The death last Thursday of the writer and broadcaster Manchán Magan has been greeted with a huge wave of sadness right across Ireland, in keeping with his monumental contributions to Irish life and culture.

I think it’s fair to say that a sense of humour is not among the most obvious of our national characteristics. Unlike, for example, our nearest neighbour.

Every place by the sea in the West should have an outdoor tidal pool like they have in Belmullet. That tidal pool, located along the Shore Road, has been around for over 40 years. It is an absolutely fantastic amenity and resource.

So here's a thing. Apparently, I'm menopausal. Yes, me. Despite having never possessed the requisite plumbing for such an endeavour, I am now, according to medical fashion, experiencing my very own version of The Change.

As an Irish emigrant in America, I often find myself comparing the two societies. For years, Ireland looked west for inspiration on diversity and progress. The 'Land of the Free' was the ultimate model we all compared ourselves to.

Last week I had never heard of a Hermes Kelly bag. I’m not sure my wife would take kindly to me spending €20,000 on such an accessory as a gift for her.

The presidential election is leisurely stumbling toward a conclusion as, to use a biblical reference, ‘the sheep’ (those deemed entitled to compete in the upcoming election) are being separated from ‘the goats’ (those deemed unworthy of competing ...

Now that we know who the candidates are, perhaps it is time to think about what we want from our next President. The role can be summarised into three areas.

The sudden death of Dr John Bradley last week has robbed the West of Ireland of one of its most powerful and brilliant advocates.

It has been a good year for apples; people who never had an apple, including myself, have apples this time. It will be a record tart and apple jelly season… and maybe some experimentation with brewing a drop of cider.