Matthew Parkinson-Bennett
@matthewpb.bsky.social
2.7K followers 1.8K following 8.8K posts
Publisher, Little Island Books @littleislandbooks.bsky.social. The best new Irish writing for young readers.
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
matthewpb.bsky.social
What about debates, but between people who broadly share the same view of a topic, but differ in some regard e.g. how best to make progress in some area? So a clear difference of opinion that can be discussed, but ppl trying to achieve a similar outcome, not enemies locked in a pointless battle?
matthewpb.bsky.social
“Mr Donald said his work with the Sunday World involves him working alongside colleagues from the Irish Independent and that he regularly told the story in the newsroom of how he was owed money by Mr Gavin.”

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...
matthewpb.bsky.social
Can somebody explain please to a non American what the text on the shirt means?
matthewpb.bsky.social
I don’t think, for example, we’ll get another credulous F O’Toole piece about how she’s an upstanding exemplar of how to present conservative politics “the right way”. Even C Kelly might start to have doubts.
matthewpb.bsky.social
I really think it’s a good thing that Steen’s call to cancel the election is getting coverage. She is not in fact, as we’ve been told, a serious person, and these stories about her trolling and attention-seeking are making that plain.
matthewpb.bsky.social
When I say “defending it” I mean, of course, shaking my head at my phone screen, maybe saying “eugh these fucking people” aloud to nobody
Reposted by Matthew Parkinson-Bennett
matthewpb.bsky.social
As somebody with strong opinions on wrong turns taken in English Lit scholarship and tuition, it’s frustrating to be negatively polarised into defending it by people who want to scrap the whole subject!
matthewpb.bsky.social
What do you think they should have done differently? Reported it sooner?
matthewpb.bsky.social
As somebody with strong opinions on wrong turns taken in English Lit scholarship and tuition, it’s frustrating to be negatively polarised into defending it by people who want to scrap the whole subject!
Reposted by Matthew Parkinson-Bennett
casmilus.bsky.social
Maybe *some* English degrees are poor quality because the course doesn't cover enough and in enough depth? That's the sort of "education debate" we're not capable of having, because most of the angry people on "both sides" don't care.
Reposted by Matthew Parkinson-Bennett
radiobeartime.com
Baffling that 1930’s Germany has become a core theme of the Irish Presidential Election
newschambers.bsky.social
The now deleted video from Heather Humphreys’ team including an image of the Reichstag building in Berlin.

Video focused on how Heather knows the border and the North - and was posted days after she said she doesn’t just go on “day trips”.
matthewpb.bsky.social
It might be good if the department for culture and Minsiter Patrick O’Donovan made a statement expressing solidarity for the several Irish artists who were in flotilla ships who have been detained by Israel over recent days.
matthewpb.bsky.social
Oh god this is so sick
eliothiggins.bsky.social
Russia's disinformation campaign is now using deepfaked audio of Holocaust survivors to attack Armenia, in videos published on the 2nd anniversary of the Hamas October 7th attack on Israel.
matthewpb.bsky.social
Do we think that’s Olaf’s burner?
Reposted by Matthew Parkinson-Bennett
indy.bsky.social
It nags at me that people are dancing around the fact that one reason centre-right think-tanks are in an intellectual crisis moment is because we've spent over a decade where lots of their ideas were tried out and didn't pan out as advertised.
matthewpb.bsky.social
It’s tradition that every outgoing defence minister lays one mine somewhere in the county and leaves a series of cunning clues on his successor’s desk
matthewpb.bsky.social
Are are the labour costs, overheads etc accounted for in the different cost lines, or coming out of the margin?
matthewpb.bsky.social
Let’s not overthink this: if people display a symbol of cross-community solidarity and peace, let’s take it at face value.
matthewpb.bsky.social
Not the point you are making but: does that table say it costs almost 600k to build an apartment??
matthewpb.bsky.social
“But they’re doing it for racist reasons” is literally the intentional fallacy