Fintan O'Toole

The Crime of Witness | Fintan O’Toole Renée Good and Alex Pretti were murdered for daring to interfere with the Trump administration’s efforts to normalize abductions and state violence.

“If the murder of Alex Pretti…cannot be called murder, an authoritarian regime has passed one of its crucial tests: it can reverse all meanings…making the victim the perpetrator, the perpetrator the victim.” —@fotoole.bsky.social

Fintan O'Toole: Epstein and his pals were culture warriors. The war they waged was against women Jeffrey Epstein and his friends were culture warriors – the war they waged was against women

“The effluence of extreme affluence”. @fotoole.bsky.social in full flight

www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2026...

Fintan O'Toole: Epstein and his pals were culture warriors. The war they waged was against women Jeffrey Epstein and his friends were culture warriors – the war they waged was against women

www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2026...

So in the UkK the repercussions from Epstein scandal have taken down a chief-of-staff, a prince, an ambassador to the US and will soon take doen the prime minister himself. That's what a functioning democracy looks like. And in the US...???

Worth adding that the MAGA campaign to bring McGregor to power in Ireland has close to zero support in Ireland. The vast majority view him with revulsion. He has never stood for election because he knows he would be humiliated.

Exit polls show socialist Antonio Jose Seguro has crushed the Far Right candidate Andre Ventura in Portugal’s presidential runoff.

BREAKING: The Epstein survivors are releasing this ad on this Super Bowl Sunday to send the message that they will not “move on” from the largest sex trafficking scandal in the world. #standwithsurvivors

The cover of A Hosting: Interviews with Irish Writers 1991-2025 by Martin Doyle

Cover reveal of my new book and a link to pre-order. You’re welcome 🤓https://www.lilliputpress.ie/products/a-hosting-interviews-with-irish-writers-1991-2025

The Crime of Witness | Fintan O’Toole Renée Good and Alex Pretti were murdered for daring to interfere with the Trump administration’s efforts to normalize abductions and state violence.

“If the price of liberty is eternal vigilance, a country that inflicts the ultimate punishment on those who dare to be vigilant can no longer be free.” —@fotoole.bsky.social

February 26, 2026 Issue Table of Contents

Our 2/26 issue is now online, with @fotoole.bsky.social on the murders in Minneapolis, Namwali Serpell on Toni Morrison’s sense of humor, @juliangewirtz.bsky.social on the new microchip race, Vivian Gornick on Arundhati Roy, @rhodesben.bsky.social on Robert McNamara’s sins, and much more.

Sir Ian McKellen performing a monologue from Shakespeare’s Sir Thomas More on the Stephen Colbert show. Never have I heard this monologue performed with such a keen sense of prescience. Nor have I ever been in this exact historical moment.TY Sir Ian, for reaching us once again.
#Pinks #ProudBlue

Fintan O'Toole: Tony Blair and Peter Mandelson will go down in history as crawlers and creeps If we want to understand why democracy is in such trouble, we can learn plenty from the careers of two men who were once stellar figures in democratic politics

www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2026...

Troublemaker is my middle name.

The Crime of Witness | Fintan O’Toole Renée Good and Alex Pretti were murdered for daring to interfere with the Trump administration’s efforts to normalize abductions and state violence.

“If the price of liberty is eternal vigilance, a country that inflicts the ultimate punishment on those who dare to be vigilant can no longer be free.” —@fotoole.bsky.social

Whose Hemisphere? | Fintan O’Toole The US capture of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro reinforces the Trump administration’s capacity to invent any pretext to justify the use of armed force.

“Trump’s imperial project is all gunboat and no diplomacy. He probably mistakes the flattery…of most European leaders for esteem. In reality their deference masks a mixture of fear and short-term resignation.” —@fotoole.bsky.social

YouTube video by Bruce Springsteen Bruce Springsteen - Streets Of Minneapolis (Official Lyric Video)

Oh our Minneapolis, I hear your voice
Singing through the bloody mist
We’ll take our stand for this land
And the stranger in our midst

Directed by Thom Zimny
Edited by Thom Zimny and Samuel Shapiro
Production Footage: Pam Springsteen and Thom Zimny

The Crime of Witness | Fintan O’Toole Renée Good and Alex Pretti were murdered for daring to interfere with the Trump administration’s efforts to normalize abductions and state violence.

Fintan O’Toole @fotoole.bsky.social on the murders of Renée Good and Alex Pretti https://go.nybooks.com/4bmNB4F

The Crime of Witness | Fintan O’Toole Renée Good and Alex Pretti were murdered for daring to interfere with the Trump administration’s efforts to normalize abductions and state violence.

www.nybooks.com/online/2026/...

Whose Hemisphere? | Fintan O’Toole The US capture of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro reinforces the Trump administration’s capacity to invent any pretext to justify the use of armed force.

www.nybooks.com/articles/202...

The prospect of #Irish #Unification is now stronger than at any point since #Partition in 1921. Journalists Fintan O'Toole and Sam McBride examine the strongest arguments FOR AND AGAINST A UNITED IRELAND. Sam McBride Fintan O'Toole

#Preorder their book at: undpress.nd.edu/9780...

Happening this spring! On March 14th, authors @fotoole.bsky.social and @sjamcbride.bsky.social will discuss FOR AND AGAINST A UNITED IRELAND at the Irish Arts Center in #NewYork. Their #NewBook presents the case for and against #Irish #Unification.

Order your tickets at: production.irisharts...

American shot dead by Ice agent remembered for ‘formative years’ in Northern Ireland Renée Nicole Good took part in Christian youth missions to Northern Ireland as a teenager

On Renee;
www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2026...

John Robertson, Nottingham Forest and Scotland legend, dies aged 72 John Robertson, part of Brian Clough’s famous Nottingham Forest side and a former Scotland international, has died at the age of 72

The Picasso of Football. Absolutely loved watching this genius.
www.theguardian.com/football/202...

It Could Be Said #80 What To Do About Northern Ireland? Will has read a book and has thought about Britain's sole land border

itcouldbesaid.substack.com/p/it-could-b... I read @sjamcbride.bsky.social & @fotoole.bsky.social's For & Against A United Ireland. A fascinating intellectual exercise that gave me the push to put down my thoughts on how any possible Irish Unification vote should be approached.

Remembering Martin Parr, a lovely, warm, gentle man who dragged me out of bed at 5.30am Parr always persevered in his belief that there is humanity in humour and humour in humanity

A memory of Martin Parr
www.irishtimes.com/culture/2025...

YouTube video by Democracy for Sale We went undercover to buy access to MPs

WOW c 10k people have now watched Democracy for Sale's video about our new undercover investigation, with Led By Donkeys.

An ex-Tory MP introduced our fake Chinese AI investor into MPs and ministers - and all for just £5k! 😱

Watch the video here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKof...

1981 Martin Parr photo of a sheep market in Manorhamilton with 7 sheep lined up with their heads poking over the wall as if posing for the camera

This one from Manorhamilton is also a fave

YouTube video by Photo Museum Ireland Martin Parr + Fintan O'Toole in conversation, Gallery of Photography Ireland

This is a lovely conversation I had with Martin Parr about his Irish work.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHrr...

I think this early shot of O'Connell Bridge in Dublin is my favourite Martin Parr photo. All the artistry and all the comic love of the absurdity of everyday life is here.

A brilliant, insightful discussion this morning @houseofcommons.parliament.uk

Thanks to @clairehanna.bsky.social and @robinswannmp.bsky.social for hosting us and thanks to all who came!

@fotoole.bsky.social @ndirishstudies.bsky.social @ria.ie @notredame.bsky.social