IT was once considered a place where old politicians went to retire – but now there is a major reluctance by people even to let their names be put down as possible contenders for the Áras.

THERE were a lot of tears around the country at the weekend. The annual merry-go-round had started and that’s nothing compared to the floods of tears which will be witnessed over the coming days.

"I know shopping online can be a godsend when you can order and pay in an instant with little effort and all from the comfort of your armchair, but then we hear the horror stories of people losing thousands at the hands of scammers and wish for a less stressful time when cash was king."

I HAVE come to the conclusion that I may be a racist without knowing it. Sounds stupid, doesn’t it, but last week I read something which got my blood boiling, leading me to that thought. It revolves around asylum seekers.

I estimate I spent over €2,000 on parking fees alone in one hospital

I GOT a little surprise the other day – my bank gave me a refund. OK, I didn’t actually receive a gift as such – after all, a refund is really the return of your own money – but nevertheless it was a welcome boost to the often-stretched bank balance.

I WAS SHOCKED to say the least when I read last week that two teenage boys had been sentenced to seven-and-a-half years’ detention, with the final 18 months suspended, for the sexual assault and rape of a 16-year-old girl.

Ongoing work on Carlow's Dublin Road, which will include new cycle-lanes and traffic lights, has columnist Michael Godfrey wondering how necessary it is 

I urge people to set aside whatever misconceptions they have of events such as Pan Celtic and go to one or more of the events over the coming days. You may be surprised by what you find

I OFTEN complain about the fact that the ‘friendly’ tag we Irish so enjoy talking about is really a myth.

Comments on Irishness were both offensive and ludicrous

A SECRET is something that someone somewhere doesn’t want anyone else to know about. But if two or more know something, then it is no longer a secret – and as night follows day, the facts of a case will also come out.

ISN’T it dreadful to think that a group of hooligans – and that’s the only way to describe them – believe they are above the law and can dictate to everyone else, including the government, where asylum seekers are to be housed.

I, for one, would have much preferred if RTÉ Radio 1 had stuck to Shay Byrne and his excellent Rising Time programme

Every now and then someone would object to my smoking in their company, but I brushed it off

No disrespect to Jack Chambers, but he doesn’t come from a financial background

The minister also agreed that the state has a long way to go when it comes to violence against women

Godfrey's Gospel is an opinion piece brought to you by Michael Godfrey