It’s our job to shine the light that first shone in Bethlehem, writes Ciara Ferry   During the Advent and Christmas season, many people find themselves asking the question “What do I want?” Oftentimes the answer can be found in the Black Friday sales, but does not actually satisfy any longer than it takes for…

It’s now 175 years since Charles Dickens published his phenomenally successful A Christmas Carol, in 1843 – so successful that it has almost come to define modern Christmas. It has spawned endless editions and many and diverse movie versions, and its allusions have gone into the language: we all know what a ‘Scrooge’ is, and…

The eventual successor to Archbishop Diarmuid Martin faces many immediate challenges writes Michael Kelly   In an era of flourishing faith, plentiful vocations and widespread esteem for the Church, being a bishop in Ireland was an attractive prospect for any ambitious cleric. It used to be said that when a priest was elevated to the…

Today’s PC versions of fairy tales may date very quickly, writes David Quinn   It’s Christmas and so that means its panto season. Thousands of parents up and down the country will bring their children to a version of timeless, classical fairy tales like Snow White at the Tivoli Theatre. But wait, are they timeless…

Aid worker Kevin Byrne reflects with Kevin Jenkinson on 30-years helping the world’s poorest people   Seasoned aid worker Kevin Byrne has been on the frontline of many of the world’s largest human catastrophes with Concern Worldwide – which has been fighting extreme poverty for 50 years. Known affectionately as ‘the Clareman with the Dublin…

Freedom of conscience is a human right and should not be thwarted by any government or body, writes Dr Aisling Bastible   Hundreds of general practitioners from all over the country attended an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) held by the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) in Malahide at the weekend. They were hoping to…

Pro-life advocate  is driven by deep Faith and personal experience, writes Martin O’Brien   When Pope Francis came to Dublin for the World Meeting of Families, Tracy Harkin, the articulate and indefatigable spokesperson for Iona Institute NI was a key figure in the EWTN Ireland team covering the event for a global Catholic television audience…

Black Friday is the new December 8! For many years there was a great Irish tradition of the pre-Christmas shopping season beginning on the Holy Day, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. People from all over the country would flock to Dublin or their nearest shopping town to take in the festive atmosphere.…