After perfect weather last week in Northern Ireland, Belfast marathon runners were probably relieved yesterday it was less sunny and warm. Here is a full 20-minute video that I took of the runners passing by near the start. See how the 24,000 people at points fill the full width of the road in this magnificent event. I also took shorter reels for the News Letter Facebook page with another video phone and they have 400,000 views such is the interest in the race. See below a link to a collection of marathon images that our deputy editor Rod McMurray compiled. On Saturday Jim McDowell's funeral was held in the beautiful St George's church in central Belfast - a remarkable service for a remarkable man. Suffice to say the church holds 700+ people and was largely full. I spotted dozens of journalists. Here is a piece Jim wrote for us on our 275th anniversary about his 17 years at the News Letter and its sister Sunday paper. The local government watchdog's appalling suspension of a councillor for clumsy remarks about gay activists backing Hamas shows that - we say in an editorial - it is she, the commissioner, should be suspended. The incumbent is not alone in not understanding democratic free speech - her predecessors made bad decisions too I write in my column. See below a link to our excellent Monday columnist Owen Polley, who has written about it too. Enjoy your bank holiday, Ben |
