Arthur Strain

By day a small town journo, by night much the same. I work in news for BBC. Any thoughts here are my own and easily discounted, or nicked from someone else.

[Arthur Strain @Fronkenstrain]

Guns and Monet? Artworks and ammo recovered in Beechmount, west Belfast, during @PoliceServiceNI search.

[Arthur Strain @Fronkenstrain]

Violence on Belfast on Tuesday night was: "An escalation of disorder in Northern Ireland that has not been seen here to those levels since the worst possible days of the troubles"

[Office of the Chief Constable @ChiefConPSNI]

Chief Constable Jon Boutcher has taken the opportunity to reassure communities that officers will be on the ground to protect them and keep people safe.

[Dean McLaughlin @Dean_Journalist]

Translink has suspended buses and trains leaving people stranded at Foyle Street bus station in Derry.

A woman, who did not want to be identified, said: "I'm here on my own now and not a body to care about me and how I get home to Newtownabbey. 
"I am disgusted at what is ...

[Dublin Airport @DublinAirport]

They’ll be coming! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

A warm welcome to the thousands of @ScotlandNT fans travelling through Dublin Airport this week to reach the @FIFAWorldCup in the US.

Great atmosphere in the terminals.

(We’re a little jealous though! ⚽️)

[BBC News NI @BBCNewsNI]

Lidl's world first pub is due to open in east Belfast in a matter of days.

It may sound like a gimmick, but the supermarket chain's venture into the world of hospitality shines a light on something more complex.

Watch the full video here: https://t.co/feWY4rhb5p

[Arthur Strain @Fronkenstrain]

Teacher who wore fake bump in maternity fraud avoids jail https://t.co/MMDpPBuJUr via @rte

[Channel 4 News @Channel4News]

Kanya King - who founded the Mobo Awards which celebrate Black British music - has died at the age of 57.

Her family said it followed a "courageous and characteristically determined battle" with colon cancer.

In a statement - they said the creation of the Mobo awards was an "act of cultural justice" which had demonstrated the power of Black music to a world which had too often chosen not to see it.

[Arthur Strain @Fronkenstrain]

Turf can be an emotive issue in Ireland where enviromental regs and tradition colllide. Have the Marino Waltz playing in my head reading this. EU taking Ireland to court over peat cutting enforcement https://t.co/sbw9M1Xsgc via @rte

[Arthur Strain @Fronkenstrain]

The Palm House in Belfast's Botanic Gardens on a hot day is quite the experience.

[Pulp Librarian @PulpLibrarian]

Farewell Michael Keating...

"Elegant my friend. Simply elegant."

[UK House of Commons @HouseofCommons]

The House of Commons has risen for Whitsun recess and is next due to sit at 2.30pm on Monday 1 June 2026.

Find out more: https://t.co/KnbMYqjydw

[Mark Simpson @BBCMarkSimpson]

King Charles, a seagull, a cinema & the seaside town of Newcastle.

[Ronan McGreevy @RMcGreevy1301]

@PresidentIRL Catherine Connolly visited her old Alma Mater @UniversityLeeds today and viewed some of the university’s collection of Brontë manuscripts along with a first edition of Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

[Arthur Strain @Fronkenstrain]

O'Hora and Irish climbing team summit Mount Everest https://t.co/KRqKoFc1IO via @rte

[Mark Simpson @BBCMarkSimpson]

Two different musical traditions playing in harmony in Belfast ....

Ards Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann playing together with the Belfast Bands Forum during the royal visit. 🥁🎻🎶

[John Simpson @JohnSimpsonNews]

At BBC Broadcasting House today I recalled the story (apocryphal?) of Norway’s King Haakon arriving for an interview in 1940, when Europe had fallen to the Nazis.Receptionist (hand over phone mouthpiece): ‘Sorry, dear — where did you say you were king of?’ https://t.co/3TIHy4Le4o

[Arthur Strain @Fronkenstrain]

RTÉ 'paid a price for transparency' - Director General https://t.co/qp1FxyctSF via @rte

[Arthur Strain @Fronkenstrain]

Wonderful episode about a great talent. Includes a snippet of her haunting rendition of "She walks through the fair." https://t.co/OCXtrsONEi

[Scott Moore @ScottMoore0]

~2 years ago, I got my fiancée a ring as a gift.

She lost it this morning. We think she may have dropped it near the bus stop by Lisburn Road police station (Belfast). We were out looking but can’t find it.

Pic below. If anyone found it, we’d be very grateful for its return.

[Gareth Gordon @BBCGarethG]

Former UUP leader to be deselected by party https://t.co/47quNg1bUH

[Arthur Strain @Fronkenstrain]

Citing her role as chair of the NI select committee @ToniaAntoniazzi says MPs like her should "stand up" and tell PM "thank you for your service ... It's now time to go". In a spicy exchange on @BBCr4today on succession says "is he waiting for the King in the North?" #GOT

[Tonia Antoniazzi @ToniaAntoniazzi]

Sir Keir Starmer is a man of great integrity who has led the Labour Party through difficult times.

There will be those that disagree with me but I think it is genuinely time for him to step aside as PM in an orderly manner.

I will make a further statement tomorrow.