Listen now (93 min) | In conversation with Dr Jonathan Murphy, Senior Executive at Enterprise Ireland
Sunday Letters: A Re-introduction
If you’re new here, there are likely a few things you’d want to know about this newsletter and the bloke who writes it. In other words, why should you give it your time, attention, or, indeed, money? So after a recent break, I’m taking the opportunity this Sunday to re-introduce myself to you and the […]
Annie Dillard on Time, Structure, Coffee, & Learning A Trade
The Pulitzer Prize-winning author writes on the turbulent writer’s mind, how coffee somehow helps, and the merit in serving an apprenticeship Annie Dillard first came to my attention several years ago when I came across the perhaps now over-played, yet accurate quote; “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives” […]
How To Be An Optimist
A psychological model for reducing pessimism, increasing optimism for the future and developing meaning and purpose in one’s life. I have always been interested in having a go, taking a punt on an idea in spite of the potential for failure. It’s both a strength and a weakness of mine. This doesn’t mean that I’m […]
Bertrand Russell on Happiness & Unhappiness
Thoughts on happiness and unhappiness from one of the twentieth century’s most notable philosophers, mathematicians, and activists. I was doing some research about eighteen months ago for a series of articles on the nature of happiness, and material came my way from mathematician and philosopher Bertrand Russell . If you have not heard of him […]
Oíche Shamhna
A little background on the Celtic New Year festival that went global Millions of children and adults around the world celebrate Oiche Shamhna or Halloween every year, but perhaps few are aware of, or indeed care about, its ancient Celtic origins. Here in Ireland when I was a kid, we’d call to the doors of […]
Longtermism: Something You Should Know About
The dangers of a philosophical ideology that threatens the lives of millions and the future health of the planet I’ve written before on the insanity of our species. In fact, you might say that most subjects upon which I write for Sunday Letters lean towards the dysfunctional aspects of human behaviour. It’s hard to ignore […]
How To Turn Off A Humming Fridge
We seldom hear it and hardly know it was there at all until it stops. But sometimes we need help to flip the switch. This time twelve months ago, I decided I’d seek out a therapist. Not because I felt I was in turmoil, that I was anxious or depressed or otherwise at odds with […]
Cyclical Time
Songs serve as a cosmic map for life experience. One song earlier today triggered 1989, 14 years old, down the lane on St. Philomena’s Road beside our school. The La’s were playing There She Goes in my head and I was smokin’ a Carroll’s No.1 with two classmates, painting my name in Tipex on the wall. I […]
Making For Its Own Sake Versus Making For Success
I have lived most of my adult life with the persistent notion that what I do daily must be productive, contain value for other people, and lead to eventual commercial success. In this there must be recognition from others, and, of course, an exchange of legal tender, otherwise it’s hardly worth doing.