Pointed reference – Frank McNally on the importance of being salient
Peace explains why the term “Monaghan Salient” has fallen out of use
Sleeveen and Jackeen: A History of Ireland in 100 diminutives
Number 70: Drisheen (stuffed small intestines of sheep, considered food in Cork)
(Southern) Cross Country – Frank McNally on Argentina’s 150-year-old Irish newspaper
The world’s longest-running Irish newspaper produced outside Ireland, and among the oldest of any kind in Argentina
Funny Peculiar – Frank McNally on the unhilarious St Hilary and the legal term named after him
The ancient Romans used to host Hilaria: public holidays marked by ceremonial rejoicing
House Private – Frank McNally on the apparent occupation of 15 Usher’s Island
The short manifesto in the window has more than twice as many full stops – five – as Molly Bloom’s entire soliloquy
Mapped Out – Frank McNally on a wealthy namesake’s mansion, destroyed in the Los Angeles fires
The house was built in 1887 for the Armagh-born multimillionaire Andrew McNally
Sculptor Exculpated – Frank McNally on the forgotten Irish creator of one of England’s most infamous statues
John Cassidy’s gravestone, in the Catholic section of Manchester’s Southern Cemetery, makes no mention of his Irish origins
Just a tweak, mid-winter – Frank McNally on the ups and downs of Christmas
They say mishaps come in threes so now I’m waiting for the next one, which is the worst part
Name Shame – Frank McNally on the continuing tragedy of the forename “Kevin” and a bad night for “Shamrock” in London
A dramatic decline in a name’s prestige
Kiss of Death? – Frank McNally on the rise and fall of mistletoe
The plant and its associated kissing custom continue to be rare here
O Holy Fright – Frank McNally on an ‘uplifting’ carol service
The world premiere of David Stifter’s hymn, set to music by Ryan Molloy, was a triumph
Keeping it lit – Frank McNally on attending the global premiere of Gloomsday
The chronological aphelion of Bloomsday
Decayed Centenary - Frank McNally on the history of Irish brain rot
A rather uninspired choice as Oxford University Press word of the year? Maybe not
The Eyes Have It - Frank McNally on the feast day of St Lucy
The name Lucy shares its origins with the word lux, Latin for light, so it’s no coincidence her feast day coincides with the darkest time of the year
No Bloom at the Inn – Frank McNally on the delayed debut of a new (and old) Dublin pub
I just hope the ghost of Burton’s most famous non-customer has not entered an objection