Notebook In recent days four people of my acquaintance have tested positive for Covid-19. The four are from different age groups and all have been fully vaccinated in recent months. In all four cases, the positive test has meant that their families and others within their circles are isolating. This personal experience is having a…
Children’s Corner The oldest evidence of the use of musical instruments dates back tens of thousand of years ago, with ancient flutes often discovered carved out of bone. Humanity has certainly come a long way since then in terms of technological advances in music and instruments. Now a person just needs a computer to recreate…
The Sunday Gospel Fr Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap. While the Assumption of Mary has been celebrated for over a thousand years, the doctrine of her assumption was officially defined as late as 1950. To mark the occasion, the famous novelist, Graham Greene, who had been received into the Catholic Church shortly before that, was asked…
Normally I’d be very pleased to find a programme where the Rosary figured prominently but on the main channels this doesn’t happen very often. However, it was a mixed blessing on The 8th (RTÉ One, Wednesday) that much-hyped documentary on the repeal of the Eighth Amendment. It’s often said that the victor writes the history,…
Dear Editor, As Clomaney country music festival, Fleadh Cheoil, Galway races, and the ploughing championships are all cancelled, I decided to do something this summer. So instead of a staycation I did a praycation. So off to Holy Cross Abbey in Rostrevor, Co. Down for a week. The experience was silent especially with the monks…
The Last Bus is an offbeat story about a widowed pensioner (Timothy Spall) who travels from John O’Groats to Land’s End with his wife’s ashes in a suitcase. He uses only local buses. The people he meets on his journey – the longest one can make in Britain – help him deal with his loss.…
New allegations against David Haas prompt publisher to cut ties with composer A top publisher of hymns will stop publishing works by David Haas after receiving additional allegations of sexual misconduct against the embattled Catholic composer. “We have suspended our publishing and sponsorship relationship with Mr Haas and have also removed his music, books, and…
St Kevin and the birds The little monasteries of early Christian Ireland derived their monastic ideals from the desert fathers of Egypt. But instead of some cave or remote hill top such as was to be found in the Libyan desert or in Sinai, they remained faithful to the notions of the ancient Celts, whose…
Two more bishops have decided to join colleagues and forge ahead with First Holy Communion and Confirmation ceremonies this month as Ireland’s bishops remain sharply divided on the issue. Bishop Donal McKeown of the Diocese of Derry and auxiliary Bishop Michael Router in Armagh archdiocese, which both straddle the border, confirmed to The Irish Catholic…
There are many people who want to publicly express the Faith but fear “ridicule” in Ireland, according to the Primate of All-Ireland and the Archbishop of Armagh. Archbishop Eamon Martin was speaking on St Patrick’s Podcast, which operates out of the Saint Patrick Centre in Co. Down. He was asked what he would ban from…
Chai Brady
Brendan O’Regan
Aubrey Malone
Peter Costello