It’s always worth taking notice when there’s a new religious programme, and the latest nearly flew under my highly sensitive radar! Witness (RTÉ Radio 1, Friday) is a new religious affairs programme presented by Siobhán Garrigan, and is a successor to the long running Leap of Faith, though I’m not sure of the logic behind…
I went into Cat Person (15) thinking of Paul Schrader’s 1982 movie Cat People – for no other reason than the title. It has little in common with Schrader’s nightmarish curio besides that but you keep expecting it to turn into a horror film. Susanna Fogel directs with a clever use of anti-climaxes, red herrings,…
The Vanishing: The Twilight of Christianity in the Middle East, by Janine di Giovanni (Bloomsbury, £10.99 /€12.99) The author of this most moving book, now a senior Fellow and professor at Yale’s Jackson Institute for Global Affairs, has been described “as one our generation’s finest correspondents”. This book alone illustrates her skill, insight and compassion.…
The recent Russian invasion of Ukraine and the ensuing war have highlighted for many of us in Western Europe the fact that oppression and persecution have never been far from the people of Ukraine. This is certainly the case with regard to religious persecution. Yet they have remained committed to their Christian Faith and have…
Journey to the Light: Daily Readings through Advent and Christmas, by John Mann, foreword by Bishop Brendan Leahy (Messenger Publications, €12.95 /£11.95) Advent and Christmas 2023, from the website of Sacred Space (Messenger Publications, €7.95 / £6.95) Every year it has been customary for everyone to complain about Christmas “coming too soon”, as a…
October means only one thing for Irish opera lovers – the Wexford Festival founded in 1951 by local GP and opera enthusiast, Dr Tom Walsh. His idea was the revival of operas that had disappeared from the repertoire and injecting them with new life. While this policy continues, Wexford also produces relatively recent compositions. This…
In such fractious times it’s reassuring to find a programme that accentuates the positive, and you’ll frequently find that on TG4. Tarrthálaithe na hÉireann (TG4, Thursdays) is a new series highlighting the work of the rescue services. Last week’s episode featured the work of mountain rescue teams, with a particular focus on Reek Sunday in…
This is a fine, solid, beautifully produced book, running to some 250 pages which will delight any one in any way interested in the history of Ireland’s capital as expressed in maps over the centuries.
Mention of Siamsa Tíre brings to mind Fr Pat Ahern and vice-versa. Apart from co-founding Siamsa Tíre in 1973 Pat was its sprid, the spirit that invigorated it over the years, much to the cultural benefit of Ireland.
Media bias can be subtle sometimes, other times it can be laughably blatant. I got what I think is a case of the latter last week.
Brendan O’Regan
Aubrey Malone
Peter Costello