John McCallister speaks to the GAA Ulster Council

John recently spoke to the GAA Ulster Council and said what many are thinking. He said:

"When a small minority have been talking about a "culture war" the rest of of us have listened to U105, watched 'Downton', visited the local National Trust property, admired the beauty of the Mournes, and wondered why Ireland didn't do better in the Six Nations.  

It's not exactly a "culture war", is it?"

You can read John's speech to Ulster GAA in full here. You can read analysis on the speech on Slugger O'Toole by Alan in Belfast here. You can also read John's full speech to the Collins 22 Society here.

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Politicians have to catch up with the people

Northern Ireland is simultaneously one of the most progressive and regressive places in the world. However its politics is almost singularly regressive. In a speech at the Sinn Fein London conference John McCallister said:

"These transformed relationships have, in many ways, out-paced our politics.
Our citizens, our businesses, and our cultural figures are seeking ways to flourish in and through those transformed relationships... Their reality is a post-peace process reality. Our politics... well, we have some catching up to do."

Like the concerns raised by Patrick Murphy in the Irish News, John has laid out an important question for Sinn Fein (and one which applies just as much to the DUP and other parties): "Are you really prepared to address - and listen to - 21st century Northern Ireland and 21st century Ireland?"

 

 

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