There has been a justified focus on the recent rise of illiberal sentiments in central Europe, though the region is scarcely unique in harbouring xenophobic ideas. Yet these are countries with considerable intellectual potential and it is there surely that hope lies.
Social and political life, Pearse’s St Enda’s, the role of women and the part played by Dublin Protestants in the Rising are the subjects of four free lunchtime talks in Dublin in February and March.
The eminent Italian novelist, critic, journalist and philosopher of books and libraries has read his last. Though a preeminent man of books, he was rather relaxed about the fact that there were things he hadn’t read.
Captain Jack White was a supporter of James Connolly and of his political creed of syndicalism. Was syndicalism just another type of socialism or was it something much more radical and revolutionary altoghether?
At the turn of the eighteenth and nineteenth century many people were beginning to take the measure of the parasitical landowning classes. None put it all quite so succinctly as Robert Burns, born on this day in 1759.
Fingers are being pointed at Hungary and Poland, accusing them of turning their back on European values and breeding an ugly xenophobia and populism. There may be some truth in this, but are they the only places where extreme political forces are thriving?
Journalists, according to Frederic Raphael, are the short order chefs of the writing world. With the great Joseph Roth you got more than wedges and coleslaw.
When icicles hang by the wall and you stop by woods on a snowy evening, it’s time for a list of the best poetic celebrations of winter.
January 6th: a day to eat king cakes, for women to sit back and put their feet up – sometimes – and for well-meaning men to get their comeuppance
Like Floyd Mayweather Junior in boxing, Costa poetry winner Don Paterson is not just technically immaculate; he hurts, hitting hard and gifted with a true fighter’s armoury of punches.