Tens of thousands of tourists flock to Ireland each year for the St. Patrick’s Day Festival. But in the midst of the concerts, parades and art installations, one figure is strikingly absent—Patrick himself.
Kevin Hargaden
Kevin Hargaden is a theologian with the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice in Dublin, Ireland. He is the author of Theological Ethics in a Neoliberal Age, published by Wipf and Stock.
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
Ireland’s new government faces a housing crisis. Is it bad enough for people to leave the country?
The new government in Ireland (which looks remarkably like the last one) faces a housing crisis that has become an economic and demographic emergency.
Posted inArts & Culture, Dispatches
The Irish Christmas tradition that celebrates the unsung work of women
The Irish tradition has long been that on Nollaig na mBan, this final day of the busy Christmas season, women get to put their feet up and enjoy a day of socializing. In some versions of the tradition, men take over the household chores.
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
How Ireland avoided a far-right surge and anti-incumbent backlash in recent election
When Irish people went to the polls on Nov. 29, there had been concerns that the nation would see a far-right surge in the Dáil, or parliament, in keeping with trends within the rest of Europe. But Ireland continues to be an outlier.
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
‘Irish Patriots’ and Ulster loyalists find a shared scapegoat in Northern Ireland: Immigrants
Loyalist paramilitaries played a central role in organizing the unrest in Belfast, but it was a surprise on both sides of the northern Irish border when they were joined by self-proclaimed “Irish patriots” from the Republic of Ireland.
Posted inDispatches, Faith
City council prayer has been challenged in Cork. Is this the future of a more secular Ireland?
A newly elected city councilor in Cork, Ireland, wants to stop the practice of opening meetings with a prayer. He also calls for the removal of a crucifix from the council chamber.
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
Defense, cost of living and migration: What top election issues reveal about the state of the E.U.
The elections results suggest that European states will set stricter policies on immigration, raising levels of despair among asylum seekers and hundreds of thousands of people living without official status across Europe.
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
Ireland recognizes Palestinian statehood: Why many Irish people resonate with the conflict in Palestine
Palestinians face a much stronger neighbor who apparently can occupy territory with impunity. Irish people, with a strong cultural memory of British rule, have a visceral reaction to such a situation, he suggests.
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
Catholics, socialists and disability advocates all have concerns about Ireland’s proposed family amendments
The misogynistic language of the old Constitution may be removed, but in its place will be clauses that relinquish the state of any real responsibility to support family caregivers, critics say.
Posted inDispatches, Faith
The last priests and nuns in Ireland: Exploring the Irish Catholic Church’s steep decline
RTÉ aired two documentaries in January looking at the decline of the Catholic Church in Ireland: “The Last Priests in Ireland” and “The Last Nuns in Ireland.” But signs of hope can still be discerned amid the decline after years of church turbulence.