'Heart-cloven and split-minded’, Elizabeth Bowen’s upbringing gave her a special Anglo-Irish insight into culture and society — one which still resonates today, writes Patricia Laurence

Fianna Fáil leader Micheal Martin has called on Fine Gael to “stop the silly attacks” on Brexit and confirmed that his party colleague, MEP Billy Kelleher, will be voting in favour of the Brexit Withdrawal agreement later this month.

The month of January isn’t particularly noted as a time for good news.

As 2019 ends, there is relief that political interference did not overly damage trade, but whereas we have escaped the bullet this time, we may not be so lucky in the new year.

From broadband and Brexit to swings and printers, TDs kept up the tradition of irritating voters with bizarre behaviour, writes Political Editor Daniel McConnell

While the Irish economy maintained an upward trajectory in 2019, it has been a trickier year for SMEs.

Boris Johnson altered the landscape of British politics on Thursday night, ending a debilitating parliamentary gridlock and three years of uncertainty over Brexit.

Three little words, “Yes, We Can”, were all it took for Barack Obama to win the US presidency in 2008.

We will know today whether these key moments in the UK election campaign impacted on how people voted Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn are poor options and each has had a few awkward campaign moments that may have influenced the election, writes Therese Raphael.

Tomorrow’s election in Britain is only the end of the beginning. It won’t be the beginning of the end.

Imagine for a moment you were the kind of John Bull-ish Anglo United fan who wears St George’s Cross underpants to bed. It would certainly have been a gutting week for you.

Almost three and a half years after the Brexit referendum the uncertainty continues.

European Union leaders congratulated themselves on having agreed a second Brexit deal in mid October. But their celebrations were short-lived. Just two days later, the Westminster parliament voted to force Britain’s prime minister, Boris Johnson, into seeking a Brexit extension anyway.

Over the past three years the whole Brexit fiasco has been a total circus, but the circus has undoubtedly become even more bizarre over the past week.

It is 50 years since Britain’s Monty Python comedy team’s Flying Circus took off on TV and it is proving as popular as ever, with new devotees watching all four series and 45 episodes on Netflix and arguing about the best sketch — was it the Dead Parrot one or The Ministry Of Silly Walks?

Even Brexiteers are beginning to realise that the Kafkaesque nightmare is a UK problem, not a European one. The EU’s patience will run out eventually, writes Lionel Laurent.

Two exceptional events today, one in Tokyo the other in London, will set the mood of the nation.

Reading the text, the first impression is that there’s much more that hasn’t changed than has.

Crucially from an Irish perspective, the deal done in Brussels today removes the threat of a border on the island of Ireland.

Waiting for the Brexit finale has been a bit like sitting in a dentist’s surgery for three years — scared of the worst while hoping for the best, yet willing to accept a modicum of discomfort to get it all over with.

The DUP continues to play a pivotal role in Brexit as UK and EU negotiators attempt to strike a deal.

DUP leader Arlene Foster has dismissed speculation about a Northern Ireland-only backstop and said she expects to meet Boris Johnson tonight.

Fianna Fáil has criticised Sinn Féin for refusing to take its Westminster seats for crucial Brexit votes.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said his preference is still to hold a general election next spring despite pressure mounting to go to the polls as a successful Brexit deal looms.

Brexit provides dissident republicans with a “rallying cry” in their bid to perpetuate the severe threat they pose to security services in the North, a senior PSNI officer has said.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will “run as far away as possible from a domestic agenda” if a Brexit deal is agreed and he calls a snap general election.

Tánaiste Simon Coveney has warned the next 24 hours will make or break any hopes of a Brexit deal by this Thursday's EU summit as fears continue to grow that an agreement will fail to be reached this week.

Over the last three years, Brexit has been a toxic, deeply divisive issue. Old scars have been picked.

Incoming EU Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan has said the “mood music” on a Brexit deal has changed and added he is now “cautiously optimistic” an agreement can be reached.

With Brexit talks appearing to be at an impasse as the withdrawal deadline looms, here is a look at what could happen next in the UK’s roller-coaster relationship with the EU.

However, Latvian prime minister Krisjanis Karins also said: "To open up the entire agreement I think that is very unrealistic, certainly in the short time frame."

Ireland “may have to live” with a no-deal Brexit and enforce the border to protect the single market “for a period”, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said.

Former taoiseach Enda Kenny has warned Britain not to breach principles protecting the peace process, and praised EU figures for their solidarity during the difficult Brexit negotiations.

British prime minister Johnson’s fixation on a no-deal exit from the European Union is without justification. Brexiteers claim a trade relationship with the US will redefine trade for the world in the 21st century.

Tumultuous events seen at their enactment as unprecedented, are often insignificant and measure history repeating itself.

The rain had been beating down steadily on Government Buildings ahead of the arrival of Boris Johnson who is enduring very dark times himself these days.

It is anticipated that a North-only backstop will be one of solutions discussed between Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and British prime minister Boris Johnson today in fresh attempts to break the Brexit deadlock.

The embattled British prime minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland arrives in Dublin on Monday morning.

The Scottish Parliament has symbolically rejected any no-deal Brexit, despite opposition from Conservative MSPs.

Unlike Ireland, where the Taoiseach of the day has to power to go to the Áras at any time to seek permission from the president to call an election, Britain is ruled by the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act.

Latest: Boris Johnson has responded to his brother Jo's announcement this morning that he is quitting politics.

Latest: Boris Johnson has confirmed his desire to hold a general election on October 15 – as he looks set to be defeated on a crunch vote on his plan.

The British Labour Party is going to block Boris Johnson's attempt to seek a general election in the UK.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has suffered a double blow after it emerged Britain is seeking to renege on its commitments to protect the all-Ireland economy and US vice- president Mike Pence called on Ireland and the EU to respect the UK’s right to leave.