As you know, the GUIDE TO POLITICAL BLOGGING 2007 is being published on 24 September. Featured among the 288 pages are a myriad of blog lists. Today we have the TOP TWENTY IRISH BLOGS, chosen by Mick Fealty aka Slugger O'Toole.Coming soon - the Top 20 Green Blogs, MP Blogs, Councillor Blogs and more...
1. Slugger O'Toole
Northern Ireland's best known political watering hole.
2. IrishElection.com
Mapping all of the races for political power in the Republic.
3. Cedar Lounge Revolution
A collective of old Left thinkers who refuse to decommission.
4. A Tangled Web
Tells it like it is from the Right and not afraid to shoot from the hip.
5. Malcolm Redfellow Revivus
Retired district councilor, with an intelligent, discursive style.
6. Mark Devenport
BBC politics editor with an eye for detail in and around Stormont.
7. Gaskin Balrog
Social conservatism from a Sinn Fein perspective.
8. Cuffe Street
The first blogging TD and, in Irish terms, a veteran.
9. Green Ribbon
Clean, rigorous analysis of British Irish affairs.
10. Young Unionists
First group blog associated with a political party in Ireland.
11. El Blogador
A strident moderate nationalist voice, which occasionally breaks news stories.
12. Most sincerely folks
The quintessence of calm and genial common sense.
13. Splintered Sunrise
Sharp, closely argued commentary from the Left.
14. The Limerick Blogger
Everything you ever needed to know about Limerick
15. Everything Ulster
Young, passionate, and thorough Unionist from Belfast.
16. Harry Magee
Journalist blogger tracking the big party game in the Republic
17. United Irelander
A southern nationalist earnestly looking for a way back to 1798
18. Three Thousand Versts of Lone...
Mix of Northern Irish and Russian politics and literature.
19. South Belfast Diary
An English socialist trying to make sense of the Irish political landscape.
20. 1169 and Counting
A hard line Republican providing unique access to political journals of the past.
OTHER TOP TEN LISTS FEATURED IN THE BOOK
Top 20 Scottish Blogs
Top 20 Welsh Blogs
Top 10 Newcomers
Top 10 Underrated Blogs
Top 10 Medical Blogs
Top 10 Religious Blogs
How about a top twenty list for blogs that weren't all that bad but whose owners have seen some sense and stopped or one for blogs in your book that haven't made it into any other top twenty list (but would there be twenty of those left?)?
ReplyDeleteIsn't it a bit odd to produce an old technology book about something of interest only to those who use the newer technology too much?
Did you hear about the Irish abortion clinic ? There was a 12 month waiting list !
ReplyDeleteDid you hear about the Irish helicopter crash? The pilot got so cold he turned the fan off !
Hear about the Irish cookery programme ? They were going to make ice but lost the recipe
Hear the one about the Irish economy ? Richest in the OECD except Japan and we are finacing the whole thing via the EU.
That not very funny is it , come to think of it.
How do you sink an Irish submarine - Knock on the hatch
ReplyDeleteWhy do Irish men wear two condoms - to be sure , to be sure
Why aren`t Junior Orangemen called Satsuma men?
My I be first to make the
ReplyDeleteBLOG TROTTER feeble joke?
And surely Fawkes is the premier Irish blog ?
As far as HMRC is concerned
Did you hear that Ian dale is doing his top twenty Oirish blogs
ReplyDeleteBejesus how many is that then ?
Dunno but oi reckon its thousands
And which of these foin upstanding`Blogs is ajudged the foinest then
Oi reckon it would be the deepest and muddiest
( Pat strikes Mike with stick)
Don`t be stoopid it wull be the one with the loudest bark
( Mike strikes Pat with stick)
Dis `tinkin`s made me thoisty. Will you have a cocktail ?
( Both place potato carefully in Guinness and drain to the dregs )
etc.
Yup: in there at number 5 (but ahead of the BBC)! My just deserts recognised at last.
ReplyDeleteHowever, both sides of the Irish Sea: 'councillor', please.
What's really different about the Irish joke? It's stupid enough for the English to understand.
Oh, and the one about the Titanic? Took ten thousand Irishmen to build it, and one Englishman to sink it.
Look forward to viewing the top English sites.
ReplyDeleteHi Folks !
ReplyDeleteJust about made it !
We are delighted to receive any recognition at all , such is the level of competition in the Irish 'blogosphere', and gladly accept our last place listing .
We will retire now for the remainder of the day and toast our modest success with a flagon of cider : the champagne will stay on ice until such time as we have worked our way up that DAMN list.....!
;-)
Thanks again !
Slán go fóill anois ,
Sharon.
(1169 And Counting.....)
Are you doing top ten West Country blogs ? I think I would be in that as there are less than 10...
ReplyDeleteIsn't it a bit biased that the composer of the list rates himself the best? Ordovicius left himself off the Welsh list he composed. Now that's fine modesty, and a good example set by Sanddef.
ReplyDeleteDamon, not really. It's simply the reality: Slugger O'Toole has been the most consistently-read political blog covering Irish events over time.
ReplyDeleteIt would just have been ostentatiously weird for Mick to not have Slugger at the top.
How about the Top 20 Royal Tunbridge Wells blogs?
ReplyDeleteRemember, a day away from Royal Tunbridge Wells, is a day wasted :-)
http://anke.blogs.com
I would agree with most of those but overall there is very strong north east basis to the lot don't you think?
ReplyDeleteAnd where oh where is twenty major?
Iain
ReplyDeleteThnaks for an informative and interesting list. One thing that strikes me is the number of 'anonymous' blogs which give you little or no information about their authors. I appreciate the opportunity blogging provides for those who, bacause of their job, might want to protect their identity but I have to say I think its difficuklt to justify listing so many faceless blogs in your top twenty. Happy to put my name to www.oconallstreet.com .
Conall
Strictly speaking A Tangled Web is an American/Irish blog site, (a very ancient association) as can be seen in the majority of it's 'southern states' comments.
ReplyDeleteIt has some English writers to assuage the rest of the UK, but few comments from them.
Good selection Ian, nevertheless for that.
Regards, Mandeville. (England)
One thing that strikes me is the number of 'anonymous' blogs which give you little or no information about their authors
ReplyDeleteThere is a very good reason why someone blogging politics from N.Ireland may want to keep their identity anonymous. The various "community representatives" that still plague our society are not great believers in the concept of free speech and tend to prefer a bit more direct action rather than leaving a sarky comment when they encounter something they don't like.
Ask Gary Mitchell, the Protestant playwright, whose house was petrol-bombed and was then given 24 hours to leave his home by the drama critics of the UDA.
Apart from all that, a good list and Slugger is deservedly at the top (whether it was Mick Fealty who put it there or not)