Jude Collins

In England at this time in the 1600s and 1700s, there was tension between the traditional Catholics and the people who adopted the Reformed rules and doctrines according to the Geneva based Lutheran reformer John Calvin (1509-1564). Calvin’s followers were known as Puritans who were opposed to any agreement with Roman Catholics. “The Reformation was the […]

    Writing Irish history is like weaving a quilt or knitting a pair of socks. It is about making connections, following the pattern and tying the loose ends. History is never complete. The story is never fully written   When I want to try to understand an episode in history like The Great Hunger/An […]

      With the Reformation, the English monarchy, took the opportunity to take control of the land of Ireland and the native Irish political system so that the Irish could never be a threat to the English monarchy in any future dealings the English had with the strong Catholic countries of Europe. To achieve […]

  Colonialism and imperialism were the policies of many Europeans rulers and merchants in the 15th and 16th centuries who aimed to increase their power and wealth by exploiting and taking over by force those lands that were discovered by European explorers. The native inhabitants were overpowered and treated as slaves. Slavery and the slave […]

  I came across two books during a recent visit to Co Galway that I thought I should bring to the attention of readers. One was published 20 years ago, the second a few months ago. Both are American authors. There are some good people in the USA. The first book Finding Our Way (Leadership for […]

I wonder how unionists feel about Derry City FC. Yesterday they won the Leage of Ireland cup, which was great, because they’re part of NEI. On t’other hand, Derry City opted out of the Irish League (NEI) and joined the League of Ireland (R of I). Ever wondered why? Simon Harris unfolded his bold plan […]

RTÉ had a bomb scare this morning, there have been multiple bomb scares on planes in recent days (including Aer Lingus), and fridges in supermarkets have been flipped also. Who is doing this – Russia? Seems likely. Except maybe… Russell Brand, it would seem, has flown too close to the sun. Once the most wickedly […]

    Every bombed village is my hometown A poem by Nikita Gill (2024)        “Every bombed village is my hometown”— James Baldwin And every dead child is my child. Every grieving mother is my mother. Every crying father is my father. Every home turned to rubble is the home I grew up […]

  In recent days, Mary McAleese has renewed her argument that infant baptism violates children’s human rights, amid publicity surrounding her new book, The Baptism Bluff. Her objection is not to the spiritual effects of baptism itself, but to the Catholic Church’s practice of enrolling infants as lifelong members, subject to obligations they never personally […]

    For the first time in my lifetime I witnessed the whole island of Ireland united against bigotry, supremacy and hatred. People of conscience from the South, the West, the East and the North came together in solidarity with the people of the Garvaghy Road in Portadown to oppose a proposed Orange parade on […]