• ‘Dreamed a Dream by the Old Canal . . . ‘: The Coming Centenary of Ewan MacColl’s Birth

    Next year marks 100 years since the birth of Ewan MacColl.  Born James Henry Miller in Salford on 25th January 1915, he adopted the stage name of Ewan MacColl to acknowledge his proud Scottish heritage. MacColl became a great influence on the folk music scene of the 50s and 60s, best known for songs about […]

  • Ireland: Whatever You Do, Don’t Get Sick, Don’t Get Old, and Don’t Be Young

    On December 6th, 2011, the Irish government announced a new and harsh austerity plan through a tight budget.  The annual budget, now stripped of a regular rise in social welfare payments, is part of a dreaded aspect of living in 21st century Ireland, a country plagued by a seemingly incurable economic depression.  Cuts were made […]

  • The Irish Presidential Election

    The Irish presidency is a peculiar thing.  For an almost powerless political position, the presidential election is usually quite a hard fought one.  The presidency is nothing more than a ceremonial office for whoever gets it, but the upside to it is that they get to live rent-free for seven years in a big house […]