This article arose out of a number of responses to An Phoblacht's coverage of the Holy Cross blockade. While most people responded positively and clearly found it easy to identify with the way in which the story was presented, a small group objected on a number of grounds. One particular complaint worried me more than most. Free article

The current Irish mental health system is rooted in Ireland's history as a British colony. Free article

There were 31 people left queuing in James Hospital, casualty, at 2.30 am. Two old women in their seventies, one had come in by ambulance, still in a night-gown. She had been in casualty since just 1 pm that day. They were waiting to see a doctor. Others had been waiting even longer. Free article

While 26-County Minister for Health, Micheál Martin, is at pains to assure people that his government has the health crisis in hand, most people who have had dealings with the state's healthcare system, in recent times, will beg to differ. Sinn Féin offers an alternative view, in an edited text of the party's 2002 health strategy, set out below. Free article

An Phoblacht's MICK DERRIG again cries of the Seasonal celebrations to deconstruct the notion that the world is united in celebrating the birth of Christ (or of Coca-Cola's Santa Claus) on 25 December. With typical begrudgery, he points out that only a minority of the planet's six billion human beings are in any way nominally Christian. Free article

Have you ever wondered how to measure if you have been naughty or nice? Can you name all of Santa's reindeers. Do you want to email Santa? Or maybe you are finding it difficult to get that Christmas cheer going? Well wonder no more, Christmas cheer and much much more is out there on the world wide web from the naughty and nice to the twisted and perverted. ROBBIE MacGABHANN surfs over 9 million Christmas web pages with Santa in cyberland, where the snow is always crisp and white, where Rudolph and the elves are only a few clicks away. Free article

Despite Sudanese co-operation with the US - providing intelligence on the whereabouts of the Al-Qaida network - this empoverished country has been singled out together with Somalia, Yemen and Iraq to figure as targets for the broadening of the "War Against Terrorism". Free article

For republicans and socialists looking for a good read this Christmas there's no shortage of choice. Free article

By Seán Ó Donaile


"You can Never underestimate the intelligence of the general public"-

P Barnum's cynical comment of over one hundred years ago is still accurate today, as channels increase their appeal to the lowest common denominator, with ever-increasing ratings.

What began as 'fly on the wall' real-life documentaries have descended into real-life soaps, in which individuals... Free article