Grace Duffy

Freelance journalist and writer from Ireland, with an interest in politics, the environment and travel. 

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Babylon •

Is SEO hampering creative writing?

So, let me paint you a picture about SEO and creativity in the world of online writing. Imagine, you’ve just finished another blog post, you’ve put it into WordPress, and before you hit publish, you look at your SEO score, 65/100. Not so good, huh? So then you start changing things, you change the title, you try different keywords, you shorten the sentences, and finally you see that counter go up. Perfect! But at what cost? Is changing the way that we write really worth a better ranking on Googl
Babylon •

Toxic Positivity: What's so wrong with being sad?

“You just think happy thoughts and they lift you into the air!” Well, Peter Pan must have been snorting extra special fairy dust, because positive vibes alone won’t help you find a place to rent in Dublin. In today’s world, it seems that even being positive can be bad for you. The idea of “good vibes only” or positive psychology has flooded the internet in recent years with a focus on appearing as if you have it all under control, all of the time. This is not just irritating, but damaging. So wh
Babylon •

The Hawaiian Islands: Paradise lost?

The Hawaiian Islands normally conjures up images of palm trees, crystal clear waters, hula dancers, Hawaiian shirts, and, essentially, the ultimate paradise on earth. But what if, instead, the reality was overcrowded beaches, pollution, shortages of imported goods, overpriced necessities, and a clash between heritage versus tourism? Would you still wish to visit these Islands? In this article, we will be discussing some of the lesser-known problems plaguing these tropical islands and what is bei
Babylon •

Graduating during Covid-19: Where do we go from here?

“Congratulations, graduating class of 2020. Your journey through life starts n…” [404 page not found. Try again?] Well, that was a fun online graduation, not! Throughout all the hubbub of the pandemic, there has been a flurry of activity and news regarding how companies will cope with switching to an online working system, but what about new members hoping to join that workforce?

As is normal with graduates, most already had future plans laid out long before they thought of donning that all-imp
Babylon •

The 8 types of people we love to hate in Ireland

Now, you might be saying, “I don’t hate anyone”, but you and I both know that deep down that’s a lie. This article will be counting down the 8 most annoying types of people that you will come across. Not to say that all people in Ireland are like this, but it seems that there are those who are simply operating on a different level altogether. Let’s get started.

At number eight on our list, we have the oblivious tourist. Typically found blocking the street with a selfie stick in hand, these peop
Babylon •

Has Lockdown made life better or worse for working women?

Lockdown and COVID-19. Two words we are all sick to death of hearing, but what about those other words like “burnout”, “deadlines”, and “sexual harassment”? Women during this pandemic have faced more than their fair share of obstacles, none more so than those trying to work and juggle home all in the same space. So, how has lockdown affected these women and have there been any upsides to this pandemic? Let’s read on to find out more.

Although normally a place that you think of when you want to
Babylon •

The Halo Effect: Do beautiful people have it easier?

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, or so they say, but what of the Halo effect? It is widely believed that the more beautiful a person, the easier their life becomes and the more success they accumulate. But, is this actually true and could there be any downsides to this? Let’s find out.

What is the Halo effect?

The Halo effect, in a nutshell, is how we humans think positively about a person if they have one good trait. For example, if a person is beautiful and well-groomed, we assume the
Babylon •

Mica Housing Crisis in Donegal

“Housing crisis” is a term that unfortunately we have heard manys a time before in Ireland but in County Donegal there is a housing crisis of a different nature taking place. The discovery of Mica in over 4000 homes across Donegal has left many people facing the harsh reality of demolishing their houses and starting again. With the pandemic forcing us to stay indoors now more than ever, this new crisis has pushed many families to the brink.

Mica is a naturally occurring mineral that acts as a s
Babylon •

The Turf Wars of Ireland: A cultural heritage or a harmful practice?

That seems to be the question that has been on everyone’s minds these past few years, with different groups fighting to protect a natural habitat and others trying to protect themselves against the cold and rising fuel prices. Every year, when the weather is good (well, Irish weather good), people all across the countryside brace themselves for the words “we’re going to the bog!”, but what is it about this fuel that is causing such a commotion amongst environmentalists, politicians, and the rura
Babylon •

The Importance of Slang in a language

“Would you just feck off! Whatever”. Ahh, the beautiful words of slang, where would we be without them? For some reason, slang just feels right. It’s casual, it’s quick and when you’re feeling angry, it erupts in a passionate display of grammatically incorrect phrases. Putting it bluntly, slang is fab, the bomb diggity even, but just how important is it in a language? Aiight let’s find out!

As you’re no doubt aware, all over the world today, no matter what language they speak, people are using

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