Democracy and Public Happiness

Posted on 27. Jun, 2007 in Book Reviews, Community, Environment, Faith and Justice

How can we ensure that our voices are heard, our views respected and our opinions considered by those who govern? How does democracy relate to power  – to politics and politicians – and why do people lose faith in ‘the politicians’?  Eileen Good spoke to Edmond Grace about these issues in his new book and […]

YMCA

Posted on 12. Jun, 2007 in Community, Relationships, Youth

YMCA Ireland is a cross denominational organisation committed to actively responding to local, youth and community needs.  World wide YMCA is in 120 countries with a membership of 30 million.  Ken Rue is director of the Dublin Branch and he told Eileen Good about the organisation in Ireland – she first asked him if the […]

Polish Press in Ireland

Posted on 30. May, 2007 in Community, Media

Anna Paś is editor and co founder of two polish papers, The Polski Express which is printed fortnightly and costs €1 and Life in Ireland which is a free magazine, both were set up in 2006.  Anna explained why there was a market for two Polish papers in Ireland.  Although the papers are targeted towards […]

Macra’s New President

Posted on 30. May, 2007 in Achievement, Community, Feminism/Women in the Church

Macra Na Feirme, one of Ireland’s oldest farm organisations, has recently elected Catherine Buckley as president making her first female president.  Catherine Buckley comes from Rylane, Muskerry in Co Cork and shared with Miriam over the phone what it meant for her to be the first woman president of such a traditionally male dominated organisation. 

Brendan’s Pilgrimage

Posted on 30. May, 2007 in Community, Faith and Justice, Pilgrimage, Spirituality

This is a season for pilgrimage, but while many pilgrimages have become a fairly easygoing holiday with some devotions, Brendan McManus, a Jesuit working as editor of AMDG express, decided to go for a real challenge.  He chose to walk the route of Ignatius Loyola, on his own spiritual journey, who went from Loyola in […]

Education – An Election Issue

Posted on 16. May, 2007 in Community, Education

Government Education Policy is one of the key issues in the election campaign. Investment in education is widely regarded as having played a key role in laying the foundations for Ireland’s economic success over the past decade, yet many young people are still leaving school early with either poor or no qualifications – and are […]

Bealtaine Creativity

Posted on 16. May, 2007 in Community, Different abilities, Relationships

A mother of 11 children, Mamo McDonald is well known in Ireland and beyond for her leadership of the Irish Country Women’s Association in the 1980s.  She has been involved with Age & Opportunity since it was first set up in 1987 and is currently involved in the Bealtaine project, where the arts are celebrated.  […]

CD in Praise of Mary

Posted on 02. May, 2007 in Church Teachings, Community, Music, Retreats

The Nuns in St. Mary’s Abbey in Glencairn, Co. Waterford are Ireland’s only Cistercian nuns -an enclosed order.  This year they are celebrating 75 years in Glencairn where they constantly receive visitors, some for retreat, some day trippers, to experience time-out, peace, and rediscover their spirituality. To mark their 75 years the nuns are planning […]

Support When Needed

Posted on 02. May, 2007 in Community, Depression, Different abilities, Mental Health

Recent tragic events in Wexford have left many people looking for answers regarding support networks around the country, particularly for those with any disabilities.  What supports should be put in place to ensure this doesn’t happen again?  Miriam Gormally met Deirdre Carroll, CEO of Inclusion Ireland to find out whether this incident would raise questions […]

Brazilians in Gort

Posted on 18. Apr, 2007 in Community, Relationships

Gort is a small town in south County Galway that has been transformed over the last ten years by the arrival of a large community of Brazilians.  Currently over a third of the community are now Brazilian and the numbers continue to grow.  Miriam Gormally met Seán Mullins the owner of O’Grady’s, the local pub […]