I am a freelance writer and broadcaster based in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
I write for the BBC, the Belfast Telegraph The irish Times and others.
I have published six books:
- The Trouble With Guns,
- I Was A Teenage Catholic,
- The Telling Year, Belfast 1972.
- Empty Pulpits: Ireland’s retreat from religion.
- Under His Roof
- On My Own Two Wheels
And only on Kindle:
Iscariot, a novel about the life of Jesus of Nazareth as viewed through the eyes of a sneaky wee bastard called Judas Iscariot.
I also write short fiction. For example: A Ghost Story
People who will not enjoy this blog and might as well leave now:
Sentimental Irish Americans yearning for a taste of the Old Country, particularly chauvinistic patriots.
People who might feel at home here:
Freethinkers who can tolerate me being wrong the odd time, and about most things.
Contact me: malachi -at – malachiodoherty.com (‘at’ means ‘@’, of course)
Malachi O'Doherty 
Hello Malachi. Just wanted to say that I enjoyed your reading yesterday at the Wildgeese Festival in Strangford. It was my first time attending a writers’ workshop and I enjoyed the whole experience. I even managed to pick up the courage to read my awkward piece about my grandfather being father and ghost of the family.
Really enjoying your blog.
All the best,
Pauline
[…] make his alarming views known in the discussion of Empty Pulpits a book by Malachi O’ Doherty, who responded to the posting of 11th April on 31st July (Feast of St.Ignatius Loyola) thus: […]
[…] last year, when Eamon Maher talked up a truly awful book about Irish Catholicism (Empty Pulpits by Malachi O’Doherty) and recommended to to every reader of the Irish Catholic […]
Perhaps Catholic may give some respect and understanding of true Protestantism and look into the history of such people as Jan Huss and Martin Luther. I would sugest that not a lot has changed in Rome as it was in thier day.
It was enjoyable to read sections from your book The Telling Year. Your book is very engaging and honest. It was interesting to get a glimpse into what it was like to live through the most violent year of the troubles. As a Millennial American, it astonishing that there was so much irrational violence committed against civilians. In addition your mentions about how the press would gloss over the real meaning behind events, seems so similar to the criticism made against modern American media. Thanks for writing such an illuminating book.
Enjoyed your book very much: On My Own Two Wheels! I was trying to read your blogs here to see if you have made updating on your cycling experiences as well as your health (diabetes), I must say that I was a bit disappointed because I could not find any. Hope you would could share your experiences on cycling and impacts to your health.
Thanks for your lovely story and the great book.
I did set up a cycling blog for a while but I have been lazy in keeping it up because I have other writing commitments. But you have spurred me to go back to it. Thank you very much for your support.
Ah, the insidious politics of objectivity. Nobody is objective / neutral on anything, least of all the Troubles or the wider British-Irish conflict. Even if one hasn’t an agenda, does that really mean that one doesn’t have a position? And if one has a position, can one really assert a lack of bias?
Unionism loves the Kevin Myers and the Malachis of this world – they espouse various shades of what effectively is a run-of-the-mill Unionist viewpoint (moderate and reasonable in Malachi’s case; rabid in Myers’ case) while being sufficiently Irish to give the impression that “even the Nationalists (or as Malachi would prefer to say, ‘the Catholics’) are agreeing with us”. Myer’s weekly therapy sessions in the Irish Times (before they got rid of the eejit) would have had less force had his by-line been “A Nostalgic British Monarchist’s Diary”. Similarly, the careful neutrality of Malachi’s “Belfast writer” strapline would be more informative if, in relation to his local political writing, he used a strapline such as “The journalism of a moderate Unionist”.
Well, Frank, you clearly have a position – on Malachi. And trying to avoid bias is a good idea. So, offer some evidence, please, for your position that Malachi is a unionist.
Hello Mr O’Doherty;
Your statement; Sentimental Irish Americans yearning for a taste of the Old Country….. Yes we in the US are sentimental for the old country. I am not so sure why you think this is bad or wrong. We are human in the US, just like you in Ireland. Tell me this, why did so many Irish people move to the US ? Was that bad or wrong ?
Your Column, ” If there ever is a united Ireland….” Sein Fein and the IRA have contributed to the possibility of a united Ireland, but you do not have to believe that. The Republican stance; Tiocfaidh Ar La, will ring true ….some day.
Have a nice day.
Denis Hanley