Lonely scarecrows, grannies, and the Cork puppet festival It’s not every day there’s an opportunity to see a puppet show, especially a professional production involving a lonely but imaginative scarecrow and an unpredictable granny. Merlin Puppet Theatre will bring ‘No One’s Land’ to Cork for the Cork Puppetry Festival 2019 on August 3 at 3pm…
Questions of Faith In Ireland, the word celebration is almost always associated with drinking alcohol, whether it be a birthday, wedding or even a funeral. Indeed, the Irish are known for their incredible ability to withstand imbibing vast amount of drinks on a night out, and still be able to tell the story lucidly the…
The problem in the world and in the Churches, Jim Wallis suggests, is that, perennially, conservatives get it wrong and liberals (over-reacting to conservatives) then don’t get it at all. Nowhere is this truer, I believe, than in how we discern the finger of God in the events of our lives. Jesus tells us to…
A parent’s perspective I’ve taken a great interest in Blessed John Henry Newman recently and was delighted with the announcement that he is to be canonised in Rome on October 13 this year. By all accounts, he was an amazing man: a great scholar, a friend to many, a great priest and pastor, a musician…
GREEN FINGERS Our warm, wet July has meant lawns are growing fast. Keep on top of mowing them. If you return from holidays to find yours looking like a hay field, don’t cut it down in one go. Raise the height of your mower up full and cut it. Then each subsequent cut lower it…
Madison Duddy explores how technology has changed the way we date It’s no secret that social media has changed the way people interact. In recent years dating apps have become more popular, changing the fabric of the dating world. While most singles spend their time swiping through photos and biographies of potential matches in their…
One of my earliest memories is riding a horse through an Arcadian meadow with my father. I recall a deep feeling of happiness and safety in his presence, with his arms either side of me, holding the reins and keeping me safe. The scene was indescribably perfect, infused with a warm, golden light. It was…
Personal Profile Madison Duddy speaks with Northern Ireland’s pro-life campaigner Dawn McAvoy The pro-choice movement feeds off the modern-day feminism movement. Notable slogans like “my body, my choice” are meant to empower women. Dawn McAvoy, a founder of Northern Ireland’s Both Lives Matter organisation, says this ‘feminist’ narrative actually hurts women and stems from a…
Healthy lessons about grub for growing teens It’s difficult to get many teenagers cooking at the best of times, never mind teaching them about the importance of nutrition. A teen health eating programme will run from the end of July into August, made possible by ADHD Ireland. In collaboration with Northside Partnership, the nutrition and…
Questions of Faith While 100 years ago it would have been strange and unconventional for a Catholic to marry someone of another religion, today the practice is becoming more and more common. Catholics can certainly celebrate a valid sacramental marriage with a partner of a different Christian denomination, although this practice requires permission from a…
Colm Fitzpatrick
Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Maria Byrne
Paul Gargan