Mindful Living On each Sunday of Advent we light a new candle in the Advent Wreath. The candles represent hope, peace, love and joy reflecting the fruits of the Spirit as described by St Paul in Galatians 5:22. Because meditation helps to awaken us to the spirit within, these fruits, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness…
Category: Family & Faith
Faith in the Family
I should actually be on a plane now, rather than sitting at my desk writing. If it were not for Covid-19 I would be on my way back from Kentucky, having attended the wedding of my God-daughter. As it was, we watched the wedding streamed live on Facebook so that friends around America and family…
Family News & Events
Iconic Dinosaur’s injuries come to light through Queen’s-led research The first Parasaurolophus discovered – the same species which features in the popular Netflix series Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous – is likely to have been injured by a falling tree, a study led by a researcher from Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) has discovered. Filippo Bertozzo, a…
Delectable German gingerbread: a special Christmas treat
Sweet Treats This German gingerbread, known as lebkuchen, has the perfect balance of sweet and spiced. This version is even tastier as the biscuits are filled with raspberry. Other flavours like apricot or cherry, also work really well, or you can keep it simple and not fill them at all! Heart-shaped lebkuchen look extra decorative…
No Grinch can steal Christmas when hearts focus on Christ
A Parent’s Perspective Christmas is rapidly approaching, one of the most exciting times of the Church year for Catholics. We already have Christmas adverts competing to achieve that much desired place as the one advertisement that most captures the spirit of what Christmas is all about. Many of the central themes involve the excited anticipation,…
Making your own Christmas snowflake crystals
Children’s Corner Some people will be hoping for a white Christmas this year but what is snow and what natural conditions are necessary for it to be created? There is an easy and fun science experiment you can do at home that will allow anyone to make their own snow crystals. You can learn how…
Dad’s Diary
I had never been quite so delighted to be dropping the kids off at one of their clubs. The clever old Brownies had organised an outing to the beach. The government, in their wisdom, permit parents to drive outside the 5km limit during the lockdown, to enable children to attend sports and clubs. The logic was…
Family News & Events
Wristbands to help find missing people with dementia Wristbands which can help locate missing people with dementia have given families “peace of mind”, according to a BBC report. The bracelets, developed by emergency services and charities in Somerset, store essential information about the wearer including their name and next of kin. The information can be…
Pandemic takes toll on health but vaccine imminent
Medical Matters Our lives have changed in so many ways as a result of the pandemic, which has impacted negatively on health-related behaviours such as alcohol consumption, smoking, diet and physical activity. This will not come as any surprise given that surveys suggest that up to half of the population have experienced moderate levels of…
Dad’s Diary
Hibernia is in hibernation. Outside the window, torrents of rain gush from grey November skies, while the wind groans through drunken trees. The stream is a torrent of white water cutting a path towards the distant sea, as though trying to escape the onslaught. The summer foliage has been torn violently from all but the…


Bairbre Cahill


Maria Byrne
Chai Brady


Dr Kevin McCarroll
