Mar is eol go maith, ní hionann éisteacht agus éisteacht; agus chun tuiscint dhomhain a bhaint amach ar a bhfuil á rá ag duine linn, chomh maith le cumarsáid rathúil, is gá teagmháil iomlán a dhéanamh leis an duine eile, lena riachtanais agus lena chur chuige ar leith. I worked for years in child and youth welfare and service management, and drifted into academia about 25 years ago.

Reading the essays felt more like reading short stories or getting glimpses of other people's lives. He lives a private and, by his own admission, “boring” life here, playing music, reading and hanging out at home. At the beginning, you’re so petrified that you just learn your lines, and then it’s rhubarb-rhubarb-rhubarb – my line!

Dá bhrí sin, tugann ionbhá le tuiscint ní amháin meastacháin réasúnta cruinn a dhéanamh faoi na rudaí a mhothaíonn daoine eile, ach freisin dearcadh cuiditheach a ghlacadh i leith na réaltachta síceolaíochta sin a fheicimid i measc daoine eile, ag lorg pointí ceangail idir ár gcuid féin agus tuairimí na ndaoine sin.

We’d like to think that by having Ionbhá out there, it makes people aware of the importance of empathy. The wide range of contributions to the publication Ionbhá act like a compass, guiding us on things that really matter in life. Ionbhá: The Empathy Book for Ireland is edited by Cillian Murphy, Pat Dolan, Gillian Browne and Mark Brennan and published by Mercier Press. So we would argue that for the good and future of Irish society a social empathy revolution is needed and can start with the education of, with, by, and for youth.But empathy gives you the confidence to communicate the truth to them that disappointment in one area of life need not diminish the self; that personhood is resilient and strong if nurtured well and supported consistently. I’d actually even go further and say that the way civic society is going — not just in this country, but globally — we’re going to be dependent on empathy. All of which leads to the inevitable question: just how empathetic is macho cold-blooded killer Tommy Shelby? Higgins, Hozier, Tolü Makay, The Edge, Rachael Blackmore, Blindboy Boatclub, Mary Coughlan, Clodagh Finn, Katy Hyland, Imelda May, Brendan O’Connor, Louise O’Neill, Valery Biden Owens and citizens from all walks of life.

I think it’s very hard to be empathetic towards something that you can’t see or connect with,” he says. The wide range of contributions to the publication Ionbhá act like a compass, guiding us on things that really matter in life. Most importantly, by enabling social empathy education in schools and community settings, you can reduce rates of hatred and instances of physical attack and mental harm targeted at others being profiled for all the wrong negative mythical reasons.Is scil riachtanach í an éisteacht ionbhá chun muid féin a chur i mbróga an duine eile agus chun tuiscint a fháil ar dhinimic athraitheach na ndaoine agus na ngrúpaí daoine timpeall orainn, cibé acu is iad ár ngaolta, comh-oibrithe nó daoine uachtaracha san ionad oibre iad. As a manager and a coach I have delivered messages to young talented athletes which has, at the very least, disrupted their dreams – that they may have progressed as far as they can go in their chosen sport at this time; a question mark for some, a full stop for others. Higgins, Hozier, Tolu Makay, The Edge, Rachael Blackmore, Blindboy Boatclub, Mary Coughlan, Clodagh Finn, Katy Hyland, Imelda May, Brendan O’Connor, Louise O’Neill, Valery Biden Owens and citizens from all walks of life. The way civic society is going — not just in this country, but globally — we’re going to be dependent on empathy.