Columns - Irish Examiner

Sign in

Gareth O'Callaghan.png

Gareth O'Callaghan

Spectacular landscape of the Burren region of County Clare, Ireland. Exposed karst limestone bedrock at the Burren National Park

Gareth O'Callaghan: Why solitude still matters in an always-connected Ireland

A January reflection on solitude, nature, and why constant connection is eroding our inner lives and sense of self

Sat, 03 Jan, 2026

Man Writing in Notebook

Gareth O'Callaghan: A Christmas letter to my 10-year-old self about curiosity, kindness and growing up

A reflective Christmas message across generations, exploring childhood wonder, hard-earned wisdom and the lessons that endure with time

Sat, 27 Dec, 2025

Cheerful extended family talking during Christmas dinner at home.

Gareth O'Callaghan: Christmas, belonging and the quiet loneliness many of us carry

A reflective look at Christmas, loneliness, exile, and why belonging matters more than gifts, traditions, or perfect family rituals

Sat, 20 Dec, 2025

Enoch Burke court case

Gareth O'Callaghan: A personal letter to Enoch Burke this Christmas

'You’re not in jail for your divinely-ordained views on gender ideology; you’re there because you refused to do what a judge ordered'

Sun, 14 Dec, 2025

Gareth O'Callaghan: ECT is unsafe, say campaigners. So why is it still used in Irish hospitals?

S Gareth O'Callaghan: ECT is unsafe, say campaigners. So why is it still used in Irish hospitals?

New legislation may ban ECT for under-18s, but wider concerns over safety, memory loss and ethics remain unresolved in Ireland

Sat, 06 Dec, 2025

Congress Kennedy

Gareth O'Callaghan: Vaccination is vital for people with chronic illness as covid and flu season returns

Gareth O'Callaghan on living with COPD, the return of flu and covid, and why vaccine misinformation — especially from RFK Jr — puts vulnerable people at risk

Sat, 29 Nov, 2025

ICE Raid Louisiana Racetrack

Gareth O'Callaghan: New York Irish keep their heads down this Thanksgiving due to ICE

Rising ICE detentions and heightened tension in New York’s immigrant communities convinced Gareth O'Callaghan to cancel his Thanksgiving trip to Brooklyn

Sat, 22 Nov, 2025

Classic radio tuner panel close-up. Black background

S Gareth O'Callaghan: The enduring magic of radio as RTÉ unveils new presenters and a new era

RTÉ’s new schedule prompts veteran broadcaster Gareth O'Callaghan to reflect on why radio remains a timeless, intimate companion woven into Irish daily life

Sat, 15 Nov, 2025

Could this be a sexual revolution? No, it's RTÉ Radio 1's new schedule

S Could this be a sexual revolution? No, it's RTÉ Radio 1's new schedule

Launching a schedule of such magnitude on Ireland’s most-listened-to station is a huge gamble, but the early signs are encouraging, writes Gareth O'Callaghan.

Mon, 10 Nov, 2025

Gareth O'Callaghan: Are we starting to acknowledge that there’s an outlier in each of us?

Gareth O'Callaghan: Are we starting to acknowledge that there’s an outlier in each of us?

Last June, Zohran Mamdani was accused of running a campaign full of crowds, slogans, and big promises. This week he proved his opponents wrong and won

Sat, 08 Nov, 2025