Frank Liddy

MINDFUL MOMENT: The unbearable weight of that elusive perfection

I WAS born just off the Falls Road, at 248 Cupar Street, up a short terrace of two-up, two-down where the rain settled in before you did. The houses leaned into one another as if for support, and some mornings the street felt older than I am.

MINDFUL MOMENT: Imbolc awakes within us the ancient fire of the Gaels

IMBOLC is not simply a date, it is a threshold. It speaks of ewes heavy with milk, of seeds held patiently in the dark, of life preparing to rise again. This knowledge did not come from books alone, but from generations who listened to the land and learned its language.

MINDFUL MOMENT: In streets without gardens, flowerpots bloomed with the colours of community

THERE is a certain time of year that always stirs something deep within me, a gentle reminder of childhood, community, and the quiet resilience of West Belfast. As the days lengthen and the light softens, my mind returns to Gibson Street and to my Granny McCusker’s front and back windowsills, alive with indoor plants and carefully tended flowerpots. They were not just decorations. They were nature’s way of whispering that spring was on its way.

MINDFUL MOMENT: Troubles exhibition is both a mirror and a window

THE new exhibition about the Falls will blow your mind. It has to be seen to be believed. It's located in no better location than the former St Comgall's school.

MINDFUL MOMENT: In supporting each other we keep the Christmas light shining

AT this time of year, when twinkling lights appear in windows and families gather around warm hearths, our thoughts inevitably turn to those who have no such comfort. Christmas in West Belfast has always been a season of togetherness, yet it also serves as a poignant reminder of the reality of homelessness, an issue that does not fade simply because the calendar turns to December. If anything, the cold winds and long nights make it all the more visible, all the more urgent.

MINDFUL MOMENT: The Cold Moon brings a warm reminder of rebirth and renewal

ON the dark December nights familiar to us across Belfast and the North, the world seems to lower its voice. The air carries that sharp winter bite, the land settles into its long rest, and the sky stretches wide in a kind of ancient stillness.

MINDFUL MOMENT: Telling our stories can transform pain into leadership

I HAD the great fortune recently of joining a packed audience at the Belfast MAC for the launch of 'The Rest of the Story: Transforming Trauma to Voice'. This powerful new anthology is the culmination of a five-year collaboration between its editor, the inspirational Michael Patrick MacDonald, creator of the trauma-informed writing and storytelling initiative The Rest of the Story, and Aisling Award winners New Script for Mental Health, who campaign for a rights-based approach to mental health.

MINDFUL MOMENT: Breathing in silence brings the oxygen of serenity

THE first time I learned to truly breathe in the silence was in the shadow of the Mourne Mountains, in the Holy Cross Benedictine monastery a mile or two outside the idyllic Rostrevor.

MINDFUL MOMENT: The power of the group is what makes us special

I CAME across a beautiful story this week from the Babemba tribe of Africa, who believe that we come into the world as good, each one of us desiring only safety, love, peace, and happiness.

MINDFUL MOMENT: George, the giant servant at the Giant's Foot

THROUGH hail, rain, snow, Brits and loyalist death squads, Giant George never stopped opening his den of delights at the Giant's Foot. He was a steadfast part of community life. In a world where many spoke grandly about service, few embodied it quite so unpretentiously as George Devlin did. If ever there was someone at the coalface, tending to the everyday needs of his neighbours, it was George.

MINDFUL MOMENT: Bathing in the quiet beauty of the forest

I WAS first introduced to the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, often translated as 'forest bathing', during a walk with a friend up in Colin Glen.

MINDFUL MOMENT: The choirboy in me has never gone away

WHEN I first walked through the doors to rehearse with the Belfast Rock Choir, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. Part of me felt like a nervous schoolboy again, waiting to find my place amongst strangers, while another part of me was quietly excited.

Frank Liddy

Latest Stories

MINDFUL MOMENT: The unbearable weight of that elusive perfection

MINDFUL MOMENT: Imbolc awakes within us the ancient fire of the Gaels

MINDFUL MOMENT: In streets without gardens, flowerpots bloomed with the colours of community

MINDFUL MOMENT: Troubles exhibition is both a mirror and a window

MINDFUL MOMENT: In supporting each other we keep the Christmas light shining

MINDFUL MOMENT: The Cold Moon brings a warm reminder of rebirth and renewal

MINDFUL MOMENT: Telling our stories can transform pain into leadership

MINDFUL MOMENT: Breathing in silence brings the oxygen of serenity

MINDFUL MOMENT: The power of the group is what makes us special

MINDFUL MOMENT: George, the giant servant at the Giant's Foot

MINDFUL MOMENT: Bathing in the quiet beauty of the forest

MINDFUL MOMENT: The choirboy in me has never gone away

MINDFUL MOMENT: St Luke's salute for Sinéad and Fr. Brian

MINDFUL MOMENT: That Féile feeling makes this a special time of year

MINDFUL MOMENT: Jim Doty was the candle that lit the darkness

CELTIC STORIES: O'Neill waves the magic wand again, but he needs the fans back in the stadium

PODCAST: Six decades in the fast lane — and still going strong

Gaelic Games: 14-man Antrim suffer season defining defeat to Kildare

SOCCER: Reds enjoy late Addis stunner to secure extra-time Cup win

PLATING UP: Prawn and Marie Rose salad on coconut flatbread

EYE ON THE PAST: February 1985 – Massive cutback will close West Belfast schools

DÚLRA: We have to clean up our act for the flycatcher

ROBIN LIVINGSTONE: An open letter to Gavin Robinson

Frank Liddy

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