Dark clouds over the rainbow nation

This article appeared in The Tablet on 13 April 2017. The crisis long bubbling inside the African National Congress now threatens to boil over into widespread violence throughout the country. Faith leaders have a vital part to play in finding a peaceful solution to the growing political problems. A rainbow over a slagheap resultant from … Read more

You’re hired!: Can the Catholic Church learn about choosing parish clergy from the Church of England?

This article was printed in The Tablet on 10 November 2016 Ecumenical Catholic leaders have been considering whether they could learn from the Church of England about lay involvement in choosing parish clergy One of the most distinctive differences between parochial life in the Catholic Church and the Church of England is in the choice … Read more

First Past the Post is now harming unionism because it is concentrated around Belfast

This article appeared in the News Letter of 9 September 2016 With Northern Ireland’s healthy population growth in recent years, the province is set to lose only one of its existing 18 seats. Additionally, some large differences in electorate size have developed, and the Boundary Commissioners are required to keep these variances below 5%. No … Read more

The Strange Death of Catholic Ireland

This piece was published in the print edition of Prospect magazine in July 2015. In the referendum held in Ireland on 22nd May, voters chose overwhelmingly—by 62 per cent to 38 per cent—to endorse a proposal to amend the country’s constitution in order that “marriage may be contracted in accordance with law by two persons … Read more

The youth vote: Cynicism of the first post-Troubles generation of voters

This article appeared in the Belfast Telegraph of 16 June 2012 Northern Ireland’s youngest adults have no memories of the worst of The Troubles. From September, new voters coming onto the electoral register will be people who were not even born when the first IRA ceasefire was declared. Our 18-24-year-olds showed some surprising differences from … Read more