Sam Maguire: The Man and The Cup by Kieran Connolly (Mercier Press, €12.99) As last week’s dramatic victory by Dublin over Mayo showed, the Sam Maguire Cup is much better known than the man after whom it was named and honours. This opportune account of Sam Maguire and noteworthy occasions and persons associated with…
Crimes of the Father by Thomas Keneally (Sceptre Books, £19.99) Pauric Travers Almost 50 years ago, schoolteacher and aspiring writer Thomas Keneally won his second Miles Franklin award for Three Cheers for the Paraclete, a novel set in the Irish-Australian Catholic community which explores the conflict between faith, obedience, freedom and authority. Half a century and…
In some circles, especially among young people, the contribution of the Catholic Church to science and the arts is a well-kept secret. Fr Andrew Pinsent of the Ian Ramsay Centre for Science and Religion, and Fr Marcus Holden from the Shrine of St Augustine in Ramsgate have done more than most to remedy this (e.g.…
Reese Witherspoon could probably have phoned in her performance in this romantic comedy about a woman with two precocious daughters trying to make a new start in life as an interior decorator as she approaches the big four-oh. It won’t tax your brain unduly but if you like Witherspoon, who tends to hoover up the…
The US’s official Marian apparition shrine can learn from Knock, the bishop responsible for the National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help has said. Green Bay’s Bishop David Ricken, who visited the Mayo shrine this week as part of a diocesan pilgrimage to Ireland, told The Irish Catholic that the shrine at Champion, Wisconsin is several…
A Dublin priest was jeered at by mourners when he gave a passionate sermon against crime and drugs during the funeral of a gangland murder victim. Speaking at the funeral of Darragh Nugent – gunned down as part of a west Dublin feud – at the Church of Immaculate Heart of Mary in Rowlagh, Fr…
Limerick diocese is launching preparations for the World Meeting of Families next year with a special ‘Family Fun Day’ in Mary Immaculate College. Everyone in the diocese is invited to the free event on October 8 so “that there is a real experience of the whole diocesan family coming together for a joyful moment”. From…
A statement about the draping of an INLA-linked flag over a coffin at a Co. Derry funeral was intended purely to attract attention, an SDLP MLA has said, describing the episode as “disgusting”. Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP) member David Ward’s funeral in Dungiven saw his coffin draped with the Irish flag and the INLA-linked…
The Archbishop of Dublin has warned against schools watering down Catholic education and called on the whole faith community to get involved in the debate on patronage, as it is “too important to be left to the polemicists and bureaucrats”. Celebrating Mass on Monday evening at the Church of Our Lady Seat of Wisdom at…
An uplifting observational series starting on RTÉ this week will highlight the essential guidance, support and inspiration provided by chaplains. The Ministry of Hope series follows three Irish chaplains over a whole year, as they reach out to people at their moments of greatest vulnerability, to counsel and care for them. Margaret Sleator was one…
Brendan O’Regan
Aubrey Malone
Mags Gargan