In The Life of the Mind, she described the importance of what she called “two-in-one” conversation – the inner dialogue we have when we think. [ Stop to think, and think to be happy: Hannah Arendt’s credo for lifeOpens in new window ]This time of year throws many of us abruptly into solitude. If you want to think, Arendt suggests, this is good. For her, solitude is a set of conditions that makes thinking possible by facilitating our internal dialogue. Loneliness, on the other hand, is the distress that oozes forth when we are alone but can’t sustain this inner dialogue.

Talking about the convergence of quantum computing and AI, Rogan lays out a vision of the future that combines Christian eschatology and AI boosterism. Even if Jesus was a physical person, you don’t think He could return as artificial intelligence? Artificial intelligence could absolutely return as Jesus. And not just return as Jesus, but return as Jesus with all the powers of Jesus. Within the logic of this messianic prophesy, Christ will return in the form of an AI owned by some or other large corporation.

URC: Connacht 24 Ulster 29Ulster displayed far better composure as they came from behind to carve out an invaluable URC bonus point win at Dexcom Stadium in Galway. They had to settle for a losing bonus point in this one after again failing to build on a bright start. Scorers for Ulster: Tries: Z Ward (2), W Kok, penalty try. Cons: J Murphy (2). Connacht: S Gilbert; D Ryan (D Hawkshaw 68), C Forde, B Aki, F Treacy; J Carty (J Ioane 48), B Murphy (M Devine 54); D Buckley (J Duggan 54), D Heffernan (D Tierney-Martin 57), F Bealham (F Barrett 54); J Joyce (S O’Brien 64), D O'Connor (D Murray 54); J Murphy, C Prendergast (c) S Jansen.

St John Henry Newman’s legacy to Ireland is considerable; his legacy to the Catholic Church is immense. The Catholic University opened at Number 86 St Stephen’s Green on November 3rd, 1854. The Catholic University is the remote, although not direct, ancestor of University College Dublin, which was established under the Universities Act, 1908. Close to Number 86 St Stephen’s Green is another feature of Newman’s legacy to Ireland – the beautiful University Church dedicated to Our Lady Seat of Wisdom. A problem for Newman on his journey into the Catholic Church was the role of Mary.

Brett Lee credits fellow fast-bowling legend Dennis Lillee with setting him on the path to greatness in a career that has led to his induction into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame. But it was as a teenager that the NSW South Coast product had his first encounter with Lillee at a fast-bowling camp. 'You're the quickest here, but if you don't change your (bowling) action, in two years I reckon you'll have a broken back,' Lee, now 49, recalls Lillee saying. Lee went on to become one of the quickest and most feared bowlers in cricket history, claiming 310 wickets in 76 Tests during one of Australia's most formidable fast-bowling eras. One of three brothers, Lee recalls he couldn't bat or bowl leg-spin as a kid, and always dreamed of bowling fast.

Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy revealed he tried to sign Benjamin Nygren for his previous club after the Swede hit a double in a 4-2 win over Livingston. "Difficult game to play regarding the context, regarding the pitch, regarding the opposition. "I really liked the competitive spirit that we had. But I really liked what we did in the first half. But seeing it happen in real time and the chaos of the game, it's really difficult at that point.

A cricket fan has boasted that he got chucked out of the Boxing Day Test as part of his campaign to rebel against the fun police who have outlawed beer-skolling at the cricket. 'Bob Hawke, one of the greatest prime ministers to ever live, every single year at the cricket would skol a beer on the camera. 'Kicking Australians out for drinking beer is un-Australian and I'm sick of it.' Controversy over cricket fans being thrown out of grounds for skolling beers made headlines in 2021. Fans who construct 'beer snakes' by putting dozens of empty beer cups together have also been thrown out of stadiums in Australia.

Republicans were trying to create “no go” areas for Protestants in rural parts of Northern Ireland, taoiseach Bertie Ahern was told when he brought leading loyalist figures to Dublin in 2003. Welcoming the group to Dublin, Ahern said his own father had been “a good rebel” in his time, adding that he himself devoted so much time to Northern Ireland because he wanted to bring peace and stability there. Jim Wilson, who was then an Ulster Unionist Party Stormont MLA for East Belfast, said Sinn Féin “operated a powerful propaganda machine” that was able to set the narrative about Northern Ireland. They believed that there was an iron triangle of the British and Irish governments and Sinn Féin working against them,” he told Mr Ahern. He was not interested in running Northern Ireland, but he wanted North/South bodies to work,” a note records.

Media backlash to Mary Robinson’s handshake with former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet showed that some commentators were now “ready to exploit the slightest weakness” and the era of uncritical coverage was gone, an official warned in 1995. The Chilean leg of the State visit proved particularly controversial after Mrs Robinson’s encounter with the former dictator. Pinochet, who died in 2006, was the head of Chile’s military government from 1974 until 1990. The visit elicited extensive negative media coverage – about the handshake, as well as the overall itinerary and cost. I was the guest of President Frei [the democratically elected president of Chile] just as Pinochet was.

URC: Munster 8 Leinster 13There are few things like a Thomond Park crowd which smells blood. In a scrappy affair, Leinster ultimately had the superior forward pack, player of the match Josh van der Flier excelling alongside Joe McCarthy and Caelan Doris. Leinster’s initial foray forward was ended by good old physicality, Edwin Edogbo and Gavin Coombes stopping Josh van der Flier in his tracks. Leinster turned down the points and went to the corner, van der Flier benefiting once the maul rumbled over. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/InphoNeither did Munster off the following restart, Leinster failing to field the kick securely.

Woman in Jeffrey Epstein files told FBI she was trafficked into Ireland for ‘politicians and notable men’It is not clear whether US authorities have sought assistance from gardaíGhislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey EpsteinMaeve Sheehan Today at 06:30A woman alleged that she was trafficked to Ireland for “politicians and notable men”, according to an internal FBI email released with the latest tranche of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

Best of My Favourite Room: Step inside the most inspiring properties we visited around Ireland in 2025From colourful cottages to mock Georgian eco-builds, come through the doors of some of the stand-out homes we visited around the country in 2025Ellen O'Toole and Ciaran Walshe in their kitchen with its oak units and quartz worktops. Ellen opted for a Lacanche stove as she loves to cook. They also have a Quooker tap, which is used to make a lot of tea. Photo: Tony GavinLeslie Ann Horgan Today at 06:30Does everyone secretly dream of building or renovating their own house? Of starting from scratch and truly putting their own stamp on their home?

Money trends you can’t ignore in 2026 – and what it means for your pocketFrom mortgages and pensions to savings and the cost of living, money experts predict what’s coming for your financesKey trends will shape the way we spend and save in 2026. Photo: GettyNiamh Hennessy Today at 06:30A lot is changing in the world of personal finance and how we manage our money. The year ahead should see changes in areas such as pensions, savings and mortgages impacted by social media, artificial intelligence, government policies and interest rates.

Photograph: Nick Elliott/InphoURC: Connacht 24 Ulster 29Ulster held off a rousing second-half fightback from Connacht to close out a hard-fought 29-24 win at Dexcom Stadium. SCORING SEQUENCE – 24 mins: Treacy try, Gilbert con, 7-0; 30: Gilbert pen, 10-0; 34: Ward try, Murphy con, 10-7; 41: Ward try, 10-12. 48: Kok try, Murphy con, 10-19; 52: penalty try, 10-26; 67: Jansen try, Gilbert con, 17-26; 76: Devine try, Gilbert con 24-26; 80: Ulster pen 24-29. CONNACHT: S Gilbert; D Ryan, C Forde, B Aki, F Treacy; J Carty, B Murphy; D Buckley, D Heffernan, F Bealham; J Joyce, D O’Connor; J Murphy, C Prendergast, S Jansen. ULSTER: J Stockdale; W Kok, J Hume, S McCloskey, Z Ward; J Murphy, C McKee; S Crean, T Stewart, S Wilson; H Sheridan, C Izuchukwu; D McCann, N Timoney, J Augustus.

Munster 8 Leinster 13James Lowe of Leinster offloads to teammate Rieko Ioane, right, as he is tackled by Shane Daly, left, and Mike Haley of Munster in the URC match at Thomond Park in Limerick. Photo: Brendan Moran/SportsfileThere was spite, there was niggle, and as Munster head coach Clayton McMillan had predicted earlier in the week, there was plenty of venom. Unfortunately, the frustrating stop/start nature of the contest didn’t lend itself to a free-flowing Christmas cracker, but there was a hugely absorbing element to this interpro slugfest that meant you couldn’t take your eyes off it for a second.