Seán O'Leary was a lovely, clever, honest, humourous man, devoid of conceit, contemptuous of humbug. His posthumously-published observations on recent decisions of the Supreme Court deserve to be taken seriously, most particularly by members of the court itself.

In British official 1976 documents released now under the 30-year secrecy rule, the acting British ambassador in Ireland in September 1976, John Hickman, complained to a senior Irish diplomat about the nature of Vincent Browne's alleged links with the Provisional IRA.

Christmas is a special time for the Irish Daily Mail. Not only does the holiday provide plenty of opportunities to trumpet the nostalgic, conservative, narrow-minded views beloved by the paper, but it also plays directly into the Mail's unique selling points – the nurturing of a generalised state of anxiety about health and the identification of people to blame for stuff.

The relocation of the the Playboy of the Western World to contemporary, suburban China recaptures the play's entertainment for Colin Murphy

The media responded in a thoroughly considered and responsible manner to the recent spate of gangland shootings.

The Bishop of Cloyne has said that Greencore's failure to implement a redundancy package for its former sugar workers “cannot be morally justified” and Siptu's general secretary accused the company of having “a voracious appetite for greed”. Justine McCarthy profiles Greencore's chief executive, David Dilger

Edward O'Hare rounds up the week's book news.

Political weapon, tool of the elite, torture for schoolchildren. Caoimhghín Ó Croidheáin's thoughtful study is a welcome critique of the demotion of the Irish language. By Eamon Maher

Hundreds of convictions are at risk following a ‘highly unusual' Supreme Court decision which may invalidate ‘thousands' of regulations made by ministerial orders. By Justine McCarthy

Tony Hickey's pick of children's books