Michael Kelly is an award-winning writer and broadcaster specialising in religious and social affairs. Born and raised in Northern Ireland, he attended the Pontifical University St Patrick’s College, Maynooth where he obtained degrees in philosophy and theology and the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome where he studied social institutional communications. From 2002-2005 he was an Editor in the Central Information Service of Vatican Radio. In this role, he travelled with Pope St John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI on overseas trips. In 2005, he returned to Dublin to take up the position of Deputy Editor with The Irish Catholic newspaper, succeeding as Editor in 2012. He is a regular contributor to programmes on RTÉ, BBC, UTV, CNN and Al Jazeera. He also have extensive experience offering media training and coaching in the voluntary sector. Mr Kelly is a weekly columnist with Ireland’s largest-selling secular newspaper the Irish Independent and has been published in The Irish Times, the Irish Examiner, The Irish News, The Guardian, Our Sunday Visitor, Catholic World Report, the National Catholic Reporter and the National Catholic Register. He writes from Ireland for Catholic News Service of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Micheal finished his stint as Editor of The Irish Catholic in January 2024 and has taken up the position of Director of Public Affairs for Aid to the Church in Need Ireland.
Editor Michael Kelly reflects on ‘the idea of a community coming together to help one another and ease the burden’ in times of struggle More than a few commentators have described the recent levels of rainfall as biblical. And the suffering has been (and continues to be) immense. Homeowners have struggled heroically – and often…
Olympian Kelly Gallagher is passionate about helping visually-impaired children in the developing world, writes Michael Kelly When one thinks of sports that Irish Olympians have excelled at in recent years boxing and show jumping are probably the first things that come to mind. But what about the winter Olympics? Most people draw a blank. It’s…
Mr Higgins’ apparent belief that religion is a club ‘keeping a society together’ is as superficial as it is stupid, writes Michael Kelly
“The challenge of Christmas is to allow ourselves to once again fall in love with the Christ child”, writes Editor Michael Kelly
“It is impossible to understand the motivation of the rebels without reference to the deep Catholic faith which inspired them”, writes Editor Michael Kelly
Inspired by The Year of Mercy Parishes reach out to reconnect people with the Church, writes Editor Michael Kelly
“religion is an important fact of life in the world and that Marian devotion is a central part of the faith of many believers”, writes Editor Michael Kelly
A radical vision is not always popular but is necessary for renewal and progress, writes Editor Michael Kelly
Catholic schools are being asked to rise to the challenge writes Michael Kelly
Mainstream newspapers have been complicit in shameful denial of basic justice to priests accused of abuse, writes Michael Kelly