Kathy Sheridan

1 week ago | irishtimes.com | Kathy Sheridan

The wind is in favour of the anti-woke and a proud reappropriation of “free speech” to speak hateful thoughts. Irish people delight in free speech – freedom at last, thumbs up Donald – until young Óisín on the J1 visa announces he needs a burner phone to get past US customs because of the anti-Trump/pro-Palestine stuff on his real phone. Or Gráinne gets detained on her return to Chicago because of an age-old brush with the law. The message is to be careful what you wish for.

2 weeks ago | irishtimes.com | Kathy Sheridan

A few weeks ago I barely made it on to a crowded commuter train where the only empty seat was beside a man whose numerous devices and cables were sprawled all over it and the table. Apart from that, one of the devices was blaring music loud enough to drown out a small city – which probably explained the generally uneasy atmosphere. I gestured at the seat; he immediately cleared the space. Encouraged, I leaned over and asked if he could use headphones.

3 weeks ago | irishtimes.com | Kathy Sheridan

On Easter Sunday morning, social media posters happily confirmed that Pope Francis had declined a meeting with US vice-president JD Vance. Social media got it wrong of course. On the most crowded weekend of the church’s Jubilee Year, the US vice-president managed to organise a brief, awkward meeting with a visibly struggling pope who had repeatedly criticised his policies and rhetoric. No fewer than 40 4x4s were considered necessary for the 17-minute visit to Vatican City.

4 weeks ago | irishtimes.com | Kathy Sheridan

Back in the mists of 2004 the Dublin Chamber of Commerce had a vision. They published it in a brochure and set it in the far-off year of 2020 in which happy Dubliners reflected on a triumphant seven years for the first directly elected “mayor of Greater Dublin”, a creature represented as a youngish Dub whose CV in no other way resembled Conor McGregor’s.

1 month ago | irishtimes.com | Kathy Sheridan

My love affair with America began at 19 when a missionary uncle took joy in welcoming stray young relatives who pitched up on his Los Angeles doorstep. I still recall our first drive up the sun-drenched coast to San Francisco, wondering why Americans bothered to schlep to Ireland when they had such staggering natural majesty on their own doorstep.