Non Habemus Librum: Frank McNally on Flann O’Brien’s unwritten epic about the election of an Irish pope
Like many unwritten masterpieces, the book was born and died in a Dublin pub
An Irish Diary
An Irish Diary
Frightfully unfashionable: Frank McNally on the century-long decline of adverbs
‘Beastly’ and ‘ghastly’ were still going strong in the mid-20th century novels of Enid Blyton, but ‘awfully’ and ‘frightfully’ were dying out
A count in arrears – Frank McNally on a first-ever solo exhibition of the life and work of Casimir Markievicz
Markievicz was a prominent figure in Dublin’s social and artistic life for a decade
The Impartial Reporter: Celebrating 200 years of one of Ireland’s oldest provincial newspapers
The Impartial Reporter ran stories of the Great Famine, the Home Rule crisis and covered the Easter Rising of 1916
Gone but not forgotten: final beats of the Dublin Metropolitan Police
Force that had policed the capital for almost 90 years vanished 100 years ago this month
The Green Road on Clare Island isn’t really a road
The island in Clew Bay was purchased by the Congested Districts Board in 1895
Over on Out: Frank McNally gets to the bottom of a mysteriously familiar phrase
`It took out’ was a common phrase among the people of Cullyhanna, Crossmaglen, and Culloville
All Yellow - Frank McNally on singing Emily Dickinson, Joyce’s advanced maths, and quantum mechanics in Blackrock
I now know, for good or bad, most if not all of Dickinson’s poems can be sung to the tune of a traditional American ballad, The Yellow Rose of Texas
Out of My Mind? Frank McNally on a search for the sentence-ending superlative, ‘took out’
Investigating what I thought was a common figure of speech has led to some bewildering results
A literary stroll: Frank McNally explores the streets of Dublin’s north inner city
I like to imagine Emily Dickinson sitting on the Royal Canal bench discussing punctuation with Brendan Behan
Sherlock Homes and a curious tale of fiddles, bagpipes and the trees of Cremona
Famous literary detective had an intriguing knowledge of Italian violin manufacture
Broad church – Alyson Gavin Lysaght on the Anglican Church of St John the Evangelist in Sandymount
Before the first World War it was the target of riotous demonstrations by members of Dublin’s Orange Order protesting at its ‘Romish’ liturgy
Confounding Father - Frank McNally on the centenary of a radical Irish-American priest.
Fr Peter Yorke played a central role in politics, journalism and labour relations in the San Francisco archdiocese
The Irish (and Redmondite) origins of the Augusta National Clubhouse
Denis Redmond who designed what is now the clubhouse might be baffled by what it has become
Dooley Dooby Doo - Frank McNally with more on the origins of a famous “Joycean” ballad
Sheet music of the Jerome song sold a million copies
Child of Prague Spring – Frank McNally on a sun-soaked country wedding
The Child of Prague is a statue of limitations, apparently: its responsibilities begin and end with blue skies
“Put him in to get him out” — Brian Maye on Easter Rising veteran Joe McGuinness
His byelection victory in 1917 was an indication of a profound change in the direction of Irish politics
‘I’m from The Irish Times,’ I said. ‘This is massage parlour,’ she replied
Colm Keena: My professional life has been spent wandering the city, poking into places I might not be welcome
War and diplomacy – John Mulqueen on how Anglo-Irish relations deteriorated during the Falklands conflict
Following the crisis, Thatcher remained angry with Haughey
Music to our ears – Paul Clements on 150 years of the Belfast Philharmonic Society
The Phil has survived two world wars, the Spanish flu pandemic, the partition of Ireland, three decades of the Troubles, and Covid-19
Shades of Gray — Brian Maye on pioneering idealist Sir John Gray
He was knighted for his contribution to the Vartry water scheme in 1863
No expenses spared – Alison Healy on a journalistic tradition
Expense claims were always ripe for a little embellishment
Early bird special — Alison Healy on a reign of aerial attacks
The car resembled one of Jackson Pollock’s finest abstract works
Escape artist — Harry Houdini in Ireland
Houdini confided to his wife Bess that his Belfast performance of 1909 was the toughest of his career to date
A Game of Two Calves (and several cows): Frank McNally on Patrick Kavanagh’s imagination, mysterious street names, and a bovine legend
On the stem of memory . . .
Detour de Force – Frank McNally on William Bulfin’s unwitting side-trip into literary history
We now know that Bulfin was in the Martello Tower at Sandycove, and that his hosts would later be immortalised in Joyce’s Ulysses
Barroom Bard – Frank McNally on the fictional Mr Dooley, whose thoughts were once required reading in the White House
Finley Peter Dunne first adopted the Hiberno-English patois in his newspaper columns as a defensive ruse, to confuse lawyers
The definite article – Brian Maye on Michael Joseph O’Rahilly, The O’Rahilly
Tragically, he was shot while leading a charge up Moore Street to protect the evacuation of the GPO
Into the light — Paul Clements on photographer Alexander Hogg
Hogg’s work stretched from the days of Victorian horse-drawn ambulances to the arrival of motor cars and aircraft
Friends in high places – John Mulqueen on Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington’s American tour
In addition to Eleanor Roosevelt, Sheehy-Skeffington met a number of prominent women during her coast to coast US tour, including three Congresswomen
Art Attack – Frank McNally on the dangers of passive exposure to art and culture
“Europe’s largest digital art screen” now occupies the front lawn of the Irish Museum of Modern Art
No-Ivy Day at the Committee Room - Frank McNally on an Oval Office mystery
Something is conspicuously missing
Old Mister Brenon - Frank McNally on a remarkable Dublin-born Hollywood director and his even more remarkable father
One judge was sufficiently impressed by Brenon snr to issue a backhanded compliment
Gnomes of Donegal - Frank McNally on William Allingham’s peculiar brand of Irishness
His verse revealed the temperament and spirit of Ireland
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE...
Crosswords & Puzzles
Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained
Six Nations 2025
Get the latest news, analysis and match reports from the M6N and W6N championships
Common Ground
How does a post-Brexit world shape the identity and relationship of these islands
Family NoticesOpens in new window
Weddings, Births, Deaths and other family notices