The sad, lonely death, in a Dublin doorway, of John Corrie, the 43 year-old homeless man who died yards from our parliament, is symbolic of many things wrong in our world, but for anyone to suggest they are shocked by such an inevitable tragedy just adds a shameful and offensive layer of hypocrisy to the charge sheet already faced by this society.

Two teacher unions closed Ireland’s second-level schools yesterday because they don’t approve of how their employer, our democratically elected Government, has decided to reform our education system. 

Former Fianna Fáil Minister of State Ned O’Keeffe always presented himself a straight talker, a man prepared to speak truth to power. 

We are, it seems, on the very cusp of indulging in the kind of self-destructive behaviour and delusion that helped write the script — partially at least — for our economic collapse.

Coming so quickly as it does on the heels of the announcement of the €45m quayside office block project at Albert Quay, yesterday’s long-awaited An Bord Pleanála approval for the €70m rejuvenation of Páirc Uí Chaoimh adds to the growing sense of optimism around Cork City’s future, especially along the riverside from City Hall to Blackrock.

It is one of the reassuring things about being human that heroism, in all its many shapes and sizes, is all around us, waiting for the moment when nothing else will do, waiting for the critical moment when it above all else is needed.

For any victim of a sex crime, nothing could be more demeaning than being portrayed by some smart lawyer as the perpetrator, rather than the victim, of the most heinous of crimes.

IN spite of the economy’s much vaunted turn-around, as instanced by today’s up-beat and indeed very welcome Retail Ireland forecast that Christmas will be the best in five years, there is no avoiding the reality that society is super-glued in two inflexible tiers — the haves and the have-nots.

Nearly every western country, no matter how wealthy, is struggling with the ever-rising cost of healthcare, be it private or public.

How sad it is that British prime minister David Cameron is leading a response to immigration so very out-of-step with the needs of the world, especially the poor.