As I stepped into the Church of the Holy Rosary in Castlebar, the air thick with anticipation, I couldn't help but marvel at the timeless spectacle about to unfold.

Few garments in the grand tapestry of human history have achieved the iconic status and cultural resonance of the Roman Catholic priest's white collar.

There was a time in the Ox Mountain region when the Pine Marten was unheard of, its Irish home largely confined to the woods around Killarney and the worn limestone walls of the Burren in County Clare.

One has to be so very careful when writing a column such as this.

On Friday, June 28, at 2pm, our world changed forever. My Dad peacefully passed away. He had no pain, he was surrounded by his family and he was at peace. I am now at peace for him.

Amanda Gray has always had a calling towards working with people who have intellectual or physical disabilities.

‘If he runs, it’s over, period’ — the text glared at me from my phone, and I was at a loss for words. We had just left my local Ralph’s grocery store, the evening breeze offering a welcome break from the relentless summer heat of Southern California.

John O’Mahony was a brilliant football manager and a thoroughly decent man. I was deeply saddened to hear of John’s passing early on Sunday morning.

More than ever today, we are taken with the idea of celebrity. Meeting a personal hero or having a well-known personality visit our locality is still a big deal for most people.

"This isn't a Christian thing to do!" he shouted, eyes wide in anger, his dark skin blending into the room's gloom.