Special edition of The Week at Work podcast with Sinéad Mercier and Conor McCabe where they discuss the dynamics of the Irish comprador/Middleman sector, its deep roots in the institutions of the state, and how that plays out in terms of climate action. They discuss agriculture, housing, energy, and mining, and reflect on ideas for…

A walk through Dublin's northside, looking at the dynamic between property developers, Dublin City Council, and artist-led studios. Myself and Aubrey Robinson stop at sites related to Pallas Studios, the City Arts Centre, the Ormond Multi-Media Centre, the Complex, and Block T. We also discuss Richmond Road Studios. This was first released on The Week…

John Feehan’s book, Farming in Ireland: History, Heritage and Environment (UCD Dept. of Agriculture, 2003) is another one of those modern classics which is out of print and difficult to find. [Update:: now available again on Amazon. Link on title above.] Just to give a flavour of the analysis, I found this video of a talk John…

I was asked recently to design and give a walking tour on spatial (in)justice in Dublin, as part of the Landscape, Law and Spatial Justice International Symposium 2022. It is a new(ish) walk for me. Normally I would cover the IFSC or areas north of the Liffey so it's been interesting to develop a walk…

Gerald O'Connor was the pen-name of Seán Mac Giollarnáth, a writer, judge, and Celtic scholar who was born on 13 September 1880 in Bogwood, Gurteen, near Athenry, Co. Galway.[1] He left for London sometime round the turn of the century and worked in the British Revenue Department at Somerset House.[2]  He was sworn into the…

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Comintern Papers QUB Reel 5 p.354-65. Comintern Reference: MS 57/4/2/495/89/87/30-41 (Dec 1933) “8th12746/3Copying EN28/12/33 THE CPI IN THE PRESENT SITUATION By Seumas MacKee The present situation both here and abroad makes necessary an examination of our position and of the experiences gained since the formation of the Communist Party of Ireland six months ago. It…

Last month I wrote an analysis of Sinn Féin's alternative budget, with particular regard to the fiscal side. You can read that here. Today I received a detailed and generous response from Sinn Féin where they confirm that their alternative budget for 2022 does indeed include borrowings of €1.5bn, as well as a re-dedication of…

Recently, on the Week at Work podcast, I did a review of the alternative budgets produced by the four main opposition parties: Sinn Féin, Social Democrats, Labour, and People before Profit. Afterwards, I got a call from the Sinn Féin spokesperson for finance, Pearse Doherty, telling me that my analysis and my figures were way…