An excerpt from Chapter 5: “The ‘good Muslim’/’bad Muslim’ dichotomy” in Islam, Race, and Pluralism in the Pakistani Diaspora (Routledge, 2017) by Craig Considine What do we know of Sufism (Islamic mysticism) and its links to Irish mysticism? To put it simply, not much. ‘Mysticism’ is a type of spirituality aimed at union with the…… Continue reading The Fusion of Sufism and Irish Identity
By Amy McCaig Published first on Rice University News and Media Second-generation Pakistani-Irish individuals are facing identity challenges among Ireland’s mainstream views of national identity or “Irishness,” according to a new study from Rice University. “What Does It Mean To Be ‘Irish’? Perceptions of Irish Identity Among Young Pakistani Men” appeared in a recent edition…… Continue reading Second-generation Pakistani-Irish Individuals Face Identity Challenges
The day has arrived when I can announce that I will soon be signing a publishing contract for the book Lived Experiences in the Pakistani Diaspora: Case Studies of Young Men in Ireland and the US (preliminary title), with Routledge – Taylor and Francis Group. This book is based off my PhD dissertation at Trinity College…… Continue reading Announcing a Book Deal
Non-Muslims worldwide frequently call upon Muslims to condemn “Islamic terrorism” and enter into dialogue with Christians and Jews. The issue is not that Muslim leaders do not denounce extremist violence or speak highly of Judaism and Christianity, it is just that non-Muslims typically do not hear their calls for non-violence and interfaith dialogue because of…… Continue reading Irish Imam Promotes Dialogue and Goodwill Between Christians and Muslims
I pay respect to Ireland, the Emerald Isle, “the land of saints and scholars,” that tiny little island on the outskirts of Europe. Let us reflect upon her ancient glories, her yearning for knowledge, her passion for understanding the mysteries of the world. Let us never forget the conditions of those who came before us,…… Continue reading Poem: I Pay Respect to Ireland
Today is Saint Patrick’s Day, which means that you might wear green, sport a shamrock, and perhaps drink a pint of Guinness. This expression of “Irish identity” is driven mainly by our materialist culture and the obsession that we need objects to represent our perceived identities. What’s unfortunate is that the real Saint Patrick is not…… Continue reading Who is the Real Saint Patrick?
Today, the term ‘Famine’ is generally used to describe the terrible period in human and Irish history, in which Ireland lost over two million people. Many of us understand that it wasn’t a ‘Famine’ because the British Crown and their puppets in Ireland had the ability to feed the Irish people. An Gorta Mór, or ‘Great Hunger’ seems…… Continue reading Facts About An Gorta Mór (The Great Irish Hunger)
The group behind Kinvara’s business boycott of Israeli goods has described the response to the collective move as “overwhelming.” Kinvara (Cinn Mhara, meaning “head of the sea“), a village in County Galway, has become the first community in Ireland to unite against Israel’s military action in Gaza. According to the Irish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (ISPC), Kinvara…… Continue reading Overwhelming Response to Irish Village’s Israeli Goods Boycott
An amazing speech on the Day of Rage Saturday August 9 in Dublin. Trevor Hoganis a former rugby forward in Ireland who participated in the Gaza flotilla and has assumed a prominent role in Palestinian solidarity in his country. Here he calls out the “cowardice” of the Irish government and the members of the Israel lobby in…… Continue reading Roaring Speech by Ireland’s Trevor Hogan on Palestinian Solidarity
This ridiculous picture of the Cliffs of Moher, County Clare (Ireland), was snapped by Sean Tomkins. Obviously it captures the natural beauty of the cliffs, but it also shows a rare natural optical event called a “Brocken Spectre,” or “a magnified shadow of an observer, typically surrounded by rainbow-like bands, thrown on to a bank of cloud in high…… Continue reading A Ridiculous Picture of the Cliffs of Moher, County Clare
New legislation initiated by Jimmy Deenihan, the Junior Minister for the Irish Diaspora, will allow Irish passport holders living in diaspora to vote in Irish elections. Irish Central reports: The matter of voting rights at home for the hundreds of thousands who have left Ireland in recent years has been a constant matter of protest among…… Continue reading Irish Diaspora May Get the Right to Vote in Irish Elections
The Irish government has pledged funding of €500,000 for the United Nations’ emergency appeal for families affected by the conflict in Gaza. The funding will provide food, shelter and healthcare to thousands of families, many of whom have had to flee their homes. Foreign Affairs minister Charlie Flanagan said: ‘I totally condemn the major escalation…… Continue reading Irish Government Gives €500k in Emergency Funding to Gaza
I saw something amazing last night over the Irish Sea. A devilish red sunset which nearly melted our plane. There were towering castles in the distant which were made of thick black clouds. Below us were rolling hills of puffy things. God was simply exhaling. This picture isn’t mine, but it’s the closest thing I could…… Continue reading God Exhaling Over the Irish Sea
Boston, where more than 20 percent of residents have Irish ancestry, is hosting the inaugural iFest festival, a $4 million event created by the Irish hospitality industry and politicians to promote Irish culture. According to the Boston Globe, iFest is a tool to increase tourism to Ireland. “It really will immerse visitors in the best…… Continue reading Upcoming Boston Festival to Promote Irish Culture
Check out this gorgeous video shot by Alan Magner Photography of West Clare, also known as the ancient Considine homeland! Footage includes clips of the Cliffs of Moher, Loop Head, and Lahinch, among others. Source: Clare Herald
Islam, Race, and Pluralism in the Pakistani Diaspora. Published by Routledge – Taylor & Francis Group in July 2017 This book explores the Pakistani diaspora in a transatlantic context, enquiring into the ways in which young first- and second-generation Pakistani Muslim and non-Muslim men resist hegemonic identity narratives and respond to their marginalised conditions. Drawing on…… Continue reading Multiculturalism in Ireland – Fighting Racism Against Pakistanis in Dublin
By Mehedi Islam Source: http://archiveislam.com 160 years ago, during the Great Famine in Ireland, the Ottoman Empire sent £1,000 sterling (about $1,052,000 today) and 3 shiploads of food to Drogheda, Ireland. Ireland was ridden with famine and disease between 1845 and 1849. Also known as the Great Hunger, this famine had lasting effects: at least one…… Continue reading How Muslims of the Ottoman Empire Helped Ireland During the Great Famine
On the 26th of January, 2014, I participated in the 4th Annual Mawlid Peace Walk and Conference at the Al Mustafa Islamic Centre in Blanchardstown, Dublin (Ireland). Prior to the start of the conference, in which I was a guest speaker, the Muslim community and other non-Muslims came together to walk peacefully in honor of…… Continue reading Pictures/Video of a Mawlid Peace Walk & Conference in Dublin, Ireland
A short documentary on what studying Prophet Muhammad has taught me about Islam. I filmed this footage during Mawlid E Nabi in 2013 at Anwar al Madina, a Sufi mosque in Dublin, Ireland. A special thanks goes out to the Irish Sufi Foundation and to my friend Mia Manan Hameed. Please make sure to switch the…… Continue reading Documentary: What Studying Prophet Muhammad Taught Me About Islam
*Note: This is the text of a speech I gave during the 4th Annual Peace Walk and Peace Conference at the Al-Mustafa Islamic Centre Ireland in Blanchardstown, Dublin on 26 January 2014. A special thanks to my friend Dr-Muhammad Umar Al-Qadri for inviting me and organizing this beautiful event. A report from Al-Mustafa can be found at Report…… Continue reading A Catholic American Praises Prophet Muhammad at an Islamic Centre in Dublin, Ireland
In 2003, Nelson Mandela visited Ireland when we hosted the Special Olympics. As part of his visit, he travelled to NUI Galway to receive an honorary degree. The Corrs played at an event after the ceremony. Nelson Mandela was, quite literally, first on the dancefloor. He rolled out his trademark dance – known as the…… Continue reading Video: When Nelson Mandela danced to an Irish tune in Galway
A letter recently mailed to mosques throughout Ireland has raised alarm for its racist tone and incitement of violence against Irish Muslims. The letter suggested that Irish people were willing to kill Muslims in order to prevent the “Islamization” of Ireland. The letter also suggested that Irish Muslims have not – and are not interested in -…… Continue reading Debunking the myth that Irish Muslims do not integrate
Racial harassment, discrimination, and violence against Pakistanis in Dublin has spiraled out of control. Last week, Al-Minnah Foods, a halal food store in Cookstown Industrial Estate, was ransacked at night. Images of the ransacking, which were posted on Facebook, show graffiti, including the words ‘Pakis out’ and ‘Niggrs out’, on white walls in the store.…… Continue reading Racist Attacks Against Pakistanis in Dublin Must Stop
Source: TheJournal.ie According to investigators, intruders made their way into the Tallaght property between closing time on 2 November and opening on 3 November. An unknown quantity of items were taken, the place was ransacked and property damaged, a garda spokesperson told TheJournal.ie. Director of the Al-Minnah Foods outlet, Mohammed Djellal, says food, fridges and fittings…… Continue reading “P*kis out”/”N***rs out” Scrawled on Walls of Halal Store in Dublin
As a proud Catholic American from Boston, Massachusetts, I recently participated in a debate hosted by the University College Dublin Law Society, one of the largest and most prestigious student societies in Europe. The proposition of the debate was “This House Believes That Islam is a Threat to the West.” Arguing against this proposition, I…… Continue reading Debating “Islam is a threat to the West”
These are some pictures of my recent visit to Killiney (Irish: Cill Iníon Léinín, meaning “Church of the Daughters of Léinín”). Killiney is located about 30 minutes on the train from Dublin city centre. For many centuries the major part of the district was the property of the Talbot de Malahide family, some of the…… Continue reading A little bit of Italy on the Irish coast
My PhD thesis, which explores the experiences of younger Pakistani men in Dublin, Ireland and Boston, USA, has several overarching themes which travel across both countries. One question I ask late in my interviews is “What do you think of interfaith dialogue?” In both cities, I have found that young Pakistani men are overwhelmingly proponents…… Continue reading Powerful Passage on Interfaith Dialogue From Participant in PhD Thesis
“I saw only the noble earth on which I was born, with the great Star which warms and enlightens it. I saw the clouds that hang their significant drapery over us. It was Day— that was all Heaven said.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson This was taken as I flew over Ireland in the wee hours…… Continue reading And that was all heaven said
Taken while hiking An Spinc (“Pointed Hill”) in Glendalough, Ireland in 2011. That’s me in the picture.
About a year ago Melony and I visited a beautiful place called Glencolumbkille, Ireland. We found the beautiful Maghera Beach on a memorable day trip.
I took this picture in the summer of 2012 in Glencolumbkille, Ireland. Glencolumbkille is located in a quiet area on the coast of Donegal. My lady and I had just returned to our place after a magical drive to the abandoned seaside village called Port.
Today is the feast of Saint Patrick. It is a day to give thanks to God for the gift of Christianity and for the example of so many women and men who have been lights in the darkness for us, who have brought the faith to the ends of the earth, and who continue to…… Continue reading Celebrating Saint Patrick
The life of Saint Patrick, the humble man from Britain who escaped Roman slavery and brought Christianity to Ireland in the fifth century, is celebrated annually on March 17. Despite Saint Patrick’s successful Christian missionary work and his designation as the primary patron saint of Ireland, the day we commemorate his life has become associated…… Continue reading A Different Way to Celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day
Melony and I are off to Crag Shore B & B in Lahinch. In searching for directions from Dublin, I’ve learned that it has no address. Crag Shore is really off the beaten path. Maybe the GPS location on its website will guide us there? God willing, this will be a memorable weekend. The Micah Russell…… Continue reading Roadtrip to Lahinch, County Clare
St. Patrick’s Cathedral in The Liberties, Dublin, is one of the great gems of Ireland. The Cathedral is one of the most important in Christendom, for it’s said that St. Patrick himself baptized the pagan Irish at a well outside of the church. I hope that you enjoy these pictures @CraigCons
I’m back to instructing tutorials for the course “Introduction to Sociology” at the freshers level. I’ve instructed these tutorials in 2010 and 2011, so it’s fairly familiar material. The blog I had created for the students seemed to be a big hit, so I think I’ll continue with it. Maybe I’ll use Twitter a bit…… Continue reading Back in Dublin for term two
Thanks to Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign for organizing this demonstration.
Just outside of Baile Átha Cliath (Dublin) via the Dart is the small seaside village of Bré (Bray). Just north of Bré is another seaside village of Na Clocha Liatha (Greystones), which is about a three-hour walk from said place. Beginning in Bré there’s a shorter ‘cliff walk’ that you can take to Na Clocha Liatha, but you…… Continue reading Pictures of Walk from Bré to Na Clocha Liatha
What are your feelings when watching this? Are you happy or sad? Motivated or depressed? Something totally different? I’d appreciate your feedback in the comments section. Thank you. Related articles Film-work: “Nothingness” (short film based in Ireland) (drcraigconsidine.wordpress.com)
‘The feelings of my smallness and my nothingness’, said Pope John Paul II, ‘always kept me in good company’. I’m confident that Alan Watts, the Western Buddhist philosopher who speaks in this short film, would wholeheartedly agree with the former Pope.
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