It seems as if religion is the last tabooReligious practice has many positive effects, and we should try and harness those benefitsSat Apr 04 2009 - 01:00
System failing to protect children at riskState bodies and NGOs as well as the church must be accountable for deficient servicesSat Jan 10 2009 - 00:00
Contemplating the educational road less travelledHome education is still very much a minority option in Ireland but numbers are growing, writes Breda O'BrienSat Sept 20 2008 - 01:00
Recession could have a silver lining for us and planetStress, excess and environmental damage are just some things we might usefully jettison in leaner times, writes Breda O'Brien…Sat Jul 19 2008 - 01:00
Same-sex relationships no substitute for marriageA gay partnership is different, as it cannot provide a child with a mother and a father, writes Breda O'Brien.Sat Jul 12 2008 - 01:00
Activists using 'homophobia' label as bullying tacticIt takes courage to champion traditional marriage, knowing it will unleash invective from alleged liberals, writes Breda O'Brien…Sat Jul 05 2008 - 01:00
It is better to avoid making hijab a major issueAs a society, we need to discuss why we have particular rules, but be careful of how we do soSat May 31 2008 - 01:00
Active lay people help church to overcome difficultiesThe Irish Catholic Church is undergoing a resurgence with the laity playing a key roleSat Apr 12 2008 - 01:00
State national schools have not been thought throughReplacing one kind of lack of choice with another is not the way forward in educationSat Apr 05 2008 - 01:00
Fear of confronting children turns parents into ATMsBeing termed by your offspring 'the worst parent ever' may mean you're doing a good job.Sat Mar 29 2008 - 00:00
Christ would not have endorsed religious humanismThe great service of the militant atheists is that they shock believers into really deciding where they standSat Mar 22 2008 - 00:00
Clinton's gender argument doesn't stand upThe former first lady is suffering because she's unable to connect with voters in a meaningful waySat Mar 08 2008 - 00:00
Nepal case highlights loss of poetry in sexualityA very nice radio researcher contacted me, wondering would I like to endorse on air the idea of removing Cathal Ó Searcaigh's…Sat Feb 23 2008 - 00:00
Commitment is key for a successful marriageOn Valentine's Day, Google's home page had a really sweet graphic of an elderly couple walking hand in hand on a beach.Sat Feb 16 2008 - 00:00
Why the faith factor is vital to US politicsIn the New York Times on Sunday last, writer Nicholas Kristof made an interesting pointSat Feb 09 2008 - 00:00
Danger of reversing women's prison reformsThe Government is planning to double the capacity of Dóchas, the women's prison, in the controversial prison development at Thornton…Sat Jan 26 2008 - 00:00
Lisbon Treaty offers Greens interesting choiceThe Green Party is facing an interesting challenge in the Lisbon TreatySat Jan 19 2008 - 00:00
Fickle personality contest will affect our fateIf attempts were made to impose the American democratic system on any other country, it would immediately result in cries of …Sat Jan 12 2008 - 00:00
Funding is core issue for schools, not patronageAh, don't you just love our political system? First, we terrorise primary schools with the threat of bankruptcy over water charges…Sat Dec 22 2007 - 00:00
Only a fool wishes it was Christmas every dayIn CS Lewis's Narnia, the reign of the White Witch means that it is always winter and never Christmas.Sat Dec 08 2007 - 00:00
Parents ignorant of realities of the virtual worldRecently, I have been struck by a number of advertisements that revolve around slightly incompetent parents being advised by …Sat Nov 17 2007 - 00:00
Middle way best in marriage rights debateIn ways, marriage is more difficult to write about than abortionSat Nov 10 2007 - 00:00
Different kind of poll gives a voice to childrenNext week, more than 200,000 children and young people will take part in the "Big Ballot", an exercise organised by the Ombudsman…Sat Nov 03 2007 - 00:00
Church must find better ways to communicateArchbishop Seán Brady's remarks at Knock have generated a remarkable amount of attentionSat Sept 01 2007 - 01:00
Being child-friendly is simple and rewardingHoliday times always make me wonder how child-friendly Ireland really is. Restaurants are among the worst offenders.Sat Jul 21 2007 - 01:00
The verdict on Hanafin: a 'steady as she goes' MinisterTeaching Matters: Ah, there's no doubt that she's a class actTue May 01 2007 - 01:00
We still need 'bloody marvellous' teachersJohn Devitt was a "bloody marvellous" teacher, according to the poet and publisher Peter Fallon, who was also a former pupil …Sat Apr 21 2007 - 01:00
Poor education in our sex-saturated cultureYears ago, I was teaching a class in their early teens part of a module on relationships and sexualitySat Mar 17 2007 - 00:00
Give the would-be politicians a hard-knock lifeTeaching Matters: Something rather odd happened to me recentlyTue Mar 06 2007 - 00:00
If we're so happy, why do we drink so much?But, are you happy? It appears the answer depends how the question is askedSat Feb 24 2007 - 00:00
Strong leadership needed on thorny issue of immigration Breda O'BrienThey carry out operations on our hearts. They serve our food. They clean our schools. They build our housesSat Jan 27 2007 - 00:00
Assessing alternative methods of assessmentTeaching Matters: Teachers are a cautious lot, not willing to throw themselves with wild enthusiasm into just any old changes…Tue Jan 23 2007 - 00:00
Greens could offer vital change of climatePat Rabbitte will probably bite the ankles of the next person who asks him the "will you, won't you" question about Fianna Fáil…Sat Jan 20 2007 - 00:00
Time for a real debate on the role of marriageThe director of the newly-founded Iona Institute, David Quinn, is a brave manSat Jan 13 2007 - 00:00
Urgent need for atheists and believers to uniteProf Richard Dawkins currently holds the chair for the Public Understanding of ScienceSat Dec 23 2006 - 00:00
No little girl dreams of becoming a prostituteAt least four children have lost their mothers due to the murders of women working in prostitution in IpswichSat Dec 16 2006 - 00:00
Sort out educational disadvantage - or pay electoral priceTeaching Matters: There may be trouble ahead for Fianna Fáil in the next election regarding educational disadvantage.Tue Dec 05 2006 - 00:00
Medication has a role in modern psychiatryIn a debate hosted by Maudsley hospital in London last June, consultant psychiatrist Adrianne Revely told a chilling story.Sat Nov 25 2006 - 00:00
So how do we dry the tears of baby Ann?In his judgment on the baby Ann case, Mr Justice Adrian Hardiman mentions, without further elaboration, 1 Kings 3:16-28Sat Nov 18 2006 - 00:00
Minister's view on mental illness dangerousWell, it's been a vintage week in politicsSat Nov 11 2006 - 00:00
The difficult second year. . . and how to avoid itTeaching Matters: The mother's face was wistful as she watched her newly tall and apparently self-assured daughter walk away…Tue Nov 07 2006 - 00:00
Protecting the planet for future generationsSometimes films can affect you for reasons not entirely clear at the timeSat Nov 04 2006 - 00:00
The only god allowed to advertise is MammonFrom November 6th, you will be able to hear Sr Stanislaus Kennedy's voice on radio advertising her new book, Stillness, Through…Sat Oct 28 2006 - 01:00
Further dilution of marriage could have dire resultsAmerican advocates of gay marriage often say that those who oppose gay marriage are no different to those who opposed the repeal…Sat Oct 14 2006 - 01:00
Despite problems non-stick Hanafin moves up and upTeaching Matters: Bertie Ahern used to be known as the Teflon TaoiseachTue Sept 26 2006 - 01:00
Global warming is the ultimate pro-life issueMost of us, oddly enough, don't relish being told that if we don't change our ways, our planet is going to be wracked simultaneously…Sat Sept 16 2006 - 01:00
The Garda could learn from Catholic ChurchArchbishop Diarmuid Martin recently commented in mild terms that while the Government appeared to approve of dialogue between…Sat Aug 26 2006 - 01:00
