The Saddest Story

Thu, Mar 13, 2025

“For sale: baby shoes, never worn” is a six word story that is often attributed to Ernest Hemingway, though many dispute the story originated with the American author. Whatever the source, it is possibly the shortest, and saddest, story ever written.

This story takes on a real, and heartbreaking, meaning, as one reads the evidence recently presented to the inquiry into the Real IRA bombing of Omagh on August 15th, 1998.

CRITICAL EYE / SÚIL GHRINN: From dreary to diverse

Thu, Mar 13, 2025

Galway's St Patrick's Day parade has become, somewhat unexpectedly, one of the things I most look forward to in the year. Some of my earliest memories are of uninspiring parades in the dreary 1980s. I swear that one year it consisted only of flat-bed trucks, with nothing on them. Before Macnas imported a theatrical approach to street performance, the parade was often more obligation than entertainment.

Time to save our retailers

Thu, Mar 06, 2025

The retail landscape of Galway City and County has been struggling for years, and the pandemic only exacerbated the issues that were already simmering beneath the surface. As we approach the fifth anniversary of the great shutdown, it is clear that the vibrant heart of many of our towns, villages, and the city itself has never fully recovered. Once thriving hubs of commerce, culture, and social activity, these areas now find themselves marked by dereliction, empty storefronts, and shuttered businesses. The once-bustling streets now carry an air of emptiness, with even Saturdays taking on the quiet, languid feeling of a Sunday afternoon.

At first, the stillness was nostalgic—a reminder of simpler days when towns closed down on weekends, and life slowed to a more peaceful pace. However, what began as a fleeting pause has turned into a lingering malaise. The ambitious plans to breathe new life into these areas through the creation of vibrant hubs, reinvigorating derelict spaces, and fostering a flourishing local economy have failed to materialise. Galway’s town centres, once pulsing with activity, now stand as silent reminders of what was lost.

The shifting sands of the world order

Thu, Feb 20, 2025

The world feels more uncertain than ever. Across continents, the international order is shifting, reshaping itself in ways we can’t yet fully grasp. A century ago, the global landscape was redrawn in the wake of war and upheaval. Now, it seems we are standing at the edge of another realignment, one that is moving faster than we can anticipate.

A time to mourn and support

Thu, Feb 13, 2025

The wind howled through Galway two weeks ago, not just in the physical tempest that uprooted trees and left scars upon the land, but in the sorrow and upset that swept through the hearts of its people. A county that has so often roared in triumph, lifted by the feats of its sporting heroes, this week bows its head in mourning.

Homes left in the dark as frustration reigns

Thu, Feb 06, 2025

The past week has tested the resilience of the people of the west of Ireland, as the storm swept through, leaving families and senior citizens in the dark and the cold—both literally and figuratively. Power lines crumbled under the relentless force of the wind, and entire communities found themselves without electricity, without heat, and, in many cases, without the means to stay warm or connected.

Unforgiving storm highlighted our vulnerabilities

Thu, Jan 30, 2025

Galway and the west coast of Ireland bore the brunt of the storm's fury last weekend, lashed by winds that howled like banshees, tearing through the land with a reckless, unrelenting force. The skies darkened, the rain fell in torrents, and the record-speed wind bent the world to its will. Trees, once proud sentinels of the roadside, succumbed, their roots torn from the earth, their limbs flung like discarded matchsticks. Roofs groaned, ridge tiles loosened and scattered, while fragile sheds crumpled like paper in a giant’s grasp.

The need for compassion in a world where it feels rare

Thu, Jan 23, 2025

In a week when it seems like everyone is out to get the "small guy," it’s hard not to feel disillusioned. Compassion, mercy, and empathy — qualities that should be at the heart of human interaction—feel increasingly absent. Instead, we are bombarded with a world where people act not because they should, but because they can. It’s difficult not to be turned off by the toxic environment, especially in politics and public discourse, which appears to have abandoned humanity in favour of power plays.

Framing the worldview

Thu, Jan 09, 2025

Did you know that many Americans cannot locate the US on a world map? I recently had a video show up on my social media that proved just that, as an anonymous camera person asked seemingly random people to locate North Korea on a blank map, with several pointing to Canada, Europe, and even the USA.

A new era looms for the world

Wed, Jan 08, 2025

As we step into the new year, a strange, anticipatory tension hangs in the air. This sense of flux and uncertainty is palpable, amplified by the imminent return of Donald Trump to the White House for his second term. January 20 marks a moment that many see as a fulcrum for global change—or chaos.

In our own country, political stability remains almost intact as the government formation drags on after November’s election. However, concern is not as extreme as the broader international unease, where the unpredictable shifts in U.S. politics echo globally. The resonance of American culture and policy extends far beyond its borders, infiltrating economies, policies, and even societal norms worldwide.

Fill yourself with the good stuff this coming year

Thu, Jan 02, 2025

The beginning of a new year often brings with it an air of optimism, hope, and the promise of change. Many of us approach this annual reset by resolving to give up bad habits or vices, believing that doing so will lead to a better version of ourselves. But what if we shifted our focus? Instead of dwelling on what to give up, why not concentrate on what to embrace? The idea of adding good habits and acts of kindness—both for ourselves and others—can be far more uplifting and impactful.

And so it is Christmas....

Thu, Dec 26, 2024

Normally at this time of the year, as people head away for the holidays, I end up being the last one to lock the door or switch on the alarm as I leave this building. A place normally so busy, but on those days you get to thinking about the year just past, and the possibilities of what lies ahead past the stroke of midnight on Wednesday week.

And so it is Christmas....

Mon, Dec 23, 2024

Normally at this time of the year, as people head away for the holidays, I end up being the last one to lock the door or switch on the alarm as I leave this building. A place normally so busy, but on those days you get to thinking about the year just past, and the possibilities of what lies ahead past the stroke of midnight on Wednesday week.

The unravelling of the world continues

Thu, Dec 12, 2024

In recent years, the world has undergone profound changes. The sense of an "unraveling" has deepened in the past few months, driven by global crises, domestic turmoil, and unexpected events that have reshaped our understanding of stability.

Show up and shape the future

Thu, Nov 28, 2024

As the eve of polling day descends upon us, we stand on the threshold of a momentous decision that will shape not only the composition of our next Government but the trajectory of our nation as we approach the cusp of 2030. This election isn’t merely a ritual of democracy—it’s a call to action for every eligible voter to exercise their right, claim ownership of the outcome, and influence the coalition of parties that will steer our society through the opportunities and challenges of the coming years.

A dark week for the county

Thu, Nov 14, 2024

A place is defined by its people; those who awake at dawn and from that moment contribute to the betterment of life for their community. To offer a hello, to whistle, to hum. Those who speak and advocate; and those who don’t. Those who lift the hearts through song, through sport, through artistic excellence, through being there when a helping hand is needed.

Places become what they are because of the calibre of the inhabitants. This week, the Galway community is hurting from the tragedy that befell it on Tuesday when two swimmers lost their lives in the fog-covered waters off Silverstrand. At time of writing, the search for one continues, and our thanks go out to all the searchers and their support teams as they rally around the family of the woman who is missing since she went swimming on Tuesday.

CRITICAL EYE / SÚIL GHRINN: Pandora's Box of Politics

Thu, Nov 14, 2024

“You’re a true believer, right?”

The fast approach of the end of year

Thu, Nov 07, 2024

The hammering noise from outside my window here in Eyre Square caught me by surprise; the Christmas Market starts tomorrow, the earliest it has ever been, and a reminder once again of how the year has been concertina-ed into what feels like six months.

A big week for the world. Or is it?

Thu, Oct 31, 2024

My first interaction with the American political and military machine came not long after my fifth birthday.

CRITICAL EYE / SÚIL GHRINN: The rhythm of our stories

Thu, Oct 10, 2024

I look forward to the first full week in October every year, as announcement of the Nobel prizes introduce me to some of the greatest accomplishments of humanity. For a moment, I can have a glimpse at the most impressive work in the sciences, literature, and human rights. The awardees - often recognised for work completed decades earlier - remind us of the immense body of effort behind the scenes that underpin the technologies we use every day. Last year’s winner of the prize in medicine, Katalin Karikó, was never granted tenure by the University of Pennsylvania, and yet she persisted.

E-paper

Read this weeks E-paper. Past editions also available from within this weeks digital copy.