People lived, worked and died on the Inishkea Islands over a period of 4,000 years and perhaps even longer, writes BRIAN DORNAN.

In defence of a country I’ve spent the last year criticising.

Those of us who are fortunate to have our roots anchored in this little slice of heavenly beauty in the West of Ireland may count ourselves blessed, writes DAVID FARRELL.

Next month marks the centenary of the first-ever All-Ireland senior football championship to be won by a Connacht county. In Ballinasloe in November, Galway hosted a celebration of the first of their nine All-Ireland titles.

The contribution of boxers connected with Mayo to the sport in the United States is truly quite remarkable, writes KEVIN MARTIN.

The whole point of Christmas is to step back from life's daily grind and to remember that we are not machines, but people who need each other, CONOR McGUIRE

For Christians everywhere, Easter is reputed to be the most important feast of the year. And, officially it is, but, truth to tell, in the public consciousness, Christmas wins hands down.

Whatever you call it, you can only praise it, most especially this time of year. For Ireland West Airport Knock, or Knock Airport as it is to all of us, is never more appreciated than at Christmas. In this season, it brings joy to our world.

In the West of Ireland, Christmas has always been about the eagerly-anticipated return of our exiles, writes ADRIAN LANGAN

A hitherto hidden gem of the West is fast becoming the real port of entry to Ireland for overseas visitors, writes TOM GILMORE.