Ireland’s Eye

DRIVE through the peace walls of north and west and Belfast and you will be struck by the number of Palestinian and Israeli flags. The tragedy unfolding in the Middle-East has divided opinion around the world and deepened disagreement in Ireland....

IT is the largest body of fresh water in Britain and Ireland covering 151 square miles in the heart of Ulster. Together with the River Bann, which flows in from the south and out from the north, it is a dividing line in Northern Ireland. To the...

IRISH policing is in turmoil. Simon Byrne, chief constable of the Police Service of Northern, has apologised but refused to resign after an unprecedented security breach which saw the personal details of 10,000 serving officers and civilian support...

IRELAND’S public sector broadcasters have got themselves into a terrible state and there is anger over the airwaves. In Northern Ireland questions are being asked about the British Broadcasting Corporation’s Nolan Show and the eye-watering sums...

WE talk a lot about culture in Ireland, there are even those who believe we are engaged in a culture war over the future of the place, but the sad reality is that the arts are neglected and abused. They have been a political football since...

IRELAND prides itself upon its reputation as a society which is welcoming to strangers and willing to offer refuge to people in need. For over 300 years Irish people have been forced from their homes by war, famine and disease and have put down...

IN Ardoyne there were gun battles between troops and the provisional IRA almost every night. Soldiers would take cover behind garden walls to return fire. In the morning children would collect spent cartridges as trophies. A friend, now a senior...

THERE will be two significant anniversaries in Ireland this year. One will be celebrated by the great and the good, including former taoisigh, prime ministers and presidents, in a blaze of publicity. The other will pass almost unnoticed though the...

THE transgender phenomenon is a new sexual revolution and fast becoming the defining issue of this demanding decade. It is only a matter of time before Ireland is faced with a difficult test case and I shudder to think how it will divide opinion in...

UP to 150,000 people go missing in Ireland and Britain every year causing great distress to their loved ones. Most return home within a few days or get in touch with friends and family to indicate they are safe and well. Sadly in some cases a body...

THERE is a growing consensus in academic circles that a referendum on Irish unity will be held sometime in the next decade. The latest polling undertaken by the ARINS Project, a joint initiative of the Royal Irish Academy and the University of...

THE Banshees of Inisherin is a masterpiece of modern filmmaking with splendid performances by every member of the cast. It has already won accolades for Colin Farrell and producer Martin McDonagh and will earn itself a place at the pinnacle of...