It was only a matter of time before the conspiracy theorists turned their attention to the young climate activist, Greta Thunberg.How come a 16-year-old girl from Sweden could emerge as the so-called savior of the planet, they asked. Well, armed with a photograph found in the library archive of the University of...
Author: John O Connor
‘Church has crossed two, blood-red lines’
‘Church has crossed two, blood-red lines’
One of the most outspoken writers on matters affecting the Catholic Church in Ireland is Fr Brendan Hoban, a founder member of the Association of Catholic Priests.Therefore, it was with some surprise that I read a recent column in which he declares that he has just received the best news about the Church in forty...
Don’t slam the door!
Don’t slam the door!
Over the years I have literally sat through thousands of court cases and I think I am correct in saying that Irish judges do not send people to jail lightly.No wonder then that a case reported in the Virginia Pilot regional newspaper in the US caught my eye. Before the court on a relatively minor matter was a...
Goodbye to Gay
Goodbye to Gay
It’s hard to believe that the great Gay Byrne has gone to his eternal reward. RTE gave him a great send-off last week and it was well deserved and well received by the public. By now most people are aware of his huge contribution to social change in Ireland and it certainly was immense. His colleague John Bowman, I...
Dead rock stars generate big cash
Dead rock stars generate big cash
It’s been said that some famous people generate more money dead than alive and a classic example of that surfaced last week when a cigarette-burned, old cardigan once worn by Kurt Cobain sold for close to €300,000 at an auction of rock memorabilia held at the Hard Rock Cafe, New York. Cobain wore the green cardigan...
‘It has to be said’ – Fr Brian D’Arcy
‘It has to be said’ – Fr Brian D’Arcy
Congratulations to Fr Brian D’Arcy who celebrates the Golden Jubilee of his ordination to the priesthood this coming December.Perhaps best known as an honorary chaplain to the entertainment industry, he was known for many years as ‘The Showband Priest’. A broadcaster and journalist, Brian has always been frank and...
'It has to be said’ – Fr Brian D’Arcy
'It has to be said’ – Fr Brian D’Arcy
Congratulations to Fr Brian D’Arcy who celebrates the Golden Jubilee of his ordination to the priesthood this coming December.Perhaps best known as an honorary chaplain to the entertainment industry, he was known for many years as ‘The Showband Priest’. A broadcaster and journalist, Brian has always been frank and...
Island is being devoured by goats
Island is being devoured by goats
Some time ago on this page, I wrote about how small herds of goats were making a lot of money for their owners in the United States and in some parts of Britain and Europe. Basically, goats will eat and chew almost anything so when local authorities want urban sites with difficult terrains cleared for consturction,...
Beware of on-line crooks
Beware of on-line crooks
Thousands of computers in this country that use Windows 7 will be vulnerable to on-line scammers and crooks in the coming months.Microsoft is due to withdraw its IT support that protects Windows 7 from viruses and malware except for those who buy new PCs or pay a new premium for extended security support. Many...
Loneliness of the mid-week drinker
Loneliness of the mid-week drinker
Most people are aware that the licensed trade is facing many difficulties that few anticipated not too many years ago. The lowering of drink driving limits and the harshness of penalties has been a major factor. Even when people are not driving they are mindful of being breath-tested the next morning, a practice that...
The year 2050 – how earth survived
The year 2050 – how earth survived
The September issue of Time Magazine is a special climate production featuring a main article written by Bill McKribben who assumes the role of a writer summing up the world climate situation in the year 2050. Bill McKibben is an American environmentalist, author, and journalist who has written extensively on the...
Modern medicine aided by old cures is your only man!
Modern medicine aided by old cures is your only man!
A friend of a friend is a hale and hearty 92-year-old woman who spoke recently about her longevity and good health. She knows that modern medicine and the good genes she inherited from her parents have played a major part in her well being but she is also a great believer in old cures as passed down from her...