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The mood of US voters: gloomy, unsettled and ready for change

Over two‑thirds of Americans polled ahead of next week's midterm elections say their country is in decline under Donald Trump

mobile wooden sauna overlooking the beach at Allihies, County Cork, Ireland

Should every Irish community have a sauna?

Woman Adjusts Thermostat. Woman adjusting temperature on smart thermostat at home.

How your home loses heat - and how to fix it

Blackrock Brass Band outside Lakelands, Cork

The mystery of the exploding icehouse in Cork in 1886

The crowd cheers during speeches on the first day of the Republican National Midterm Convention at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas on September 9, 2026. US Republicans open an extraordinary midterm convention in Dallas on September 9 betting

How Democrats are raising more cash than Republicans in US

Mark Zuckerberg Guinness pint

In search of the perfect pint: does Guinness travel well?

Close-up of A stretcher gurney bed stands ready in the hospital corridor, awaiting the next patient in need of urgent care.

How trolley crisis became year-round emergency in Irish hospitals

Rachael Blackmore's saddle

The story of Rachael Blackmore's Grand National saddle

Rachael Blackmore

Signage with Lady Justice insignia at the entrance to the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin

Why are there so many laws in Ireland that are not enforced?

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Do you know your rights if your next flight is cancelled or delay

A voter drops their ballot into a dropbox. The dropbox has an American flag and voter instructions on it.

How the US midterms has become the AI ads election

US Midterm Elections

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Why it's never a good idea to mess around with fireworks

common house spider on a smooth tile floor seen from ground level in a kitchen in a residential home

What do spiders really get up to at Halloween?

The moment when you realise you've ran out of shower gel

What makes a great horror movie so scary?

aphex twin come to daddy video still

Are these the 5 most terrifying songs ever recorded?

More Brainstorm

Halloween

Dunking for apples at Halloween. Photo: The Schools' Collection by Dúchas © National Folklore Collection UCD licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0

The Halloween games Irish children used to play

The Morrigan from The Royal Irish Academy's book 'A history of Ireland in 100 words' (Photo: RIA)

Meet the Morrígan, the ominous shape-shifting Irish war goddess

Sexy female vampire ready to bite.

Can Irish law stop a vampire from entering your home?

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Was Dracula a tax dodger?

A Halloween barm brack with charms including a ring, coin, stick and pea. Photo: St. Connell's Museum & Heritage Centre, Glenties, Co Donegal https://www.facebook.com/www.Museum.ie

The strange meanings attached to charms in Halloween barm bracks

Boo: a selection of plastic Halloween masks from the 1980s. Photo: Reddit Irish History

Masks and black plastic bags: how we used to celebrate Halloween

front door autumn wreath

How 'doorscaping' has boosted autumn and Halloween wreaths

Audio

There is a sense that Halloween was a time when Oweynagat could open the gates of hell or become an entrance to a magical world." Photo: Gary Dempsey

'Ireland's gate to hell': a Co Roscommon cave and the Otherworld

Top down picture of university students studying in a circle, sitting on red chairs and using laptops, books and notepads (Getty Images)

Do you need an 'admin night' with friends to fix your finances?

"Whatever the weather, remember that men and women experience temperature differently in the same space the next time you get into a battle of the thermostat in the office."

Why do women feel the cold more than men?

The Leprechaun Brothers (AKA The Swedish Chef, Animal and Beaker) perform Danny Boy

From Elvis to The Muppets, the story of Danny Boy

st patricks day

a group of joggers in a park

Why is everybody joining running clubs?

More Audio

Ireland

Dónal Lunny RIP

Dónal Lunny, the musician who played a vital role in Irish music

Close-up on a waitress serving a plate of food at a restaurant – food service concepts

Can a review make or break an Irish restaurant?

Women at ICA summer camp Castlefreake, Co. Cork 1937

The story of the revolutionary 1929 Tipperary school for women

LILLE, FRANCE - SEPTEMBER 8: Troy Parrott of Real Betis celebrates his goal during the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD1 match between Lille OSC and Real Betis Balompie at Stade Pierre Mauroy on September 8, 2026 in Lille, France. (Photo by A

5 Irish soccer players who made a splash in Europe

Do you still have your iodine tablets?

The story of Joe Jacob, Marian Finucane and the iodine tablets

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What was life like in an Irish medieval castle?

Maureen O’Sullivan (centre) with circuit leader Major Teddy Mayer and others. Photo courtesy of Gill Books and John Avery

The extraordinary WWII exploits of Irishwoman Maureen O'Sullivan

Nature

The study site at French Park, Co Roscommon by Niall Farrelly, Teagasc.

How windthrow is the biggest threat to Irish forests

Gnathothlibus casementi – a species of Hawkmoth named in honour of Roger Casement. Photo: Eitschberger & O’Hanlon, 2023

Vipers, butterflies & parrots: the secret life of Roger Casement

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What's life like as a wild animal? Not as bad as you might think

Viewed from the Antrim Coast Road the village of Cushendun on a beautiful Spring day with the gorse blooming in the hedgerows. County Antrim, Northern Ireland

What's the real deal with hedgerows in Ireland?

Leaves of the 'Wych Elm' Ulmus glabra in mature forest in Devon

Can Ireland's lost elm trees ever come back to our landscapes?

Editor's Choice

Why increasing bus, train and tram fares does not add up

Macsweeney's Feast, An Irish Banquet. After John Derricke's The Image Of Ireland. From The Book Short History Of The English People By J.R. Green, Published London 1893. (Photo by: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Meet the Bart Simpson of 16th century Ireland

Medieval Ireland

Looters vandalise a retail store during a demonstration near Place de la République in Paris on October 17, 2026. Photo: Carl Court/Getty Images

Can technology prove if goods being sold on Vinted are stolen?

Tullamore Women's Shed

Why women are taking to the sheds in Ireland

What was life like in an Irish medieval castle?

President Donald Trump looks on during a campaign rally

Can election history predict who will win big in US midterms?

US Midterm Elections