers/Celtic game – hope they were imitations! There is photographic evidence to back the story up. We are waiting for Hugh to do a story about that as well. Just on Celtic. Dermot Desmond, chief shareholder at Celtic wrote to the Irish Independent complaining about an article Chris Lowry had wrote in which he told Celtic fans to ‘stop gloating, because without Rangers to hate they’d be lost’. What is wrong with what Lowry wrote Desmond? Celtic fans are gloating! They hate Rangers FC and their fans! And who would be their nemesis if Rangers folded – ‘The Accies’? Chill out Dessie – the rivalry is the main reason you bought into the club.
Last week also,Jordan’s colleague, Richard Sullivan, commenting on the James McClean story, called McClean a ‘fine ambassador for his homeland’. This week Sullivan wrote about McClean visiting a convicted killer – Sean Cruickshank and being singled out by a prison ‘sniffer’ dog who fingered McClean for a drugs search! Obviously this ‘fine ambassador’ would have nothing to do with drugs. The only conclusion we can draw is that the dog is a Michael O’Neill fan or else it’s another case of collusion!
I saw a picture of Ciaran Barnes in the Sunday Life posing inMauritius. He is reporting on the Michaela McAreavey murder case – it’s a hard life for this award-winning journalist. Recently he received a CIPR Media award for his work,(all the winners had to pay to attend the event!) – but, I couldn’t help be reminded about the disgusting piece of Journalism he was involved in with Alison Morris. They contrived to publish an interview with Delours Price – whilst she was receiving intense treatment for a mental condition. Morris was asked by Price family members to leave the house in which the interview was taking place and she refused – breaking a fundamental rule of Journalism. Realising she couldn’t publish the piece, she gave it to Barnes who wrote the article as if he had heard the ‘Boston College’ interview Price had agreed to. This played a very big part in the decision by the PSNI to submit a subpoena to seek the tapes off Boston College. Despicable. Mark McGregor in his ‘blog’ this week described Barnes as a ‘trophy cop’ – quite fitting I think.
‘Pitbull’ TUV leader, Jim Allister got his ‘cacks’ in a twist this week over a trip to Israel by ex-combatants. The theme of the trip was ‘Conflict Resolution’ and it seems quite obvious to me that ex-combatants are best placed to talk about this. Hard to see what ‘wee Jim’s’ problem is – good sound-bite though and he does need as much publicity as he can get.
Congratulations to all involved in the ‘Balmoral Review’ commemorative parade through Belfast. A massive turn-out accompanied best behaviour and all those involved in the organising should be applauded. We are wondering if Jackie McDonald was at Short Strand taking the UDA ‘salute’? Sorry, as Jackie said this week – ‘there are no paramilitaries anymore’.
