Taxing times: Frank McNally on what links Thomas Kinsella, TK Whitaker and Myles na gCopaleen
It all started in December 1965, when Revenue returned a cheque sent by the curmudgeonly Irish Times columnist
An Irish Diary
An Irish Diary
‘As Irish as the pigs of Drogheda’ – Frank McNally on rise and fall of street singer Mary Connolly
After the Easter Rising, her patriotic ballads struck a chord with the public
Pucking for peace: Frank McNally joins the Irish Friends of Canada on a trip to watch ice hockey in Belfast
There was no violence at the ice hockey on Sunday, I’m happy to report
Firm foundations: Colette Sheridan on a Cork architectural dynasty
Three generations of the same family made important contributions to the culture and commercial life of the city
Brought to book: Alison Healy on some unwise rejections of authors’ manuscripts by publishers
An American publisher dismissed them as unfunny, senseless and dull
Born-Again Brigit - Birthday boy Frank McNally on the rebranding of February 1st
Unlike St Patrick, there is no historical record of her life, so her identity can be endlessly refreshed or reimagined
Poolbeg Lighthouse – Frank McNally on the death of a much-loved Dublin barman
According to the pub’s official statement, Noel’s reign behind the counter was 49 years
Abbey Theatre riots: All theatrical hell broke loose at The Plough and the Stars 100 years ago
Critic Joseph Holloway witnessed the chaotic scenes, where actors broke character to forcibly remove audience members from the stage
Turbulent priest: Frank McNally on fascism, real and fictional, in 1930s America
Born in Canada of poor Irish emigrants, Fr Coughlin began broadcasting sermons to counter the anti-Catholicism then rife in the US
Rain, hail or shine? Áine Ryan on trying to predict the weather before the phone-app age
With the help of a hot whiskey or two, I somehow divined that one of the island’s fishing boats was making a run to Roonagh
Highland fling: Mae Leonard celebrates Robert Burns birthday in Scotland
The poet’s legacy lives on in poetry and music
The spat between Elon Musk and Michael O’Leary was more than just a spat
Despite being widely considered a bit of a loudmouth in Ireland, the Ryanair boss has been practising self-deprecation for decades
Who fears to speak of ’76? Frank McNally on US Independence, the Catalpa rescue, and the Battle of Little Bighorn
British army deserter McNally joined the Fenians, which earned him a sentence of penal servitude for life in Australia
The other Lemass shooting: Frank McNally on a dark moment in the life of a future taoiseach
His sister Ciara heard a bang, then saw the child fall, with a fatal wound to the head
Life Imitating Art: Frank McNally on the Art O’Neill challenge, recreating an actual 1592 jailbreak
Confusingly for some of us, the pursuers had set off earlier on Friday night, before the escapees
In floods: Colette Sheridan braves the storm for Hamnet
The portents were not good: grey clouds and enveloping darknessnd enveloping darkness
Work out: Alison Healy’s advice to those thinking of changing jobs at this time of year
If you are considering pulling the emergency evacuation lever on your own career, timing is crucial
Terminal Condition – the unfortunate origins of Dublin’s Townsend Street
We are where we are, as the politicians say
Did ‘divine intervention’ on Merrion Street lead to a cure for leprosy?
As with many great discoveries, there was an element of chance involved for Cork-born scientist Vincent Barry
Fool’s paradise: Frank McNally on a cliche beloved of obituarists
Not a day passes when a writer does not note that the deceased ‘didn’t suffer fools gladly’
A Tale of Two Hospitals – Frank McNally on the architectural dramas of Kilmainham
Royal Hospital there was built as home for old and wounded soldiers at time of relative peace
The small patch of Dublin where the Jameses – Joyce and Connolly – passed each other by
Both men had considerably different views on life, but their worlds intersected through writing
Golden years: Colm Keena on why Dublin was the best place to be growing up in the 1970s
What surprised me was how much I liked the guns - and I also learned how to throw grenades
The pledge: Denis McClean on the pitfalls along the way to giving up the demon drink
Trust your instincts and know that one must always be on guard against the begrudgers
Rewrites and Wrongs: Frank McNally on reinterpreting Thin Lizzy for a new generation
I may have been lulled into a false sense of senility by the opening verse
Sinners’ redemption: Frank McNally on vampires, Irish music and the Ku Klux Klan
Ryan Coogler’s film Sinners features trad music and vampirism, and has macabre echoes of a real-life event 100 years ago
Good (and Bad) Vibrations – Frank McNally on Vibe for Philo, immersive James Joyce and 4DX Avatar
Some Lizzy veterans must have worried they’d slipped into the next world
Stepping out: How the wondrous benefits of walking have been brought to book
Stephen Graham’s maxim was: ‘The less you carry, the more you will see’
Blood simple: Alison Healy on the vital importance of a selfless, life-saving act
Irish people should be world leaders at offering our blood to strangers but, unfortunately, we are not
Hibernian Rhapsody: Frank McNally on the rise of a great football anthem, Sunshine on Leith
You might question the wisdom of the ballad’s central metaphor as a guarantor of success in relationships or football
Just the ticket: Why tangible mementoes will always have a place in a digital world
The barcodes on the tickets seemed intact, though there was always a chance they wouldn’t scan properly on the day
Tony Soprano was right, the best is over: An Irish Diary on the decline of regional papers
Connacht Tribune had worldwide scoop when aviators Alcock and Brown landed outside Clifden in 1919
‘Every hip, young thing in south County Dublin seemed to be partying it up at Leopardstown’
Leppers, lepers and the Lep: the racing festival on St Stephen’s Day
I had the flu recently, and it taught me the power of terrestrial daytime TV
When ill with the flu, I craved quizzes, recovering animals and countryside homes
Crosswords & Puzzles
Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained
Common Ground
How does a post-Brexit world shape the identity and relationship of these islands
The GlossOpens in new window
Read the digital edition of The Gloss magazine now
Family NoticesOpens in new window
Weddings, Births, Deaths and other family notices