ust before yesterday’s murderous and callous attack on Las Ramblas in Barcelona, my daughter had stopped there for coffee. She was preparing to say farewell to Barcelona, her home all summer since, like so many young Irish people, she had moved there in May for the summer. It was her last day. She had intended to get the bus from Las Ramblas to El Prat airport, but seeing how many tourists thronged the thoroughfare, she decided to walk on to the taxi rank at Plaça de Catalunya. Those of her friends who weren’t leaving Barcelona yesterday went with her to wave her off. When she climbed into the taxi, the driver told her there had just been a terrorist attack. It was the first she had heard o
The local branch has been rocked by mass resignations of committee members. Former party secretary Kathryn Johnston explains how vicious online trolls drove her out. Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past. (George Orwell, 1984) And there are few more experienced at trying to control the past than Boyd Black of the Labour Party in Northern Ireland (LPNI). I couldn't believe my eyes when I read the statement issued by Mr Black on Tuesday in response to resignations from the LPNI executive committee on Monday night. I had resigned as secretary of LPNI, along with my comrades Anna McAleavy, chair; Damien Harris, vice-chair; Peter Dynes, vice-chair m
