Ian O'Doherty

John Witts enjoys a drink at the reopening of the Figure of Eight pub, in Birmingham, as England further eases lockdown restrictions. Photo: Jacob King/PA Wire

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Ian O'Doherty Opinion All eyes on how the UK public acts as society opens up – our fate depends on it

A tale of two countries.

Distraction: Everyone, it seems, is now more interested in ‘likes’ than being simply liked. (Picture posed)

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Ian O'Doherty Opinion Kids today don’t understand privacy. I can’t blame them

For the second Saturday in a row, I find myself talking about “kids these days”.

An Taoiseach Micheál Martin, An Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, and Minister for Transport and the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan. Photo: Julien Behal

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Ian O'Doherty Opinion Covid has changed how we live – and how many of us think about traditional politics

It really is bizarre, when you take a step back and think about it for a minute, that we are now in the second year of living with lockdown restrictions.

Annie Murphy as Alexis and Daniel Levy as David in Schitt’s Creek

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It’s great that we have so many viewing options, but part of me wants to hop back to the old days

Ah, kids today, with their fancy phones and tablets and access to the likes of Netflix and Disney+.

Manager Stephen Kenny just before the whistle goes on the worst result in living memory. Photo: PA

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Ian O'Doherty Opinion Timing of poignant documentary on Big Jack underlines current sad state of Irish football

It’s fair to say that every Irish football fan will have experienced quite the emotional rollercoaster over the last few days. The only problem with that statement, however, is that rollercoasters tend to go up as well as down.

Rising tensions: A loyalist paramilitary mural in Belfast

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A united Ireland is a fever dream that will simply end in carnage

To be or not to be united? That is the question.

Protesters and gardaí clash during an anti-lockdown protest in Dublin city centre on Saturday February 27. Photo: Damian Eagers/PA Wire

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Ian O'Doherty Opinion We’re all frustrated and hurting – but you can’t protest your way out of a pandemic

A funny thing happened in the pages of the Indo this day last week – I wrote an optimistic column.

Badge of pride: A spectator at the New York St Patrick’s Day Parade. Many Irish-Americans have a simplistic view of this country

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Ian O'Doherty Opinion I love my American relatives — but they shouldn’t have a vote here

Like many of us, I have lots of relations in America. They’re good people and, as a kid, I always looked forward to them coming back to Ireland for a holiday.

People strolling and cycling along the coast at Dollymount during recent sunny weather in Dublin. Photo: Steve Humphreys

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Ian O'Doherty Opinion Glorious sunshine gave me a glimpse of light at the end of this lockdown tunnel

It was sometime in the middle of Sunday afternoon when a strange sensation came over me. I felt, and this is a hard one to describe, but I felt... vaguely content. Forget happiness, even vague contentment has been in short supply these days.

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Ian O'Doherty Opinion The Elliott picture was horrible – but put down the pitchforks

And... they’re off!

Anti Lockdown protesters confront Gardai on Dublin's Grafton Street. Photo: Arthur Carron

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Ian O'Doherty Opinion Deluded freedom champions will liberate us all right back into another lockdown

When most of us saw what was happening in the storming of the Capitol in Washington back on January 6, we were stunned.

Online abuse: Republic of Ireland Under-19 international Tyreik Wright. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile

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Ian O'Doherty Opinion Social media is now a cesspit. Big tech must do something about it

Well, it’s happened again.

EU president Ursula von der Leyen had to quickly roll back on triggering of Article 16 of Northern Ireland protocol. Photo: Olivier Hoslet

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Ian O’Doherty Opinion Forget Brexit – the pandemic is by far the toughest test the EU has ever faced

We can be a strange, perplexing little country at times.

Scary thought: It was a surprise that so many of those polled admit that listening to Ozzy Osbourne’s Black Sabbath is a great way of reducing their stress levels. Photo: Paul Natkin/Getty Images

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Ian O'Doherty Opinion Now that’s what I call good news! 80s music helps reduces stress

Here at the Indo, we like to do the heavy lifting so you don’t have to.

US President Joe Biden made much play of his ability to talk to the kind of blue collar American who had switched their traditional allegiance from the Democrats to the Republicans. Photo: Reuters/Carlos Barria

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Ian O'Doherty Opinion The task of spanning a widening chasm in American society may be beyond Joe Biden

A victory for white supremacy. That was the view of one outraged American politician following the end of Donald Trump’s impeachment trial last Saturday.

Political differences: LA Times columnist Virginia Heffernan’s neighbours are Trump voters

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Ian O'Doherty Opinion Sometimes the modern liberal just hands it to you on a plate

Quick question — how well do you get on with your neighbours?

Turning point: Ireland’s Peter O’Mahony (right) is sent off during Sunday’s Six Nations defeat to Wales in Cardiff. Photo: David Davies/PA Wire

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Ian O'Doherty Opinion Let’s be honest – at the moment, sport is the only thing keeping us going

A friend of mine called me on Sunday afternoon.

Targeted: Daniel Day-Lewis in The Crucible, the 1996 film inspired by the Salem witch trials

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Ian O'Doherty Opinion Technology may have changed but we’re not that different to Salem

I watched a fascinating documentary the other night It involved a bunch of young, hysterical people denouncing others and demanding that they be cancelled. These fatuous temper tantrums were then indulged by older people who agreed with their deranged demands and crazy claims and proceeded to punish those who had been on the receiving end of the allegations. Sound familiar?

Alliance: President Biden’s affinity toward Ireland, as well as his Irish heritage, will likely be a big draw to Washington for Taoiseach Micheál Martin

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Ian O’Doherty Opinion We need Micheál Martin to go to Washington for St Patrick's Day – anyone suggesting otherwise is an idiot

Let's take a quick look at all the problems we currently face, shall we?

The novelty has worn off: The fact that schools won’t be open any time soon must have come as a hammer blow to many parents

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Ian O'Doherty Opinion Staying child-free has never seemed such a wise choice

I don’t have kids.

A passenger celebrates as he arrives at Belfast International Airport from the UK. Photo: Stephen Davison

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Ian O’Doherty Opinion Hard choices face this government, but there is far more than votes at stake now

At 2pm tomorrow, Irish time, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists are holding a virtual press conference from Washington.

Divided states: People who think this week’s inauguration of Joe Biden will bring an end to a four-year nightmare are simply fooling themselves

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Ian O'Doherty Opinion Biden has a hell of a job on his hands — let’s hope he’s up to it

Hail to the thief!

Keep believing: A giant billboard in London proclaims a message of hope and a brighter future. Photo: Tolga Akmen/AFP via Getty Images

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Ian O'Doherty Opinion Absolutely everyone has lockdown blues at this stage – but these dark days will pass

As you may have been aware, yesterday was officially The Most Depressing Day Of The Year.

Trauma: ‘There is a deep scar running through our national psyche and the abomination of these mother and baby homes is one of the main reasons’

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Ian O'Doherty Opinion There is plenty of blame to go around, but the church must pay

I was born in the Coombe in November, 1971.

Horror: A woman stops at a memorial for Capitol police officer Brian Sicknick who died after he was beaten by supporters of President Donald Trump when they stormed the US Capitol in Washington. Photo: Joshua Roberts/Reuters

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Ian O'Doherty Opinion I tried to defend Trump voters from lazy slurs – but they’ve lived down to worst stereotype

In his highly entertaining 2018 travelogue, Another Fine Mess, English journalist Tim Moore drove an old Ford Model T through the American regions which had voted most heavily in favour of Donald Trump.

One activist claimed Grease was "rapey, racist, homophobic and should never be shown on TV again" after the BBC screened it over Christmas

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Ian O'Doherty Opinion From God to Grease, every generation will create its own taboos

So, what did you make of the hugely controversial sketch on RTÉ on New Year’s Eve?

The vultures are circling: As he tries to guide Ireland through the pandemic, Micheál Martin must now also be wary of fellow party members. Photo: Tom Honan/PA Wire

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Ian O'Doherty Opinion Fianna Fáil’s leadership heave is the last thing this country needs

Face mask? Check.

Weaponisation of cancel culture: Justice Minister Helen McEntee plans to toughen up our legislation on so-called ‘hate speech’. Photo by Gareth Chaney/Collins

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Ian O'Doherty Opinion Helen McEntee’s hate speech legislation would turn morons into martyrs

I think we can all agree that we just experienced a rather unusual Christmas.

Done deal: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced he had agreed to a Brexit trade deal on Christmas Eve. Photo: Getty

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Ian O'Doherty Opinion Brexit deal is finally here – let’s hope there are no hidden land mines

Well, that’s that. No more couples counselling. No more last-ditch weekends away in an effort to save a dying relationship. No more futile attempts at a reconciliation. After four years of rancour, recrimination, tears, tantrums and increasing hostility, this divorce is now absolute.

Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar Jones in Normal People

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Ian O'Doherty Opinion If ever there was a year we wanted to end, this was it

Well, that was some year, wasn’t it?

Ian O'Doherty

Ian O'Doherty Opinion All eyes on how the UK public acts as society opens up – our fate depends on it

Ian O'Doherty Opinion Kids today don’t understand privacy. I can’t blame them

Ian O'Doherty Opinion Covid has changed how we live – and how many of us think about traditional politics

It’s great that we have so many viewing options, but part of me wants to hop back to the old days

Ian O'Doherty Opinion Timing of poignant documentary on Big Jack underlines current sad state of Irish football

A united Ireland is a fever dream that will simply end in carnage

Ian O'Doherty Opinion We’re all frustrated and hurting – but you can’t protest your way out of a pandemic

Ian O'Doherty Opinion I love my American relatives — but they shouldn’t have a vote here

Ian O'Doherty Opinion Glorious sunshine gave me a glimpse of light at the end of this lockdown tunnel

Ian O'Doherty Opinion The Elliott picture was horrible – but put down the pitchforks

Ian O'Doherty Opinion Deluded freedom champions will liberate us all right back into another lockdown

Ian O'Doherty Opinion Social media is now a cesspit. Big tech must do something about it

Ian O’Doherty Opinion Forget Brexit – the pandemic is by far the toughest test the EU has ever faced

Ian O'Doherty Opinion Now that’s what I call good news! 80s music helps reduces stress

Ian O'Doherty Opinion The task of spanning a widening chasm in American society may be beyond Joe Biden

Ian O'Doherty Opinion Sometimes the modern liberal just hands it to you on a plate

Ian O'Doherty Opinion Let’s be honest – at the moment, sport is the only thing keeping us going

Ian O'Doherty Opinion Technology may have changed but we’re not that different to Salem

Ian O’Doherty Opinion We need Micheál Martin to go to Washington for St Patrick's Day – anyone suggesting otherwise is an idiot

Ian O'Doherty Opinion Staying child-free has never seemed such a wise choice

Ian O’Doherty Opinion Hard choices face this government, but there is far more than votes at stake now

Ian O'Doherty Opinion Biden has a hell of a job on his hands — let’s hope he’s up to it

Ian O'Doherty Opinion Absolutely everyone has lockdown blues at this stage – but these dark days will pass

Ian O'Doherty Opinion There is plenty of blame to go around, but the church must pay

Ian O'Doherty Opinion I tried to defend Trump voters from lazy slurs – but they’ve lived down to worst stereotype

Ian O'Doherty Opinion From God to Grease, every generation will ­create its own taboos

Ian O'Doherty Opinion Fianna Fáil’s leadership heave is the last thing this country needs

Ian O'Doherty Opinion Helen McEntee’s hate speech legislation would turn morons into martyrs

Ian O'Doherty Opinion Brexit deal is finally here – let’s hope there are no hidden land mines

Ian O'Doherty Opinion If ever there was a year we wanted to end, this was it

Ian O'Doherty Opinion From God to Grease, every generation will create its own taboos