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I am no expert but there are a couple of things I believe about music.  Firstly is that nothing is quite as evocative... aromas come close.. but music can bring you, body and soul to another place in a very complete way.  Secondly I believe that our musical tastes are...

Recently I have seen two ads which have made me cross.  The first one I encountered some weeks back, over my breakfast while perusing the Irish Times (one of my most cherished times of day).   Turning the page my eye was caught by an ad for Harvey Nichols which...

A new magazine dropped onto my desk this week......You have no idea how I have longed to use that phrase.  Are you picturing me working in a fabulous office where, a constant stream of products drop onto my lap seeking my imprimatur?  In fact my desk is in my emigrant...

What is this nonsense about Ryanair possibly going to buy Aer Lingus?  Ryanair – that cheeky upstart of an airline, which I accept was almost entirely responsible for making flying affordable for us Irish, stranded as we are on this rocky, green, damp island on the...

So, Euro2012 wasn’t quite an Italia90! Back in 1990 things just kept getting better as our national soccer team led the entire country on a magical journey all the way to the semi finals where if I am not mistaken we were finally beaten by Italy.  It was a special...

Today is voting day in the EU Treaty Referendum.  For the last month or so we have been deafened by conflicting voices telling us what they think we should do.  I am not going to rehash any of the debates (although most of them descended into shouting matches) but...

This is a beautiful and thought provoking short film.... and it was made over a cold bright weekend in winter on Dun Laoghaire Pier... and you might recognise someone.Enjoy[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LX8X7KhIzLA?fs=1]

You can listen to my piece entitled The Wrong Bus which was broadcast last Sunday on RTE Radio One's Sunday Miscellany by clicking here.  I am the third contributor at about 19 minutes in.  And do also listen to the beautiful piece of music played afterwards - by Paco...

In the recent past Ireland has proved herself to be a dangerous place for young children, particularly those who had connection with the Catholic Church and some of her deviant priests.  Although the said church still seems to have a problem grasping the extent and...

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yU4ndz2o3bI?fs=1]I loved Paul Torday’s novel Salmon Fishing in the Yemen.  It was a book that was immediately witty, clever, satirical but also gentle, with finely drawn characters whose pursuit of love and the meaning of life...

This is what I hope will be the first in a series of blog posts about our visit to Australia to visit emigrant daughter, Carla. In this first post I focus on Australia's amazing wildlife.Stepping out of the modest terminal building, into the heat soaked air of late...