I love nothing more than a good story. If you're looking for someone who appreciates beautiful prose or elaborate explorations of characters, you're probably on the wrong blog, because what I want from a book is to be engaged by the story. Good prose and solid characterisations help along the way, but it's a good [...]
h/t broadsheet.ie This is an interesting one. Cork GAA fans are up in arms about being asked not to bring the Confederate flag to matches due to its recent association with a racist attack on a church in the US. We had Cork-based singer-songwriter Karen Underwood on the show to talk about it last [...]
It seems Eamon Gilmore is right: Gay rights are the civil rights issue of this generation. Legislation enacted this year in Russia forbids gay couples from adopting Russian children, and also forbids adoption of Russian children by any couple or single parent in any country that has legalised marriage equality. It comes on top [...]
“Sure you know what I mean…” The call to complicity is one we hear all the time. It’s the stock response from anyone called out on discrimination, and it’s all too easy to just nod along and mumble “yeah, I do”. “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me” is a [...]
Tree lined boulevards, undulating green hills dotted with red roofed buildings and the occasional steel and glass of modernity... Kigali is not what most of us would expect from an African capital. The main roads are in better shape than most of those in Ireland; there is very little litter; traffic is busy but not crazy; [...]
I spoke to Sean Moncrieff on Thursday about a couple of items, mainly this one, which really incensed me! For some background have a look at this YouTube clip of Senator Paschal Mooney talking about taxi drivers. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OYOtVo8Kq0&feature=youtu.be] I've written about this issue before . Have a listen to News and a Natter from Thursday here. [...]
In the last 24 hours, I have heard three different people say: "I'd hate to live with a Chink. They smell, you know." "His children? [referring to well-known Irish man of mixed race] You'll find them in the zoo." "He's foreign, but he's gorgeous. It's ok, I checked, he's not Polish." Edit: Is this [...]
“We should round them all up.” No, not a cowboy. Or Hitler. A Cork taxi driver whose cab I had the misfortune of taking on Monday. I rarely take taxis. When I do, I always chat to the driver; I find they can often be very well informed, as they spend more time listening [...]
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