The Sunday Papers. A History of Ireland’s Weekly Press edited by Joe Breen and Mark O’Brien (Four Courts Press, €55.00) Joe Carroll This is a welcome scrutiny of Irish Sunday newspapers. It covers the whole of the last century and the first decade of this and, as the editors point out, shows how these weekly newspapers…
State Papers: Secrets of the powers that be Cultural goods from colonised countries whether secular or sacred, are becoming of increasing concern to colonising nations like Ireland (albeit as a part of the United Kingdom). The National Museum, for instance, has rich collections of African, Asian and American artefacts of all kinds, which are…
Bishop Silvio Jose Baez has reiterated his calls for dialogue and respecting human dignity in Nicaragua, where the president has crushed protests, closed critical media outlets and persecuted anyone – including priests – publicly opposing his administration. “Dialogue is not a fad or simple political strategy,” Bishop Baez said in his Christmas homily. “When we…
Amid Lebanon’s political and economic strife and uncertainty in the Middle East, Catholic patriarchs urged their faithful to forge ahead in hope at Christmastime. At least two patriarchs expressed concern about Lebanon’s failure to form a new government since parliamentary elections in May. In his Christmas message, Lebanese Cardinal Bechara Rai, patriarch of Maronite Catholics,…
State Papers: Echoes of the past from the archives Controversy over the Irish National Anthem is a continuing matter. It was certainly so in the late 1980s To some, ‘The Soldier’s Song’ seemed inappropriate for today. A nun from Bessbrook wrote to the Taoiseach that she had attended an event at which the audience…
In Christmas message, Pope prays for peace Delivering his formal Christmas message and blessing, Pope Francis prayed for a world where all people would recognise that they are brothers and sisters and would work for justice and for peace. The birth of Jesus proclaims that “God is a good father and we are all brothers and sisters. This truth is the…
The Notebook Fr Vincent Sherlock One of my favourite childhood memories is going to Sligo with my parents on Christmas Eve. We’d go in the afternoon, spend a few hours in Sligo and call to Cloonamahon (then a Passionist Monastery near Collooney) or maybe to the Friary or Cathedral in Sligo and go to…
Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Leo O’Reilly of Kilmore on health grounds. While Dr O’Reilly was not due to retire until next year, the Vatican announced in a communique on December 31 that the retirement had been brought forward. A statement from the Catholic Communications Office said Bishop O’Reilly tendered his resignation…
State Papers: Echoes of the past from the archives Many people have wondered over the years about the ‘promise to pay’ of the Irish Republic in the 19th Century and early 20th Century. Great sums of money were collected but never really accounted for. Mystery surrounds these funds. One of the files deals with…
Tickling the brain Why is the sky blue? Why don’t penguins’ feet freeze? These are the types of questions Ireland’s brightest young science students will answer through their exhibits which will go on display at the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition running from January 9 -12. A highlight on the secondary school calendar, the…