#Insight

A specially curated collection of content highlights from across the Irish Examiner.

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

Minimum wage rise
These are the social welfare changes in effect from January 1
Minimum wage and welfare payments rise from today, while pensions, renters and retirement savings also see key Budget changes

Wed, 31 Dec, 2025

Oasis, Zach Bryan, Dua Lipa... These were the 16 best gigs of 2025
Oasis, Zach Bryan, Dua Lipa... These were the 16 best gigs of 2025
From summer spectaculars to intimate indoor affairs, 2025 was quite the year for gigs in Ireland. Here are some of the highlights, and feel free to share your own memories of the best days out 

Wed, 31 Dec, 2025

Disinformation, the electoral register, abuse of politicians: The issues facing the Electoral Commission
Disinformation, the electoral register, abuse of politicians: The issues facing the Electoral Commission
An AI clip during the presidential campaign went viral and showed the scale of the challenge in ensuring integrity. Art O’Leary heads up An Coimisiún Toghcháin and had been watching out for such issues, writes Sean Murray

Mon, 29 Dec, 2025

‘This is what I do now, this is my baby’: Keith Earls on opening new coffee shop and retiring from rugby
‘This is what I do now, this is my baby’: Keith Earls on opening new coffee shop and retiring from rugby
Since he retired from rugby, the former Munster, Ireland and Lions winger said he has had a tough few years – and adjusting to a new routine took some time

Mon, 29 Dec, 2025

gifts and question mark
The Big Weekend Christmas Quiz 2025: 100 questions to test your general knowledge
To mark the 40th anniversary of our weekly quiz, Noel Welch has compiled some of his favourite questions of all time – so you can enjoy testing your general knowledge over the festive season. You'll find the answers at the end of the quiz

Sun, 28 Dec, 2025

Clare v Laois - GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Round 2
In memoriam: Remembering some of the greats we lost in 2025
Every year teaches us something about absence. 2025 was such a year, and we remember the greats who are no longer with us

Sat, 27 Dec, 2025

Be my guest: Your ultimate guide to hosting this Christmas
Be my guest: Your ultimate guide to hosting this Christmas
Whether you’re hosting for the very first time or gathering the usual crowd for another Christmas around the table, we asked the experts for their golden rules on how to make it all run smoothly.

Wed, 24 Dec, 2025

'We sell seven tons of spiced beef at Christmas': Meet the people on the festive frontlines
'We sell seven tons of spiced beef at Christmas': Meet the people on the festive frontlines
From panto dames to Christmas tree growers, butchers and toy shop owners, meet the people on the festive frontlines with Gemma Fullam

Wed, 24 Dec, 2025

Roasted turkey on holiday table
S Five of Darina Allen's go-to family recipes for a classic Christmas feast
This year I’m championing the old-school and the traditional, writes Darina Allen

Wed, 24 Dec, 2025

George Best in Cork: New documentary goes behind the scenes of the superstar's stint on Leeside
George Best in Cork: New documentary goes behind the scenes of the superstar's stint on Leeside
George Best i gCorcaigh on TG4 looks back on the troubled player's brief sojourn at Cork Celtic in 1975 

Tue, 23 Dec, 2025

Mother and son looking out of window
A national shame: Another Christmas for thousands in emergency accommodation  
This year, more than 16,700 people will spend their Christmas in emergency accommodation, many of them children who have never lived in their own home

Sun, 21 Dec, 2025

In the dock: The colourful comings and goings of Cork District Court 
In the dock: The colourful comings and goings of Cork District Court 
Sarah Horgan spent a day at the courthouse on Anglesea Street and witnessed cases that were bizarre, fascinating, and sad

Sun, 21 Dec, 2025

'I got a toy monkey... I thought he was real': Irish celebs on their favourite Christmas memory
'I got a toy monkey... I thought he was real': Irish celebs on their favourite Christmas memory
From Lyra to Louise O'Neill, Derval O'Rourke to Blindboy, well-known Irish personalities share their treasured Christmas memory. 

Sun, 21 Dec, 2025

My Life with Myles Breen: 'I've played an ugly sister eight times'
My Life with Myles Breen: 'I've played an ugly sister eight times'
At 61, I’m a bit long in the tooth to play that part now. The dame, on the other hand, is timeless

Sat, 20 Dec, 2025

How one woman escaped from the Taliban and made it to Cork 
How one woman escaped from the Taliban and made it to Cork 
This two part podcast is a story of hard work, hope and home

 Listen | Fri, 19 Dec, 2025

 Listen |
What does the Fianna Fáil presidential election review reveal?
What does the Fianna Fáil presidential election review reveal?
After weeks of queries and delays, the party has finally published its presidential election review

Wed, 17 Dec, 2025

'A time of great hope': Former engineer is looking forward to his first Christmas as a priest
'A time of great hope': Former engineer is looking forward to his first Christmas as a priest
52-year-old Stuart McGovern worked in telecoms and ran his own firm but always wanted ‘more than what the world had to offer’ — a quest that has led to his ordination as a Catholic priest

Mon, 15 Dec, 2025

Australia's Social Media Ban for Children Under 16
Fake AI-generated ads are on the rise, and TikTok is helping to create them
Despite the company's own policies to combat deception and misinformation, quickly made, AI-generated adverts promoting fake health products remain rampant on TikTok

Sun, 14 Dec, 2025

Conor Geaney and Paul Geaney celebrates at full time 7/12/2025
S Dingle v Barrs: Anatomy of a stone-cold Munster final classic 
The greatest game of football ever played at Semple Stadium? Depends. St Finbarr's may not think so. But in good time, they'll know they participated in a high-wire classic - pure theatre, imbuing every moment with consequence

Sat, 13 Dec, 2025

Former Defence Forces officers say Ireland is under threat and may be at the mercy of drones
Former Defence Forces officers say Ireland is under threat and may be at the mercy of drones
Ireland has been left scrambling to catch up amid the heated geopolitical situation and the emergence of 'hybrid warfare'

Sat, 13 Dec, 2025

‘My fear isn’t past — it’s present’: Aida Austin on life with her daughter’s intractable epilepsy
‘My fear isn’t past — it’s present’: Aida Austin on life with her daughter’s intractable epilepsy
In Seized, West Cork writer Aida Austin shares a deeply moving memoir about her daughter Iona’s lifelong epilepsy, exploring fear, love and the resilience of family life

Wed, 10 Dec, 2025

The 30 best Cork books of 2025: Fiction, history, memoirs, and more....
The 30 best Cork books of 2025: Fiction, history, memoirs, and more....
It's been another bumper year for Cork-related books and titles written by Leeside-born authors. Marjorie Brennan selects the best of them across the genres 

Tue, 09 Dec, 2025

A clearer Christmas: How to survive the festive season sober
A clearer Christmas: How to survive the festive season sober
Ireland and alcohol: a pairing so familiar it’s become a global stereotype. But the social landscape is changing, and with it, our drinking habits. Sarah Finnan explores how to survive the festive season sober 

Sun, 07 Dec, 2025

A fashion editor's guide to the 12 dresses of Christmas
A fashion editor's guide to the 12 dresses of Christmas
The season of sparkle has arrived and with it a flurry of festive plans. Office soirées, yuletide cocktails, winter weddings: each occasion calls for a look that shines. So, get set for your gúna glow-up, folks. These are the dresses your wardrobe has been waiting for. Bring on the bubbles, and the compliments!

Sat, 06 Dec, 2025

The big Irish gift guide: 300 of the best gifts to shop for Christmas 2025
S The big Irish gift guide: 300 of the best gifts to shop for Christmas 2025
Digital editor Denise O'Donoghue rounds up 300 of the best Irish gifts to shop this festive season. This is your A-Z guide to Christmas gifting with a local twist

Wed, 03 Dec, 2025

Woman standing in window
Nasty notes and malicious rumours: One woman's terrifying experience with a stalker
An Irish woman living in the UK describes how routine gestures and neighbourly contact morphed into a sustained and terrifying stalking campaign

Tue, 02 Dec, 2025

Diageo financials
'Every Dubliner should drive through rural towns to see... The pub has been knocked off its perch'
Two new books analyse what makes the 'perfect pub' and both come to a sobering conclusion: Irish pubs are in trouble 

Mon, 01 Dec, 2025

Colin Sheridan: DJ Carey’s wrongdoing not the only unsettling part of 'The Dodger' documentary
Colin Sheridan: DJ Carey’s wrongdoing not the only unsettling part of 'The Dodger' documentary
The RTÉ documentary raises questions about who benefits from such coverage, writes Colin Sheridan

Sun, 30 Nov, 2025

DENMARK-MUSIC-FESTIVAL-ROSKILDE
Bob Dylan review: Five-star performance for stunning concert at Gleneagle in Killarney 
Bob Dylan, 84, may not have spoken much to the Killarney audience, but he still produced a magnificent gig with a hugely impressive band 

Mon, 24 Nov, 2025

100 best places to stay 2025: The Hotel Examiner's guide to Ireland's best stays
S 100 best places to stay 2025: The Hotel Examiner's guide to Ireland's best stays
It doesn’t matter if it’s a modest three-star or a luxury retreat, great hospitality is all about a feeling, say Jillian Bolger and  Thom Breathnach

Sun, 23 Nov, 2025

Darina Allen: My recipes for comforting soup, soda bread, and apple crumble
Darina Allen: My recipes for comforting soup, soda bread, and apple crumble
Plus: The honour I received from MTU is a tribute to the many cooks, teachers, and farmers who continue to inspire me.

Sun, 23 Nov, 2025

Why early-warning systems matter more than ever
Why early-warning systems matter more than ever
Long before sensors and satellites, people used whatever tools they had to read the world around them. In fact, the earliest warning systems were rooted in observation, culture and instinct — but sensors, algorithms and automated texts are now being employed in places such as Midleton in Cork

Fri, 21 Nov, 2025

Inside Ireland’s deportation system: How gardaí carry out large-scale charter removals
Inside Ireland’s deportation system: How gardaí carry out large-scale charter removals
A rare inside look at a garda charter deportation, revealing the planning, human stories and rising tensions shaping Ireland’s asylum system

Mon, 17 Nov, 2025

Dungarvan chef Eunice Power on love, loss, and her determination to keep going
Dungarvan chef Eunice Power on love, loss, and her determination to keep going
It is six months since Eunice Power's son passed away tragically. As she publishes her debut cookbook, Vickie Maye meets her in her Dungarvan home where they talk grief, kindness and the healing power of food

Mon, 17 Nov, 2025

The rise of event cinema and how musicals became cool again
The rise of event cinema and how musicals became cool again
As the second instalment of Wicked prepares to hit Irish cinemas, Aoife Barry examines the rise of 'event cinema' and the enduring appeal of music on screen

Sun, 16 Nov, 2025

A councillor tried to quash my political dreams — now I help women run for local elections
A councillor tried to quash my political dreams — now I help women run for local elections
After a bruising and personal presidential election, you might wonder how many women have been discouraged from entering politics. The support on offer from campaign group See Her Elected is so steadfast,  you’d nearly consider running yourself, writes Clodagh Finn

Sun, 16 Nov, 2025

JACK AND THEO KIRWAN
Sprout founders on why they are adding a Cork restaurant to their empire
After ten years of building a cult following in Dublin, Sprout is coming to Cork city. Founders Jack and Theo Kirwan talk to Shamim de Brún about the power of customer loyalty and paying it forward 

Sun, 16 Nov, 2025

Lyra comes home to Cork: 'You are always replaceable — I struggle with that'
Lyra comes home to Cork: 'You are always replaceable — I struggle with that'
Ahead of a hometown show at Cork's City Hall, Manon Gilbart sits down with Cork popstar Lyra. As honest and vulnerable as ever, she chats about the hard work behind the polished image, her commitment to empowering the next generation, and that viral rendition of Amhrán na bhFiann

Wed, 12 Nov, 2025

We took the bank's calls in hospital as we watched our new baby struggle to breathe
We took the bank's calls in hospital as we watched our new baby struggle to breathe
We held the phone between us on speaker in that hospital room, worrying over our baby who was struggling to breathe, while we were suffocating under our obligations, writes Caitriona Redmond 

 Listen | Mon, 10 Nov, 2025

 Listen |
Mick Clifford: New chapter in the extraordinary tale of Celtic Tiger developer Paddy Byrne
Mick Clifford: New chapter in the extraordinary tale of Celtic Tiger developer Paddy Byrne
The developer is back in the news, this time in dispute with a county council over the building of modular homes on a site which has never received full planning permission

Mon, 10 Nov, 2025

Terry Prone: DJ Carey didn’t have Munchausen's, he wasn’t deluded, he was just a crook
S Terry Prone: DJ Carey didn’t have Munchausen's, he wasn’t deluded, he was just a crook
When a former client pretended to have cancer to gain attention, she didn't cost Terry Prone anything other than her time

Mon, 10 Nov, 2025

Purls of wisdom: The faces behind the revival of Irish knitwear
Purls of wisdom: The faces behind the revival of Irish knitwear
For decades, Irish knitwear was more prominent in souvenir shops than runways. Now, everyone from Taylor Swift to Sarah Jessica Parker is embracing Irish wool. Holly Warren looks at how our ancient craft became cool 

Sun, 09 Nov, 2025

16/11/2012 Bronze Turkey Farm for Christmas
The fright before Christmas: Bird flu, turkeys, and the 'nerve-wracking' weeks ahead
Bird flu outbreaks in Carlow and Meath — the first recorded in poultry in the Republic since November 2022 — have turkey producers fearfully counting down the days to the holiday season

Sun, 09 Nov, 2025

Demi Isaac Oviawe: From Mallow, to the Young Offenders, to 2FM's prime-time
Demi Isaac Oviawe: From Mallow, to the Young Offenders, to 2FM's prime-time
Young Offenders actor, writer and broadcaster Demi Isaac Oviawe is quickly becoming a household name. She chats to Sarah Finnan about taking on one of the biggest slots on Irish radio 

Sun, 09 Nov, 2025

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