In The News

Will therapy with psychadelic drugs become mainstream?

26 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Could psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, play a role in the treatment of PTSD, OCD and eating disorders? A global series of trials,...

Can the Catholic Church in Ireland really change?

24 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Demands by Irish Catholics for major change in the church’s attitude to women, LGBTI+ people, those who are divorced or remarried, and single parent...

What kind of leader could Michael Collins have been?

22 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The killing of Michael Collins created the greatest "what if" in Irish history. If he had lived, would Irish history have played out differently? Woul...

What next for Afghanistan and its people?

19 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

One year on from the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, what is life like for the people living under their rule? Conor pope speaks to Fatema Mohammadi,...

What's happening at An Bord Pleanála?

17 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What's going on at An Bord Pleanála? The state body with final say on planning appeals and power over fast-tracked housing developments is in focus t...

Can Ireland's electricity grid cope with the data centre boom?

15 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Data centres already consume 14 per cent of Ireland’s electricity supply, more than all rural housing. Now these centres are on track to consume abo...

The agency forcing Irish criminals to flee abroad (From November 2021)

12 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Just over 25 years ago, the Criminal Assets Bureau was established in the wake of the killings of Detective Jerry McCabe and journalist Veronica Gueri...

Inside Ireland’s largest re-wilding experiment (From January 2022)

10 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This episode was originally published in January 2022. Just 30 kilometres north of Dublin, lies a hidden oasis in Meath called Dunsany Castle. Home to...

The secrets to living a longer life (From January 2022)

08 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What can we do for ourselves to ensure that we live long, fulfilling, happy and fit lives? In this episode, Conor Pope speaks to Professor of Medical ...

How the iPod changed the world (From May 2022)

05 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In October 2001, Apple chief executive Steve Jobs debuted the original iPod, the first MP3 player that could hold 1,000 songs and had a 10-hour batter...

Did the EU help create a human rights disaster? (From April 2022)

03 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

European countries are welcoming Ukrainian refugees with open arms. But migrants from other parts of the world get much different treatment, as report...

The unpalatable truth about eating meat (From September 2021)

01 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How much do you think about where your food comes from, how the animals used to produce it live and die, or its impact on the environment? Journalist ...

How Ireland’s mountain rescue services are managing an alarming rise in callouts (From August 2021)

29 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This episode was originally published in August 2021. As more and more people take to the outdoors to explore Ireland’s hiking trails and mountain p...

The rise in unregulated cosmetic procedures in Ireland (From December 2021)

27 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This episode was originally published in December 2021. Demand for cosmetic procedures is on the rise across Ireland, but what are the risks involved ...

The forgotten history of Ireland's asylums (From January 2022)

25 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This episode was originally published in January 2021. More than two dozen “lunatic asylums” were built throughout Ireland in the 1800s. Today som...

The battle to succeed Boris Johnson

22 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Conservative leadership contest has been underway for two weeks and the eight candidates have been whittled down to two.Now things get serious. Lo...

Ukraine: rebuilding lives scarred by Russia’s war

20 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As the war in Ukraine approaches its sixth month, many of the five million refugees who fled the country are returning. In total, more than two m...

Will Mo Farah’s story help other victims of human trafficking?

18 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Last week, British athlete Mo Farah revealed he was illegally trafficked into the UK at the age of nine. Flown over from Djibouti, he was given the na...

Burning effigies overshadow Loyalism's "funday"

15 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

At Eleventh Night bonfires and 12th of July parades, the experience hits very differently depending on your background. Northern correspondent Seanín...

Why are some women still travelling overseas for abortions?

13 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In 2019, at fourteen weeks pregnant, Emma Connors was told that her unborn baby had a fatal foetal abnormality. Just a few weeks later, she and her hu...

Is the tide going out on crypto?

11 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The prices of cryptocurrencies have plummeted this year. Bitcoin, the most popular one, has lost over 70 per cent of its value in the last six months ...

48 hours that undid Boris Johnson

08 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

From the moment on Tuesday morning when a retired British civil servant went public about how Boris Johnson was covering up his involvement in yet ano...

Why is Ireland so expensive?

06 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

All of Europe is in the grip of inflation, and Ireland is no different. But here we already had some of the highest prices in Europe across a range of...

Will there be a second Scottish independence referendum?

04 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eight years after Scotland said no to independence in its 2014 referendum, Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon now wants to ...

"Setting us back 150 years": What now for abortion rights in America?

01 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In the US, in places where women get abortions, but also in courtrooms and within political campaign headquarters, the decision of the Supreme Court t...

Will we have to ration energy - and how would we do it?

29 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The current energy crisis shows little sign of easing, and the worst may be to come. Some have warned that, with Russian gas supplies in doubt, Europe...

How concerned should we be about the summer Covid surge?

27 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Just three months on from the last pandemic wave which swept across the country, Ireland is once again experiencing a surge in Covid cases. But was it...

Could a tsunami hit Ireland?

24 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Nearly 300 years ago an earthquake off the coast of Portugal caused a tsunami which hit Ireland’s coast. Records show that the Lisbon tsunami, as it...

Why Ireland’s junior doctors are ready to strike

22 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Many hospitals around the country could soon be functioning without hundreds of junior doctors. Earlier this month, they voted in favour of strik...

Energy poverty: why are so many people struggling to power their homes?

20 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

With many Irish people now feeling the bite from the soaring cost of living, a new report has found a record number of households are experiencing ene...

The George Bento trial: How the Brazilian Deliveroo cyclist walked free

17 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Earlier this week, George Gonzaga Bento walked out of Dublin’s Central Criminal Court, a free man. The 36-year-old from Rio de Janeiro in Brazi...

January 6th Committee: did Trump attempt a coup?

15 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After 11 months, nearly 100 subpoenas and more than a thousand interviews, the congressional committee investigating the January 6th attack on the US ...

Sorry not sorry: Merkel's Putin policy under the spotlight

13 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For the first time since retiring, former chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel spoke out last week about how her government treated an increasingly agg...

Will a four-day working week become a reality?

10 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In 2018, Andrew Barnes decided to trial a four-day working week at his New Zealand-based business Perpetual Guardian. His employees work 80% of the ti...

The vilification of Amber Heard

09 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Two weeks ago, a jury in Virginia delivered the verdict that everyone had been waiting for: Johnny Depp had won his multimillion-dollar defamation cas...

What will replace the Leaving Cert?

08 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's that time of year again. The Leaving Certificate has been in existence since 1925, so it may come as no surprise to learn that students, academic...

Is facial recognition technology a good idea?

07 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Gardaí will soon be using facial recognition technology to crack cases and help win convictions. But the technology is already widely available. For ...

Should Queen Elizabeth celebrate her platinum jubilee by abdicating?

03 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Queen Elizabeth was 21 when she told her subjects that she would dedicate her whole life, whether it be long or short, to their service and the servic...

School shooters: why do they do it?

01 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The killing of 19 children and two teachers in a Texas elementary school has put the spotlight back on gun control - for now. But Robin Kowalski, a US...

Chaos at Dublin airport is just another problem for travel in 2022

30 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After everything that’s happened over the past few years, many of us are dying for a nice holiday.And we’re willing to pay for it, with ...

Wine, vomit and fighting: Can Johnson hang on despite Partygate revelations?

27 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

London Editor Denis Staunton explains what a newly-published report into illegal gatherings in UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's home and office means...

Can Ukraine win the war against Russia?

25 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It is a war that Putin and western analysts predicted would be over within days, but three months down the line, fighting still rages on in Ukraine. S...

A nation divided: Saipan, 20 years on - part three

24 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This is part three of a three part series. If you haven't listened to part one or two yet, we recommend you go back and do so - they're the previous e...

A volcanic eruption and Roy Keane is sent home: Saipan, 20 years on - part two

23 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This is part two of a three part series. If you haven't listened to part one yet, we recommend you go back and do so - it's the previous episode in th...

Roy Keane, Mick McCarthy and the pain of Saipan, 20 years on - part one

20 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

20 years ago this week, Irish football fans were in a state of giddy excitement about the World Cup, which was about to begin in South Korea and Japan...

Are Irish house prices approaching a peak?

18 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Irish property prices are climbing at their highest rate for over seven years. In the last year alone, the average cost of a home jumped by ...

Have sanctions weakened the Kinahans?

16 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Last month, the United States announced it would sanction members of the Kinahan family and offer a $5 million reward for evidence leading to their pr...

How the iPod changed the world

13 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In October 2001, Apple chief executive Steve Jobs debuted the original iPod, the first MP3 player that could hold 1,000 songs and had a 10-hour batter...

Why are Ukrainian doctors struggling to find work in Ireland?

11 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Hundreds of Ukrainian doctors are arriving into Ireland, eager to take up work in the health service. However, they are facing barriers when it comes ...

From Bray to Madison Square Garden: The unstoppable rise of Katie Taylor

09 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Following her victory against Amanda Serrano at Madison Square Garden last week, Katie Taylor remains boxing’s golden girl and the undisputed lightw...

The National Maternity Hospital: what's behind the latest delay?

06 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Cabinet has held off on approving the planned relocation of the National Maternity Hospital from Holles Street in Dublin 2 to a site on the St Vin...

How Ukraine's resolve is denying Putin a May 9th victory

04 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Now in its 70th day Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine was supposed to dismantle the country. But across Ukraine, the invasion has only strengthened...

Inside Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s defamation trial

29 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Actor Johnny Depp this week concluded his testimony in the defamation case he has filed against his ex-wife Amber Heard, over an article she wrote for...

How the UK plans to export its asylum seekers

27 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Last week the UK government announced a scheme to send asylum seekers arriving on its shores to the central African nation of Rwanda, 10,000 kilometer...

Why is gun crime rising again in America?

25 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Surging gun crime in the United States has put the issue of gun control back on the agenda. But why is it happening - and can anything be done? Washin...

Does it matter if Elon Musk buys Twitter?

22 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Elon Musk says he wants to buy Twitter, but the board of the company doesn’t seem too hot on the idea. Musk has, nevertheless, filed papers to the S...

How Clare Daly and Mick Wallace became stars of authoritarian state media

21 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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Will sanctions topple the Kinahan cartel?

15 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Kinahan family's rise to the top of the Irish drug trade was helped by the low profile and overseas life of Christy Kinhan snr. But a violent feud...

Did the EU help create a human rights disaster?

13 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

European countries are welcoming Ukrainian refugees with open arms. But migrants from other parts of the world get much different treatment, as report...

The war next door: could Russia invade Moldova?

11 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Moldova is a small country sandwiched between Romania and Ukraine. It was once part of the Soviet Union. It's not an EU member or a member of the Nato...

As Bruce Willis retires, what legacy does he leave behind?

08 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After more than three decades in the limelight, action star Bruce Willis has retired from acting. Taking to social media, his family revealed the acto...

Will war crimes in Ukraine galvanise Europe's response?

06 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Alleged war crimes in Ukraine have shocked Europe and the world. But as war drags on, can the EU react strongly and maintain a united response to Russ...

Could Russia run a spy network out of its Dublin embassy?

04 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Russian diplomats have been expelled from Ireland in the past, but the move to send four of them back to Moscow last week as a signal to the Kremlin o...

Was it the right time to say goodbye to Nphet?

01 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After more than two years advising the Government on the coronavirus pandemic, the National Public Health Emergency Team for Covid-19 (Nphet) finally ...

How young Irish women are losing money in too-good-to-be-true social media sales jobs

30 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Multi-level marketing companies, or MLMs, have grown in popularity across the UK and Ireland in recent years, particularly during the pandemic when on...

What the census tells us about modern Ireland

28 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sunday April 3rd will be a big day for Ireland. It’s the day when every household in the country will complete the census, answering questions about...

Why is Putin so determined to take Mariupol?

25 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Why has Mariupol, a major port city in the south east of Ukraine, become the focal point of Putin's war? In today's episode, Lara Marlowe describes th...

Ireland's second Omicron wave: "This is what living with Covid is"

23 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A second wave of Omicron is hitting the country like a tsunami and hospital case numbers are on the rise. The Government is reluctant to re-introduce ...

Cold calling Russia: “this is the only way to show the truth”

21 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Over half a million cold calls have been made to random phone numbers in Russia in recent days, as part of an international campaign to bypass Putin’...

A report from Ukraine, after three weeks of war

16 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's three weeks since Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine, expecting to fight a short war that he would win. While that hasn’t happened, people in besie...

Why are we losing the Amazon rainforest?

14 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Climate scientists are warning that the Amazon rainforest may be nearing a tipping point of “dieback”, the point where it dries out and turns...

What are NFTs and why’s everyone talking about them?

11 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Irish Times features writer Patrick Freyne delves into the confusing world of NFTs. What are they and why are they making people so rich? And how easy...

Ireland's response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis

09 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has triggered the fasting-growing refugee crisis in Europe since the second world war. Already, more than one and half ...

Putin’s attack on Ukraine: how did it come to this?

07 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Since late 2021, the United States was warning that Vladimir Putin was about to invade Ukraine. Yet despite two decades of deteriorating relations wit...

The rise and fall of Alan Kelly and the future of Labour

04 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Labour’s outgoing leader Alan Kelly surprised many when he announced his resignation on Wednesday after less than two years in the role, saying the ...

Ukraine crisis sends shockwaves across Europe

02 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Lara Marlowe travels from Paris to the Ukrainian border with a group of men returning to fight against the Russian invasion.Dan McLaughlin reports on ...

How the pandemic changed Ireland

28 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today the requirement to wear masks in shops and on public transport is gone. In terms of rules and restrictions at least, things are "back to normal"...

A dispatch from Ukraine under attack

24 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Earlier today, we spoke to our reporter in Ukraine Dan McLaughlin about what he is witnessing on the ground in Ukraine as Russia invades, the resilien...

Crisis in Ukraine: What Putin's move means

23 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Monday was an extraordinary day of tension and drama as, in a series of televised events, Russian president Vladimir Putin made clear his decision to ...

Failing our children: How mental health services broke down in Kerry

21 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Last month, a shocking HSE report into South Kerry’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (Camhs), shed light on how some of our youngest ment...

The return of Celtic Tiger house prices

18 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

New figures reveal there has been a 14.4% year-on-year rise in the cost of buying a home in Ireland, bringing the price of a house almost back to its ...

Richard O’Halloran’s three-year battle to leave China

16 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For nearly three years, Dublin businessman Richard O’Halloran was effectively trapped in China, after travelling there in February 2019 to handle a ...

Why is it so hard to admit to being lonely?

14 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Loneliness is an emotion that most of us will experience at some stage in our lives. While it is often associated with the elderly or isolated, loneli...

Will abortion be banned across the American south?

11 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Mississippi is the centre of a legal battle over abortion in America that could soon see the right to terminate a pregnancy removed or curtailed in d...

How bad will the cost of living crisis get?

09 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Winter energy bills are now costing hundreds of euro more than last year and prices are climbing up and down supermarket aisles. In this episode,...

Could a Garda investigation prevent Leo Varadkar's return as Taoiseach?

07 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar is set to become Taoiseach again in December.  But a Garda investigation into the leaking by Varadkar of a docu...

How the clerical sex abuse crisis reached the top of the Catholic Church

04 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI has been named by Munich investigators as a potential accessory to child abuse in a file made available to state prose...

Why Spotify chose Joe Rogan over Neil Young

02 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Arts and Culture editor Hugh Linehan speaks to Conor Pope about Neil Young’s decision to leave Spotify and how the streaming service now plan to tac...

The forgotten history of Ireland's asylums

31 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

More than two dozen “lunatic asylums” were built throughout Ireland in the 1800s. Today some are hospitals, while others are derelict. Through int...

The secrets to living a longer life

28 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What can we do for ourselves to ensure that we live long, fulfilling, happy and fit lives? In this episode, Conor Pope speaks to Professor of Medical ...

"Ready to defend ourselves": Ukraine braces for Putin's move

26 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A buildup of Russian troops along its border has the people of Ukraine on heightened alert, and the world wondering: what exactly does Vladimir Putin ...

"There is a hopeful picture" - the Munster abuse case and the future of the victims

24 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Last week, the parents of five children in Munster were jailed for a combined 24 years after being found guilty of abusing, exploiting and wilfully ne...

Inside Ireland’s largest re-wilding experiment

21 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Just 30 kilometres north of Dublin, lies a hidden oasis in Meath called Dunsany Castle. Home to Ireland’s biggest rewilding project, it’s run by L...

Is the end of the pandemic in sight?

19 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

With case numbers continuing to fall, the easing of Covid restrictions could begin as early as next week. Today, Conor Pope speaks to The Irish Times ...

How do we end male violence against women?

17 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Last Wednesday afternoon, 23-year-old Ashling Murphy went for a run along the canal pathway just outside the town of Tullamore in Co Offaly. At around...

Can Boris Johnson survive as prime minister?

14 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

UK prime minister Boris Johnson has never been under more pressure after revelations emerged that he attended a party during Covid-19 lockdown in 2020...

How Novak Djokovic’s vaccine-scepticism sparked an international sporting scandal

12 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Novak Djokovic is on the cusp of becoming the best men’s tennis player in the history of the sport. In less than a week, he should be attempting to ...

Will Ireland’s longest-serving prisoner ever be released?

10 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

English national John Shaw has been in custody in Ireland since September 1976 when both he and another English man, Geoffrey Evans, were arrested for...

Is it time we learned to live with Covid-19?

07 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Two years into the pandemic, it’s still not clear how, when, or if it will end. With health systems across the world in a permanent state of crisis ...

"It's worse than ever": The Capitol riot one year on

05 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When rioters smashed their way into the US Capitol one year ago this week, it was seen as both a disaster for US democracy but also a potential turnin...