There’s a report in The Irish Examiner today headed “President Higgins praises Pope Benedict’s ‘steadfast interest’ in Northern Ireland”. That’s news to me, to be honest. I hadn’t realised the late Pope was interested in us at all, let alone steadfastly. But I see no reason why Michael D would lie. (Yes, Virginia, granted Michael […]
December, 2022
BATTLES LONG AGO AND MATTERS OF ATTRIBUTION – by Donal Kennedy
I’ve just opened a 2023 Calendar from Viking which sends one every year since my wife and I took a cruise on the Rhone a few years ago. It lists holidays, Christian and Moslem and other breaks from work. It lists St Patrick’s Day.for Northern Ireland, and also the 12th of July celebration […]
Other views of De Valera’s Ireland – by Donal Kennedy
A good antidote to Elaine Byrne and other Begrudgers is an amateur colour film available on You Tube of Howth Regatta and Lambay Races in 1942 when I was less than 8 months old. It has had a musical soundtrack added a few years ago. It is a vindication of De Valera’s statesmanship. It […]
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PAT+JUDE TALK ABOUT RECENTLY REVEALED STATE PAPERS, POLITICS IN 2022, STEALING BOOZE, AND PELE What a year this has been! Three prime ministers in Britain, Sinn Féin the dominant party north and south, the death of Queen Elizabeth II, leaving English footballers all confused when they have to sing their national anthem. And […]
DOUBT, CERTAINTY AND UNBELIEF Part 2 by Donal Kennedy
As an unusual treat I bought myself a Guardian today. I doubt I’ll have another 81st Birthday. Its Letters page has three splendid pieces by Anglican clergymen demolishing a bigoted and ignorant piece by Polly Toynbee attacking religion. I’ve worked, eaten and partied with Jew and Gentile, Hindu,Moslem and shared a […]
A lazy history of Ireland
You want the history of the south of Ireland? OK, here it is. There was 1916 and then partition, which allowed the south to forget about the north. Dev came to power and stayed there for a long, long time. He was revered but totally out of touch with the modern world, him and his […]
DOUBT, CERTAINTY AND UNBELIEF Part 1 by Donal Kennedy
I’ll be 81 years old when you read this. I’ll admit that I have had doubts about the existence of a Deity and have become convinced of the existence of a Devil though I fear to attribute a gender to it. I don’t want to be blackguarded, whiteguarded, rainbowguarded or blueshirted […]
If you’ve got it, flaunt it?
People who like to pat themselves on the back can be irritating to the point where you’d be tempted to give them a kick on the backside. You probably know the kind of person I’m talking about. A discussion about the price of petrol in the 1980s is hi-jacked while he tells of the […]
SHOME MISTAKE, SHURELY? – by Donal Kennedy
Rummaging in my drawers, as I do occasionally, I discovered a piece I wrote nearly 16 years ago. You will forgive me if I unload it on you.It refers to something arising from events 36 years ago. I have changed the name of one correspondent and institution […]
Take that, Mary Lou!
God loves a tryer, they say, but He or She must be getting tired of some tryers. There are tryers who not only try our patience but in fact give us a glimpse of what might be their insanity. Cast your mind back to, let’s say, 2011. That’s when Martin McGuinness announced his intention of […]