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The sense of Irish identity
IDENTITIES, ESPECIALLY national ones, are social and historical constructions. They are subject to continuous renegotiation, woven from new stories about the sense of ourselves. St Patrick's Day is an occasion for reflecting on the meaning and purpose of Irish identity as it has embraced a more open, inclusive, diverse and prosperous society, compared to previous periods of more inward-looking and homogenised portraits of being Irish. Secular, ethical and religious themes are fused in the new narrative. p
Afforestation difficulties
OUR AFFORESTATION programme is in serious trouble. Only 7,000 hectares of trees were planted last year, the lowest figure for decades and insufficient to sustain the forestry industry into the future. It is a business that contributes an estimated €1.6 billion to the economy each year and employs 16,000 people, apart from its environmental and tourist benefits. It cannot be allowed to fail. p
Opinion
Broken syntax identity of a nation tongue-tied by Irish
WHAT AN interesting St Patrick's Day this is, with the Hill of Tara under siege by Government forces and the Irish language's only hope of survival residing with Des Bishop. It is probably just as well that our parliamentary representatives are on the guts of a month's holidays, worn out from counting their money, writes Anne-Marie Hourihane . pIsland race that outgrew its insularity
OPINION: Today is our day - our national day. But
we are so widely spread across the globe that we Irish belong in
many places beyond this small island, writes
Richard Kearney . pSome political chutzpah is badly needed from Israel
AS ISRAEL turns 60 this year, the vital challenge she faces comes more from Jerusalem than from the Islamic jihad, extremist Jewish settlers, or religious fanatics of all flavours. Israel desperately needs a dose of her life-giving political chutzpah, a Yiddish word signifying something between cheek and audacity. Jewish culture, for horrifically obvious reasons, is more used to being the victim than the victor. This mindset now inhibits Israel from realising that she has fundamentally won, writes Tony Kinsella . pShould Ireland boycott the 2008 Beijing Olympics?
HEAD TO HEAD: Seán Coleman argues that Ireland's participation will help to legitimise a regimes that abuses human rights. Pat Hickey says the history of Olympic boycotts shows they do not work. pOnline: join the debate at www.ireland.com/head2head
CIARÁN CANNON 67% - FIONA O'MALLEY 33%: Last week, Ciarán Cannon and Fiona O'Malley made their case for "who should be the next leader of the Progressive Democrats?" Here is an edited selection of your comments submitted to Head to Head website. pNeat ankles, flying leprechauns and alarm clock burglar
IRISH TIMES ODDITIES: More light-hearted exerpts from the archives of The Irish Times . by Allen Foster. p
An Irishman's Diary
Fred Johnston writes in praise of Gort, Co Galway and its forthcoming festival of literature. p
