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#Insight

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

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p> Arthur Gourounlian. Photograph Moya Nolan</p>

culture

Arthur Gourounlian on Loraine Barry: 'I have so much respect for her and she gave it back to me'

Arthur Gourounlian’s journey to showbusiness has been anything but ordinary. He talks to Deirdre McArdle about how a challenging childhood inspired the joy and resilience at the centre of his first children’s book

<p>An elegiac scene from the Fermanagh countryside from around 1945</p>

culture

A life on the land: The story behind a new book of images from Ireland's farming history

<p>From the workplace to our personal lives, AI is becoming embedded in the tools we use every day. As more of us turn to it for advice on issues in our intimate lives, Adele Miner asks, are we losing trust in our own intuition?</p>

people

How to deal with AI: 'I still trust my gut, but do I trust it more than ChatGPT?'

Michael Harding: 'It's like stand-up comedy, but I call it stand-up philosophy'

S culture

Michael Harding: 'It's like stand-up comedy, but I call it stand-up philosophy'

Mairéad Tyers on leaving Cork for London, and starring in The Walsh Sisters

culture

Mairéad Tyers on leaving Cork for London, and starring in The Walsh Sisters

True blue: How Cashel Farmhouse's iconic Cashel Blue cheese has stood the test of time

S food

True blue: How Cashel Farmhouse's iconic Cashel Blue cheese has stood the test of time

Tony Blair set for political comeback in Trump’s Gaza peace plan — but ghosts of Iraq still linger

S Tony Blair set for political comeback in Trump’s Gaza peace plan — but ghosts of Iraq still linger

Donald Trump wants Tony Blair to help rebuild Gaza — but can the former prime minister ever escape the shadow of Iraq?

Sun, 05 Oct, 2025

Patch perfect: Ireland's farmers carve a niche with American-style pumpkin experiences

Patch perfect: Ireland's farmers carve a niche with American-style pumpkin experiences

A growing number of farms and venues across Ireland now offer pumpkin-patch experiences in the run-up to Halloween. Jonathan deBurca Butler meets some of the farmers embracing the American tradition

Sun, 05 Oct, 2025

This could end up being the most radical of all our national parks...

S This could end up being the most radical of all our national parks...

Brú na Bóinne/Boyne Valley National Park may show us the way back from intensive farming practices that leave so little space for nature

Sun, 05 Oct, 2025

Old Ways to New Days: The traditions that shaped Ireland — and the Irish revival

Old Ways to New Days: The traditions that shaped Ireland — and the Irish revival

In his latest book, folklorist Shane Lehane looks at the traditions that have shaped Ireland, from the sacred heart to the wren boy

Sat, 04 Oct, 2025

DR. TONY MARGIOTTA

Mick Clifford: Bizarre sick note case drags on while siblings live under cloud for 11 years

Eleven years after their arrests over alleged fake sick notes, the Margiotta siblings remain entangled in legal and professional limbo

Fri, 03 Oct, 2025

I visited Marian Keyes for tea and biscuits — here’s everything we spoke about

I visited Marian Keyes for tea and biscuits — here’s everything we spoke about

As her novels are adapted for a new RTÉ series, Manon Gilbart visits Marian Keyes. Over tea and biscuits they discuss everything from friendship to feminism

Wed, 01 Oct, 2025

Mick Clifford: Will the presidency go back to pre-Robinson era as a retirement home for politicians?

S Mick Clifford: Will the presidency go back to pre-Robinson era as a retirement home for politicians?

When the dust clears, we will see whether we’re going to get a continuity Michael D presidency, or go back to the future when the president was often seen, but rarely heard

Mon, 29 Sep, 2025

Katherine Zappone: I stare into the future, Ann Louise is no longer here — I am heartbroken

Katherine Zappone: I stare into the future, Ann Louise is no longer here — I am heartbroken

Katherine Zappone’s new memoir is a story of enduring love between two trailblazing women. Here she writes about the loss of her beloved wife Ann Louise Gilligan

Sun, 28 Sep, 2025

‘Magic happens when you put on a red nose’: Why these Irish women decided to become clowns

‘Magic happens when you put on a red nose’: Why these Irish women decided to become clowns

We associate clowning with men but its potential to transform and empower has made it increasingly popular with women. Kate Demolder looks at the ongoing rise of female clowning

Sun, 28 Sep, 2025

Are we getting old or is Marks and Spencer trendy now? Here’s what an M&S buyer has to say

Are we getting old or is Marks and Spencer trendy now? Here’s what an M&S buyer has to say

Customers under 35 are now amongst Marks and Spencer's top shoppers. Sarah Finnan travels to London to meet the brand's womenswear director and ask, how did the old-school British brand become one of Gen Z's favourite fashion destinations?

Sat, 27 Sep, 2025

'We know our own bodies': Leona Macken urges audit of CervicalCheck after cancer diagnosis

'We know our own bodies': Leona Macken urges audit of CervicalCheck after cancer diagnosis

After two misdiagnosed smear tests, Cork woman Leona Macken is battling stage 4 cancer and calling for urgent reform

Sat, 27 Sep, 2025

GAA managers: Full county-by-county guide for football and hurling

GAA managers: Full county-by-county guide for football and hurling

All 32 GAA counties have managers confirmed for the 2025/2026 championship, with early appointments ending the traditional autumn uncertainty

Thu, 25 Sep, 2025

45th Annual News Emmy Awards

Donie O'Sullivan: 'I forked out $700 for my Emmy Award statue the other day'

Conspiracies, conservatives and the art of live TV. Emmy-winning CNN correspondent Donie O’Sullivan on the journey from Caherciveen to Capitol Hill

Thu, 25 Sep, 2025

I started housesitting in Ireland and abroad to avoid paying rent – this is my experience

I started housesitting in Ireland and abroad to avoid paying rent – this is my experience

Aoife CodyKane shares her experience of using a housesitting website to travel while keeping costs low — and all the pets she befriended along the way

Thu, 25 Sep, 2025

Kerry murder mystery: Michael Gaine’s killing and the haunted life of suspect Michael Kelley

Kerry murder mystery: Michael Gaine’s killing and the haunted life of suspect Michael Kelley

Six months after the murder of Kerry farmer Michael Gaine, questions remain over the investigation and the only suspect’s freedom

Thu, 25 Sep, 2025

Facial recognition

Facial recognition technology: How gardaí plan to use AI in major crime investigations

As gardaí push for AI and facial recognition to speed up investigations, critics warn of privacy, bias and surveillance risks

Wed, 24 Sep, 2025

Inside life at Ireland’s castles: Blackwater, Birr and Glin owners share their stories

Inside life at Ireland’s castles: Blackwater, Birr and Glin owners share their stories

From North Cork to Limerick and Offaly, three families reveal the passion, challenges and legacy of living in Ireland’s castles

Wed, 24 Sep, 2025

Discover the Cork GP who introduced Turkish baths to Europe

Discover the Cork GP who introduced Turkish baths to Europe

Rosanna Cooney explored our obsession with saunas in her book, Sweathouse. As part of her research, she discovered its origins go back to the 19th century, and a Cork GP who introduced Turkish baths to Europe. Here, she tells his story

Sun, 21 Sep, 2025

MIRIAM HUSSEY

Miriam Hussey: I ended up in hospital after travelling — it was quite frightening to see that

From struggles with disordered eating, self-doubt, a damaging tendency to people-please, and the challenges of new motherhood, Miriam Hussey lays it all bare in her debut book, writes Gemma Fullam

Sun, 21 Sep, 2025

Bras, prayers and pilgrimages: Devotion to Derry nun tipped for sainthood grows

Bras, prayers and pilgrimages: Devotion to Derry nun tipped for sainthood grows

Hundreds visit Sr Clare Crockett’s grave daily in Derry as claims of miracles fuel her path towards possible sainthood

Sat, 20 Sep, 2025

Anthony Boyle on House of Guinness, growing up in Belfast, and what comes next

Anthony Boyle on House of Guinness, growing up in Belfast, and what comes next

Anthony Boyle talks about taking the lead in House of Guinness and his work on future projects, writes Esther McCarthy

Sat, 20 Sep, 2025

Ombudsman probes case of Army officer who endured ‘tortuous’ legal ordeal

Ombudsman probes case of Army officer who endured ‘tortuous’ legal ordeal

Alan Kearney faced ‘a calculated, brutal withdrawal’ when he needed the Defence Forces the most, writes Mick Clifford

Mon, 15 Sep, 2025

How Olivia Hope went from athletics pioneer to children's author

How Olivia Hope went from athletics pioneer to children's author

From her drive to write to signing up to be a kidney donor, Kerry writer Olivia Hope tells Deirdre McArdle that everything comes back to her boys

Sun, 14 Sep, 2025

I went on a seafari in Sligo to see whales and dolphins — but they might be on borrowed time

I went on a seafari in Sligo to see whales and dolphins — but they might be on borrowed time

Shamim de Brún sets sail on a seafari in Co Sligo - and hears how these encounters with whales and dolphins could be on borrowed time

Sun, 14 Sep, 2025

The Divine Comedy: On new music, love, loss and Timotheé Chalamet

The Divine Comedy: On new music, love, loss and Timotheé Chalamet

As Neil Hannon prepares to release his 13th record as The Divine Comedy, he talks to Lauren Murphy about loss, writing music for Hollywood and the state of his ambition

Sun, 14 Sep, 2025

Revolution Wind's Rhode Island Construction Hub

Novo Nordisk and Orsted troubles spark fears Denmark faces its own 'Nokia moment'

Novo Nordisk layoffs and Orsted’s offshore wind troubles expose the risks of Denmark’s reliance on a handful of corporate giants

Sat, 13 Sep, 2025

Annmarie O'Connor: Three things I've learned since my Parkinson's diagnosis

Annmarie O'Connor: Three things I've learned since my Parkinson's diagnosis

Annmarie O’Connor first shared her Parkinson’s diagnosis in this publication in 2022. Three years on, she has written Twitch, a book that documents her story. Here, she shares what living with the disease has taught her

Wed, 10 Sep, 2025

Blarney Woollen Mills marks 50 years – from cottage beginnings to €50m global brand

Founded by Christy Kelleher in 1973, Blarney Woollen Mills has grown from a cottage business into a €50m international brand

Sun, 07 Sep, 2025

Bovine TB crisis in Ireland: why cattle disease cases are at their highest in 15 years

Bovine TB crisis in Ireland: why cattle disease cases are at their highest in 15 years

With herd incidence at a 15-year high, bovine TB remains Irish farming’s most costly, persistent and emotionally draining disease

Fri, 05 Sep, 2025

Derval O'Rourke: Why 10 minutes a day is all you need for my September fitness challenge

Derval O'Rourke: Why 10 minutes a day is all you need for my September fitness challenge

Derval O’Rourke downed tools over the summer to spend time with her family. Now she’s back with a bang — rested, recharged, and ready for a busy September. She talks to Deirdre McArdle about her upcoming four-week Feelgood fitness challenge for all levels, and why 10 minutes a day is all you need

Fri, 05 Sep, 2025

Slim and well-built young woman stands on road in autumn park. She holds hands on knee. Model feels pain there. She suffer.

I'm a GP — here's how to know when you're running too much and how to prevent injuries

With the sport’s growing popularity comes more injuries. Dr Aisling Farrell explores ways to prevent them

Fri, 05 Sep, 2025

'I was finding hundreds, if not millions of scams': The struggle to find student accommodation

'I was finding hundreds, if not millions of scams': The struggle to find student accommodation

The housing crisis and rising demand for student accommodation have seen many students commute from other counties, lose deposits, or fall victim to scams

Sat, 30 Aug, 2025

Jack O’Connor 22/7/2025

S The Jack O’Connor interview: 'This is why loose, casual pub-talk criticism hurts'

It’s five weeks since Kerry annexed their 39th All-Ireland football title with a final performance out of Utopia. All the more remarkable that it came after a year of stress and strife in the Kingdom but golf legend Tom Watson’s creed served manager Jack O’Connor well: play the game, play the opponent, play it as it lies

Fri, 29 Aug, 2025

Catherine Connolly, Vincent Browne, and why she wants to be president

Catherine Connolly, Vincent Browne, and why she wants to be president

The veteran journalist was back to put some questions to the presidential candidate

Wed, 27 Aug, 2025

Seal pups on Farne Islands

Anja Murray: Life and death among Ireland's wild seals

These gorgeous baby Grey seals are born on beaches from September onwards... but going too close will do them more harm than good

Wed, 27 Aug, 2025

TOPSHOT-SPAIN-WEATHER-HEAT

Is our love affair with sun holidays about to cool?

Will extreme heat brought on by climate change turn Irish holidaymakers off their two weeks in the sun? Cianan Brennan reports

Sun, 24 Aug, 2025

Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald 20/8/2025

Ireland's rugby codebreakers owe plenty to their GAA past

At least 20 of Ireland’s 32-strong squad could add a line about a GAA background to their sporting CVs.

Sat, 23 Aug, 2025

Christy: Behind a cinematic love-letter to the Northside of Cork City

Christy: Behind a cinematic love-letter to the Northside of Cork City

A new film has Cork's Northside at its heart. Aoife Barry chats to the director, screenwriter and actors who brought Christy to life.

Sat, 23 Aug, 2025

Scrabble Letters

We'll just have to come to terms with TikTok clocking up new words

‘Skibidi’, ‘tradwife’, and 'delulu' are among the gems that have made it into the ‘Cambridge Dictionary’, and many believe it is down to the increasing influence of TikTok, writes Jack While

Sat, 23 Aug, 2025

The Mick Clifford Podcast: What do the Leaving Cert results mean in today’s world?

The Mick Clifford Podcast: What do the Leaving Cert results mean in today’s world?

Education correspondent Jess Casey is this week’s guest on the podcast

Listen | Fri, 22 Aug, 2025

My breast cancer story: 'I remember walking out feeling like I had come out of a war zone'

My breast cancer story: 'I remember walking out feeling like I had come out of a war zone'

Paula Guckian's first thought was of her two teenage daughters when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Post-treatment, she intends to stay well and looks forward to meeting her grandchildren one day

Fri, 22 Aug, 2025

Home Q&A: Is it always advisable to consult an interior designer?

Home Q&A: Is it always advisable to consult an interior designer?

Should you hire an interior designer if you know what you want? We talk to pros and homeowners

Wed, 20 Aug, 2025

Reading is Fun!

Preschool: How to help your child navigate a brave new world

"Pre-school asks a lot of children, says Teresa Heeney, CEO of Early Childhood Ireland. “It’s a very significant transition that involves adjusting to a new physical environment, different routines, new children, and new group dynamics."

Tue, 19 Aug, 2025

Children's books review: Three local reads to consider for your younger reader

Children's books review: Three local reads to consider for your younger reader

Three books from Irish authors that your child may enjoy.

Mon, 18 Aug, 2025