It’s July 29th, 2025, exactly a year since the horrific events in Southport that left three children dead and nine injured, and sparked rioting in the town and across the country. It was a time of almost unimaginable hatred and violence – both from the perpetrator and the rioters – and even a year later … Continue reading Southport on my mind
Category: Uncategorized
Reporting the unreportable
This summer has been memorable for all the wrong reasons. The small seaside town of Southport, where I have found myself living, was plunged into grief when a man stabbed three little girls to death at a school holiday dance party. Then, before the town had even started coming to terms with being at the … Continue reading Reporting the unreportable
Amazing Armenia!
I've just been back on the training road - spending a week in Armenia, training journalists in conflict reporting. It was one of those trips that really opened my eyes. Not only it is a while since I’ve done training – thanks to pandemic and being on contract at the BBC for a year - … Continue reading Amazing Armenia!
A cold house for the media
I want to introduce you to a dynamic group of Ukrainian journalists. These (mostly very young) men and women work at Hromadske TV, and are taking on the crowded media landscape in Ukraine, to offer people who no longer trust their media organisations, something new. Hromadske is a small, independent news operation based in Kyiv. … Continue reading A cold house for the media
The media in Ukraine
Here in Kyiv the media landscape is evolving. UA:First, Ukraine's relatively new public service broadcaster is slowly transforming from what used to be the state broadcaster, thanks to a project funded by the European Union. It's a vast network of radio and television stations and channels, and like all huge organisations, UA:First is finding such … Continue reading The media in Ukraine
Subway stories – Kyiv style
I've been riding the Metro here to get to the training location, which is around a half-hour's drive away from the hotel. In some ways, it's the same as any rush-hour travel on public transport - hot, crowded, claustrophobic. But the beauty of the Kyiv subway makes it worthwhile. I was surprised to read that … Continue reading Subway stories – Kyiv style
You say Kiev, I say Kyiv
So, after a gap of 10 years, I am once again in the Ukrainian capital. A lot has changed, but a lot has also stayed the same. And that tension reminds me so much of returning to Belfast in 2005/6. But let’s focus on this city for the moment. One of the first things I … Continue reading You say Kiev, I say Kyiv
“Three Sisters” Norn Iron style
A new version of Chekov’s play The Three Sisters, re-imagined during the Troubles, might cause even the most avid of theatre-goers to balk. Re-workings of The Three Sisters are nothing new. But in taking up the challenge, the Northern Ireland novelist and playwright Lucy Caldwell sets the production in the 1990s - the time of … Continue reading “Three Sisters” Norn Iron style
Haiku to Landai – poetry in motion
We have delivered workshops to Afghan women via skype again! Only this time it was from the Seamus Heaney Centre for Poetry, and I was with my esteemed colleague Professor Sinead Morrissey. With the support of the School of English at Queen's University, and the British Council offices in both Northern Ireland and Kabul, this … Continue reading Haiku to Landai – poetry in motion
From Belfast to Kabul – with love!
The Afghan women work on their interview questions I have just delivered a two-day workshop on interviewing skills, for 20 or so Afghan women, from my home office in Belfast! How was this possible? Through the miracles of modern science - and in particular, skype! Let me explain. It has been a long time since … Continue reading From Belfast to Kabul – with love!