An Irishman's Diary | The Irish Times

Olga Murphy. Photograph: Kim Haughton/UNHCR

The ‘Magyar from Moyross – An Irishman’s Diary on a refugee’s journey from Hungary to Limerick in 1956

Ciarán D’Arcy
November 21, 2016

The Mark Twain House in Hartford, Connecticut. Photograph: Linda Tancs/iStock

At home with Mark Twain – An Irishwoman’s Diary on the delights of Hartford, Connecticut

Joan Scales
November 20, 2016

Ireland’s Kieran Marmion. Marmion is said to be a nickname from the Old French ‘marmion’, meaning ‘monkey’ or ‘brat’ – both good qualities in a scrum-half. Photograph: Billy Stickland/Inpho

The Game of the Name – An Irishman’s Diary about a new study of British and Irish family names

Frank McNally
November 19, 2016

A frame from ‘The Battle of the Somme’ showing a soldier carrying a wounded comrade.

Moving picture – An Irishman’s Diary about the original film version of the Battle of the Somme

Frank McNally
November 18, 2016

A mural in Dublin commemorating the Easter Rising and, directly underneath, two new bicycle racks in the shape of cars. Photograph: Frank McNally

Shifting the balance of horsepower – An Irishman’s Diary about cycling in the city

Frank McNally
November 17, 2016

Leonard Cohen in Dublin in 2009. Photograph: Dave Meehan

Famous Blue Joyce – An Irishman’s Diary on Leonard Cohen’s debt to Dublin

Frank McNally
November 16, 2016

The late singer’s work was peppered with Joycean imagery and references

Caterpillar Valley Cemetery near Albert, France. Photograph: Matt Cardy/Getty Images

An Irishman’s Diary on Ireland and the Battle of the Somme

Ronan McGreevy
November 15, 2016

Hector Hugh Munro, who wrote under the pseudonym Saki

Wild at heart – An Irishman’s Diary on the centenary of the death of Saki

Brian Maye
November 14, 2016

Photograph: Diego Tuson AFP/Getty Images

Late But Great – An Irishman’s Diary about Leonard Cohen’s Indian Summer

Frank McNally
November 12, 2016

Photograph: John Moore/Getty Images

Armageddon outta here – An Irishman’s Diary on Donald Trump and the apocalypse

Frank McNally
November 11, 2016

Robbie Henshaw. Photograph: Billy Stickland/Inpho

A Famous Win for the All-Browns – An Irishman’s Diary about superstition and sportswear

Frank McNally
November 10, 2016

Woodcut from Derricke’s ‘The Image of Irelande’ (1581)

An Irishman’s Diary on the opportunistic Rowland White and 16th-century Ulster

James Sheridan
November 9, 2016

John Keegan’s literary works captured the everyday lives of the peasantry of the first half of the 19th century. Illustration: Illustrated London News (1850)

An Irishman’s Diary on John Keegan, the ‘Peasant Poet’

Tony Delaney
November 8, 2016

Writer and historian Jan Morris, pictured at her home near the village of Llanystumdwy in Gwynedd, north Wales. Photograph: Colin McPherson/Corbis via Getty Images)

An Irishman’s Diary: Joining Jan Morris for her 90th birthday celebration

Paul Clements
November 7, 2016

Sake tasting at the Japanese ambassador’s residence brings thoughts of Gulliver

Japes with the Japanese: An Irishman’s Diary about sake and Swift

Frank McNally
November 4, 2016

Leonard Nimoy as Spock in “Star Trek”

Cross-Border Trekking: An Irishman’s Diary about ‘Star Trek’ and Ireland

Frank McNally
November 2, 2016

Rev Ian Paisley, a militant Protestant leader, on one of his many anti-Catholic protest marches.

An Irishman’s Diary: ‘No Pope Here!’ – A protest march in Armagh in 1968

John Horgan
November 1, 2016

An Irishwoman’s Diary: Yoga for kids, tiny portions, small cars – New York, my how you’ve changed!

Alison Healy
October 31, 2016

John Keats’ death mask

The unkindest cuts: An Irishman’s Diary about Keats, Raleigh and book reviewers

Frank McNally
October 29, 2016

Leslie Porter, who was shot down over France during the first World War by German fighterpilot Oswald Boelcke

An Irishman’s Diary about German first World War ace Oswald Boelcke, and Leslie Porter

Frank McNally
October 28, 2016

Christina McMahon, champion kickboxer turned professional boxer.

Christina’s Pals: An Irishman’s Diary about the making of a champion boxer

Frank McNally
October 27, 2016

Poet Brendan Kennelly on stage at the Abbey Theatre, at an event to celebrate his 80th birthday. Photograph: Eric Luke/The Irish Times

An Irishman’s Diary: On Brendan Kennelly’s 80th birthday

Frank McNally
October 26, 2016

Alfred “Al” Smith (1873-1944)

An Irishman’s Diary: Al Smith, governor of New York and first Catholic to run for US president

Mark Phelan
October 25, 2016

Smith, whose grandmother came from Westmeath, was known as a reformer

“Perhaps the obsessive-compulsive food fetish is an attempt to cover up the value-free vacuum that is modern Dublin life.” Photograph: iStock

Capital menu – An Irishman’s Diary on the rise and rise of pretentious restaurants

Derek Scally
October 24, 2016

“Sleep is not uncommon at plays and classical music concerts, where the combination of comfortable seating, warmth, darkness, and high art can be as effective as Dozol.” Photograph: iStock/ Ruslan Dashinsky

Bums on Seats – An Irishman’s Diary about the problem of substandard audiences

Frank McNally
October 22, 2016

The Temptation of Saint Hilarion, by Dominique-Louis-Féréa Papety, 1843–44 (Wallace Collection)

Cypriot Saints and Sinners – An Irishman’s Diary about St Hilarion and Lawrence Durrell

Frank McNally
October 21, 2016

William Rowan Hamilton: turned down request to be godfather to Jane Wilde’s young “pagan”

Wilde Oats – An Irishman’s Diary about William Rowan Hamilton’s early flirtations with poetry

Frank McNally
October 20, 2016

Prof Anthony O’Farrell addressing the walkers at Broome Bridge, with the plaque marking William Rowan Hamilton’s discovery of quaternions behind.

Algebra Cabra – An Irishman’s Diary about William Rowan Hamilton’s Eureka moment

Frank McNally
October 19, 2016

One of the best known of Indiana’s US vice-presidents, Thomas Marshall, called his home state “the mother of vice-presidents”

The Veepstakes – An Irishman’s Diary on Indiana, cradle of US vice-presidents

Felix M Larkin
October 18, 2016

“Something terrible happened: a solid concrete retaining wall and parapet were built in front of Broadstone, cutting off the lower part of its facade.”

The sublime obscured – An Irishman’s Diary on the once great vista of Broadstone Station

Frank McDonald
October 17, 2016

Splitting Hairs and Infinitives – Another reading from Frank McNally’s Stylebook of Leviticus

Frank McNally
October 15, 2016

Joe Jackson and Richard Harris. Photograph: Colm Henry

An Irishman’s Diary on ‘Richard Harris Revisited – A Play in the Making’

Joe Jackson
October 14, 2016

Evicted by Lady Butler (1890). National Folklore Collection, University College Dublin. Part of the “Creating History” exhibition at the National Gallery of Ireland.

Curator’s Egg – An Irishman’s Diary about history and art

Frank McNally
October 13, 2016

WB Yeats. Photograph: Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Why ‘The Second Coming’ has never gone away – An Irishman’s Diary on yet another triumphant year for Yeats’s most quotable poem

Frank McNally
October 12, 2016

The Fintown Railway: the only operational narrow-gauge railway in Donegal.

Railways and the ‘Forgotten County’ – An Irishman’s Diary on Donegal’s vanished rail network

Hugh Oram
October 11, 2016

An Irishwoman’s Diary on young ‘neopaysans’ going ‘bio’ on top of the French Alps

Elgy Gillespie
October 10, 2016

A Briard, an ancient breed, once used for herding but now, often, for “police” work

Collared by a dog – An Irishman’s Diary about ruff justice

Frank McNally
October 8, 2016

“On June 30th, 1922, the Civil War combatants destroyed a thousand years of documents, tracing the history of Ireland and its people, in one huge, cataclysmic explosion.”

Out of the ashes – An Irishman’s Diary on the Irish Genealogical Research Society

Steven Smyrl
October 7, 2016

Of Tims, Taigs, and Tenement-Scots – An Irishman’s Diary on the changing face of insults

Frank McNally
October 6, 2016

Apart from its musicality, it has provided a platform for the work of dramatists such as Harold Pinter, Tom Stoppard, Samuel Beckett and Louis MacNeice (above).

Three’s Company – An Irishman’s Diary on 70 years of the Third Programme and BBC Radio 3

Paul Clements
October 5, 2016

The Speedo look was bad enough on me – but a million times worse on others.

It’s a man thong – An Irishman’s Diary on Speedo anxiety

Pól Ó Muirí
October 4, 2016

Statue of Frank Pantridge outside Lisburn City Hall. He was born 100 years ago on October 3rd.

A shock to the system – An Irishman’s Diary on Frank Pantridge and the portable defibrillator

Brain Maye
October 3, 2016

“October is a favourite month for poets, even if they can’t quite make up their minds about it.”

October Surmise – An Irishman’s Diary about one of the year’s most poetic months

Frank McNally
October 1, 2016

When our level best is not enough – An Irishman’s Diary about why Americans can’t understand draws

Frank McNally
September 30, 2016

Ann Woodlock: her father joined the 1916 garrison in the South Dublin Union, and lived to tell the tale. A century later, Ann would run the 1916 commemorative five-kilometre race.

A race apart – An Irishman’s Diary about runners who never retire

Frank McNally
September 29, 2016

“The Time (Ireland) Bill, passed in Westminster a few months after the Rising, was a chronographical act of union, ending a 36-year arrangement during which this country had fixed its clocks according to the longitude of Dunsink Observatory.”

Dunsink Unsynced – An Irishman’s Diary about the end of Irish Time

Frank McNally
September 28, 2016

The only pre-requisite for the 99 tenants of Sortedam Dossering is that they should be female, have Danish residency and be of a “certain age”. Photograph: Susanna McIntyre

‘Pleasing the eye’ – An Irishwoman’s Diary on Copenhagen

Lorna Siggins
September 27, 2016

Tom Kettle reviewed Joyce’s first published volume, Chamber Music, in the Freeman’s Journal on June 1st, 1907. It begins: “Those who remember University College life of some years back will have many memories of Mr Joyce.” It goes on to describe him as “wilful, fastidious, a lover of elfish paradoxes”.

‘The best friend I have in Ireland, I think’ – An Irishman’s Diary on James Joyce and Tom Kettle

Terence Killeen
September 26, 2016

Church services

September 24, 2016

Week beginning Sunday, September 25th

Harrow-on-the-Hill – An Irishman’s Diary about Patrick Kavanagh’s (mostly) natural highs

Frank McNally
September 24, 2016

Next month, it will be 200 years since John Keats wrote ‘On First Looking Into Chapman’s Homer’

Homer Sweet Homer – An Irishman’s Diary about George Chapman, Keats, and Myles na gCopaleen

Frank McNally
September 23, 2016

“Although not quite as permanent as tattoos, byline pics are like the ones in your passport: you’re stuck with them for years.”

Departing Glass – An Irishman’s Diary about laser eye surgery

Frank McNally
September 22, 2016

‘Siege of Jadotville’ actor Jamie Dornan. Photograph: Eric Luke

Come Out With Your Heads Up – An Irishman’s Diary about the Siege of Jadotville

Frank McNally
September 21, 2016

Fr Charles Coughlin: his virulent anti-Semitism resulted in him being condemned by the Catholic Layman’s League as “cowardly and shameless”

A populist priest and a popular president – Fr Charles Coughlin’s campaign against FDR

Wesley Boyd
September 20, 2016

Ernst Jünger: survived horrors of first World War and was present in Verdun in 1984 when French president François Mitterrand and German chancellor Helmut Kohl held hands in that great moment of reconciliation Ernst Jünger: survived horrors of first World War and was present in Verdun in 1984 when French president François Mitterrand and German chancellor Helmut Kohl held hands in that great moment of reconciliation

War and reconciliation – An Irishman’s Diary about Ernst Jünger and Guillemont

Dermot Curran
September 19, 2016

In Search of Lost Time – An Irishman’s Diary about the French republican calendar

Frank McNally
September 17, 2016

The minister for health was urged to intervene, and one letter warning him to act ‘before the polio of Corkonians is laid upon us’

An Irishman’s Diary about the polio epidemic that delayed the All-Ireland finals of 1956

Frank McNally
September 16, 2016

“The well-justified pride among residents is expressed in an 80th anniversary exhibition that opened recently and runs until December.” Photograph: Frank McNally

The Name is Bond: Oliver Bond – An Irishman’s Diary on one of Dublin’s best-known flat complexes, now 80 years old

Frank McNally
September 15, 2016

“In January 1960, Tom Kettle’s bust was removed from its pedestal one night by persons unknown. It was missing for 48 hours before a passer-by noticed it at the bottom of the Green’s lake, from where it was retrieved.”

Vowels of disobedience – An Irishman’s Diary about typos

Frank McNally
September 14, 2016

Samuel Beckett and his brother Frank Beckett

Coincidences – An Irishman’s Diary on Samuel Beckett’s harrowing family vigil

John Maguire
September 13, 2016

Raymond Asquith: his death in 1916 devastated his father, Herbert Asquith. David Lloyd George observed that the prime minister “visibly reeled under the blow”.

‘This star of England’ – An Irishman’s Diary on Raymond Asquith and the Somme

Ronan McGreevy
September 12, 2016

“Until now, however, Flann O’Brien’s talent for letter-writing had escaped full attention”

Yours, Sincerely and Otherwise – An Irishman’s Diary on the collected letters of Flann O’Brien

Frank McNally
September 10, 2016

The National Concert Hall’s “Composing the Island” season, an epic series of shows celebrating a century of Irish music since 1916

Digging Up Old Scores – An Irishman’s Diary on music in Ireland since 1916

Frank McNally
September 9, 2016

Daniel McNally in the Caha Mountain road tunnel. Photograph by his brother Patrick.

Tunnel Visions – An Irishman’s Diary about a road trip through the Cork and Kerry mountains

Frank McNally
September 8, 2016

Alice Milligan: born 150 years ago on September 14th in a village near Omagh

‘Friend of all Ireland’ – An Irishman’s Diary on Ulster Protestant and Gaelic Leaguer Alice Milligan

Brian Maye
September 7, 2016

Patrick Campbell: Still stung by his earlier desertion of the paper, Smyllie first told him to “go back to England, where [you] came from”. Then he assigned him to this column.

Censors and sensibility – An Irishman’s Diary about ‘The Irish Times’ in wartime

Frank McNally
September 7, 2016

Tom Kettle was killed at Ginchy during the Battle of the Somme on September 9th, 1916

‘Generous heart’ – An Irishman’s Diary on poet and patriot Tom Kettle

Brendan Ó Cathaoir
September 5, 2016

“There is, in truth, not much to see in Effin. But the signs, of which there are surprisingly many, considering their potential value to Irish pubs abroad, are enough.”

Hills and Duhallows – An Irishman’s Diary about a road-trip in Limerick and Cork

Frank McNally
September 3, 2016

The Forgotten Diaspora – An Irishman’s Diary about the greening of Latin America

Frank McNally
September 2, 2016

Leo “Bud” Welch. Photograph: Aubrey Edwards

True Blues – An Irishman’s Diary about music and war

Frank McNally
September 1, 2016

Pete Briquette: part-time pet and full-time cat

A furry friend’s furlough – An Irishman’s Diary about the search for Pete Briquette

Frank McNally
August 31, 2016

“In tasteful, eco-friendly Boulder, locals down tools and head off by four to toke, blast, weed, sink a cool one, head out with the dogs. How refreshingly different from workaholic America is that?”

An Irishwoman’s Diary on Colorado’s pursuit of hoppiness in a stoned utopia

Elgy Gillespie
August 30, 2016

Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck: commander of Germany’s forces in the East Africa campaign

An Irishman’s Diary on Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck and Germany’s colonial army in Africa during the first World War

Norman Freeman
August 29, 2016

“Marmalade, they tell me, was invented in Dundee. Strange. I always thought that my mother invented it.”

Lord preserve us – An Irishwoman’s Diary on marmalade and Dundee

Mae Leonard
August 27, 2016

William T Cosgrave: celebrated speech to the League of Nations

The origins of an international ‘good citizen’ – An Irishman’s Diary on Ireland and the Corfu Crisis of 1923

Mark Phelan
August 26, 2016

Christian Brothers’ School at Synge Street in Dublin 8 featured in film Sing Street.

‘Synger’ – An Irishman’s Diary on Synge Street CBS in the Sixties

Deaglán de Bréadún
August 25, 2016

The dam diverted into a level canal eight miles long to the power house at Ardnacrusha. William Vandivert/Life Magazine/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images

Dam nation – An Irishman’s Diary on the Ardnacrusha hydroelectric scheme and the media in the 1920s

Denis O’Shaughnessy
August 24, 2016

ballykeeffeamphitheatre.com

Music on the rocks – An Irishman’s Diary on the Ballykeeffe Amphitheatre in Kilkenny

John G O’Dwyer
August 23, 2016

“Of course, American had an influence on Belfast English before the advent of television.” Photograph: Auke Holwerda/iStock

Where have all the bin lids gone? An Irishman’s Diary on Belfast English

Pól Ó Muirí
August 22, 2016

“The paper found itself in the fortuitous position of being able to announce its own prohibition”

The censors and the ‘Derry Journal’ – An Irishwoman’s Diary on the newspaper banned on both sides of the Border

Freya McClements
August 20, 2016

The Mount Tambora eruption sent huge amounts of volcanic ash into the upper atmosphere

A volcanic eruption with global repercussions – An Irishman’s Diary on 1816, the year without a summer

Brian Maye
August 19, 2016

Arthur Ó Néill’s memoir contains a lively series of anecdotes that give a wonderful glimpse of a wandering harper’s life

An Irishwoman’s Diary on the rich life of wandering harper Arthur Ó Néill

Maura Walsh Uí Chróinín
August 18, 2016

A 22-inch narrow-gauge railway system was constructed to carry materials around the Guinness brewery, as well as taking casks of stout to barges moored on the Liffey quays

Chugging along: An Irishman’s Diary on Dublin’s vanished railway systems, the Atmospheric and Guinness

Hugh Oram
August 17, 2016

Mike and Joe Flanagan: pioneering musicians to be honoured in Waterford. They emigrated from Waterford to New York in 1911 and were soon packing concert halls and dance halls, clubs and bars.

Mighty men of music – An Irishwoman’s Diary on Waterford’s Flanagan Brothers

Catherine Foley
August 16, 2016

“As far as I was concerned, it was a Connolly grave, and in due course must be marked accordingly by an appropriate headstone and inscription.”

A final farewell to my aunt – An Irishman’s Diary on the tragic death of James Connolly’s daughter Mona

James Connolly
August 15, 2016

An Irishman’s Diary on poet Edmund Blunden’s war memoir

Frank McNally
August 13, 2016

Photograph: Cyril Byrne

Green Doors, Green Fools – An Irishman’s Diary on the literary history of Ely Place in Dublin

Frank McNally
August 12, 2016

The 12th-century Lebor na hUidre, or the Book of the Dun Cow

Culture/Ash Clash – An Irishman’s Diary about the Kilkenny Arts Festival

Frank McNally
August 11, 2016

John Quincy Adams: would never campaign for his constituents’ votes and he would follow his conscience at all times.

What Obama should do next

Steve Coronella
August 10, 2016

An Irishman’s Diary: He should crack open a history book and study the case of John Quincy Adams

Derek Bell admires Oisin Kelly’s memorial to Turlough Carolan, which was destined for Mohill, Co Leitrim. Photograph: Pat Langan

An Irishman’s Diary: Striking the right note on Turlough O’Carolan

John Horgan
August 9, 2016

A view on the reconstructed Old Bridge in Mostar.

An Irishwoman’s Diary: Visiting Mostar 23 years on from its devastation

Mary O’Donnell
August 8, 2016

Yann Goulet photographed in 1984

Cross Country - An Irishman’s Diary about our national talent for anger management

Frank McNally
August 6, 2016

One of Dublin’s now famous colourful Georgian doors.

An Irishman’s Diary about how the Georgian doorways of Dublin became so colourful

Frank McNally
August 5, 2016

Learning about absinthe and sex in an Ernest Hemingway classic.

For Whom the Book Palls: An Irishman’s Diary about re-reading Hemingway

Frank McNally
August 4, 2016

Dr Peter Harbison and Elizabeth Healy at the unveiling of the Celtic cross headstone of Henry O’Neill in Glasnavin Cemetery. Photograph: Cyril Byrne

An Irishman’s Diary on the campaign to commemorate Henry O’Neill

Frank McNally
August 3, 2016

Wine theme park for grown-ups: the new Cité du Vin in Bordeaux

An Irishman’s Diary: A visit to the new ‘Guggenheim of wine’ in Bordeaux

Paul Clements
August 2, 2016

William Martin Murphy

An Irishman’s Diary: Labour history from the archives

Pádraig Yeates
August 1, 2016

Pádraig Yeates

On July 30th, 1916 an explosion at a munitions plant on Black Tom Island, damaged the torch of the Statue of Liberty.

Big Jim and Black Tom - An Irishman’s Diary about an attack on America in 1916

Frank McNally
July 30, 2016

Jim Larkin was in New York when a massive munitions explosion caused huge damage

Maurice Gibbons and Joe Sweeney, both of whom have Irish ancestry, Montserrat, West Indies. Photograph: Frank Miller

An Irishwoman’s Diary: Meeting islanders with Irish ancestry on Montserrat

Lorna Siggins
July 29, 2016

Editorials

Papal: The quality of mercy

The view of the Vatican remains that abortion is a grave sin

Deficiencies and dysfunction re-surface in Irish maternity services

Unannounced inspection concluded Coombe hospital’s operating theatres posed a safety risk and were not “fit for purpose”

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