Poor Mouth, Rich Reputation – Frank McNally on fellow Flannorak and pioneering publican, Mick Gleeson
He bought the pub for a mere £58,000
An Irish Diary
An Irish Diary
A Hill to Die On - Frank McNally on celebrating the summer solstice at Tara
Some had been there since dawn, or earlier
Manhattan Transfer – Frank McNally on Skin-the-Goat Fitzharris in New York
Although in his late 60s by then, he was back in the job market
Cathy Dillon: A reporter remembers the Air India Disaster of June 23rd, 1985
Amid the throng, I spied Nell McCafferty, small in stature but definitely not in personality
Paul Clements on Forrest Reid, a 20th century author who is coming back into vogue
The novelist developed lifelong friendships with illustrious figures in the literary world
Scotch Broth – Frank McNally on Michael Cusack’s frustrated hope for a pan-Celtic sports alliance
In fact, like others in the book, the character was a composite of different people
Voice from the Grave – Frank McNally on a debut poetry collection from Niall Montgomery, 38 years after his death.
A man of many talents he was not only an architect, but a newspaper columnist as well
Frank McNally on the Bloomsday fitness progamme (and why Virginia Woolf will never be as popular as Joyce)
As readers of Ulysses will know, Bloom had a bit of a belly
Ray Burke on a landmark pub in Oranmore, Galway that played host to many well-known artistes
The Thatch pub counted actor Mia Farrow and musicians Seamus Ennis and Planxty among its guests
Alison Healy on a woman who became one of the world’s first and most fearless aviators
Clara Adams helped to popularise air travel with the masses.
Resurrected Reverend – Frank McNally on the Irish priest who “did a Reggie Perrin”
Almost a century earlier, a Catholic priest from Sligo had resorted to the same thing
Passage from India – Frank McNally on a Delhi journalist and Joyce fanatic in Dublin for Bloomsday
The heat was already oppressive
Epistolics Anonymous – Frank McNally on a Joycean mystery wrapped in an enigma
He is now tramping around Dublin with two lawbooks under his oxter
Animal Farm – Frank McNally on how “Skin-the-Goat” Fitzharris was radicalised by the killing of a fox
This was bad news for the fox, but also for Fitzharris
Ray Burke on how the books of almost every Irish writer of note were banned in the last century
Brendan Behan used to quip that in Ireland he was “the leader of the banned”
Alison Healy on how a 19-year old woman tricked the world with a literary hoax
Newspaper lauded it as a great find, similar to the Pepys diaries
Joyce on Trial - Frank McNally on a landmark libel case of 1954
The BBC and the James Joyce libel connection
A Phrase that Passeth Understanding – Frank McNally on a rude biblical euphemism
I don’t recall ever hearing the last verb there mentioned at Mass
As the Crow Squeals - Frank McNally on a mysterious Irish rhetorical device
Men’s coats have gone mysteriously out of fashion in recent years
Only Our Taxis Run Free - Frank McNally on a funny thing that happened on the way to the Goldsmith Festival
Here – give me a tenner back out of that, I tried to insist. But still he refused
Colm Keena on why it’s not the lyrics, it’s the voice that casts the spell
Opera singer Maria Callas had a far from perfect voice, but it was captivating
An Irishwoman’s Diary: The earl who left Ireland behind when dreams of a hot-air balloon went up in smoke
Benjamin O’Neale Stratford hoped his creation would be airborne in time to help the Crimean War effort
Picture this: Frank McNally on the sophistication of French scammers
If this column can’t help him, he fears the quest is a “lost cause”.
Eager achiever: Frank McNally on introducing the beaver to Ireland
They are not only cute and cuddly, they are also good workers
Lives of O’Reilly – Frank McNally on a revelatory history of the north midlands
Book is a meticulously detailed labour of love
Fionnuala Ward on witnessing a racist incident on a bus
“But you have to say something,” she said, touching my arm.
Civil War was won using local knowledge and very good political and military leadership, new book argues
Details discovered in Winston Churchill’s gargantuan archive indicate scale of military aid to Pro-Treaty side
Film director Neil Jordan and the Éamon de Valera connection
“Did de Valera have a hand in Collins’s death?” he asks. “Probably not, but he could have prevented it".
Secluded residence – Frank McNally on the challenge of understanding (or even finding) Eileen Gray’s famous French villa
I suppose, as they say, you had to be there. And I haven’t been there yet, only very close
Hachikō the wonder dog - Frank McNally on the devoted pet’s nine-year vigil for his late master
Hidesaburō Ueno’s dog could not forget him and, thanks to the dog, neither could Japan
Áine Ryan on losing things, from cash and a car, to a child mislaid on a hillside ramble
To this day I wish I had held off calling the cops about my car having been stolen from right outside my house
John Ruskin and the extraordinary relationship with his `muse’: Brian Maye on the young Irish girl who caught the art historian and social reformer’s attention
Rose la Touche was a member of the banking family of Huguenot descent
McGrath hurrah - Frank McNally on the first Kentucky Derby, 150 years ago
‘The same horse always wins the Derby, no matter what name he bears. Always the winner is the ghost of the little red horse, Aristides, who answered his owner’s hat’
Disunited Irishmen - Frank McNally on the year Shankill Road protestants paid tribute in Bodenstown and were attacked by the IRA
First there were angry words. Then ‘blows were exchanged’
Red into the record – Frank McNally on Peadar O’Donnell’s libel case against the Irish Rosary magazine
The trial had its origins in the ‘Red Scare’ general election of 1932
Remembering the many talents of broadcaster, activist and historian Máire de Paor
Committed socialist and feminist lived through a time when attitudes to women in Irish society were decidedly narrow
The day Winston Churchill attacked Ireland over its neutrality
Even the then pro-British Irish Times admitted to an uneasy feeling that Winston Churchill had gone a little too far
She is one fertile bird: ‘Nothing Concepta does surprises me any more’
John Dolan’s goose Concepta has produced goslings on three separate occasions in the past year
Irish Blood, Irish Heart: Frank McNally on a Mancunian hibernophile, Sir Norman Moore
He was struck by, among other things, the level of classical learning in 19th century Ireland, even among the poor
Throwing shapes: Frank McNally on the mysteries of the Hiberno-English ‘gimp’
Ever since hearing the term applied to myself a while back, I’ve been wondering what it means too
Burning Issues: Frank McNally on an unfortunate metaphor, and the continuing mysteries of the ‘Flannagram’
Copies of At Swim-Two-Birds fell victim to the German fire-bombing of a London warehouse in 1940
Holy Irish, partly French – Frank McNally on 800 years of St Laurence O’Toole
A shrine in France credited the Irishman with 256 miracles
Combustible character: Brian Maye on prickly Irish chemist William Higgins
The Sligo-born scientist laid claim to being the first to postulate the existence of atoms
The Frenchwoman who fell in love with Ireland and Irish republicans
Étiennette Beuque’s interests in Irish affairs in the 1920s and 1930s led her to write several books on Ireland
Academic questions: Frank McNally on Titanic terriers, epic expense accounts and the rise of the ‘full professor’
Try claiming for a piano-playing secretary today and see what happens
Not so merry - Frank McNally on the month of May’s somewhat ominous reputation
Those of cautious temperament urge us to hold on to our overcoats until June
Farren Away - Frank McNally on how the dreaded phantom ‘Flann’ picture struck again
Recurring misidentification is in one way an apt tribute to O’Nolan, who spent his career pretending to be other people
Mice don’t have the power to remove the veneer of civilisation. Rats, on the other hand ...
Rodents go ever on
Ireland’s call: John Mulqueen on a man who highlighted our neglect of maritime heritage
Words were not enough for the maritime scholar, he remained an activist
Everyone wants to be in the loop. But what if there is no loop?
In the Gospel According to Judas, the notorious traitor was in the loop and the other apostles weren’t
Crosswords & Puzzles
Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained
Stardust
Inquests into the nightclub fire that led to the deaths of 48 people
Common Ground
How does a post-Brexit world shape the identity and relationship of these islands
Family NoticesOpens in new window
Weddings, Births, Deaths and other family notices