The first sign that something was seriously threatening the unity of the Anglican Communion came on October 3, when, following the official announcement of Dame Sarah Mullally’s appointment as the next Archbishop of Canterbury – the first woman to hold the post in over 1,400 years – Laurent Mbanda, President of the Council of Primates…

The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) held its annual congress this year in Killarney, Co. Kerry, bringing together hundreds of primary school teachers from across the country for three days of debate and decision‑making. As a delegate for the third year running, I have witnessed a marked shift in the tone and focus of our union’s…

Moya Brennan’s death saddened many people. Whatever the opposite of having notions is, Moya Brennan epitomised it. She had a God-given talent and used it in service of Him. After her death, Oliver Callan interviewed Donal Lunny, who collaborated with Clannad and later, Moya Brennan in her solo career. He said, “She carried it in…

We hear an awful lot about the ‘manosphere’, that is, online discussions that sometimes tell young men to treat women in sexist, exploitative ways. There was a huge public debate about ‘toxic masculinity’ last year when a series called Adolescence was aired. The central character was a 13-year-old boy who murdered a girl who went…

The Minister of Education and Youth’s announcement of the opening of “Inclusive special classes” in September has sparked criticism from advocacy groups who say they were not consulted. The initiative, announced last week, represents the latest phase in the ongoing rapid expansion of provision for students with additional educational needs. Five postprimary schools have been…

It was a decade ago that I first encountered a Muslim in Belfast, for many years, a city of Catholics and Protestants, and few dissenters. His name was Yousef, and he had come to Ireland to escape persecution. We met on the Falls Road – the west Belfast, where it is more common now to…

One year on from the passing of Pope Francis, the world feels, in many ways, more fragile than it did when he left us. Conflict has deepened in parts of the Middle East. Political discourse has hardened, with the rise of polarisation, nationalism and, at times, outright hostility. Multilateral cooperation—so essential to addressing global crises—appears…

Let 2026 be the year we reject the quiet excuses that hold us back – “it’s too difficult,” “someone else will do it,” “my effort won’t matter.” These thoughts do not move us forward; they keep us where we are. Real change begins when we refuse to accept inertia as inevitable and instead choose to…