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Breda O'Brien

Breda O'Brien

The Irish Times

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He lambasted Ireland in the New York Times for locking up children. Now he may be sainted

He lambasted Ireland in the New York Times for locking up children. Now he may be sainted

What would Edward Flanagan say about a wealthy Ireland where children in care are put in unregulated emergency placements?

29.03.2026 10

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Now that my children live abroad, my uncle’s ‘bás in Éirinn’ has a new meaning

Now that my children live abroad, my uncle’s ‘bás in Éirinn’ has a new meaning

Everything from a stray sock beneath a bed to an old photo album shouts of the ones no longer here with us

22.03.2026 20

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

All babies who die in the womb as a result of crime must be recognised as people

Jax’s Law will cover unborn babies of at least 23 weeks’ gestation who die as a result of dangerous driving

09.03.2026 20

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

We need to pause Leaving Cert science reform immediately

It is just not possible to carry out the required assessments safely or in a way that is fair to students

02.03.2026 20

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Christians tolerated Trump because they thought he would end abortion. They were wrong

07.02.2026 10

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Transgender rights misinformation is the last thing schools need

01.02.2026 10

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Why is no-one talking about the grandchildren gap?

25.01.2026 40

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Netflix hit Adolescence gets a lot wrong about the reality of boys’ struggles

18.01.2026 20

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Stranger Things-induced nostalgia for the 80s doesn’t tally with my memories

11.01.2026 30

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Let’s stop treating caring as a hobby and dependence as weakness

05.01.2026 20

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

The in-between days from Christmas to new year are a time to embrace imperfection

27.12.2025 20

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

This is the week when ‘lapsed Catholics’ and ‘spiritual but not religious’ go to church

21.12.2025 60

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Baby Christopher’s parents should not have had to wait so long for an apology

14.12.2025 20

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Comparing AI to Wikipedia is like saying a bicycle is similar to a self-driving car

07.12.2025 20

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

We need secular schools, but also schools that believe in what the nativity play embodies

01.12.2025 30

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Amid the tricolours of Dublin’s inner city, 50 faith communities are doing vital work

09.11.2025 20

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

The vibes-based politics that elected Catherine Connolly are powerful, but ultimately empty

02.11.2025 20

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

If Tusla were a flesh and blood parent, its children would be taken away

26.10.2025 30

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Here’s why you should vote for Jim Gavin

20.10.2025 20

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

What is the justice system for if we don’t believe in rehabilitation?

12.10.2025 20

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

One day we will have redress schemes for the children failed by Ireland’s care system

05.10.2025 20

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Blocking Maria Steen from running for the presidency will backfire

27.09.2025 20

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

We need to have a conversation about babies born alive after abortion

21.09.2025 20

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Nobody can claim the decline of Catholic influence has led to a happier or healthier society

14.09.2025 30

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Carlo Acutis, the millennial saint, could not be more different to the influencers of the manosphere

07.09.2025 30

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Interest in Jim Gavin says little for Micheál Martin’s faith in his party colleagues

31.08.2025 20

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Taking teachers seriously as professionals would solve some big problems in Irish education

24.08.2025 40

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

ChatGPT is wearing the skin of something it can never be for vulnerable people

17.08.2025 30

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Ireland is in an adolescent stage where everything that smacks of Old Ireland is embarrassing

10.08.2025 20

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Let’s stop glorifying motherhood and glorify parenthood instead

03.08.2025 20

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Parents facilitating a 16-year-old’s ‘prinks’ is a sign of our weird relationship with alcohol

27.07.2025 30

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

As abortions triple, when will we admit that reluctant repealers were profoundly wrong?

20.07.2025 20

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Some schools are relying on deposit return scheme to stop them going broke

13.07.2025 40

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Oliver Plunkett’s story would make a great film – it’s a shame modern, secular Ireland has forgotten him

06.07.2025 20

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

My friend finally has a diagnosis of lipoedema, but she still feels judged when she explains it

15.06.2025 20

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Reformed Leaving Cert would allow too many opportunities to cheat using AI

08.06.2025 30

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Something has gone wrong in our culture when people opt for ‘fur babies’ over real babies

01.06.2025 30

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Why are people in their late 20s and 30s so disillusioned with religion?

25.05.2025 10

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Teachers are being bullied into accepting reforms that will damage education

18.05.2025 20

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Pope Leo XIV in Ireland: Unassuming and personable, he answered emails on the friary stairs

09.05.2025 10

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Special classes need more support, not spending curbs

04.05.2025 20

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Why the next Pope should be ... Leo

27.04.2025 20

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

How is a school with €8,000 supposed to pay €10,000 worth of bills?

13.04.2025 20

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Why is mental health so much worse among Irish youths than adults?

06.04.2025 20

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Leaving Cert Oral English exam a potentially great idea but piling assessments on stressed students and teachers is not

30.03.2025 10

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

A year on from the failed referendums, has anything changed for carers and families?

23.03.2025 20

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Is it wrong to treat Lent as purely a time for self-improvement?

16.03.2025 20

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

Don’t be fooled by the movie poster - Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a committed pacifist

09.03.2025 20

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

As Pope Francis battled against ill health this week, the Catholic community in Ireland lost two great leaders

02.03.2025 20

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien

A lot is written about great leaders, but what the world needs now is great followers

23.02.2025 30

The Irish Times

Breda O'Brien