Enjoyable historical echoes here. It is always risky, after all, if you’re a fella called Mick from Cork, to sign a historic agreement without the approval of the head of the DeValera family. Let’s hope Mr. Martin knows what he is doing: FIANNA Fáil stalwart Éamon Ó Cúiv has urged Irish language enthusiasts and supporters […]
In Milan Kundera’s 1965 novel The Joke, the central figure is Ludvig Jahn who was consigned to a Czech work brigade for sending a postcard to a class mate containing the line “Optimism is the opium of the people,” and concluding with “Long live Trotsky!” Manchester band The Fall referenced the book on their 1995 album […]
The draft Program for Government, laying out everything FF, FG, and the Greens will prioritize over the life of the next government, makes an explicit, and deeply disappointing, commitment to bring in hate speech laws. It doesn’t really come as a surprise, we’ve seen an increased push for these laws from NGOs and politicians over […]
A leading disabilities group in Britain has revealed a shocking rise in GPs and hospital staff issuing ‘do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation’ (DNACPR) forms for people with disabilities during the Covid-19 crisis – without consulting patients or their families. Their investigation shows that patients who had disabilities had ‘do not resuscitate’ forms issued for ‘blindness’ and even […]
A poll at the weekend was very clear: The public, given the choice, would really rather not have Micheál Martin as Taoiseach. By a 48% to 18% margin, given the choice between the two men, they want Leo Varadkar, not the Fianna Fáil leader. In recent opinion polls, Fianna Fáil have the support of between […]
The media, and the state, are presently engaged in a great and historic national effort to make Green Party members feel like they have no option but to vote for the draft Programme for Government. Like all good guilt trips, it has begun this morning with an extensive reminder of how lucky they are, and […]
Several weeks ago, I was speaking to a former professor of mine and we touched upon the current inability of the Irish government to pass legislation due to the non-existence of a valid Seanad. This was around the time the Irish newspapers started speculating over whether Trump would hand over power peacefully should he lose […]
What is it that makes a seat at the United Nations Security Council something countries spend hundreds of thousands if not millions of their taxpayer’s monies to secure? Is there not something deeply immoral about any process which involves staging shows with Rock Stars for the diplomats to try to convince them to vote for […]
Given the woke left and Black Life Matters movement’s obsession with the architectural vestiges of the vile slave trade that was abolished in the 1800s in the west, you would imagine that they might be exercised by the existence of modern slavery. It would appear not. Much easier to draw up lists of statues and […]
I have written elsewhere about how the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in dangerous and unethical responses like ventilator rationing, unilateral DNRs, and some states ordering nursing homes and other long-term care facilities to accept coronavirus patients discharged from hospitals. But the Covid-19 crisis has also spawned new ideas such as the American Clinicians Academy On Medical Aid in Dying’s policy […]
Like many others, I’ve been thinking about the recent race-related protests and riots. I definitely don’t have all the answers. Nevertheless, here are a few of my philosophical reflections, which I hope will be helpful. 1. I think a distinction should be made between (1) black lives matter (the claim) and (2) Black Lives Matter (the […]
Talks between political parties to form a new government have been lingering on for weeks now and Aontú played its part in those talks on May 7th. In a letter obtained by Gript and information from a source inside Aontú who was involved in preparing for the talks between representatives of Fine Gael, Fianna Fail […]