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Class size problems: Our children are stuck behind their European peers in supersized classes

Ireland’s primary schools are facing overcrowding and unfilled teaching posts that the government should be treating as a priority.

latest 6

TheJournal

John Boyle

Kelly Earley: If smart glasses weren’t creepy enough, now we have to worry about spy pens

From AI-powered eyewear to virtually undetectable spy cameras, recording technology is becoming cheaper, smaller and harder to spot.

yesterday 10

TheJournal

Kelly Earley

School principals burnt out: 'I can't tell you the last time I worked on anything teaching-related'

If Ireland wants ambitious curriculum reform to succeed, principals must be freed from mounting and unmanageable admin demands.

yesterday 10

TheJournal

Dr Sabrina Fitzsimons & Professor Catherine Furlong

Irish Traveller woman: Here's what I think of Channel 4’s new 'Secret Lives of Gypsy Wives'

Irish Traveller writer and activist Emma Ward watched The Secret Lives of Gypsy Wives and has mixed feelings about its portrayal of modern women in...

previous day 10

TheJournal

Emma Ward

Raising them right: Are we missing the real issues in the Lindsay Clancy trial?

The US and much of the world is invested in the trial of Lindsay Clancy, but while amateur sleuths come up with all sorts of theories, the story of a...

previous day 10

TheJournal

Niamh O'Reilly

Money Diaries: It's back to school, end of summer, will you be watching your spending?

As the evenings get darker (yes, we went there), and as your teachers used to say, it’s time to tighten the belt and knuckle down for the winter....

sunday 10

TheJournal

The Journal Reader

A songbird trapped in a cage: Iranian poet Mahvash Sabet’s compelling prison memoir

The Iranian poet’s memoir, written from scraps of paper smuggled out from her prison cell, reveals the human cost of repression.

sunday 10

TheJournal

Dr Brendan McNamara

My neurospicy brain: Ten ADHD traits that took me by surprise after diagnosis

Since my ADHD diagnosis, I’m discovering the unexpected ways ADHD has shaped my life, from how I sit to my sensitivity to injustice, music fixations...

sunday 10

TheJournal

Ranae von Meding

Back to school: The summer is over, here are some tips to help you get the routine right

Yes, it’s that time again… as the summer holidays wind down, here’s how to prepare children for the new school year.

22.08.2026 10

TheJournal

Dr Catherine Conlon

Fort Zuckerberg is the most on-the-nose illustration of Ireland's invasion by Big Tech

And just like our most infamous invaders, we invited them in.

22.08.2026 20

TheJournal

Carl Kinsella

What cars being made today could be considered the joyful classics of tomorrow?

“Drawing up a list of tomorrow’s classics is tricky, and one reason is our obsession with SUVs.”

22.08.2026 20

TheJournal

Paddy Comyn

Mark Zuckerberg's Waterford castle: Why international buyers are seeking out Ireland's great estates

As the Meta chief reportedly buys Strancally Castle in Waterford, Savills’ Josh Pim explores the growing appeal of Ireland’s castles, estates and...

21.08.2026 20

TheJournal

Josh Pim

Stars and Swipes: The USS Lincoln’s retreat exposes the cracks in Trump’s war machine

The carrier’s troubled deployment has shown the deep problems with US military readiness, logistics and morale under Trump and Hegseth.

20.08.2026 10

TheJournal

Marion McKeone

Gavan Reilly: 2025 yielded €2bn in fuel taxes - how much of that can the Government give up?

The cash is there to increase further discounts on fuel taxes, but not if it’s to become a semi-permanent fixture.

20.08.2026 20

TheJournal

Gavan Reilly

Skyclarys for Friedreich's ataxia: Ireland’s drug reimbursement process needs greater transparency

As patients with Friedreich’s ataxia wait for a decision on Skyclarys, Ireland must rethink how we assess costly medicines.

20.08.2026 20

TheJournal

Dr Suzanne Crowe

Lise Hand: Ireland's sportswomen are now leading from the front, at last

From Kate O’Connor and Rhasidat Adeleke to Mona McSharry and Ellen Walshe, Ireland’s sporting heroines are showing the next generation of girls...

19.08.2026 10

TheJournal

Lise Hand

My life with alopecia: I tried everything, even rubbed cabbage stalks on my bald head for weeks

As the new Rose of Tralee raised awareness of alopecia this week, Chloe Dinneen, who has lived with the condition since 2017, says acceptance and...

19.08.2026 10

TheJournal

Chloe Dinneen

The physio is in: Can the HSE's new Get Active programme improve fitness? Let's put it to the test

Stephen O’Rourke tries the latest free health initiative from the HSE to get us moving, walking and keeping an eye on those steps.

19.08.2026 20

TheJournal

Stephen O'Rourke

Kelly Earley: Ireland’s young workers are being failed by the minimum wage

Tiered wages sum up Ireland’s refusal to invest in young adults, and it’s affecting a whole generation.

18.08.2026 10

TheJournal

Kelly Earley

Raising them right: Down with school uniforms; let the kids dress like kids

Uniforms are supposed to improve behaviour, prevent bullying and level the playing field, but I’m not convinced, writes Niamh O’Reilly.

17.08.2026 10

TheJournal

Niamh O'Reilly

Money Diaries: A marketing manager on €90k currently on unpaid leave after having a baby

This week, our reader is keeping an expenses spreadsheet to see where her money is going while juggling taking care of her two young children.

16.08.2026 10

TheJournal

The Journal Reader

Analysis: The big AI worry may not be that it betrays us, but that it does what it's told

Machines don’t need to go rogue to cause harm. If we give them flawed objectives, they can pursue them more efficiently than any human ever could.

16.08.2026 20

TheJournal

Dr Paul Davis

Sulky racing: What is the horse actually experiencing while it's enduring these races?

It’s time to put the horse back at the centre of the debate around illegal and dangerous sulky racing in Ireland.

15.08.2026 20

TheJournal

Suzi Walsh

Could Ireland benefit from its own Count Binface?

Bear with me, here.

15.08.2026 30

TheJournal

Carl Kinsella

Born-again bikers: Why I've never got on a motorbike, and why so many men my age suddenly are

A new RSA report shows that riders aged 46 to 55 make up the biggest group of motorcyclist fatalities in Ireland.

15.08.2026 20

TheJournal

Paddy Comyn

Democrats in elections: What’s next for AOC? Should she aim for the Senate or the White House?

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is keeping her options open, but the forthcoming midterms could determine whether she plays the long game or goes all in for...

14.08.2026 20

TheJournal

Larry Donnelly

Gavan Reilly: 37% of the time, Stormont hasn’t existed

Stormont is stuck in a malaise, with both lead parties ebbing in the polls, and new fears of another collapse. How has it come to this?

13.08.2026 20

TheJournal

Gavan Reilly

Sharks in Irish waters: They need our protection, not sensationalist headlines

The Waterford shark incident shows the risks of recreational angling, which needs better regulation, but the real threat to Ireland’s sharks are...

13.08.2026 20

TheJournal

Pádraic Fogarty

Stars and Swipes: Trump's vaccine makeover is a recipe for disaster

With Robert F. Kennedy Jr by his side, Trump is putting politics and junk science ahead of decades of clinical evidence on childhood vaccines, in a...

13.08.2026 20

TheJournal

Marion McKeone

Cardiologist: Your smartwatch may know your heart rate, but it's not your doctor

Dr Paul Hill says he has nothing against wearable fitness trackers overall, but it’s important not to overthink the data they feed back to us.

13.08.2026 20

TheJournal

Dr Paul Hill

Lise Hand: AI companies destroying books to feed the machines? What fresh hell...

Tech companies may have their reasons for turning thousands of books into AI feed, but the sight of books being bought, gutted and discarded feels...

12.08.2026 20

TheJournal

Lise Hand

Israel's detention of doctors: Dr Abu Safiya's only crime was refusing to abandon his patients

The arrest of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya in 2024 is part of a wider pattern of attacks by Israel on Gaza’s healthcare workers, who have also acted as...

12.08.2026 20

TheJournal

Filipe Ribeiro

Folic acid in flour: Public health interventions will only work when the public gets a say

The government’s consultation on possibly adding folic acid to flour is an opportunity to do health policy differently and not make the mistakes of...

11.08.2026 10

TheJournal

Dr Suzanne Crowe

Kelly Earley: Is the success of the spice bag rooted in a culture of fussy eating?

The spice bag has become Ireland’s de facto national dish, but is that down to a generation of fussy eaters, reared on more affordable dishes like...

11.08.2026 20

TheJournal

Kelly Earley

Raising them right: Is it ever okay to admit you’ve got a favourite child?

You may not ever admit it, but the research shows that most parents have a favourite child. The trick to decent parenting is making sure your kids...

10.08.2026 20

TheJournal

Niamh O'Reilly

Money Diaries: A receptionist on €30K living in Dublin and planning to move to Australia

This week, our reader is trying to put as much money aside as they can to save up to emigrate.

09.08.2026 20

TheJournal

The Journal Reader

Small forests, big change: How tiny pocket forests can help cities breathe again

Pocket Forests is helping communities plant dense native woodlands that cool streets, boost biodiversity and create greener, more liveable urban...

09.08.2026 20

TheJournal

Catherine Cleary

Parenting: I always wanted a sister, until I had two daughters

I imagined my girls would be lifelong besties. I’m still holding out hope, but for now it’s mostly psychological warfare and an absolute refusal...

08.08.2026 20

TheJournal

Margaret Lynch

The ticket tout time loop sums up everything that's wrong with how Ireland is run

Whether ticket touting or housing, nothing ever really gets solved in Ireland.

08.08.2026 20

TheJournal

Carl Kinsella

Free parking and no tolls for EVs: How Norway became the world leader for electric vehicles

Norway even had the help of a pop star and a stolen Fiat.

08.08.2026 20

TheJournal

Paddy Comyn

My ADHD diagnosis: I'm nearly 40, and I just found out who I am

Ranae von Meding discovered she had ADHD after seeking an assessment for her child. The diagnosis forced her to rethink everything and be kinder to...

07.08.2026 30

TheJournal

Ranae von Meding

Gavan Reilly: There are €2bn reasons to welcome Trump back to Ireland

Trump is coming to Ireland next month for just 36 hours, spending barely four in Dublin. Like it or not, if you look at the numbers behind US tourism...

06.08.2026 20

TheJournal

Gavan Reilly

Stars and Swipes: Trump and MAGA's war on women is now impossible to ignore

Between abuse allegations, the public humiliation of women and fresh attacks on female journalists by Trump and his cronies, America’s political...

06.08.2026 20

TheJournal

Marion McKeone

After the crash: Michael Fingleton’s death does not close the book on Ireland's banking crisis

The former Irish Nationwide boss, who passed away this week, was far from the only one to blame for the reckless lending that brought the country to...

06.08.2026 20

TheJournal

John Walsh

Lise Hand: Gotta hand it to Donald Trump, he’s bringing protest back

Trump’s visit may be a headache for the government, but it gives the public a golden opportunity to dust off the placards, pack the lunches and...

05.08.2026 20

TheJournal

Lise Hand

How is your spending going this summer? Would you like to keep a Money Diary?

We want to hear from readers on how they are handling their finances right now.

05.08.2026 30

TheJournal

The Journal Reader

Kelly Earley: I like spice bags as much as the next person, but we need to draw the line

What was once the perfect post-pub meal from the local Chinese has somehow ended up on pizza, in pubs and even in 1950s-style diners, and it’s a bit...

04.08.2026 20

TheJournal

Kelly Earley

Analysis: Could investment delays be costing customers thousands?

A Central Bank investigation into delays in processing some pension and investment transactions raises important questions for investors about timing...

04.08.2026 30

TheJournal

Nick Charalambous

Tech worker: I spent a decade being loyal to tech in Ireland. Then AI took my job

After years of loyal service, one woman’s job was automated overnight. She’s discovered that modern recruitment now values keywords over experience.

03.08.2026 30

TheJournal

Agnes

Raising them right: Should you pay kids for doing household chores?

I decided to pay my kids to do various chores around the house. It backfired, but in the best possible way, and it cost me a fortune.

03.08.2026 20

TheJournal

Niamh O'Reilly