Dave Hannigan

1 day ago | irishtimes.com | Dave Hannigan

In the frantic hours after it emerged Cardinal Robert Prevost had been elected to serve as Pope Leo XIV, while the Catholic world scrambled to find out more information about the surprise choice of pontiff, Americans were immediately wondering about one aspect of the Augustinian’s character. Not his position on social issues or the rampant speculation about whether he was going to be as liberal as his predecessor. No, it was a matter of much more serious ecclesiastical import than that.

1 week ago | irishtimes.com | Dave Hannigan

In the opening skit of the latest episode of NBC’s Saturday Night Live, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller hands Donald Trump a document to sign, assuring him: “Sir, this order will make it socially acceptable for a man in his 70s to date a 24-year-old.”“That’s right,” replies Trump, “we’re calling it ‘The Belichick Law’.

2 weeks ago | irishtimes.com | Dave Hannigan

Picture the scene. During an interview for your dream job, your phone starts chirping. Nightmare scenario. Of course, you should have had it turned off but now you must quickly consider your options. Ignore? Send to voicemail? Answer? Most of us know the correct choice is to shut it down, apologise profusely for the disruption, and hope this faux pas doesn’t unduly colour the judgment of the person on the other side of the desk.

3 weeks ago | irishtimes.com | Dave Hannigan

The kindly woman working at the sprawling JD Sports in the Bull Ring shopping centre looked sheepish as she confirmed the outlet didn’t stock Birmingham City shirts. There was a smorgasbord of other jerseys, including PSG, Real Madrid, Arsenal, Liverpool, both the Manchester outfits, and most curiously of all, the garish pink of Inter Miami (founded 2018). Just nothing from the professional club which has been based a mile up the road for exactly 150 years.

4 weeks ago | irishpost.com | Dave Hannigan

ON A balmy July evening in 1972, to the sound of The Dubliners, Muhammad Ali climbed through the ropes to fight Al ‘Blue’ Lewis at Croke Park. The most famous athlete in the world had somehow been inveigled to come to Ireland by Butty Sugrue. Ali defeated Lewis in a technical knock-out in round 11. Prior to the visit, the charismatic London-based publican and entrepreneur was ridiculed for trying to do the impossible — right up to the moment Ali and his entourage touched down at Dublin Airport.