Telling the truth is a no-no in Irish politics

It’s a truth rarely acknowledged in Irish politics that, well, the truth is rarely acknowledged in Irish politics. Families are ‘hardworking’, even those who aren’t. All pensioners are lonely and impoverished. The middle classes are ‘squeezed’, even when they demonstrably are well able to afford two cars and three holidays a year. The over 70s [...]

Travel Thursday: Port au Prince, 2010

In 2010 I visited Port au Prince, Haiti, with the Irish charity Haven. Branding for Denis O'Brien's Digicel towered over UN refugee camps, cluttered market stalls, and even coated roadside shacks (I had never before seen the developing country 'fashion' of having your house painted for free by an advertising company... I'm amazed it's never taken [...]