Further building on the 2070 story I’ve been developing, this post is inspired by my own belief: that the internet as we currently know it may well be flooded with AI-generated content in the near future, and non-AI work might be regarded as inferior for a time … but the human desire for authentic expression – messy, imperfect, imprecise expression – can never truly die. We will return to our innate drive to dream.
Category: Society & Culture
A Reflection For Introverts and Gentle Ones
You, gentle ones, may be surrounded by hard-hitting truth tellers, feisty freedom fighters, and overall badasses whose courage takes your breath away. You are amazed by their strength. You are awed by their ability to stride into controversial waters: how they willingly stick their heads above the parapet and boldly proclaim their truths. You see…
The World Has Gone Quiet
The world has gone quiet. For the first time in living memory, St. Patrick’s Day – Ireland’s national holiday – went by without fanfare, without a glittering parade, without throngs of people lining the streets. Last week, supermarket shelves were stripped bare … but then stories of kindness began to trickle in. I heard of…
Of Snakes and Saints
St. Patrick’s Day has become a worldwide celebration of Irishness, in its many forms. Every time it comes around, I find myself reflecting on the significance of a legend commonly associated with Saint Patrick: how he is said to have driven the snakes out of Ireland. This story is a metaphor for the abandonment of…
People Who Prove We’re Not Going to Hell in a Handcart
Animal rights and environmental advocacy are two of my major passions in life, but – as anyone who strives to raise awareness of these issues will know – talking about them can be demoralising. Whenever I speak or write about these issues, I strive to remain optimistic, spread the word about positive developments, and share…
Fran’s Story: An Interview With Fran Bennett
I was delighted to interview the renowned spiritual teacher Fran Bennett about her faith, her journey towards living authentically as a transgender woman, and her thoughts on the place of the LGBT+ community within spiritual circles. Our interview is featured in the latest issue of GCN, Ireland’s national LGBT+ magazine. This issue has been released…
66.4%.
66.4%. Last Friday, May the 25th, Ireland voted Yes to repeal the Eighth Amendment of our Constitution. This Amendment equated the life of a foetus to that of the person carrying it, thereby banning abortions in almost all circumstances and placing great barriers in the way of high-quality obstetric care during pregnancy and childbirth. It…
The Esther Effect: What One Pig and Her Friends Mean to Me
One of my major idols in life is a 650-pound pig named Esther. She lives in Canada and we have never met, but she is a heroine of mine nonetheless. This sassy, hilarious, heartwarming girl first came into the lives of her “daddies” – Steve Jenkins and Derek Walter – as a supposed “mini-pig” in…
Veganism: My Past, Present and Future Journey With It
I was about five or six years old, and sitting on the floor of my great-grandmother’s kitchen, when I first heard the word “vegetarian”. The story of my great-grandmother’s house is a wonderful one in itself. Prior to her death in 1998, my parents, brother and I lived right next to her. Our back gardens…
Aisling Maria Cronin 