GERRY ADAMS, KING CHARLES, AND ANNA LO
I have lots of roles. Reporter, commentator, broadcaster, event host, writer, community interest company director, media consultant, trade unionist, and mentor - the list goes on. The way my brain works means it thrives on variety - and last week certainly offered that. As well as writing, swimming, shopping, interviews, dining out, radio appearances, and coordinating stories, I had other fun events and activities to attend to, and boring tasks to do. Here is the rough outline of how it went.
MONDAY - The Imagine Belfast festival asked me to read Cage Eleven and interview former Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams about the reissued book for a live audience at Culturlann. We talked about a whole range of topics flowing from the prison diary including loss of liberty, smoking, republicanism, and feeling loved and hated. In a surprise to no-one an array of hypocrites, dingbats and jealous cats orchestrated online pile ons targeting me. The usual - including questioning my status as a journalist, calling me ridiculous names, accusing me of being a terror supporter etc. I won’t be deterred from doing my job, and from being me, by anyone. I’d advise this motley crew to concentrate on their own lives.
TUESDAY - Imagine Belfast festival asked me to interview the man behind the Model Strangers social media phenomenon so I sat down with Christopher Ward at the Crescent Arts Centre for a very wholesome live event exploring a range of themes including the relationship between interviewers and interviewees, multimedia, loneliness, joy, and community.
WEDNESDAY - I was off to London after being invited to a regional media reception at Buckingham Palace as part of an NUJ delegation. I drank Laurent Perriter heritage Champagne, ate canapés, and spoke to King Charles about women’s representation in the media, manels, and also the Irish and Welsh Gaelic languages. Funnily enough the scumbags complaining about me online earlier in the week were completely silent. They can’t handle that unlike many of them I am comfortable with diversity, successful, talented and modest, plus anti sectarian, and anti violence - and always have been. It was quite an experience.
THURSDAY - I was involved in a middle of the night hotel evacuation along with NUJ colleagues. I had a cocktail with my London based best friend at Idris Elba’s Porte Noire wine bar, and after a flight home I headed to a Kind Economy and Anaka Women’s Collective community Iftar at Fitzroy Presbyterian Church. The hospitality, food and company were great. Thanks to the teenage boys there who found me a seat to rest my weary bones. And to the Gong Cha staff for the lovely mango smoothie after.
FRIDAY - The end of most people’s working week was a little quieter for me, thank goodness, as I caught up with sleep, and some interviews and writing.
SATURDAY - I had a Japanese lunch and a Chinese drink as well as attending a memorial service for the late great Anna Lo. Anna was such a fab woman. It was lovely to hear about how much of difference she made to people’s lives through her social work, her time with the Chinese Welfare Association, as an Alliance Party rep, and as a social justice campaigner. She was a good woman. RIP.
SUNDAY - I was reviewing the papers, driving, and spending time with family for Mother’s Day. I had a cracker dinner at Mourne Seafood, and love, love, loved Katherine Ryan’s latest stand up gig in Belfast - this time at the Waterfront Hall.
Today has brought housework and pottering, in the wider ether some futile Groundhog Day objections to the Irish language and plain old sectarianism dressed up as ‘legitimate grievances’. Honestly I wish some people would just wise up.
Now I’ve got a training course, and a board meeting. Have a good week. Let’s hope this weather holds up. A
