Jude Collins

Dublin Central has seen many things in its time: revolutionaries, reformers, republicans, and the occasional optimist with a clipboard. But few plot twists rival the sight of Gerry Hutch stepping into a by-election triggered by the departure of Paschal Donohoe, who has wafted off to loftier and more remunerative pastures. Donohoe’s exit leaves the usual […]

Dublin Central has seen many things in its time: revolutionaries, reformers, republicans, and the occasional optimist with a clipboard. But few plot twists rival the sight of Gerry Hutch stepping into a by-election triggered by the departure of Paschal Donohoe  who has wafted off to loftier and more remunerative pastures. Donohoe’s exit leaves the usual […]

There was a time — perhaps imaginary, perhaps last Tuesday — when employers believed they were hiring saints. Or at least people who could convincingly impersonate them between 9 and 5. References were scanned not for competence but for traces of halo polish. “Strong Excel skills” was nice. “Has never harboured an uncharitable thought” was […]

At its heart, football reflects politics because it represents nations — their identity, pride and history. Flags, anthems and national colours aren’t merely tradition; they’re symbols of collective memory and often unresolved tensions. That’s why a football match between the United States and Iran in the 1998 World Cup wasn’t just about goals — it […]

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Every time a GAA pitch gets planning permission in Belfast, somewhere a unionist eyebrow achieves escape velocity. It’s never just about grass. Or goalposts. Or whether the car park has adequate turning space for a Nissan Qashqai. No — it is always, solemnly, about “balance,” “shared space,” and the ominous spectre of cultural creep. A […]

Sir Keir Starmer once observed that there are “parts of England you wouldn’t know were English.” This was presented as a lament about social cohesion. Sir Jim Ratcliffe, meanwhile, declared that England is being “colonised by immigrants,” which was presented as a lament about everything. And thus we arrive at the Great British Tradition: two […]

For the British government, the damage is less about direct implication and more about proximity. Power, it turns out, travels in tight circles: financiers, ministers, royalty, philanthropists — all clinking glasses at the same charity galas. When one guest is revealed to have been running a global abuse ring, everyone else suddenly develops selective amnesia. […]

Prince William has touched down in Saudi Arabia, a kingdom of sweeping deserts, gleaming skyscrapers and, as the world was once grimly reminded, a troubling record when it comes to dissenting journalists. Diplomacy, like air miles, must be collected wherever available. There is something faintly surreal about a modern British prince touring a state synonymous […]

How much do I detest Peter Mandelson? Let me count the ways.A man whose best pal is Jeremy Epstein, who sucked up to Trump,  who helped create ‘New Labour’ (blesses self huriedly) – anyone of those three are enough to make the belly heave and the mouth yell for a bucket. However, we judge (or […]