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#Religion

A collection of articles relating to religion.

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

Gareth O'Callaghan.png
Gareth O’Callaghan: How a late wife’s final wish inspired her husband to consider the priesthood at 65
Old stone cross - gravestone in an irish cemetry
East Cork's population boom raises concerns about capacity of burial grounds
'We need to ensure we’re shovel-ready for ourselves as well,' says one councillor amid concern for provision of burial space in rapidly expanding East Cork

Sun, 11 Oct, 2026

Meet the Catholic priest turned Celtic monk who has lived on Inis Mór for more than 40 years
Meet the Catholic priest turned Celtic monk who has lived on Inis Mór for more than 40 years
In his new book, Dara Molloy — a former Catholic priest turned Celtic monk who has lived on Inis Mór for more than 40 years — explores Ireland’s ancient spiritual soul. Echoing the sentiments of Manchán Magan, he tells Ciara Byrne about his call to us all to embrace the Celtic way

Sun, 11 Oct, 2026

Gareth O’Callaghan: In an age of anxiety, are people turning back to Jesus for hope?
Gareth O’Callaghan: In an age of anxiety, are people turning back to Jesus for hope?
After joining a Dublin march for Jesus, Gareth O’Callaghan reflects on faith, anxiety and society’s search for meaning

Sat, 03 Oct, 2026

Patrick McDermott: The forgotten Irish missionary who helped build Catholicism in Nigeria
Patrick McDermott: The forgotten Irish missionary who helped build Catholicism in Nigeria
Newly examined correspondence sheds light on Patrick McDermott and the lesser-known Irish missionaries who helped build Catholic communities in Nigeria

Sat, 03 Oct, 2026

Rosary in Girl's hands
David O'Mahony: Angels and devils on my shoulders won't slow my support for first Communion 
A lack of religious fervour won't serve to scupper preparation for a daughter's first Communion

Sat, 03 Oct, 2026

Rural Ireland Thinks: Just 13% of 25-34-year-olds attend Mass weekly
Rural Ireland Thinks: Just 13% of 25-34-year-olds attend Mass weekly
The survey found 57% of rural respondents consider themselves religious, despite significant differences in weekly Mass attendance

Wed, 16 Sep, 2026

APTOPIX Vance
Gareth O'Callaghan: JD Vance doesn't mind if the end times come — which god is he working for?
Talk of the apocalypse is everywhere we look these days, but it's not the inevitability some want us to believe 

Sat, 12 Sep, 2026

SEPTEMBER 11 ANNIVERSARY
S 25 years on from 9/11: How New York’s firefighters paid the highest price on September 11
From Father Mychal Judge to the 343 firefighters who died, the FDNY’s losses reshaped a department and its enduring bond

Fri, 11 Sep, 2026

A Quarter Century Later, September 11 Remains Embedded In The Fabric Of New York
S 25 years on from 9/11: Firefighters and volunteers took solace from 'little chapel that stood' among ruins
Firefighters, police officers and volunteers found food, rest, prayer and companionship at the Manhattan church beside Ground Zero

Fri, 11 Sep, 2026

More than 1,000 people gather to mark 200 years since death of Kildare priest 
More than 1,000 people gather to mark 200 years since death of Kildare priest 
A well blessed by the priest before his death is associated with traditions of healing. 

Wed, 02 Sep, 2026

Children Reading Scripture Together
Knowing about religions is a foundation for all sorts of learning
Removing religious instruction from schools altogether makes no sense when so much culture and literature refers to world religions, argues Dr Peter Admirand

Wed, 02 Sep, 2026

Not a typical childhood: Trish Bourke on growing up as a Jehovah’s Witness in Tipperary
Not a typical childhood: Trish Bourke on growing up as a Jehovah’s Witness in Tipperary
Trish Bourke discusses leaving the Jehovah’s Witnesses, a predatory relationship and finding her place in the world

 Listen | Tue, 01 Sep, 2026

 Listen |
Clodagh Finn: The Irish flappers who gave bishops sleepless nights by embracing jazz and fashion
Clodagh Finn: The Irish flappers who gave bishops sleepless nights by embracing jazz and fashion
New research reveals how Irish women embraced jazz, fashion and dance despite bishops’ warnings about the supposed dangers of modernity

Sat, 29 Aug, 2026

Bishop includes prayers for dead boys as hundreds attend vigil for family injured in M9 crash
Bishop includes prayers for dead boys as hundreds attend vigil for family injured in M9 crash
Bishop Denis Nulty said the community felt 'shock, fear, and grief' during the vigil for four family members whose car was struck by a vehicle driving the wrong way down the motorway in Kildare on Sunday. All five occupants of the other car have died

Fri, 21 Aug, 2026

Tributes paid to Irish nun remembered for pioneering work on dementia
Tributes paid to Irish nun remembered for pioneering work on dementia
Sr Mary Threadgold set up the Sonas programme, which uses music, movement, touch, reminiscence, and sensory experiences to help people with the condition to communicate

Wed, 19 Aug, 2026

The legs of a newborn during baptism in the church. Baptism and anointing ceremony.
Catholic baptisms fall sharply in Cork as births and religious affiliation decline
New research attributes the decline to falling birth rates and secularisation, while highlighting continued cultural Catholic identity among parents

Wed, 19 Aug, 2026

A crucifix on a book against the background of a chalkboard
278 religious-run schools urged to consider becoming multi-denominational by 2027
Schools have until the end of October to decide whether they want to be included in the first group to act on the findings of the recent parents' survey

Tue, 18 Aug, 2026

Holy water: Nuns fight Italian town’s plans to take away their beach club
Holy water: Nuns fight Italian town’s plans to take away their beach club
Sisters argue they should retain concession in Ligurian town of Spotorno because it funds charitable activities.

Tue, 18 Aug, 2026

National Novena to mark 50th anniversary of Knock Basilica
National Novena to mark 50th anniversary of Knock Basilica
Novena marks anniversary of apparition of Mary, St Joseph, and St John the Evangelist experienced by 15 local people in 1879

Mon, 10 Aug, 2026

TP O'Mahony: Slander of Mary Magdalene was a deliberate choice by early Church
TP O'Mahony: Slander of Mary Magdalene was a deliberate choice by early Church
The depiction of Mary Magdalene — who was probably an apostle — as a sex worker hardened over time in order to reduce the influence of women in the Church, writes TP O’Mahony

Thu, 06 Aug, 2026

Woman, 50s, injured in alleged stabbing during mass at Waterford church 
Woman, 50s, injured in alleged stabbing during mass at Waterford church 
The attack happened at 9.45am during, or just before, Mass at Holy Cross Church at Summerhill, which is a busy location at the top of the town near a number of supermarkets.

Tue, 21 Jul, 2026

Haircuts 4 Homeless: ‘What’s shared in the chair stays in the chair’
Haircuts 4 Homeless: ‘What’s shared in the chair stays in the chair’
Trevor Hynes and other professional hairdressers treat their homeless clients exactly the same as the clients in their salons

Sun, 19 Jul, 2026

Switzerland Vatican Defiant Traditionalists
Gareth O'Callaghan: There’s nothing modern about Latin Mass — that's why I love it
Gareth O'Callaghan says the traditional Latin Mass offers reverence, beauty and continuity that many Catholics still seek today

Fri, 17 Jul, 2026

St Augustine's Church in Cork overflows with emotion for its last-ever Mass
St Augustine's Church in Cork overflows with emotion for its last-ever Mass
There were tears as the Augustinians' 750-year history in Cork ended. But it was also a celebration of faith and good humour — including a moving rendition of 'The Banks of My Own Lovely Lee'

Sun, 12 Jul, 2026

The St Augustine's Christy Ring chalice 'must remain in Cork'
The St Augustine's Christy Ring chalice 'must remain in Cork'
The hurling legend donated his eighth All-Ireland senior medal to St Augustine's Church — which celebrated its final Mass today — and it formed part of the base of a now-famous chalice

Sun, 12 Jul, 2026

Young School Boy With His Hands Clasped
Slow progress of divestment shows parents want a choice of schools — not to change existing ones
The school divestment plans first mooted in 2011 have been slow and underwhelming, because policymakers misunderstood a desire for choice as a desire for change, writes Anne Marie Kavanagh

Fri, 10 Jul, 2026

Image Title: The Primary School In Plain Sight is a photographic exhibition by Dublin born photographer Kim Haughton. It opens
Mick Clifford: The Dunderrow women prove Ireland’s child abuse cover-up never truly ended
Two redress schemes were set up to compensate them for the failure of the State to protect their childhoods. Both determined they didn’t qualify for redress for the crimes.

Mon, 06 Jul, 2026

Cork sect excommunicated by Pope Leo to celebrate Mass 'as usual' on Sunday
Cork sect excommunicated by Pope Leo to celebrate Mass 'as usual' on Sunday
Cork SSPX (Society of St Pius X) church to celebrate Mass ‘as normal’ despite their excommunication this week

Fri, 03 Jul, 2026

Man (40s) arrested after suspected arson attack at Islamic prayer hall
Man (40s) arrested after suspected arson attack at Islamic prayer hall
The blaze was started this afternoon at the Al-Madinah prayer hall on Talbot St

Mon, 29 Jun, 2026

Lithuanian man pleads guilty to terrorist plot to attack Galway mosque
Lithuanian man pleads guilty to terrorist plot to attack Galway mosque
He is further charged with the possession of an explosive substance — four threaded pipe end caps and six litres of hydrogen peroxide

Mon, 29 Jun, 2026

Noel Howard: The Cork divorce trial that gripped the Victorian world
Noel Howard: The Cork divorce trial that gripped the Victorian world
A landmark Victorian courtroom battle saw Lady Louisa Mount Cashell challenge convention and secure an extraordinary legal victory

Sun, 28 Jun, 2026

UK's Freedom Of Expression Ranked In The Third Tier
From Karl Marx to TikTok: What Speakers' Corner says about free speech today
A visit to London's historic Speakers' Corner explores whether face-to-face debate still has a place in the digital age

Sat, 27 Jun, 2026

Abortion services in NI
Gardaí issue appeal for victims of abuse by the Presbyterian Church in Ireland
Gardaí have issued an appeal to anyone who may have experienced abuse at the hands of figures within in the Presbyterian church in Ireland.

Wed, 24 Jun, 2026

Tributes after death of 108-year-old Cork nun Sr Colette Hickey, who was Ireland's oldest woman
Tributes after death of 108-year-old Cork nun Sr Colette Hickey, who was Ireland's oldest woman
Sr Colette joined the Good Shepherd Sisters over 90 years ago at the age of 17, and founded Edel House in 1972. She become Ireland's oldest living person just weeks ago

Wed, 24 Jun, 2026

School stock
Q&A: What is the primary school survey and what does it mean for children and parents?
Parents were asked their preferences on school patronage and ethos, co-educational or single-sex schools and language of instruction, either English or Irish

Tue, 23 Jun, 2026

Free School plans
Landmark survey shows strong preference for change to multi-denominational primary schools
The Department of Education has published in full the findings of its primary school parents' survey, which found a strong preference amongst parents for co-educational schools, over all-boys or all-girls schools

Tue, 23 Jun, 2026

Pension power: How nuns drove the medieval economy before banking began
Pension power: How nuns drove the medieval economy before banking began
Women certainly had an active role in the 15th century economy — but convents emerged as key providers of pension annuities

Sat, 20 Jun, 2026

Bishop Leahy speech
Limerick Catholics call for stronger representation of women in the Church 
In a letter read out at Masses in the Diocese, Bishop Brendan Leahy said 'the most urgent priority identified was the need to engage more deeply with young people and families'

Mon, 15 Jun, 2026

Back to School
S Jennifer Horgan: Teachers aren't responsible for childcare and workplace challenges
Parents should be embarrassed to hear themselves complain about holidays and training days for teachers, writes Jennifer Horgan

Fri, 05 Jun, 2026

Keeping the faith: Cork man carries on grandmother’s Eucharistic tradition 
Keeping the faith: Cork man carries on grandmother’s Eucharistic tradition 
Craig Clinton is continuing a decades-old street altar tradition in Shandon, honouring the deep faith and legacy of his late grandmother

Thu, 04 Jun, 2026

Umar al-Qadri: We can be both proudly Irish and proudly Muslim this Eid
Umar al-Qadri: We can be both proudly Irish and proudly Muslim this Eid
As Eid begins, we can honour the special heritage of native Irish people while recognising that contemporary Ireland includes people who became Irish through belonging, contribution and shared civic life

Wed, 27 May, 2026

Leo XIV
S Sarah Harte: If we can’t make AI work for us, I’ll meet you at the barricades
Meta's layoffs of Irish staff, Geoffrey Hinton's fears about AI, and Pope Leo's encyclical have all raised fears about AI this week

Wed, 27 May, 2026

A crucifix on a book against the background of a chalkboard
Primary schools to find out next week if parents want to drop religious ethos
The first national primary school survey found that 40% of parents with children attending religious-run schools do not wish to retain their school's religious ethos

Tue, 26 May, 2026

Rosary in Girl's hands
Letters to the Editor: Religious education can open up a sense of wonder
Several readers responded to Aoife Cassidy's opinion column about religious education in schools — and, as ever, what they have to say may surprise you

Sat, 23 May, 2026

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