Somebody broke in and stole our Christmas gifts – but I felt a sense of gratitude
Even as we picked our mostly valueless property up, I marvelled at the fact that in Canberra, unlike in Dublin, you get storage as standard. Lots of it
Luigi Mangione’s ‘manifesto’ isn’t that different to views you would hear in the pub
The most surprising thing about it was how conventional it was, yet most people are not committing acts of violence in the name of radical politics
New Year’s in Australia: When you leave home to live abroad, you take any traditions you can feasibly translate
I don’t really know what a new year in Australia might hold. It has a vast unfamiliarity to me that country itself still does
We like the ideal of Christmas. The reality, though, is often strained, sad and weird
We like the ideal of Christmas. Of childhood, family, rest. The reality, though, is often strained, and sad, and weird
A critic of this column thinks there’s too much negativity about Ireland, not enough about Australia’s beaches
That reader should know that, even though I live 3½ hours from the coast, I am taking her concerns on board
Australia offers me a more dignified life than the one I had in Ireland. It’s not unpatriotic to say so
Like many emigrants, the reality is that I am more invested in Ireland than the country I have moved to
Australia is so very far from Europe and US, and yet is as deeply rooted in Anglosphere norms, customs and culture
If you’re having an out-of-body experience, pasta and cheese may not strictly fix it, but they certainly won’t do you any harm
Like many two-year-olds, my nephew hates socks and loves blueberries. He’s also unlike other little boys
Tom is not the problem. It’s the rest of us
Laura Kennedy: Australians respond differently to nature compared to Irish people
I awoke early one morning in Canberra to a bizarre sound. What the actual f**k is that, I thought, a pterodactyl? It was a magpie, but not like the ones I’d known
This could be a crazy week. Here’s one way to stay sane
The best way to stay sane this week is, as Marcus Aurelius recommended, to extend more generosity to other people’s crazy
When you return home to Ireland from abroad, you notice that everyone is a little changed
Laura Kennedy: It shouldn’t take a trip back to realise that home is, above all, people
Laura Kennedy: Long-haul flight tips from snore-proof ear plugs to tummy-friendly food
Since friends or family giving Irish emigrants helpful information is forbidden in our culture, you can rely on me to do it for you
I received an autism diagnosis at 34 and sat quietly with it in some discomfort
It may help explain why I have so often been described as ‘aloof’ or rude, or not having the expected emotional responses in various contexts through my life
Choosing to leave home can leave people you love feeling slightly rejected
Laura Kennedy: When I return from Australia to visit home, I sit in the consequences of that choice to leave
I got Limericked before I even made it out of Shannon Airport – a record, even for me
It’s a joy to be home, but sometimes I wish Ireland would just let you love it without all the complexity