Columnists
Home Columnists
Fr Paddy: Seven tips to help you achieve peace of mind
This week we celebrate the effects of the spring equinox. For the next six months there will be more light than darkness.
Light is good...
Martina Mulhall: Student accommodation – don’t get caught out as deadlines for application close
For most students hoping to start their third level education in September securing accommodation is a priority.
Options include on-campus student accommodation, off-campus privately owned...
Fr Paddy: St Patrick’s Day inspires faith and is a global event
As I write this article, Taoiseach Micheál Martin is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on March 12, 2025,...
Fr Paddy: Vocation is a rich and deeply fulfilling way of life
There is a real sense here in Ireland, that the vocation crisis, to the priesthood, is having real consequences in terms of aging clergy...
Fr Paddy: Pope Francis – a voice of sense and reason in a turbulent...
As I write this article, I'm very conscious that the health of Pope Francis, seems to be seriously declining.
Pope Francis has led the Catholic...
Martina Mulhall: Exploring the generous university sports scholarships available
Most universities offer generous scholarships to incoming students.
In many cases entrance awards are offered to those achieving exceptional Leaving Cert results, while some...
Fr Paddy: Make the most of Lent 2025 as we are reminded of Christian...
Our world is indeed going through very troubled times. In a time of turbulence, it is important to be reminded that Christian values such...
Fr Paddy: The life story of Matt Talbot – a powerful recovery
Addiction is lived reality for many good people. The life story of an Irish man and his recovery is an inspirational one.
Matt Talbot was...
Fr Paddy: A different kind of love on St Valentine’s Day
This week we celebrate St Valentine’s Day.
Traditionally this day is associated with romance and love. Historically it is interesting to trace its evolvement.
There were...
Fr Paddy: Tales of wisdom after the storm
Weather wise January 2025 has been dreadful. Because of heavy snow and dangerous pathways, it was reminiscent of lockdown.
The recent storm Eowyn caused devastating...
Martina Mulhall: Leaving Cert subject choice during a busy time at school
Late January and early February is a very busy time for schools.
Leaving Cert students are applying for the CAO and UCAS as well as...
Fr Paddy: St Brigid – A woman of great hope
February is it time of growth and invitation for us all. The light of spring slowly triumphs over winter darkness.
The story and celebration of...
Fr Paddy: The inspirational life of Sister Clare Crockett
The beatification cause of Sister Clare Crockett, an inspirational young Irish religious sister who died in 2016, formally opened Sunday, January 12, with a...
Martina Mulhall: Getting the most out of College Open Days and Virtual Information Sessions
Most colleges held open days during the Autumn term. Some students didn’t get there, and others might have changed their minds about where they...
Martina Mulhall: More new CAO courses to explore including Food, Science, Film, Criminology and...
Many Leaving Cert students are still trying to figure out what courses to put on their CAO form.
Earlier in the year I highlighted new...
Fr Paddy: First 25 years of new Millennium prove to be turbulent chapter for...
Where does time go by? It's hard to believe that it is now 25 years since the world anxiously embraced the new Millennium.
Now, we...
Fr Paddy: May the Lord fill us with health of body and peace of...
As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ this year, I’m conscious of all what we have to be grateful for.
Many long for...
Martina Mulhall: Explaining the process of applying for college courses in the UK
Irish students have been choosing to study in the UK in significant numbers for some time. As many as 5000 applied to universities across...
Fr Paddy: May Christmas 2024 be a time of great blessing
A woman was Christmas shopping with her two children.
After many hours of walking down row after row of toys and after hours of hearing...
Fr Paddy: ‘There is something inherently decent and kind in all our hearts’
More than 300 people recently attended the funeral of a woman in Carlow, after an appeal on social media by a funeral director who...
Martina Mulhall: Explaining HEAR and DARE third level admission schemes
HEAR (Higher Education Access Route) and DARE (Disability Access Route) are third level admissions schemes which promote equity of access to higher education for...
Fr Paddy: The more I care for myself the greater I can care for...
It's wonderful these days to see the brightness of Christmas lights decorating our streets, shops and homes.
In the darkest days of the year, we...
Fr Paddy: The Advent season – a time to get ready for Christmas
There is a story of six people who froze to death around a campfire on a bitterly cold night.
Each had a log of wood...
Adrian Kavanagh: Looking at how Sinn Féin, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil tallied across...
As an electoral geographer who is interested in the minutiae of geographical variations in support patterns for political parties and candidates, there is nothing...
Martina Mulhall: Tips for navigating through the CAO application process
Applications for the CAO (Central Applications Office) which processes all applications to undergraduate courses in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are now open.
And while the...
Fr Paddy: Never underestimate the incredible genius that defines our human spirit
The gift of creativity and vision always brings hope and optimism.
Hope is a great gift and an important value to maintain and cherish these...
Fr Paddy: ‘When we’re refreshed, we can carry on with the burden’
A motivational speaker walked confidently around the room holding a glass of water while leading a seminar on stress management.
Everyone guessed she was going...
Fr Paddy: Alzheimer’s Disease – Who cares for the Carer?
In every community, often silently and heroically, are people who voluntarily care for a vulnerable loved one.
For me personally, those who care for a...
Martina Mulhall: Exploring new courses available as CAO set to open this week
With the Central Applications Office (CAO) opening for applications this week, November 5, it’s a good time to take a look at courses which...
Adrian Kavanagh Column: From 1977 to 2020 – a history of how Laois (and...
This article will offer a very brief history of General Election contests in Laois, or rather Laois-Offaly in most cases, with the focus being...
