Wednesday, January 11th, 2012
Fifty-five individuals from Northern Ireland have been recognised in the new year honours list for their service to society. Across the UK, 984 awards were announced.
Order of Bath Companion (CB)
Carol Patricia Moore, lately director, justice policy, Department of Justice
Order of the British Empire Dame Commander (DBE)
Professor Judith Eileen Hill CBE, chief executive, Northern Ireland Hospice
Commanders (CBE) Catherine Elizabeth Bell, deputy secretary, Department for Employment and Learning
Professor Jack Crane, state pathologist
Officers (OBE) David William Best, director...
[full story]
Tags: Culture
Posted in Culture, Homepage Stories, People, Social | Comments Off
Wednesday, January 11th, 2012
Seasoned political journalist James Naughtie shares his thoughts on the US presidential race, and what makes a good interview, with Peter Cheney.
Less than a year before the USA chooses a new President, Jim Naughtie finds that many Americans no longer believe in the American Dream. The BBC Today Programme presenter has covered every presidential election since 1988 and is discussing the current state of US politics after speaking at the Belfast Festival at Queen’s.
“Many Americans, say aged between 30 and 50, are profoundly sceptical of the idea with which they grew up, that it was...
[full story]
Tags: People
Posted in Culture, Homepage Stories, Media, People, Politics | Comments Off
Monday, October 10th, 2011
A display of poems, paintings and photographs highlighted the talents of MLAs and the relevance of art to society as a whole. Peter Cheney sums up the MLA Art exhibition.
Original examples of political art were on display at Parliament Buildings over the summer. Thirty-six Assembly members submitted 44 contributions to the MLA Art competition, organised by Belfast’s Metropolitan Arts Centre.
Danny Kinahan took the overall top prize. His ‘Homage to Basil Blackshaw’ comprises four blocks of colour, with an etching of Parliament Building on each, and is based on Blackshaw’s piece...
[full story]
Tags: People
Posted in Assembly, Culture, People | Comments Off
Monday, October 10th, 2011
1 October 1922 – 10 August 2011
Irishman, humanitarian and colonial administrator
The life of Terence Gavaghan captured the complexity of a man born in India and searching for an identity: administering a British colony and then helping it and others to achieve their independence and succeed thereafter.
His Irish roots ran deep and were a source of great pride. Gavaghan’s great- grandfather, Patrick, emigrated from Mayo during the Famine and found a job at Hackney railway station. Patrick sent his son, Lawrence, to work on the South India Railways. Lawrence’s son, Edward, was orphaned,...
[full story]
Tags: Obituary
Posted in North/South, People, Social | Comments Off
Monday, October 10th, 2011
Michael Fitzpatrick is a duty editor and reporter at Downtown Radio and Cool FM. He joined the station after completing a postgraduate diploma in broadcast journalism at the London College of Communication and has worked in a similar role at another commercial station in Northern Ireland. He has a keen interest in politics and was based as a reporter at Stormont during the last Assembly’s first few years.
Briefly describe how you got started in journalism.
After completing my undergraduate degree at University of Ulster I applied to a post-grad course in broadcast journalism in London...
[full story]
Tags: Meet the media
Posted in Media, People, Politics | Comments Off
Monday, October 10th, 2011
Strangford MP Jim Shannon was elected to Parliament in May 2010. He previously represented the constituency as an MLA (1998-2010) and in the Northern Ireland Forum (1996-1998), and was an Ards borough councillor for the Peninsula area (1985-2010). A former butcher, Jim is the DUP’s Westminster spokesman on health and transport. He is married to Sandra with three sons, and lives on the family farm outside Greyabbey.
Briefly sum up your first year as MP.
This year has been a year of change and on my first couple of journeys to Westminster I felt slightly like a school boy in his first...
[full story]
Tags: Political Platform
Posted in People, Politics, Westminster | Comments Off
Monday, October 10th, 2011
Peter Cheney looks behind the scenes at Parliament Buildings, where the work of today’s politicians is surrounded by history.
As the new Assembly session got under way, agendaNi explored some of the better and lesser known parts of Parliament Buildings.
Built between 1928 and 1932, the Assembly’s home initially symbolised unionist rule over Northern Ireland and has witnessed the shifts in political power throughout the province’s troubled history. With brief interruptions, it was vacated by politicians during the Troubles with civil servants replacing them for the best part of...
[full story]
Tags: Assembly
Posted in Assembly, Homepage Stories, People, Reform | Comments Off
Wednesday, September 7th, 2011
In today’s cost-conscious business environment, it is more important than ever for organisations wishing to put together an event, whatever its purpose, to ensure that everything goes smoothly and the event is a success. It is important to implement an effective planning process, to ensure everything runs efficiently, both in the run up to, and on the day itself. Below is agendaNi’s step by step guide to successful event planning.
Establish the purpose of the event and what format it’s going to take
Before starting to organise any event it’s important to establish what the event...
[full story]
Tags: Conferencing
Posted in People | Comments Off
Wednesday, September 7th, 2011
Northern Ireland’s sportsmen and women are enjoying a run of successes one year before London 2012. agendaNi sums up the year so far and the province’s sporting plans.
It’s clear that Northern Ireland is excelling at sport in 2011.
At the highest level stand the golfing achievements of Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke, following on from Graeme McDowell’s victory last year (see pages 106-107).
Major personal achievements have also been chalked up by our athletes. Jason Smyth set a new Northern Ireland 100m record (10.22), a 0.1 second improvement on his previous best. Fifteen year...
[full story]
Tags: Sport
Posted in Culture, People, Social | Comments Off
Wednesday, September 7th, 2011
agendaNi asks Sports Minister Carál Ní Chuilín about her priorities and commitments over the new Assembly’s term.
In brief, what are your ambitions for sport?
One of the five priorities of the Executive is to promote tolerance, inclusion, health and well-being. Sport is a key vehicle for achieving this.
Greater physical activity reduces obesity and promotes well-being, which improves physical and mental health. This, in turn, has benefits across society, both tangible and intangible. Sport can and does make a very real difference in people’s lives: people of all ages, backgrounds...
[full story]
Tags: Sport
Posted in Culture, People, Politics, Social | Comments Off
