The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre's "We-consent" campaign is a conversation we don’t just need to have — we have to have it. Especially men.

I can’t recall when an Irish government last sat down to make an important decision, knew they were going to hurt an awful lot of people, and went ahead anyway, writes Fergus Finlay

No interest can now be served to try to charge somebody new, after all these years

I don’t begrudge Ahern or Blair a day in the sun for the agreement they signed, but if it is to be seen as ‘their’ work it would be a complete travesty

'Circling around each other like the two lads in ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’, doing as much self-harm, creating as much collateral damage' — FERGUS FINLAY on the DUP and the Conservatives

The worst thing you can do is try to be inclusive, celebrate difference, try to understand how easy oppression is — do all that and you’re woke

They may not often achieve their demands, but marches are important to create the sense that people, together, are on the move.

REPUTATION matters. It matters to individuals, to companies, perhaps above all to countries. It matters enormously to charities and to any organisation that depends on the trust of people who support them, work for them or depend on them.

She will be remembered as one of the most consequential education ministers we’ve ever had

We live, sometimes, in an ugly State. I’ve written that here before on a few occasions, and I find myself sometimes despairing about whether it’s something that can ever be fixed.

Maybe the lesson we need to learn from our next-door neighbour is that some things never change

People who have been discriminated against for years are being encouraged to march and demand discrimination against others

It'd be good to see fitting retribution for some of the world's most vile chancers. Inspired by his daughter — and by the works of Gilbert and Sullivan — FERGUS FINLAY has a little list... 

It's a dark mysterious place, the Tomnafinnoge wood. It’s near Shillelagh in County Wicklow, and it’s famous as one of the last remnants of the ancient oak forests that used to cover most of that part of the county.

I love a game that makes 9-year-olds giggle. Mikey is 9, and he introduced us to a card game on Christmas night called Kids Against Maturity.

I’ve flown through world wars, uprisings, and pandemics. Why do I have this sense of foreboding that things are getting worse, especially for children?

Did you ever hear of Godwin Swift? No, nor me neither, until I stayed in his house this past weekend. And I have to admit I’d never heard of Longwood either, where Godwin’s house is located.

Anyone who loves him- or herself more than anyone else will invariably end up alone

This weekend is the 30th anniversary of one of the most turbulent periods in the history of Irish politics

I would like to respond to Leo Varadkar’s comments about the housing crisis and youth emigration. Specifically: “You’re not going to find that rents are lower in New York, or that it’s easier to buy a house in Sydney.

Justice demands full and open accountability, by or on behalf of people who committed awful crimes, and by the organisations that protected them

With all eyes on Cop27 in Egypt last week, the climate crisis received much-needed attention.

I refer to your recent article titled “Nice man, 73, caught growing cannabis for the second time at remote West Cork Home”.

It’s not too late for social democracy — but it needs to wake up

You can only grow an economy by investing — in infrastructure, in education, and in decent and sustainable social services

Almost everyone believed that Boris Johnson was as low as trust in politics could fall. Truss, it transpires, can go lower

 I once worked with a very wise man. I’d better not tell you his name because you’ll all be after him. He was one of those men who was generous with his time and had buckets of insight from years of challenging experience.

The fact is that social media — and especially Twitter — can’t deal with big stuff

I admit to being slow. I have a degree in economics. It’s pretty old, and it sure wasn’t a highly distinguished degree in the first place. And it has slowly dawned on me that I haven’t a clue what economics is really about.

My colleague Terry Prone listed nine brilliant ways to resign properly yesterday. I have three simple rules to follow if you want to avoid having to resign at all.

Michael Collins was supremely well-organised and efficient in a lot of what he did. And he was ruthless, writes Fergus Finlay

Despite the public address announcements elsewhere at the track, it was really tense and quiet beside the throwing area. We were there for Katie (she’s my granddaughter), and we were all nervous.

The UK is heading for an economic and social calamity not seen for 30 years or more, writes Fergus Finlay

So here’s a focus group for you. It’s not a representative sample, but focus groups aren’t meant to be. It’s serious people, all around my age, both genders, mixed political views, having a serious discussion about Irish politics.

An angry man willing on a coup against institutions he vowed to uphold. But, unlike Nixon, Trump will win unless he is stopped

The existential threat of climate change hangs over us, but we are also damaged by ugly old hatreds with a trendy new name

God is in his heaven, and all’s right with the world. I know it’s not appropriate for a humanist like me to be quoting Robert Browning’s little hymn to nature, but right now there may be nothing else that quite sums it up. For three reasons.

The very existence of child poverty can only mean we’ve got our priorities all wrong

He walked out on stage like a man arriving home, carrying his advanced years behind shades and a snazzy blue suit. Then he took off, straight into the music, back in his groove. The stage is where he belongs.

Government needs to bring us together, or the consequences will be devastating

You know what needs to be done, Taoiseach. Decide to commence the act in full, and do it now

The house surrender scheme. Zappone. Holohan. Retrofitting. And now turf. You'd wonder if we'll ever learn from our mistakes

'Silent Spring' is as relevant as ever. And, sixty years on, we can't plead ignorance: We simply have no more excuses not to protect our precious environment

You couldn’t be up to them, could you? The religious orders in Ireland, I mean. Let’s talk about one of them in particular, the Holy Ghost Fathers. Or the Spiritans, as they’re grandly called.