Category: News

A primary school choir from Co. Down has narrowly lost getting to the fi nal of Britain’s Got Talent. St Patrick’s Junior Choir from Drumgreenagh outside Rathfriland, had impressed the judges with their rendition of Katy Perry’s Roar during Monday’s semi-final. “You sounded amazing,” said head judge Simon Cowell. “I love your personalities individually and…

Government has betrayed idealism of children’s referendum – ACP leader

Ireland’s 2013 children’s rights referendum looks in hindsight like an exercise in “making ourselves feel good”, a leading priest has said. Commenting on Dr Geoffrey Shannon’s audit of child protection procedures in An Garda Síochána, which revealed grave shortcomings in child protection across State agencies, Redemptorist Fr Gerry O’Connor, a member of the Association of…

Northern Irish bishops call on ‘alienated’ citizens to vote in election

Catholic bishops in Northern Ireland have called on citizens to vote in the upcoming election, asking them not to feel “alienated and disheartened”. Recent instability in Stormont was cited as diminishing trust and confidence in the political process, especially among young people. The bishops, including Archbishop Eamon Martin, Bishop John McAreavey and Bishop Noel Treanor,…

Ireland gives €6m to world’s poorest

Ireland will provide €6m to two struggling African countries that have been ravaged by war and chronic poverty. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Central African Republic (CAR) are among the poorest countries in the world, with food insecurity and malnutrition affecting 6.4 million people. Each country will receive €3m from Ireland through…

British women back abortion restrictions

Over 90% of British women want a ban on sex-selective abortion, with 70% wanting the time limits for abortion to be lowered and 59% wanting the limit lowered to 16 weeks or lower, according to a new poll of 2,008 adults conducted by ComRes. Although abortion is theoretically illegal in British law, doctors are exempt…