For many Ukrainians living in Ireland, this will be the fourth Christmas spent far from home — under the shadow of a war that continues to shape every aspect of their lives. For them, Christmas is one of the greatest and most revered Christian holidays; however, for those who have fled the war, in particular…
Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you Matt 2:13 Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until…
Christmas is a sacred time marking the birth of Christ and the dawn of Christianity. In Ireland, preparations begin weeks, and for some, months in advance. After Halloween, children write to Santa, and families make travel plans from faraway places to reunite for the festivities. Traditional celebrations include a four-course meal of chicken soup, roast…
American songbird Mariah Carey bags up to three million dollars every year for her romantic Christmas hit – ‘All I want For Christmas is You’. This notion made me ponder: what do I want (knowing that Christ is already a given!) The answer came loud and clear during my December spiritual reading. This included a…
Each person has their own favourite part of the Christmas celebrations. Some people love the food, while for others, the decorations bring joy and colour to a dark, cold month. For Daniel O’Donnell, the best part is Christmas Mass. Speaking to The Irish Catholic, Mr O’Donnell said he loves “the services at Christmas. I love…
On Christmas Eve, a small village was shrouded in darkness, with only the distant stars in the sky providing their tiny twinkles. At that time, in the 1980s, electricity was very limited in our remote village. There was only one electric light, in the living room. We lit small candles in our yard, which was…
The Syro-Malabar Catholic rite, a rite that has a tradition for almost 2000 years, dating back to the apostle Thomas, who evangelised people in the sub-continent around 52 AD. The Syro – Malabar community is a proud one, and wherever they go around the world, they bring their traditions (in a smaller package) with them,…
In 2018, Declan Hannon became the first Limerick man in forty-five long years to climb the steps of the Hogan Stand and raise the Liam McCarthy Cup, as a county starved of success finally reached the promised land after generations of hurt. From there, Limerick would go on to enjoy a remarkable period of dominance,…
Spare a thought for the people of Denmark, who are posting their last Christmas cards, in this year of 2025. For, after a catastrophic fall in the sending of letters and cards via the postman, Denmark is bringing an end to its traditional postal service on December 30. No more letters in the land of…
In the fourth book, Augustine recounts his life from approximately his late teens to his late twenties. It is a period characterised by suffering but also some rays of light. Having finished his education in rhetoric and persuasive speaking, he starts to sell his skills: “During these years I was teaching the art of rhetoric,…
Martina Purdy
Renata Steffens
Mary Kenny