Personal Profile Colm Fitzpatrick writes about how we can learn from the Travelling community Most priests spend their time ministering to their parish communities and those on the margins, but as chaplain for the Travelling community in Ireland, Fr Tom Naughton has truly taken this vocation of outreach to heart. The Limerick-born priest who…
A ‘novel’ festival idea For writing fiends and imaginative thinkers, this October the ‘Dalkey Creates Writing Festival’ will give aspiring writers the opportunity to improve their craft and help them on the difficult journey to being published. The festival offers writing courses from published authors in an encouraging and supportive environment. There will also be…
Many women don’t feel an immediate bond with their new-born baby, writes Colm Fitzpatrick You receive the fantastic news that you’re pregnant and will finally be a mother. For nine blissful months you feel baby kicks and eagerly await the arrival of your child. Delivery day comes, and with little effort and no medical…
I always find it really hard when the weather and seasons change, this affects my relationship, I find myself snappy and irritable towards my wife. How can I beat the winter blues? It’s understandable that after a lovely summer of sun that it might be especially hard not to be affected by the winter…
In the deepest dusk, I found myself in a Hampshire woods, reading the names of Irish holy women from their graves. Many of these departed nuns were born in the 19th Century, and had lived through times of great upheaval, war and conflict. It moved me to see my compatriots buried in exile, many long…
Tara McGahan When I was planning my Summer holidays this year, I had no idea that they would include a unique experience as part of a group of international media who were in Ireland for the visit of Pope Francis for the World Meeting of Families 2018. But, that’s exactly what happened on Saturday…
Go to Babaró! With a range of workshops, literature, and artistic performances, the Babaró International Arts Festival for Children is certainly one not to be missed. Suitable for the whole family, especially the kids, the October 15-21 festival will be based in a variety of venues in Galway City and County venues, and aims at…
Personal Profile Matthew Carlson speaks with a conflict-resolution activist Although Brian McKee may have seemed like any other lad growing up in Ireland, he was always a little different than most people his age. Brian grew up in the Passionist Holy Cross parish in Ardoyne, where much of his life revolved around his family,…
Men’s Sheds provide a vital role is combating mental health issues, writes Colm Fitzpatrick Typically, sheds have been understood to be small garden-based shacks which store tools or extra clutter, but a new type of shed taking Ireland by storm is also housing men. And their purpose? To gather for meaningful projects and tackle…
Science of Life You might think that social class divisions are fast disappearing in our modern world as we all increasingly enjoy affording things that used to be luxuries, e.g. motor cars, foreign holidays, university education, etc. but a recent review by Antony Manstead (British Journal of Social Psychology, Vol. 57, Issue 2, 2018)…
Colm Fitzpatrick
Wendy Grace
William Reville