John Downing

Onwards: Micheál Martin led the process of building up the party. Photo: Brian Lawless

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John Downing Opinion Martin avoided the feared fate of becoming the first Fianna Fáil leader never to have been Taoiseach. Now he is at serious risk of becoming the last ever Fianna Fáil Taoiseach

Seán Lemass wanted to call the new organisation simply the "Republican Party" - but Eamon de Valera successfully argued that his baby be called "Fianna Fáil". The wily Lemass, who did so much to get the organisation a presence in every half-parish in the nation, got his suggestion into the second line.

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Brexit Briefing Roundup: From Joe Biden’s intervention to Boris Johnson stepping back from the brink (just a little), what you may have missed on the Brexit front this week

Another mad Brexit week gave Ireland a few reasons for hope – and many reasons to fear the worst.

Tough work: Taoiseach Micheál Martin's Government has been hit by a Covid-19 resurgence. Photo: Gareth Chaney/Collins

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John Downing Opinion Government's clumsy messages have fuelled 'them and us' divide

The quintessential 'Dub' of the 1950s and 1960s, Brendan Behan, liked to say: "A 'culchie' is a Dubliner's father."

Britain's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab. Photo: Peter Nicholls/PA

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Brexit Briefing: Johnson gets a ‘Stateside broadside’ as he tries to calm the home front – but Ireland is preparing for the worst

Irish interests: Boris Johnson hopes to seal a rapid US-UK trade deal, but there are significant political obstacles in his path. Photo: PA

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John Downing Opinion Irish-America still 'packs a punch' despite British hopes to the contrary

Dominic Raab appears to have got out and about a lot more since he horrified many people in November 2018 by admitting he "had not quite understood the full extent to which the UK relied upon the Dover-Calais" freight link.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Photo: PA

Brussels looks to British Lords to put a stop to Boris Johnson’s treaty-breaking

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson continues to ship scathing criticisms – but his plan to break an EU treaty and change Northern Ireland’s special trade status is marching on.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Photo: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

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Brexit Briefing: Pressure mounts on Boris Johnson – but he still has the parliamentary numbers so this law will march on

The Brexit focus moves to London this week as MPs debate Boris Johnson’s move to change Northern Ireland’s special trade status.

‘Events’: Micheál Martin has experienced a series of political mishaps since he became Taoiseach. Photo: Domnick Walsh

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John Downing Opinion Martin and Co must up their game or FF is on slippery slope to being political history

Micheál Martin could be forgiven for succumbing to the Monday blues today - just pulling that duvet back over his head and staying in bed. Critics might say it would not be such a bad political strategy on grounds that it could do least harm.

Deadline: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson intends to break the EU Withdrawal Agreement. Photo: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

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John Downing Opinion Treaty breaks take us back into our dark days of history

When he got a few jars, my late father liked to tell us: "We always went to Béal na Blath, you know - we just didn't go there the same Sunday as the Blueshirts."

Prime Minister Boris Johnson (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

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Brexit Briefing: Seven key moments from a crazy week of negotiations

Seven days ago Brexit talks were just deadlocked. Then Boris Johnson unveiled plans to flout a done-deal on Northern Ireland and all hell broke loose. Here’s a swift look-back at what took place.

Hard talk: EU lead negotiator Michel Barnier leaves EU House in London yesterday. Photo: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

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John Downing Opinion This time the risk of a no-deal calamity is far more real as furious Brussels plays hardball

The EU will play hardball with Boris Johnson - and Brussels is serious about international legal action.

Breaking agreement: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the House of Commons, London, yesterday. Photo: UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor/Handout via REUTERS

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Brexit Briefing: Dublin and Brussels strongly critical of Boris Johnson’s move to break Withdrawal Agreement

EU and Irish leaders are watching carefully to see Boris Johnson’s next move. If he persists with plans to break an international treaty guaranteeing the North’s special EU-UK status after Brexit, a no-deal calamity will become unavoidable.

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John Downing Opinion UK is playing such a dangerous game that Ireland must let world know what's at stake

Ere the ink wherewith 'twas writ could dry. Like my classmates, all of us barely 10 years old, I committed that strange phrase to memory without much understanding of its meaning. Many decades later it stays lodged in the back of the head along with chunks of the Memorare, the words of Tantum Ergo, and strange mathematical formulae as Gaeilge.

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Taoiseach Micheal Martin are seen at Hillsborough Castle
Brian Lawless/Pool via Reuters

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Brexit Briefing: Amid UK moves to unravel the Withdrawal Agreement, are we going backwards towards calamity?

After months in the Covid-19 shadows Brexit is moving again – but it’s going backwards. Here’s an update on all you need to know.

Mairead McGuinness at home in Co Meath. Photo: David Conachy

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Mairead McGuinness profile: The 'Do It Now' principle, becoming one of Europe's big-hitters and an Irish presidential tilt?

Mairead McGuinness sets a lot of store in what she calls the ‘Dinny’ principle. It’s a playful adaptation of the acronym for “Do It Now”, and it has driven much of her career in journalism and politics.

Simon Coveney. Photo: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Brexit talks on the brink as UK breaks EU deal

The UK government will today unveil a new draft Brexit law which it has openly admitted will breach an EU agreement aimed at guaranteeing "no border" in Ireland.

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Mairead McGuinness profile: The 'Do It Now' principle, becoming one of Europe's big-hitters and an Irish presidential tilt?

Mairead McGuinness sets a lot of store in what she calls the ‘Dinny’ principle. It’s a playful adaptation of the acronym for “Do It Now”, and it has driven much of her career in journalism and politics.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin and UK prime minister Boris Johnson elbow bump in Belfast

Taoiseach urged to tackle Boris Johnson over threat of UK U-turn on Border

Taoiseach Micheál Martin is under pressure to directly tackle UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson over increasing signs London may renege on Brexit arrangements on Northern Ireland that have already been agreed.

Palace of Westminster, London. Stock picture

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Explainer: Four years after UK voted Leave what is happening with Brexit, and will it all be over by Christmas?

It's been four years since the UK voted to leave the EU. As talks resume again today, here is a refresher course to bring you up to speed.

Stinging criticism: Former Taoiseach John Bruton has criticised the Irish Government and the EU for their handling of Phil Hogan. Photo: Tom Burke

John Downing Opinion Bruton is rarely wrong on EU issues, which is why the Taoiseach should be concerned

The Bible tells us "the meek shall inherit the earth - provided that's all right with the rest of you". Well all right, the evangelist Matthew only wrote the first part of that quote.

Former Taoiseach John Bruton. Photo: Tom Burke

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Government overstepped the mark in Phil Hogan case, says John Bruton

John Bruton has criticised both the Government and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for their handling of Phil Hogan's case.

Careful what you wish for: Simon Coveney had been tipped to take on a role with the EU Commission. PHOTO: Frank McGrath

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John Downing Opinion There are real jobs, poor jobs and jobs which are irrelevant

There are nominally 27 EU Commissioners - but the brutal reality is that little more than a dozen of these have 'real jobs' with either a decent budget and/or a real role.

'I will miss Hogan,' says Barnier as he issues tough warning to UK over trade deal

EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has said he "will miss" Phil Hogan - as he delivered a blunt warning to London about the no-deal risk.

The EU and Irish flags flying outside the European Commission in Brussels. Photo: Reuters

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John Downing Opinion In this long-distance chess game between Dublin and Brussels on replacing Phil Hogan there is only one kingmaker

There is a strange long-distance chess game going on between Dublin and Brussels focused on picking a replacement for Phil Hogan. And this chess game has compounded the already messy political wrangling going inside the three-party Coalition.

'I will miss Phil Hogan' - Barnier pays tribute to ex-EU commissioner as he warns UK on Brexit trade deal

There will be no long-term EU-UK trade deal after Brexit happens on December 31 unless London begins real negotiations from next week on, Michel Barnier has warned.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin with Charlie McConalogue

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John Downing Opinion Controversy masks delay in naming minister for agriculture

The celebrated pop artist Andy Warhol predicted everybody will get to be agriculture minister for 15 minutes. Well, if you want to be pedantic, he actually predicted everybody would in future get 15 minutes of fame.

Game on: Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland student Wijdan Alrashaidi (left) and Malak Almusalhi at Croke Park. GAA HQ plays host to medical students from the RCSI this autumn. Photo: Maxwells

Risk of new lockdown recedes as Covid cases stabilise

The risk of another national lockdown has receded as the spread of Covid-19 appears to be stabilising following a spike in daily infections.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Photo: Francois Walschaerts/Pool via REUTERS

Taoiseach tells Cabinet it is undecided if coalition will comply with Ursula von der Leyen’s call for two nominees to succeed Phil Hogan

TAOISEACH Micheál Martin has told Cabinet that it's not yet decided that the Government will comply with Ursula von der Leyen’s request for two nominees to replace Phil Hogan.

Experience: Frances Fitzgerald is one of a trio of high-calibre names in contention. Photo: Frank McGrath

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John Downing Opinion If we play ball with EU Commission President, commissioner role could be filled by the end of the week

The EU Commission President was unusually public and very forthright when calling on Ireland to nominate a successor for Phil Hogan.

Barry McKnight proprietor of the J-One Cafe in Athy which can reopen, after a local lockdown in Co Kildare is lifed. Photo: Niall Carson/PA Wire

Kildare lockdown to be lifted with immediate effect

THE lockdown in Co Kildare is being lifted with immediate effect.

John Downing

John Downing Opinion Martin avoided the feared fate of becoming the first Fianna Fáil leader never to have been Taoiseach. Now he is at serious risk of becoming the last ever Fianna Fáil Taoiseach

Brexit Briefing Roundup: From Joe Biden’s intervention to Boris Johnson stepping back from the brink (just a little), what you may have missed on the Brexit front this week

John Downing Opinion Government's clumsy messages have fuelled 'them and us' divide

Brexit Briefing: Johnson gets a ‘Stateside broadside’ as he tries to calm the home front – but Ireland is preparing for the worst

Brussels looks to British Lords to put a stop to Boris Johnson’s treaty-breaking

Brexit Briefing: Pressure mounts on Boris Johnson – but he still has the parliamentary numbers so this law will march on

John Downing Opinion Martin and Co must up their game or FF is on slippery slope to being political history

John Downing Opinion Treaty breaks take us back into our dark days of history

Brexit Briefing: Seven key moments from a crazy week of negotiations

John Downing Opinion This time the risk of a no-deal calamity is far more real as furious Brussels plays hardball

Brexit Briefing: Dublin and Brussels strongly critical of Boris Johnson’s move to break Withdrawal Agreement

John Downing Opinion UK is playing such a dangerous game that Ireland must let world know what's at stake

Brexit Briefing: Amid UK moves to unravel the Withdrawal Agreement, are we going backwards towards calamity?

Mairead McGuinness profile: The 'Do It Now' principle, becoming one of Europe's big-hitters and an Irish presidential tilt?

Brexit talks on the brink as UK breaks EU deal​

Mairead McGuinness profile: The 'Do It Now' principle, becoming one of Europe's big-hitters and an Irish presidential tilt?

Taoiseach urged to tackle Boris Johnson over threat of UK U-turn on Border

Explainer: Four years after UK voted Leave what is happening with Brexit, and will it all be over by Christmas?

John Downing Opinion Bruton is rarely wrong on EU issues, which is why the Taoiseach should be concerned

Government overstepped the mark in Phil Hogan case, says John Bruton

John Downing Opinion There are real jobs, poor jobs and jobs which are irrelevant

'I will miss Hogan,' says Barnier as he issues tough warning to UK over trade deal

John Downing Opinion In this long-distance chess game between Dublin and Brussels on replacing Phil Hogan there is only one kingmaker

'I will miss Phil Hogan' - Barnier pays tribute to ex-EU commissioner as he warns UK on Brexit trade deal

John Downing Opinion Controversy masks delay in naming minister for agriculture

Risk of new lockdown recedes as Covid cases stabilise

Taoiseach tells Cabinet it is undecided if coalition will comply with Ursula von der Leyen’s call for two nominees to succeed Phil Hogan

John Downing Opinion If we play ball with EU Commission President, commissioner role could be filled by the end of the week

Kildare lockdown to be lifted with immediate effect

Brexit talks on the brink as UK breaks EU deal