Columns - Irish Examiner

Ryle Dwyer

JFK could have taught our lot how to accept political responsibility

THIS week marked the 42nd anniversary of the assassination of John F Kennedy.

Sat, 26 Nov, 2005

Nally debate distorted by racism

JUST before Christmas in 1996, an elderly farmer was awoken in the early hours of the morning. Pat Duggan lived alone in an isolated cottage near Claregalway in Co Galway.

Sat, 19 Nov, 2005

Honorary doctorates can be as off-putting as the bogus variety

A SENIOR editor once said to me: “Do you know, I have no qualifications?” I have all the degrees I could get in my field, but only a person who does not have them thinks they are so important.

Sat, 19 Nov, 2005

The good priest who impressed everyone from popes to presidents

THE clergy have been taking a bit of pasting in recent days, but the World War One armistice commemorations yesterday reminded me of an extraordinary 1971 interview with a priest.

Sat, 12 Nov, 2005

We should be wary of interfering in the internal affairs of the US

THE Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern, spent the last week in the US meeting Irish immigrant groups and lobbying American politicians to help the 25,000 undocumented Irish immigrants in the light of new legislation being considered by the US Congress.

Sat, 05 Nov, 2005

Wake-up call to Bertie: you are bringing your office into disrepute

EAMON de Valera, founder of Fianna Fáil, attached enormous importance to symbolism. It could be argued that his attachment to symbols was the major contributory factor to the civil war.

Sat, 29 Oct, 2005

Bashing the leader of the day doesn't really work. Just ask FG

THE Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis is being held in Killarney over the weekend. The way the Government has been behaving in recent weeks there should be lots of excitement.

Sat, 22 Oct, 2005

Political graft, phoney drug wars and greedy lawyers. Sounds familiar

SINCE finishing university in the United States in the mid-1970s I have been struck repeatedly by our failure to learn from their mistakes.

Sat, 15 Oct, 2005

We should be slow to oblige when the US comes calling for one of us

THE question over whether or not the Colombia Three should be extradited continues to exercise minds. It could set a dangerous precedent.

Sat, 08 Oct, 2005

Let’s examine ourselves before lecturing those in the North

THE final decommissioning of the IRA arms last weekend was not the first time the organisation has dumped its weapons.

Sat, 01 Oct, 2005