Joanne Spain tells her own heart-breaking story in one of the great scandals left in the history of Catholic Church-run, state-supported institutions – the mother and baby homes Free article

THE IRISH NATION will forever owe a debt of gratitude to Jackie Clarke.

A Ballina-based fish merchant and lifelong member of Sinn Féin, Jackie amassed one of the most significant private collections of Irish political history in existence.

The huge and all-embracing historical archive is a treasure trove of Irish history packed with artefacts, photographs, books, pamphlets... Free article

QUESTIONS are asked of us all in life. Everyone has to answer. With the gaze of more than 83,000 spectators fixed upon you, millions more viewing on TV, the answer you give is not easily going to be forgotten. Every player in Croke Park this September knows this. Free article

HAVE YOU given any thought to the British and Irish Lions in recent weeks? I didn’t think so. The media hype is over; the Sky Sports advertising drive has moved to the English Premiership; the Lions replica kit is now (thankfully) on the discount rail. Free article

WHO SAYS the uncensored news of An Phoblacht is no longer needed? In August, one of the largest political demonstrations of the year took place in the town of Monaghan... The event was completely ignored by RTÉ and most of the ‘national’ media. Premium service article

In Government, do you think Fianna Fáil would do anything other than what the current Government is doing in its budget submissions? Free article

IT’S OFTEN SAID (and often glibly without contradiction by commentators or any real analysis), ‘We just cannot afford a united Ireland.’ Really? Free article

NÍ BHÍODH na díospóireachtaí buiséid ag tosú roimhe seo go dtí aimsir na Samhna, ach de bharr súil níos géire a bheith dhá choinneáil ag an Aontas Eorpach ar chaiteachas na mballstáit tá an bhuiséad tarraingthe chun cinn agus beidh sé againn i mbliana i lár mí Dheireadh Fómhair. Free article

THE cause of the people of Palestine is dear to the heart of teacher and Belfast Sinn Féin Councillor DAVID BELL. As well as campaigning at home in Ireland, David has been working on the ground in Gaza and the West Bank. He recently spent a month living and working in Fawwar Refugee camp, just outside of Hebron, with several other volunteers from Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales for the London-based charity, UNIPAL (Universities’ Trust for Educational Exchange with Palestinians). Premium service article

Urgent action is required to tackle the growing poverty experienced by our fishing communities throughout the island Free article