Current Events
Police Reform in Northern Ireland
On “The Conversation,” my friend and colleague Donald Beaudette and I discuss the lessons that the United States can learn from the process of reforming the police in Northern Ireland. Read it here.
Current Events
Gemma O’Doherty Shows Her True Colors
And they’re not green, white, and orange. In an obscene tweet yesterday, Gemma cited a murder in South Africa and then claimed that “multiculturalism” is the problem. In many of Gemma’s racist tweets proclaiming that “Ireland belongs to the Irish,” she has been able to at least nominally pretend that Read more…
Current Events
Ireland is helping Native Americans Battle Coronavirus
This is one of the best stories I’ve seen recently. It is a bright spot in all of the darkness of quarantine, lockdown, sanitize, social distance. Native Americans helped the Irish during the Famine of the 1840s, and in 2020, Irish people are sending aid to Native Americans, who are Read more…
Current Events
Rape Conviction & an Appalling Headline
The Irish Times should be hanging its head in shame today after this disgusting headline: “Two Men Jailed for Raping ‘Blind Drunk’ student in Co Donegal.” Two men were convicted of raping a young woman, who is now in her 20s. The men, Boakye Osei (30), of Tooban, Burnfoot, and Read more…
Current Events
Dáil Éireann convenes to pass emergency bill
The Irish Times is reporting this morning that the Dáil is in session to pass the Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Bill in order to give the government authority to take drastic steps to contain the virus and save the lives of Irish Read more…
Current Events
The Taoiseach Hits a Homerun
I love using baseball metaphors when discussing politics in countries that have no interest in baseball. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar smashed it out of the park last night with his St. Patrick’s Day address to the nation. He spoke about the COVID-19 pandemic in a fashion that was direct, honest, and Read more…
Current Events
St. Patrick’s Day in the Coronavirus Pandemic
Happy St. Patrick’s Day, everyone! Sláinte! I have compiled a list of ways that we can all celebrate St. Patrick’s Day without the traditional venues of pubs and parades. Please feel free to add to this list in the comments. Dye the water green before you wash your hands. Watch Read more…
Current Events
Shameful Paddy’s Day Celebration on Staten Island
The New York Times reported today that the morons in charge of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Staten Island are continuing to ban LGBTQ+ groups from marching in the parade and celebrating their identity as queer and Irish-American (or just Irish). Or queer and Catholic. According to the Times, Read more…
Current Events
General Election 2020: Let Sinn Féin Have a Shot
On Saturday, February 8th, the people of the Republic of Ireland went to the polls to decide which party or parties will guide the country’s future for the next chunk of time—up to 5 years. The votes are still being counted as I write this, however it seems clear at Read more…