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John Doyle, Dublin City University's Vice-President for Research and re-unity referendum expert, visited Ráth Mór's Hive Studios on June 26 to speak at the launch of Paul Gosling's New Ireland: A Five Year Review. A packed house, which included representatives of different traditions and many sections of the community - nationalists, unionists, dissenting republicans, women's groups, trade unionists and the media - heard Professor Doyle debunk the myths surrounding the cost of reuniting the island. His own new research - which calculates that the cost of funding the North to Dublin will be £1.5bn per annum and not the often-quoted figures of £10bn to £14bn. - has subsequently been the subject of much discussion across the island. ( https://all-islandeconomy.com/analysing-the-economic-impacts-of-a-united-ireland/ ) The launch was chaired by Catherine Pollock, and was introduced by Cló Cholmcille director Garbhán Downey. Professor Doyle was welcomed to Ráth Mór by Creggan Enterprises chairperson Anne Molloy, founder Conal McFeely and general manager Kevin Hippsley. He also met with Rory and Micheál Canavan, son and grandson of Derry's veteran civil rights leader Michael Canavan. Paul Gosling and John Doyle were both interviewed by the Belfast Telegraph about the new book. And Paul Gosling was invited to publish an OpEd in the Irish Times, in which he explained why Stormont is so dysfunctional: https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2025/07/02/paul-gosling-you-might-as-well-expect-conor-mcgregor-and-paul-murphy-to-work-together-as-stormont-to-function/

More accurately, it's 175 years ... The Historian Séamus Breslin has unearthed a lengthy report (c.6500 words) from the Londonderry Journal of July 1850, in which the city’s corporation votes to establish ‘Mrs Magee’s College’, which is well worth the 45-minute read. It would take 15 years before Magee College opened its doors, against fierce opposition from Belfast (as is documented in later reports on the October 1865 opening). And it would be 170 years before the Medical College envisaged by the 1850 corporators would be built.  A few takeaways from the article: From day one, Belfast tried to leverage the money from Martha Magee’s bequest to its own coffers, and her executors were forced to intervene on Derry’s behalf. The corporation and city community were unanimously behind the Derry plan on a cross-community basis. The corporation fully realised the economic benefits a university would bring the entire North West region. The corporation was unanimously dismissive of claims that a bigger administrative centre (i.e. Belfast) was necessary to oversee universities in smaller conurbations. The corporation extended a welcome to Irish in the college - in marked contrast to the current campus today where no bilingual signage can be displayed.   Full article from July 31, 1850 available in PDF here:

Míle buíochas le Siubhán as an léamh álainn seo - agus as seoladh Dorn San Aer i nDoire a óstáil i gCultúrlann Uí Chanáin. Tá brabúis ón leabhar á bhronnadh ar Chumann Faoisimh Leighis na Palaistíne. Many thanks to Siubhán for this beautiful reading - and for hosting the Derry launch of Dorn San Aer at Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin.