Fr Martin Magill

I don't know Father Martin Magill, any more than I knew Lyra McKee.

But I'm glad Fr Magill was there to conduct Lyra's funeral and I'm grateful to him for what he said. And just as grateful to the congregation that they reacted by applauding Fr Magill's comments, even if it took the politicians a minute to realise that their lack of reaction had been noted by everyone in the cathedral and watching on the telly. And I don't just mean UK politicians or Protestant politicians or Catholic politicians. The lack of human response by all of these people tells us a lot about what's been going wrong in the UK for the last few years.

Northern Ireland isn't another wee quiet area of the United Kingdom. We're dealing with 40 years of  suffering for people in Northern Ireland. Its border issue is even now right in the middle of brexit.

What did politicians like Theresa May and Arlene Foster think would come of just giving up on Stormont? What do people like Mary Lou McDonald and Leo Varadkar think was the priority for Northern Ireland and who the hell did they think would lead the way if not them?

A whole generation of young people have grown up in Northern Ireland not knowing anything about 'The Troubles'. - and why should they? Why should they have their lives blighted by the events of 30 years ago?

If there's anyone to blame for Lyra McKee's death, and anyone who can stop this happening again, it's the politicians who claim to be running the UK and Ireland. So far, we've had 3 years of total chaos. And utter neglect. While Westminster has been obsessing with brexit, no government has taken place.

It's a bit like watching the CEO of a company having a nervous breakdown. You just know there will be a price to pay. Not the boss though - just everybody else in the company.

Maybe I'm being unfair to Eire. But honestly, I don't care. They're involved whether they like it or not. Just get on with it. (I have removed the cuss words here for those of a sensitive disposition).