Opinion
We can revive the Irish language. Should we?
The language is a source of ongoing, heated debate in Ireland. But should Irish be revived? Dr. De Barra discusses.
Where Mary Kenny Goes, God Never Feels Far Behind
Let me start with a confession. As a kid born in the 90’s, I have fallen quite out of touch with my own faith as many of my peers have;…
The Whole World is Saved by Easter Hope
In this piece, Daniel O'Leary talks about how during Holy Week, many of us fail to see salvation as a communal matter for all God’s people.
To Love, to Live, to Leave a Legacy
Mary Redmond Ussher called her strength to through breast cancer the ‘Pink Ribbon Path’. Here, her son writes about her experience with the illness.
Christians in Ireland before Patrick
St Patrick – “the man who brought Christianity to our ancestors”. But did he? We analyse evidence that there were Christians in Ireland…
Irish women who served in a time of European crisis
Read Joe Carroll's review of 'Irish Servicewomen in the Great War: From Western Front to roaring twenties' by Barbara Walsh.
Peace and the Politics of Love
Today, we celebrate the birth anniversary of Late Pat Hume, wife and partner in every sense of the word to the great John Hume who brought…
Remembering Garda Patrick Reynolds
An extract from a recent book written by an ex-Garda highlights the pain of the Garda community upon the murder of one of their own
A Storyteller’s last ode
Remembering Colm Keane (1951-2022) and his last contribution to the writing sphere – The Book of St. Brigid
Culture
Reek Sunday: What to Know if You Want to Go
The English Invitation: King Diarmaid and Strongbow
Where Mary Kenny Goes, God Never Feels Far Behind
Brian Boru and the End of the Viking Age?
The Vikings | Why They Came and How They Stayed
When Queens Collide: Grace O’Malley and the Meeting of 1593
Queen Medb, Fact or Fiction, and Why it Matters
St. Columba, The Monks, and The Making of the Western World
A Selection of Art
Sweet Money and the Bee Man of County Clare
Lifestyle
Tina Claffey: The Woman Who Found Color in a Colorless World
Artists have a way of sharing the unspoken. Each have their own medium that they communicate with, and within that, they allow us to understand something that was previously misunderstood. An…
Share
13 pilgrim pathways for your next Irish adventure
In times of great uncertainty, we need reassuring anchors to cling to. Links with our ancestors who survived even greater travails become increasingly important and a walk along one of…
Share
The Old Woman of the Roads
On World Health Day, let us divert our attention to the plight of those who continue to live on the fringes of our "modern" society, homeless and alone in the 21st century.
Share
Why did they stop reading?
Trying to get kids to focus on one thing for more than two minutes can be a challenge at the best of times, so what happens when something that actually keeps them quiet for a while stops…
Share
Photo of the week
Photo: VALERIE O’SULLIVAN for ‘A YEAR IN THE LIFE: GLENCAIRN ABBEY’ published by COLUMBA Books (2017)
Spirituality
Mountains, wells, and caves: A look at Ireland’s sacred landscape
In Ireland, relics can also be found in the natural landscape. Holy wells, caves, stones and even mountains have been pilgrim destinations for centuries.
Share
Reek Sunday: What to Know if You Want to Go
Every year, on the last Sunday of July, people from around the world gather to celebrate Reek Sunday. When weather permits, as many as 25,000 people gather near Clew Bay in County Mayo, on the…
Share
Pilgrimage to St Mullins during the Black Death
In the Middle Ages, many people made pilgrimages in times of crisis. The Black Death was one of the biggest crises during the fourteenth century in Ireland.
Share
Recalling the great Irish martyrs
An exclusive excerpt from former president Mary McAleese's latest book 'The 17 Irish Martyrs' out in March 2022.
Share