The story of how Chester Beatty came to bequeath his collection of oriental art to Ireland is quite well known by now. Although the American-born mining tycoon had some distant Irish ancestry, his decision to move to Dublin resulted from his dislike of the Labour government elected in Britain after World War II. He spent … Read more
Child clerical sexual abuse, denial and cover-up Sir,—I read your editorial (HI 18.3, May/June 2010) with concern because it is upsetting to think of anyone who is usually positive expressing such despair at aspects of present-day life in Ireland. But I have to disagree with your suggestions regarding denial and cover-up of the sexual abuse … Read more
July 17 1935 George William Russell, poet, editor, artist and mystic, known as ‘AE’, died. 18 1610 Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, belligerent Italian painter best remembered for the uncompromising realism of his religious works, died in mysterious circumstances. 21 1920 In Belfast, ‘Protestant and unionist’ workers from Workman Clark’s shipyard marched into … Read more
n Roll up! Roll up! There’s one for everybody! The next decade or so has a virtual conveyor belt of centenaries coming—1912, Home Rule and the Ulster Covenant; 1913, the Dublin Lockout; 1914, the First World War; 1916, the Easter Rising and the Battle of the Somme; 1918, the end of the First World War, … Read more
Islam has become one of the fastest-growing religions and the Muslim population of Ireland has increased significantly in the last twenty years, reaching almost 33,000 according to the 2006 national census, while unofficial estimates suggest a number of around 40,000. The recent growth in numbers of the Muslim community is closely connected to the … Read more