Everyday Philosophy Tribalism in politics and ethics is an easy thing to criticise. By ‘tribalism’ I’m specifically talking here about tribalism about opinions: changing your beliefs in order to better conform with a group that you identify with in some way. This criticism is mostly right: I think this sort of tribalism is usually bad.…
Sweet Treats This is a wonderfully moreish chocolate cake, the sharpness of the dark chocolate is complemented perfectly with sweet bursts of juicy pears that are right in season this time of the year. It is a really easy recipe to whip up if you have a couple of pears getting overripe in your fruit…
Feel the buzz in Sligo With a modern awareness of how important bees are for our ecosystems to thrive, perhaps it’s time to learn more about these fascinating creatures. If you’re interested to find out about the ins-and-outs of beekeeping, look no further than Sligo where trained farmer Ailbhe Gerrard can show you the ropes.…
Well so far the feet look fine and the hips are still working! Danny and I are four days and about seventy kilometres into the Camino de Santiago. We are also celebrating our twenty sixth wedding anniversary today. So what profound reflections have come to me as we walk through woodlands and vineyards, up boulder-strewn…
For much of the past decade, my wife’s medical training has dragged our family around Ireland and Britain. We have moved house 11 times in 10 years, through Cork, Dublin, Surrey and the Isle of Wight. Thankfully, our nomadic existence is at last coming to an end, as we settle back into where we began,…
Medical Matters September has been designated ‘Sepsis Awareness Month’ in a campaign to increase knowledge and recognition by the public of one of the most common yet poorly understand medical conditions. In fact, sepsis occurs more frequently than heart attacks affecting about 17,000 people each year in Ireland and is the leading cause of death…
Children’s Corner Is it possible to fit a boiled egg through the neck of a glass bottle without it being harmed? Most people would answer that such a feat is impossible, but with science on your side this tiny miracle is easily doable! To perform this curious experiment, place an egg (or multiple eggs if…
Food tingles in Dingle Described by locals as ‘The Best Weekend of Year’, the Dingle Food Festival will take place at the beginning of October in the fishing town of Dingle on the Wild Atlantic Way. Highlights of the festival include cookery demonstrations, over 50 market stalls, workshops, street entertainment, children’s events and wine and…
Mindful Living We all need a healthy balance between being and doing in our lives. The pace of modern life draws us into cycles of excessive doing and when that happens, the quality of our doing suffers. Of course, if we allow the pendulum to swing too far in the other direction nothing get’s…
I remember when I was small, I asked my Daddy why I had a belly button. He replied that it happened when God was checking if the babies were ready for delivery to families. “God went along the line of babies” said my Daddy, “poking each one gently in the tummy and saying, ‘You’re done…
Ben Conroy
Bairbre Cahill
Dr Kevin McCarroll
Colm Fitzpatrick