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The Sligo Weekender

Explore a featured selection of my writing work below.

RTÉ News

RTE.ie •

Irish man completes 30,000km charity cycle to Australia

A Roscommon man has finished a cycling challenge which began almost two years ago and saw him travel over 30,000km across three continents to Australia.

Fergal Guihen, from Arigna, arrived in Sydney earlier today marking the completion of a mammoth challenge of endurance which began in March 2024.

The 27-year-old set out on the arduous 'Rossie to Aussie' challenge with the goal of raising awareness and funds for both the Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation and NorthWest STOP suicide prevention s...
RTE.ie •

Flying the flag - from Roscommon to Australia on a bike

There will be no shortage of Irish flags on display around the world this weekend for the St Patrick's Day festivities.

But one intrepid Irishman has been flying the tricolour every day for the past year, as he cycles across the globe from Ireland to Australia.

Roscommon man Fergal Guihen has been sharing the ups and downs of his mammoth fundraising effort on social media.

So far, he has cycled through 20 countries, crossing Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia and Southeast Asia.

Speaking...

The Journal

TheJournal.ie •

Why does Ireland not have longer minimum term life sentences, like in Northern Ireland?

STEPHEN MCCULLAGH WAS handed down a life sentence for the murder of Natalie McNally on Wednesday, as Mr Justice Kinney imposed a tariff of 31 years on him at Belfast Crown Court.
This is the minimum term McCullagh must serve in custody before he can be considered for release by the Parole Commissioners.
In the Republic of Ireland, however, a prisoner given a life sentence must serve at least 12 years in prison before being considered for parole by the Board.
Prisoners serving very long sentences...
TheJournal.ie •

Irish musician was booked to play background music for Kylie - and they ended up duetting

LONDON-BASED IRISH MUSICIAN Rudi Douglas says he’s been on a high after getting to perform alongside Kylie Minogue earlier this week.
The Blanchardstown man spoke to The Journal about his experience – and said his “mouth hit the floor” after he was booked for the event as he’s a huge Kylie fan.
Douglas was initially hired to play covers of the Australian pop star’s hits at a party for her Netflix documentary.
He explained how he was booked to play piano but not given too many other details befor...
TheJournal.ie •

Dr Margaret Connolly says flotilla will stay on course for Gaza after 200 detained by Israel

DR MARGARET CONNOLLY, the sister of President Catherine Connolly, has said she and her fellow participants on the Global Sumud Flotilla did not sleep last night after some of the boats in the convoy were intercepted by Israeli forces off the coast of Greece.
Flotilla organisers said 211 people were taken from the boats overnight and that seven of those are Irish citizens. 
Connolly, a GP based in Co Sligo, spoke from her boat today to the Sligo Weekender newspaper after staying up all night trav...
TheJournal.ie •

'I learned how to steer': President Connolly's sister speaks from the latest Gaza aid flotilla

A SLIGO-BASED doctor and the sister of President Catherine Connolly joined the Global Sumud Flotilla as it set sail for Gaza last Sunday.
The mission brings together more than 80 vessels and 1,000 participants from over 100 countries, making it the largest civilian maritime initiative to attempt to reach Gaza to date.
Dr Margaret Connolly is accompanied on her boat by three other Irish activists and others from Scotland, Norway and Los Angeles. She estimates that there are about 21 Irish people...
TheJournal.ie •

Wicklow GAA facing backlash after April Fools post that 'made a mockery of women in sport'

WICKLOW GAA HAS come under fire for an April Fool’s Day post which announced the approval of a €160 million redevelopment of Echelon Park in Aughrim and stated that the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) and Camogie Association would be sharing the grounds as “equal partners”.
The Facebook post, which read like an official announcement, has since been deleted. 
Senior women’s teams in Wicklow currently struggle to secure pitches, changing facilities and training times at Echelon Park, acc...
TheJournal.ie •

Seven-month-old baby killed by 'stray bullet' in New York

A SEVEN-MONTH-OLD baby has been shot dead in Brooklyn, New York.
US Media are reporting that the incident occurred at about 1.21pm NY time yesterday. 
The child was seated in her push chair when the incident happened in broad daylight. 
It’s believed that the child was an unintended target and that the shooting was gang related, as reports are calling it “a stray bullet”.
The NYPD currently has one person of interest in custody in relation to the incident, but is still searching for another indi...
TheJournal.ie •

President Connolly to lead GPO ceremony as State marks 110th anniversary of Easter Rising

A CEREMONY TO mark the 110th Anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising is taking place outside the GPO on Dublin’s O’Connell Street today.
The ceremony, starting at midday, will be led by President Catherine Connolly, Taoiseach Micheál Martin and the Minister for Defence Helen McEntee.
Defence Forces’ Personnel, including a brass band, a pipe band and representatives of the Army, the Air Corps and the Naval Service will take part in the ceremony, which will conclude with an Air Corps fly past, weath...
TheJournal.ie •

Irish consumer sentiment shows worrying trend in response to Middle East crisis

IRISH CONSUMER SENTIMENT suffered a substantial fall in March reaching its weakest level in three years.
A survey the Irish League of Credit Unions between 4 and 17 March paints a picture of a nervous Irish consumer whose thinking has become materially more negative.
With motor fuel and heating oil rising rapidly through the March 2026 survey period and global developments suggesting the prospect of substantial increases in electricity and gas prices, Irish consumers appear to be bracing themsel...
TheJournal.ie •

School meals scheme should be rolled out to secondary schools as 'urgent priority'

THE HOT SCHOOL Meals Programme should be rolled out to post-primary schools as a matter of “urgent priority”. 
That’s according to a new report by the Joint Committee on Education and Youth, which was tasked with evaluating the programme.
The Hot School Meals Programme has been available to all primary schools since last September. 
The committee of TDs and senators recommended that full responsibility for the scheme should be moved to the Department of Education and Youth from the Department of...

Newstalk

Newstalk •

10 years on: Carrickmines halting site fire remembered

On October 10th, 2015, a fire tore through a halting site in Carrickmines, claiming ten lives - five of them children, and one unborn child.
The tragedy shocked the nation, exposed long-standing inequalities, and called for change in Traveller accommodation and safety.
Journalist Tessa Ndjonkou joined Newstalk Daily to re-visit the events of that night, retracing the timeline of the fire and the lives it altered forever. 
Ms Ndjonkou described the living situation of the tenants at the halting...
Newstalk •

'I could hear babies crying': Miscarriage and compassion in Ireland

Clare Moriarty, Post-Doctoral Researcher at Trinity College Dublin joined Shane Coleman on Newstalk Breakfast to share her experience of a miscarriage. 
Ms Moriarty believes that the loss of a pregnancy needs more compassion as women who have gone through such trauma are vulnerable in the aftermath.
“I think I had a typical experience of pregnancy loss. I had my early scans and then when I went in for the 12 week one, the sonogram didn’t register a heartbeat," she says.“I wanted surgery as soon...
Newstalk •

'HSE needs to be more productive': Jennifer Carroll McNeill on spending

The Department of Health’s budget will increase to over €27 billion next year as a result of funding set out in Budget 2026 - but will this be enough to remedy staffing shortfalls, long waitlists and patients waiting on trolleys? 
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, Minister for Health, joined The Pat Kenny Show to speak about where the breakdown of this money will go in the health sector. 
“In many ways we can throw so much money at the health system but it's about the way in which it’s organised. “I ca...
Newstalk •

Daniel Aruebose: Post mortem to take place on remains found in Donabate

After human remains were found in the search for missing child Daniel Aruebose, it is expected they will be removed from the site today for a post mortem to take place.
The remains - which Gardaí believe to be Daniel - were found during a search of open ground on Portrane Road in Donabate, north county Dublin, on Wednesday.
Newstalk’s Chief Reporter Barry Whyte gave an update on the investigation on Newstalk Breakfast, having been close to the site where Gardaí made the discovery.“Gardaí remaine...
Newstalk •

Is Jimmy Kimmel's suspension a crackdown on free speech?

US late night host Jimmy Kimmel has had his programme pulled over “offensive and insensitive” comments about the late Charlie Kirk. 
Kimmel hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live!, which has since been removed from air after comments the host made about the murdered conservative activist.
David Smith, Washington Bureau Chief with The Guardian spoke with Shane Coleman on Newstalk Breakfast about the situation as it stands.
“Jimmy Kimmel, one of the leading late night TV hosts in America, had a monologue on Mond...

The University Observer

Explore a featured selection of my writing work below.
University Observer •

Are bachelor’s degrees necessary in the working world? | University Observer

Cara McHugh investigates the growing trend of ridding this educational requirement

By Cara McHugh | Jan 24 2024

Without a doubt, there is a flawed perception of bachelor’s degrees and their importance in Ireland. For many years, a BA has been a traditional rite of passage which has plagued the goals, career pathways, and lives of young Irish people. They are left convinced that an undergraduate qualification is the only means of obtaining employment. However, based on recent studies it is evid...
University Observer •

Embracing Irish Culture in Dublin: The Non-Temple Bar edition | University Observer

Cara McHugh explores the evolution of Irish nightlife, from deep-rooted traditions to its modern-day scene.

By Cara McHugh | Apr 22 2025

Nightlife has played a significant role in Irish culture for centuries. Many might be familiar with the Irish céilís, which have served as a prominent form of dance and arts culture since the 1500s. During that period, these gatherings featured traditional Irish dances such as reels or jigs, performed both solo or in groups. As Penal laws were introduced in t...
University Observer •

Liquid Gold - The Business of Coffee | University Observer

Cara McHugh opens the lid of the lucrative coffee trade.

By Cara McHugh | Apr 24 2024

What's an essential pre-class companion and a highly coveted item on campus? You guessed it, coffee! Whether you fancy it iced or with alternative milks or syrups - there really is a caffeinated concoction to satisfy every taste bud. But have you ever thought to tally up the cost of these seemingly ‘harmless’ coffee runs which occur several times a week?

Fear not, as I have saved you the dooming calculations...