Boycotts: In Word and Action

This week sees the anniversary of the collective action by Irish tenants against injustice which gave the English language the expression 'to boycott'. Captain Charles Boycott Captain Charles Boycott, who was managing the County Mayo estates of Lord Erne in a manner that brought him into conflict with tenants, found himself ostracised by those tenants, …

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International Day of Sign Languages

Today - September 23 - is International Day of Sign Languages, which serves to highlight the importance and significance of sign languages for deaf and hearing impaired people around the world. According to the World Federation of the Deaf, there are about 72 million deaf people worldwide using over 300 different sign languages. In Ireland, …

The Enemy Within

For people who experience so much discrimination, it shocks me how easily we [the gay community] can go from victim to perpetrator of discrimination. A quick glance at gay men’s hook-up site Grindr provides a perfect example. On Grindr, user profiles are peppered with discriminatory language and threats to “block” other guys who don’t meet …

Fintan O’Toole: Ireland’s Apple appeal is a disastrous miscalculation

The Irish state's cosy tax(less) relationship with multinationals is patently unethical: It is precisely this collusion of governments in corporate tax avoidance on a staggering scale that is sucking the lifeblood out of public services across the world and creating gross inequality by channelling almost all the new wealth being created towards the top 1 …

Once Upon a Time in Venice

I was in Venice recently to check out the Art Biennale exhibition. The low and heavy clouds gave the city a fog that was both otherworldly and romantic. Even when cold and grey, Venice has an allure; a faded elegance that gives the city a slightly unreal quality.  Like it is a beautifully art-directed film …