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Eddie Holt

Thirty years after Papal visit to Ireland, the Catholic Church is in dire straits

Eddie Holt: The Pope called to Ireland in 1979. He had never come here before, despite Ireland’s reputation as “the greatest little Catholic country on Earth”. I was in London but I watched most of the scenes that greeted his arrival. Thirty years later, the Catholic Church is in rag order. Were the current Pope – Benedict XVI – to visit Ireland, he could not expect crowds like his predecessor Pope John Paul II. FULL STORY >

Father TIm

Virgin Mary was in Ireland, but Irish Catholic Church was missing in action

Father Tim: Somewhere in Ireland right now, there are some sadly misguided Irish Catholic priests who are probably just plain dee-lighted that thousands of the faithful went home in disappointment from the Knock Shrine without having seen the Blessed Virgin Mary appear. FULL STORY >

John Spain

Knock, Knock, who's there?

John Spain: There were lots of knock, knock jokes here this week. Or even Knock, knock jokes. Knock, knock, who's there? It's Virgin. Virgin who? Vergin' on the ridiculous. FULL STORY >

Kelly's Corner

Kelly Fincham

Glenn Beck and the appendicitis dash

There's something just a little ironic about Fox motormouth Glenn Beck coming down with appendicitis. Beck was rushed to hospital yesterday after becoming ill during the taping of his show. FULL STORY >

Tim Pat Coogan

In the wake of the Pope

Tim Pat Coogan: “What should I do with the cow’s teat”, inquired the interviewer from the Newstalk Radio station covering the recent National Ploughing Championships. “Squeeze it gently”, replied the lady agricultural instructor evenly,” as though it were your willy.” In all sorts of ways that exchange, and the generally amused reaction to it, encapsulates the difference between to-day’s Ireland and that which existed at the time of the pope’s visit 30 years ago. FULL STORY >

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