Opinion

Tuesday 15 October 2019

Boris Johnson and Leo Varadkar meet in Dublin. Photo: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

Ian O'Doherty: 'As Brexit reaches its end game, hope begins to rear its ugly head - but so often it's the hope that kills you'

So near and yet so far. That was the gloomy appraisal of the current Brexit situation towards the end of last week.

A bus advertising an anti-racism campaign. Photo: PA Wire

Comment

Frank Coughlan: 'Odourless gas is normalising racism here'

It was awkward. One of those moments where you don't know where to look. I settled for the bottom of an empty pint glass and my wife deftly and swiftly moved the conversation along.

Queen Elizabeth II, accompanied by the Prince of Wales, proceed through the Royal Gallery before delivering the Queen's Speech during the State Opening of Parliament in the House of Lords at the Palace of Westminster in London. PA Photo

Comment

John Downing: 'Pomp and red robes in London contrast with the EU's realpolitik'

'My government's priority has always been to secure the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union on October 31." These were words of the 93-year-old Queen Elizabeth in a speech to the UK Parliament which was written for her by the government.

Crisis: Availability of consultants to assess a suicidal child varies. Stock Image

Comment

Eilish O'Regan: 'Adult psychiatric units are no place for children with severe mental health issues'

At least 37 severely mentally ill children had to be admitted to adult psychiatric units so far this year, highlighting the ongoing scandal of inadequate care for these vulnerable young people.

'Sleeping in our warm beds we scarcely have time to worry about those bunking down in doorways or in flimsy tents, on freezing nights. It is simply too much for us to dwell on' (stock photo)

Editorial

Editorial: 'Homeless should not have to die to get an address'

There is a hollow piety around "homelessness". We have introduced a moral cordon sanitaire between us and them. As if dignity and respect hinge on owning property. When we speak of the "homeless" we need only consider buildings or lack of them. We don't have to think about the person: frightened, forgotten, marginalised, invisible.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Photo: Presidential Press Service via AP

Letters

Letters to the Editor: 'How many must die before we say enough is enough?'

We have heard from certain sections of society, both here and abroad, about the plight of Palestinian refugees walled into a strip of land by the Israeli government and its army.

Meeting: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at Thornton Manor Hotel in Cheshire, UK. Photo: PA Wire

Comment

John Downing: 'The B-word - the one many of us love to hate - is close to some form of settlement

Sometimes the vitriolic tone of politics obscures what is really...

Superb: A scene from the movie ‘Unplanned’

Movies

Patricia Casey: 'Harrowing and captivating, 'Unplanned' has an important message for us all on abortion'

I perceived the movie 'Unplanned' as a religious, zealous,...

England boss Eddie Jones. Photo: Reuters/Peter Cziborra

Comment

John Daly: 'Heroes and villains add to rugby drama'

As the Rugby World Cup rumbles into the knockout stages, I'm increasingly more interested in the spectacle off the pitch than on.

Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt. Photo: Sportsfile

Editorial

Editorial: 'Sporting showdowns offer welcome break from gloom'

Park Brexit blues for as long as you possibly can. Do not let the huge volumes of autumn rain, presaging another gloomy winter, get to you.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Photo: Reuters

Letters

Letters to the Editor: 'Johnson risks leaving legacy of recklessness and arrogance'

Napoleon once said: “All great events hang by a hair. The man of ability takes advantage of everything and neglects nothing that can give him a chance to succeed; whilst the less able man sometimes loses everything by neglecting a single one of those chances.”

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The Daily Digest

Don't Miss

Andrea Corr wears: Jumper, Lucy Nagle. Skirt, Helen Cody. Photo: Kip Carroll

Ian O'Doherty: 'As Brexit reaches its end game, hope begins to rear its ugly head - but so often it's the hope that kills you'

Frank Coughlan: 'Odourless gas is normalising racism here'

John Downing: 'Pomp and red robes in London contrast with the EU's realpolitik'

Eilish O'Regan: 'Adult psychiatric units are no place for children with severe mental health issues'

Editorial: 'Homeless should not have to die to get an address'

Letters to the Editor: 'How many must die before we say enough is enough?'

John Downing: 'The B-word - the one many of us love to hate - is close to some form of settlement

Patricia Casey: 'Harrowing and captivating, 'Unplanned' has an important message for us all on abortion'

John Daly: 'Heroes and villains add to rugby drama'

Editorial: 'Sporting showdowns offer welcome break from gloom'

Letters to the Editor: 'Johnson risks leaving legacy of recklessness and arrogance'

Ian O'Doherty: 'As Brexit reaches its end game, hope begins to rear its ugly head - but so... Comment

Frank Coughlan: 'Odourless gas is normalising racism here' Comment

John Downing: 'Pomp and red robes in London contrast with the EU's realpolitik' Comment

Letters to the Editor: 'How many must die before we say enough is enough?' Letters

Editorial: 'Homeless should not have to die to get an address' Editorial

'He wanted to make sure mam would be laughing at the cemetery' - Dublin man's 'last... Irish News

Dublin man alleviates sadness of his own funeral with hilarious recording from... Have You Seen

Government signs off on €2.2m salary top-ups for TDs and senators Politics

Madigan is latest FG TD to remove social media photo of Maria Bailey Politics

25 best autumn walks in Ireland - seasonal strolls for all the family Ireland

The Daily Digest

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Exclusive 'Memories that I thought were gone came flooding back' - Andrea Corr's shockingly honest memoir

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie review: Did we need to know what Jesse did next?

Power trip: Why we're still a world away from everyone driving electric cars

Exclusive AIB chief: time to relax mortgage rules

Sunday Best: Six sneaky short breaks to save money on a night away

Restaurant review: Stingy portions and service niggles mar promising MoLI spot

Colm McCarthy: 'Hard border may be avoided - but a hard Brexit has damaging downsides'

The secret life of Ireland's hotels: 'We once filled a bath with Evian...'

Georgia: Travel to Tiblisi and beyond feels like the true Eastern Europe

Suzanne Breen: ''Ghost town' Stormont is an embarrassment to the North'

Editor's Choice

Frank Coughlan: 'Odourless gas is normalising racism here'

Patricia Casey: 'Harrowing and captivating, 'Unplanned' has an...

Eoghan Harris: 'Talks vindicate Micheal Martin's calls for bilateral...

Comment

John Downing: 'Pomp and red robes in London contrast with the EU's realpolitik'

Brendan O'Connor: 'Coleen to solve Banville mystery'

This Man's Life: 'In the playground, thinking of Joachim's fate at Auschwitz'

Conor Skehan: 'The answer to climate change lies in doing ordinary things better'

Emer O'Hanlon: 'Watching from seized-up London, I'm happy to see Ireland isn't so extreme'

Johnny Duhan: 'The boys are back in town: sharing my basement flat in Dublin 4 with Phil Lynott and Gary Moore'

Brendan O'Connor: 'A 20-course tasting menu? More like an endurance test'

Colm McCarthy: 'Hard border may be avoided - but a hard Brexit has damaging downsides'

Jody Corcoran: 'Leo and Boris both blinked - now a deal can be done'

Lucinda O'Sullivan: 'Merciless Michelin can crush hopes and dreams to stardust'

Columnists

John Masterson: 'Try these thoughts on for size. Do they feel comfortable?'

Ciara O'Connor: 'Will Ben Foden ever shut up?'

John Masterson: 'Try these thoughts on for size. Do they feel comfortable?'

Roddy Doyle's Charlie Savage: 'We love you, Greta Thunberg, will you adopt us, please?'

Fionnán Sheahan: Thank God for Brexit: a cloak covering the void of vision and Donohoe's 'Bertienomics'

Liam Weeks: 'Brexit psychosis ensures that 'any other business' is forgotten about'

John Masterson: 'Faraway fields or the green green grass of home'

Ian O'Doherty: 'Enough with the lazy slurs: some things aren't racist, some are'

Ian O'Doherty: 'It's perfectly reasonable to sneer at rich hypocrites. And it's great fun, too'

Bairbre Power... Out and about

Letters

Letters to the Editor: 'How many must die before we say enough is enough?'

Letters to the Editor: 'Leo outclasses Boris on the art of grown-up communications and negotiation at...

Letters to the Editor: 'Our planet can only take so much damage and abuse'

Letters to the Editor: 'Don't repeat the mistakes of Australia on carbon tax'

Letters to the Editor: 'Looking on the bright side...'

Letters to the Editor: 'There is 'Room to Improve', RTÉ - you can start by dropping property porn as the crisis rages'

Letters to the Editor: 'Brexit propaganda for a bygone age on big screen'

Letters to the Editor: 'Learning history will help avoid mistakes of the past'

Letters to the Editor: 'School league tables’ don’t give an accurate reflection'

Letters to the Editor: 'Backstop between Scotland and England might help'

Editorial

Editorial: 'Homeless should not have to die to get an address'

Suzanne Breen: ''Ghost town' Stormont is an embarrassment to the North'

Editorial: 'Don't count your chickens, but finally there's optimism'

Editorial: ''To put things frankly'... It's almost time to admit defeat'

Editorial: 'Trump impeachment inquiry will dominate'

Editorial: 'This is not the time to don the green or orange jersey'

Editorial: 'Storm Lorenzo roars a warning for our future'

Editorial: 'Brexit plan asks too much and delivers far too little'

Editorial: 'No glory in being champion of a game with no winners'