Jude Collins

JUDE COLLINS: Pope Leo finds himself a prisoner of his predecessor

HE may have similar views to Pope Francis, but he didn’t look like Pope Francis when he emerged on the balcony. While Francis appeared dressed in white, Leo wore a red mozzetta and stole. With his upright, dignified demeanour, he reminded me more of the Pope Pius XII of my boyhood.

JUDE COLLINS: Reconciliation is impossible while British bad faith remains, Micheál

BY now we’re used to the sight of them. Middle-aged and aged men and women, faces bleak with grief, standing outside a courthouse carrying pictures showing a close-up of their lost loved one. These are the people who didn’t go to war during the Troubles but had the war thrust on them, in all likelihood by the state. A solicitor or a younger member of the group steps forward and tries to tell how the murder of the loved one has created a permanent, bleeding wound in the family and how all they’re asking for now is for the state to come clean.

JUDE COLLINS: Francis's simple rules for life were in reality hard to live

FRANCIS was a polarising Pope. As I watched his funeral on TV last Saturday, like so many others I noted the respect and love that charged the crowds in attendance. For them, Francis led a life exemplifying Christian teaching rather than just talking about it.

JUDE COLLINS: Realising a dream 800 years in the making

Like the Christian story of Easter, the Easter Rising of 1916 went from open contempt for those at its centre, to a dramatic realisation of what the Rising meant. The risen Christ had first to endure pain and bloodshed before the rebirth of hope among his followers could happen. Likewise the Irish people needed the shock of sacrifice before they saw the true situation in their country.

JUDE COLLINS: Say hello to the law of unintended consequences, Donald

"DON'T shoot the messenger." You’ve probably warned yourself on more than one occasion not to focus on the person bringing you news, but to focus on the message itself. As with most things, Donald Trump makes that hard to do.

JUDE COLLINS: Big Brother Trump shows Fianna Fáil the way to do it

IT'S funny the way small events very often have a big brother. This happened over the past week or two, and both brothers – and their effect – are still reverberating.

JUDE COLLINS: Trump's visa arrests are an assault on free speech

DONALD Trump is such a lawless, reckless oaf: Taking over Canada, taking over Greenland, slapping on 200 per cent tariffs – it’s hard to keep up. But one area in particular has been targeted by him in recent days – universities and their students.

JUDE COLLINS: Ireland's Presidential options are strictly limited

DOES the role of President of Ireland matter? As with much in politics, the answer is No. And Yes.

JUDE COLLINS: Is Trump a uniquely dangerous President?

IS Donald J. Trump uniquely dangerous? If you were to ask Mahmoud Khalil, you’d get a definite Yes. But your chances of asking Mahmoud are remote.

JUDE COLLINS: We don't have to believe the war hawk warnings

WE humans like to think we live in a world where it’s possible to make clear decisions, to choose the road most travelled or choose the road overgrown and rarely taken. Time and again we underestimate how much the power of the prevailing atmosphere affects our choice.

Jude Collins

Latest Stories

JUDE COLLINS: Pope Leo finds himself a prisoner of his predecessor

JUDE COLLINS: Reconciliation is impossible while British bad faith remains, Micheál

JUDE COLLINS: Francis's simple rules for life were in reality hard to live

JUDE COLLINS: Realising a dream 800 years in the making

JUDE COLLINS: Say hello to the law of unintended consequences, Donald

JUDE COLLINS: Big Brother Trump shows Fianna Fáil the way to do it

JUDE COLLINS: Trump's visa arrests are an assault on free speech

JUDE COLLINS: Ireland's Presidential options are strictly limited

JUDE COLLINS: Is Trump a uniquely dangerous President?

JUDE COLLINS: We don't have to believe the war hawk warnings

JUDE COLLINS: Pleasant surprises come all too seldom

JUDE COLLINS: Trump's just the latest in a long line of appalling White House incumbents

JUDE COLLINS: Alleged porkies in the Dáil are really nothing new

JUDE COLLINS: Is the search for something better nearing its end?

JUDE COLLINS: Is Dáil opposition anger a case of sour grapes or good politics?

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Jude Collins

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