One of the interesting phenomena associated with the virus lockdown is the alacrity with which certain people have embraced the whole notion of extending state control over further parts of civil society and individual behaviour. It is also noteworthy that far from this being opposed by the left, many of that persuasion have embraced all […]
The Scottish shipyards and mines were one of the few places in Britain where the Communist Party gained a foothold. Beginning with the Red Clydeside strikes against World War I, communists remained influential within the trade union movement until the 1980s. Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) members Mick McGahey of the National Union of […]
The fates have clearly conspired to deny Dublin a six-in-a-row. Or have they? Perhaps our focus for a source of the virus ought not to be on Wuhan but Lyrecrompane? You would not be up to them. On a more serious note, it would seem that the GAA inter county season will fall victim to the […]
In the opening volley of the War of Independence in 1919, the Third Tipperary Brigade under commanding officer Séumas Robinson ambushed a RIC convoy transporting dynamite at Soloheadbeg on January 19th. Dan Breen’s brother, Lar, had told the IRA that the consignment was due to be moved under escort, and the raid included Volunteers Seán […]
Dr Séamus O’Mahony has emerged as one of the most coherent critics of the role of modern medicine. His book The Way We Die Now was published in 2016. In 2019, he published Can Medicine be Cured? O’Mahony’s critique is particularly relevant in the context of the current pandemic which has witnessed greatly enhanced powers […]
Cardinal Henry Edward Manning was a convert from the Anglican church to Catholicism and was ordained Archbishop of Westminster in 1865. He was a strong supporter of social justice within the teachings of the church and was a key influence on the Papal encyclical Rerum Novarum issued by Pope Leo XIII in May 1891. The […]
There has been a noticeably greater opposition to the Covid lockdown in recent weeks. Alejo Sison claims that the state is “bent on turning us into just one more of the herd,” and having “segued into Leviathans” is intent on taking over civil society. Sison says that the state has dismissed the initiative of citizens […]
There’s been a strong reaction to the closure of Bewley’s of Grafton Street, in particular when it was revealed that a primary reason for the closure is the €1,500,000 annual rent bill demanded by the company owned by developer Johnny Ronan. That’s a rent of €28,846 every week; over €4,000 every day. Rent accounted for […]
The Green Party is a remarkably patrician outfit. Its elected representatives are invariably academics, lawyers or involved in “clean” enterprise. That is reflected in fact that their youth wing is almost exclusively based in the four main universities. The Young Greens, albeit with just one rep on the National Executive, will nonetheless play a key role […]
The Keelings controversy about has brought public attention to how EU and related member state legislation allows agencies – and those who contract migrant workers from them – to avoid domestic minimum wage and other requirements. As everyone knows, the current furore began when a photo published was which showed some of the 189 migrant […]
Events are moving rapidly with regard to the formation of a new government. It seems widely expected that a decision may be made today. At the heart of this is whether Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael agree to most of Green Party demands, including “red line” of annual cuts in carbon emissions of 7% until […]
On April 28 1916, as the fierce fighting of Easter Week began to abate, one of the most notorious events of the rising took place. 15 civilians were killed in houses and business premises on North King Street by British soldiers. The street had been the scene of some of the stoutest resistance by the […]