Eight years ago David Amess MP and I were on opposing sides at a debate in the Oxford Union. I argued that religion harms society, and David defended religion from his perspective as a Catholic. We disagreed fundamentally, but we did so peacefully and respectfully.
Continue reading “The murder of David Amess MP”
Over 200 secular activists and groups have called for today, Sunday 3 October, to be recognised as International #SoheilDay in solidarity with Soheil Arabi, an atheist political prisoner in Iran.
Continue reading “Free Iranian blogger Soheil Arabi”
The regulations that the Government has selectively quoted do not show that Katherine Zappone’s social event in the Merrion Hotel complies with the Covid regulations.
Continue reading “Zappone event may not have met Covid regulations”
The overtly sexist rule forcing women to wear bikini bottoms while playing beach handball seems to contravene the Ethics Code of the International Handball Federation.
Continue reading “The beach handball bikini rule”
Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Bukayo Saka are football heroes who should be celebrated. They have represented their country at the highest level while still in their teens. They now face abuse that is absurd in its ignorance about football, and abhorrent in its expression of racism.
Continue reading “Penalty kicks and racist abuse”
Debutante, a short film about religious control and coming-of-age in a hostile environment, will have its online premiere at the Galway Film Fleadh on 24th July. Atheist Ireland are official partners of the film by Kamila Dydyna, a Polish filmmaker based in Dublin.
Continue reading “Online premiere for Debutante film”
In a democratic republic, the State should own and directly run the national maternity hospital. It should not cede control over this essential public service to any private body, never mind to a charity associated with the Catholic church, which has an appalling record of human rights abuses and an ethos that opposes reproductive rights for women.
Continue reading “The national maternity hospital”
Atheist Ireland has made the following submission about Freedom of Thought to Ahmed Shaheed, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief. Mr Shaheed had called for inputs to a report he is compiling for the UN General Assembly on the topic.
Continue reading “The right to freedom of thought”
After three months with double vision, I was finally discharged from my hospital outpatient visits yesterday. My sight is now functional again, and should be completely restored within weeks. Combining that with getting my first Covid vaccine two weeks ago, I would like to thank the health service staff for their wonderful work in these unprecedented times.
Continue reading “Eye can see clearly now”
I have written the following letter to the American Humanist Association.
Please reconsider your decision to publicly withdraw from Richard Dawkins the Humanist of the Year award that you gave him in 1996. By doing this you are sustaining a pattern in recent years of people unjustly portraying Richard as something of a cartoon villain.
Continue reading “An open letter to the AHA about Richard Dawkins”
