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
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
Free Contraception
The report of the Working Group on Access to Contraception was released today. The report follows the commitment made by Minister for Health Simon Harris to make contraception free for everyone–men, women, nonbinary–by 2021. According to the report’s estimates this will cost €80-€100 million per year. While that amount might Read more…
Current Events
Justin Barrett Hates Democracy
If you don’t believe me, believe him: Barrett’s language indicates anti-democratic, anti-pluralist tendencies: Who is Barrett referring to when he says “ancestors”? Daniel O’Connell certainly fought for Ireland’s right to be counted in a representative democracy as he rallied the Irish people for Catholic emancipation. O’Connell fought for “civil rights, Read more…
Irish Crafts
Celtic Cabled Knitting
Are you a knitter who has always admired cabled Aran sweaters, but think they look too complicated to give it a go yourself? Fear not, my friends: cabled knitting is a lot easier than you think! And, what’s more, it’s easy to do if you already know how to knit Read more…