North by Northwest

U-turning the Sod for the Footbridge

northbynorthwestblog — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 22:39:26 +0000

A few chuckles here in the clocktower as we looked across the river to Ebrington barracks yesterday. There was Martin McGuinness alongside Mark Durkan and the rest for the turning of the sod ceremony of the the new footbridge. Great to see this link into our home forging ahead so the Watersiders will be even closer to us (lucky them). The whole city will benefit.

Of course, the irony will not be lost as we see Martin’s big grin in today’s Derry Journal holding his shovel. He had all the mush talk about how this would be a link between the two parts of our divided city (as if nationalists and unionists don’t live alongside each other in the Waterside already). A great project paid for by the European Union.
And this enthusiasm from a man at the top of a party that has fought against Ireland being in the EU ever since it was set up. If Sinn Féin had their way there would be no Ireland (North or South) in the EU, no money, no bridge!

Beannachtaí na Nollaig

northbynorthwestblog — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 21:12:16 +0000

Happy Christmas to all our readers from a chilly but homely Guildhall Tower!

Guildhall renovation under threat?

northbynorthwestblog — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 08:49:44 +0000

There we were hoping for a shiny new home for us here in Guildhall Tower. Very annoying then to hear that Edwin Poots is planning to cap the heritage building grant at £250 000, which means a cut of around £400 000 to the renovation of our lovely Guildhall. Apparently First Derry Church will lose over £100 000 which must also put that project at risk. Someone from the DoE on the radio with Mark Durkan said that St. Columb’s wouldn’t lose out – then explained that was only because the builder would do it for less than the cut!

When local politicians visit Stormont to ask for an economic stimulus, this is a kick in the teeth for the Derry construction industry and our tourism development. One can’t help think that if the Guildhall was in Lisburn that another approach would have been taken.

The Derry Journal Sinn Fein agenda?

northbynorthwestblog — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 20:28:27 +0000

Interesting debates on Facebook today about the NUJ meeting on the planned cuts at BBC Radio Foyle that happened in the City Hotel during the week.

What seems odd though is the difference in the online comments and today’s Derry Journal article in the name of Michael McMonagle. The web discussions refer to a speaker from the SDLP contributing to the meeting – in fact they suggest that this representative from Mark Durkan spoke better than Sinn Fein. Yet the Journal only refers to the fact that Sinn Fein was represented. Why?

The photo of the meeting is also focused in on Sinn Fein. So a reader would nearly think only Sinn Fein were there.

At best its an oversight at worst its bias. We’ll be emailing the Journal for a reply and will let you know.

back for another season?

northbynorthwestblog — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 21:29:33 +0000

We can hardly believe it ourselves, but we are still getting between 70 and 100 visits each week. Seems to us we shouldn’t let you folk down. The truth needs exposed and the cosy Derry media (Derry Journal, Radio Foyle, the rest) are probably getting a bit complacent, sitting on their big cushioned leather chairs.

And if we don’t put something up soon nobody might come back to check on us!