Hello and welcome to this week’s issue of Ireland’s Own.

Our cover story this week marks the birth of the INTO. This year the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation celebrates its 150th anniversary. One of Ireland’s largest and most influential unions, it came from small beginnings and faced many challenges to its survival over the years, writes Niamh Puirséil.

Miss Flanagan investigates a case of observation. Join the Benford detective as she attempts to solve another crime. In his role of the Irish in WW2 series, Con McGrath features the story of Derry-born Dr. Jim Roulston, a medical officer who worked as a prisoner of the Japanese on the bridge over the River Kwai.

In his piece, ‘It’s the End of the World’, Shane Cochrane reports on some of the occasions it was thought the end of the world was nigh. Joe Collins contrasts getting to work in the Dublin of today with the Dublin of 40 years ago.

In the summer of 1940, Britain was losing the war and hundreds of thousands of soldiers were trapped at Dunkirk awaiting evacuation to England. Pat Poland recalls the part played in the drama by a fireboat named after legendary commander of London Fire Brigade – Corkman Sir Eyre Massey Shaw.

The book under review this month is Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng. Our original short story is ‘Old Pals Fall’ out by Gerry McCullough.

Eamonn Duggan takes a look at the 1918 General Election. The Emergence of a New Political Class is the first subject of a 3-part feature. Eamonn examines the demise of the Irish Parliamentary Party and the subsequent rise of Sinn Féin.

We have all this for you to enjoy alongside your weekly favourites including Cassidy Says, Stranger Than Fiction, Dan Conway, Pen pals, jokes, songs, puzzles, Just A Memory and much much more. Enjoy the read and I will look forward to talking to you all again next week.

                                                                                                              Best wishes,

Seán Nolan, Editor, Ireland’s Own