Debate  
Frank McNally

Frank McNally

Frank McNally is a journalist and author. He has covered a wide range of subjects for The Irish Times, including politics, sport, and literature. A former National Media Awards winner for his Dail and tribunal sketches, he is now chief writer of the daily Irishman's Diary column.

‘Raymond Carver’s poems’ popularity must be in part due to their unrelenting cheerfulness – a contrast with many of his stories.’
A Carver carved

An Irishman’s Diary: Remembering a writer who (more than once, perhaps) was cut off in his prime

A 1972 photograph of Sean ‘Faeilí’ Ó Catháin (front) and Maidhc ‘Léan’ Ó Guithín (back): two of the three cousins who rowed across Blasket Sound in a storm in 1947 to get a coffin for the deceased Seán Ó Ceárna. The man in the middle is Seán Ó Guithín. Photograph: From the Great Blasket to America – The Last Memoir by an Islander, published by the Collins Press
Last word from a lost island?

An Irishman’s Diary: The Blasket School of Literature writes another volume

Padraig McKenna (a cousin of Barney’s), Seán Óg McKenna (a brother), and Gerry Tully: all performing at the Donnycarney Trad Festival next month.
Dancing at the traffic lights

An Irishman’s Diary: A Dublin suburb goes back to its roots

‘Founded in 1893, Donore is marking a big milestone this year. Among the celebratory events, last weekend, was a “This is Your Life” tribute to Jim McNamara’ (above, with Irish Runner editor, Frank Greally). Photograph: Ian Redican
The paradox of a running legend

An Irishman’s Diary: A demon to compete against, a pleasure to deal with

Mayor Quimby and Homer Simpson - quite possibly descendants of Blasket Islanders
An Irishman's Diary

A DUBLINER now living near the borders of New Hampshire and Massachusetts has e-mailed me about the eerie experience this week…

‘Later, in time-honoured fashion, four nuts loosened without a struggle. For the fifth, I had to stand on the wheel-wrench, and then perform part of Riverdance on it.’ Photograph: Getty Images
Men and the art of car-wheel maintenance

An Irishman’s Diary: When in doubt, try kicking the tyre

‘Then I got sucked in, thanks to The Little Museum of Dublin’s uniquely interactive feature, a state-of-the-art, fully human curator who wanders around the rooms striking up conversations with visitors and then (“you’d be interested in this”) matching them with exhibits. His name is Trevor White and, having created the museum back in 2011, he is now its director.’ Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times
A literary digression

An Irishman’s Diary In which our hero attempts to experience European Literature Night but loses the plot

‘The real-life Seamus McGowan had shared a room with Seán O’Casey (above) and was no stranger to bombs. But as his Starry-Plough-bedecked headstone records, he was somewhat luckier than the pedlar, dying peacefully in 1955.’ Photograph: Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Elegy written in a city churchyard

An Irishman’s Diary: The last word on a famous lexicographer

Red-tinted glasses: Alex Ferguson at a training session in 2011. Photograph: Matthew Peters/MUFC/Getty
Alex Ferguson: a winner, a great manager and the biggest bully of his generation

I’m not an ABU bigot, but the retiring Manchester United boss personified everything that was wrong with football

More articles

Letters to the Editor Click through for the letters page
 
Martyn Turner's cartoon
 

Popular

The leader of the Dutch far-right Party for Freedom Geert Wilders speaks to the press during his visit to the Schilderswijk district in The Hague. Photograph: Martijn Beekman/AFP/Getty Images Dutch anxiety over ‘Sharia triangle’ police no-go area in The Hague
Leinster’s Jonny Sexton celebrates with the trophy. Photograph: Julien Behal/PA Wire. Leinster’s direct style earns Pro12 success
One Direction in record sell-out
Referee Wayne Barnes shows the red card to Dylan Hartley of Northampton during the Aviva Premiership Final against Leicester at Twickenham. Photograph: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images Dylan Hartley red card overshadows Leicester’s title triumph
Man drowns off Wexford coast after rescuing teenage boys
Crossword Club Crossword Club

Over 6,000 crosswords from The Irish Times.

Photo Sales Photo Sales

Choose from an extensive range of photographs taken by Irish Times photographers.

Select for slide 1 Select for slide 2