Columnists
Fr Paddy: Don’t judge people before you know them
Pope Francis often refers to the “Poison of Gossip”. Passing on bad news is negative and toxic.
The more at peace we are within ourselves,...
Andrew McDonald: Staying motivated whilst unemployed
Of life’s more devastating crises, losing your job can feel like it’s up there with the worst of them. It’s no wonder as the...
Fr Paddy: There is light at the end of the tunnel
Even though it’s summer, this has the feel of spring about it. We seem to be like calves released from our winter hibernation, stampeding...
Andrew McDonald: Happy work, happy mind
Most of us spend almost a quarter of our lives at work.
Take into account the eight hours or so we spend asleep every night...
Fr Paddy: How the story of The Elephant Man helps us all to understand...
The movie The Elephant Man tells the true story of John Merrick. Merrick was born in the slums of England in 1862, and almost...
Andrew McDonald: Time management is key for our wellbeing
Stress destroys both our mental wellbeing and physical health. It can ultimately lead to chronic or even terminal illness.
Stressful situations often develop when we...
Feargus Dunne: ‘It’s true what they say. Those small moments are the big moments.’
This piece originally appeared on LaoisToday in April 2020.
“Any interest in heading up to Newry for the Laois game tomorrow”?
My question appeared to catch...
Fr Paddy: Celebrating the 1,500th anniversary of St Colmcille
St. Colmcille (also known as St. Columba) is one of Ireland's patron saints, a distinction he shares with St. Patrick and St. Bridget.
He was...
Andrew McDonald: Be a fighter – put down that lighter!
Among the most difficult of habits to quit, smoking is pretty high up there. The mere idea of it is daunting enough. Should it...
Andrew McDonald: Dealing with difficult people
We all have to deal with difficult people. However, keep in mind one thing; you have to cope with them for a short time,...
Fr Paddy: What is peace of mind? Seven tips to help you achieve it
Peace of mind is a feeling of being safe or protected - it is the absence of worry.
It’s achieving a calm state of mind...
Andrew McDonald: Music affects the mind – for the positive
Music affects the mind. There’s nothing particularly ground-breaking about that revelation.
What is worth exploring though is how different kinds of music interact with our...
Fr Paddy: A prayer for students during the pandemic
As we move through the month of May thousands of students prepare for exams.
Young people have been particularly affected by this pandemic. Third level...
Andrew McDonald: Ditch the diet – lose weight naturally
Last week we looked at why dieting almost always ends in failure. This week we’re going to look at alternatives.
To kick things off, two...
Fr Paddy: Last will and testament
The celebration of the Ascension of our Lord into Heaven is an important feast. It brings with it both promise and hope. These days...
Andrew McDonald: Diets do not work
The four words in the title above will come like a hammer blow for some and perhaps as a relief for many others.
The truth...
Fr Paddy: Prayer is a sacred conversation
Consult not your fears, but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential.
Concern not yourself with what...
Bronwyn Cuddy: ‘Literature is the most agreeable way of ignoring life’ – Fernando Pessoa
This piece was originally published on LaoisToday in March of 2020 as the world was going into lockdown - but its advice and sentiments...
Andrew McDonald: Post-lockdown stress and how to deal with it
Whisper it! Keep fingers crossed! It looks like we’re on the final leg of Covid lockdown.
With luck, we’re soon going to be back...
Fr Paddy: Things are getting better – a much brighter tomorrow awaits
Mary Robinson has joined more than 150 former heads of state and Nobel laureates in signing an open letter to US president Joe Biden...
Andrew McDonald: Healing the past with your present – how it works
Regression therapy works by reassessing memories which get stored in your mind. As you know, both your conscious and subconscious minds are like sponges.
If...
Fr Paddy: Blessed Carlo Acutis – Patron of the Internet
I am greatly inspired by the life of young Cathal Clooney Abbeyleix.
His recent death has left an enormous void to his wonderful family. Cathal...
Andrew McDonald: Healing the past with your present
Sometimes the only way to move forward is by stepping back. Anxiety and depression are, as we have already discussed, very frequently linked to...
Fr Paddy: ‘Live simply, share generously’ – the impact of Fr Peter McVerry interview...
Tommy Tiernan has inched ahead of Ryan Tubridy in the battle for RTÉ’s weekend viewers after his most recent show clocked up 12,000 more...
Andrew McDonald: Three ways hypnotherapy works for anxiety and depression
Hypnotherapy opens up your path to recovery from anxiety or depression by getting in touch with your subconscious mind.
It does this via a number...
Fr Paddy: Easter is a way of life
“He is not here, he is risen”, is the signal message which the women receive as they make their way to anoint the dead...
Andrew McDonald: The power of your breath
Did you know one of the most powerful things you possess is your breath?
No, I’m not telling you to stop eating garlic or onions!...
Fr Paddy: Easter … A time to Hope
It has been a tough year since last Easter, and many people, Christians and others, have found ways of making the best of a...
Peavoy Financial Planning: Making your savings work for you
With deposit rates at an all time low, some investors are seeking a different solution for money they have to invest for the long...
Andrew McDonald: The benefits of being kind
THE NEWS in the last couple of weeks has been particularly tragic and shocking.
The purpose of this column is not to make political points...
