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[] | 2016-08-30T12:49:07 | null | 2016-08-30T13:29:00 | August weakness may be down to decision of Britain to leave EU | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Feconomy%2Feuro-area-economic-confidence-hit-by-brexit-effect-1.2773035.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2773034.1472560096!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Euro-area economic confidence hit by Brexit effect | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Euro-area economic confidence worsened more than analysts predicted in August in a sign that the reverberations of Britain’s decision to leave the European Union may finally be reaching companies and households.
An index of industry and consumer confidence fell to 103.5 from a revised 104.5, the European Commission in Brussels said on Tuesday. That compares with a median estimate of 104.1 in a Bloomberg survey of economists, and follows an unexpected increase in July.
With European Central Bank president Mario Draghi leaving it largely to economic data to fine-tune policy expectations before next week’s Governing Council meeting, the release provides a case for more stimulus to sustain the recovery and revive inflation. The International Monetary Fund has already cut its forecast for euro-area growth next year on the back of the UK’s Brexit vote, and the ECB will release new projections next week.
“The weakness in the August reading is broad-based across all countries, with some exceptions, and across sectors,” said Frederik Ducrozet, an economist at Banque Pictet and Cie SA in Geneva. “It’s another reason to be cautious and dovish for the ECB. Maybe not in the next weeks, but in the next months.”
August Weakness
Inflation in the currency bloc probably accelerated to 0.3 per cent in August from 0.2 per cent the month before, leaving it well below the ECB’s goal of just under 2 per cent, according to a separate survey. Eurostat will release preliminary figures on Wednesday, along with jobless data that is expected to show the unemployment rate dropped to 10 per cent in July.
Sentiment in the industrial sector fell to minus 4.4 from minus 2.6, the lowest level in 18 months, according to Commission data. Confidence also slipped in services, retailing and among consumers, while a gauge for construction rose to an 8-year high.
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Figures showed last week that confidence also subsided in the region’s two largest economies. Germany’s business climate as measured by Munich-based research institute Ifo unexpectedly declined the most in more than four years. Sentiment slipped in France, the nation’s statistics institute said. | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/euro-area-economic-confidence-hit-by-brexit-effect-1.2773035 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/2760a06cd0803b1dd92689dcd70e17bd19a6b23692584d48c697ac8f23f9d3e6.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T18:52:15 | null | 2016-08-30T18:48:00 | IFG is biggest faller in Dublin while Total Produce, Permanent TSB and BoI all gain | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Fmarkets%2Ffinancials-help-european-shares-hit-a-two-week-high-1.2773431%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/assets/images/favicons/irishtimes.png | en | null | Financials help European shares hit a two-week high | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | European equities climbed to a two-year high on Tuesday, with financial stocks gaining ground on mounting expectations of a possible US rate hike this year.
The European Banks index rose 1.8 per cent, the top sectoral gainer, helped by a 2.7 - 3.8 per cent rise in share prices of Deutsche Bank, ABN Amro, Natixis and Credit Suisse.
US stocks fell in early trading after stronger-than-expected consumer confidence data stoked worries about the potential rate hike this year.
The ruling that Apple must pay the Irish Government €13 billion in back taxes also impacted sharply on tech shares in the US with the company being the biggest drag on all the major stock indices.
DUBLIN
The Iseq index of leading shares closed marginally lower, down 11.59 points to 6,202.77.
IFG, the UK-focused financial services group, was the biggest faller of the day. The company, which last week reported a 31 per cent surge in adjusted operating profit for the first half of the year, was down nearly 7 per cent to €1.90 as investors reacted to a downgrade from Macquarie. Datalex, which announced its first half results on Tuesday, saw its stock close the day just shy of 1 per cent lower to €3.42 after it reduced its 2016 guidance by about 4 per cent as it seeks to scale the business. CRH was 0.6 per cent lower at €30.35 after its US peer USG Corporation sold a part of its business to ABC Supply.
Total Produce was one of the biggest gainers of the day, up 3.5 per cent to €1.61 after it reported first half revenues that were 10.6 per cent higher.
Elsewhere, Permanent TSB was up by just under 5 per cent to €2.05 after new figures showed mortgage approvals up 17.6 per cent in the year to July.
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Other movers of the day included Paddy Power Betfair, down 2 per cent to €107.65, and Bank of Ireland, up 2.5 per cent to 19 cents.
LONDON
London’s premier index struggled to make headway as falling copper prices took their toll on the mining giants. The FTSE 100 Index closed 17.26 points lower at 6820.79, as London-listed miners dominated the biggest fallers, with Fresnillo leading the market lower, down 100 pence to 1690 pence.
Copper prices sunk to two-month low during the session and were unable to mount a strong recovery, forcing Anglo American to drop 41 pence to 817.5 pence, and Glencore to slip 7.9 pence to 177.1 pence.
Penneys/ Primark owner Associated British Foods (ABF) was the biggest riser on the top tier after RBC Capital handed the firm a broker upgrade from sector perform to outperform. Shares were up more than 3 per cent to 3051 pence after RBC said ABF’s sugar business was benefiting from stronger sugar and euro prices, while Primark held an “attractive international rollout story”.
EUROPE
Banks helped the pan-European STOXX 600 to close 0.5 per cent higher, after rising earlier in the session to its highest level since mid-August. Among some sharp movers, Germany’s Wirecard jumped 3 per cent after Barclays raised its rating on the stock to “overweight” from “equal weight” and lifted its target price.
Belgian investment holding company Ackermans & Van Haaren dropped 6.6 per cent after reporting a weak set of first-half results.
NEW YORK
US stocks were lower in late morning trading as Apple dragged down technology shares after EU antitrust regulators ordered the company to pay €13 billion in back taxes to the Irish government.
The S&P 500 technology index fell 0.37 per cent, the biggest decline in nearly a week, hurt by a 0.9 per cent drop in Apple. Hershey dropped 10.6 per cent to $99.92 after Mondelez said on Monday it was no longer pursuing an acquisition. Mondelez rose 4.2 per cent and provided the biggest boost to the S&P and the Nasdaq.
Abercrombie & Fitch plunged 20 per cent after the apparel retailer said it no longer expects comparable sales to improve this year.
- Additional reporting: agencies | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/markets/financials-help-european-shares-hit-a-two-week-high-1.2773431?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/3a7314c7091f93302b7a4d14b3f1f79a8ef825f56be5f49233bb9b09b77a77e2.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:09:59 | null | 2016-08-26T12:00:00 | Interim results ahead of expectations, mainly due to strength of US acquisition IPL | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Fmanufacturing%2Fplastics-company-one51-first-half-profits-jump-37-to-11-3m-1.2769229%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2769228.1472215120!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Plastics company One51 first-half profits jump 37% to €11.3m | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Plastics manufacturer and waste manager One51 has reported a 51 per cent increase in group revenue to €214.6 million for the first-half of the year.
Earnings (Ebitda) grew by 105 per cent to €27.2 million during the six months ended June 30, while pre-tax profit climbed 37 per cent to €11.3 million.
The profit for the period after tax and exceptional items amounted to €8.9 million.
Net debt increased since December 31st 2015 by €26.5 million to €146.8 million at period end.
One51 group chief executive Alan Walsh said the second half of the year started satisfactorily across all divisions with a number of significant capital investment projects undertaken in the first half of the year now coming into production.
He said the interim results were ahead of expectations, in large part due to the strong performance of IPL, the North-American acquisition made in July 2015.
“We have successfully integrated the transformative IPL acquisition into our plastics division. That business, which has performed ahead of expectation since acquisition, delivered very strong results during the first half of the year.”
However, he said UK earnings were adversely affected by the fall in the value of sterling in the wake of Brexit.
“Other potential impacts of Brexit are difficult to assess currently but should become clearer in the second half of the year.”
Revenues increased by 43 per cent to €25.3 million at One 51’s specialist environmental services division, ClearCircle, primarily as a result of an increase in project related work in Ireland and a contribution from the acquisitions in the UK. Ebitda increased by 42 per cent to €2.7 million.
Plastics and waste
One51 makes wheelie bins and other plastic products, manages hazardous waste and holds a number of investments.
One51 revenues jumped 32.4 per cent to €366 million last year, while Ebitda jumped by 67 per cent to €36.1 million.
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In April, One51 was forced to pull plans for a stockmarket flotation after objections from some of its major shareholders. Among those believed to have objected were Dermot Desmond’s IIU, which owns around 23 per cent of the company. Among the contentious issues were believed to have been plans to dilute existing shareholders by bringing in new investors ahead of the float. Other major shareholders include a number of other co-ops, including Kerry, and a company owned by Larry Goodman. | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/manufacturing/plastics-company-one51-first-half-profits-jump-37-to-11-3m-1.2769229?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/0f0063ba4ed6d6a1dd729ebfccc875558ca06eac4eab8f162d1e5b12a41a5a93.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T10:50:27 | null | 2016-08-27T11:04:00 | The ins and outs, forecasted end of season position and betting odds for each team | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fsport%2Frugby%2Fpro12%2Fpro12-gerry-thornley-s-team-by-team-guide-1.2770741%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2770740.1472292244!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Pro12: Gerry Thornley’s team by team guide | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | OSPREYS
Signing the former Cardiff and Welsh lock Bradley Davies from Wasps on a national dual contract was a significant coup. If he and Alun Wyn-Jones (who will surely start more than last season’s tally of four) play half the games together, that’s some engine room, while Justin Tipuric, Dan Lydiate (his young heir Ollie Cracknell) and co give them an array of backrowers.
Rhys Webb will be akin to a new signing, and they’ve quality at ‘10’ in Dan Biggar and Sam Davies, while the signing of Kieron Fonotia, a regular in the Crusaders’ star-studded backline over the past few seasons, looks like it ought to solve their midfield problems. All in all, they should be doing better, and may well do so. Ins: Bradley Davies (Wasps), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Hugh Gustafson (Dragons), Kieron Fonotia (Crusaders). Outs: Aaron Jarvis (Clermont Auvergne), Kristian Phillips (London Welsh), Marc Thomas (Jersey Reds), Ifereimi Boladau (London Scottish), Rynier Bernardo (Scarlets), Jordan Collier, Matthew Dwyer, Lloyd Evans, Rhodri Hughes, Aled Jenkins, Gareth Delve. Last five seasons: 2nd (Champions), 5th, 5th, 3rd (s/f), 8th. Betting: 18/1. Forecast: 8th.
SCARLETS
The return of Jonathan Davies and signings of Rhys Patchell and Johnny McNicholl (a try-scoring winger from the Crusaders) to link up with their array of Welsh international backs could give them as good a backline as any in the league.
Up front too, they have signed former Springboks prop Werner Kruger, fellow South African Rynier Bernardo and another lock in the young Leinster’s Tadhg Beirne. Decent tight five so should again be playoff contenders, but perhaps lacking a quality number eight to go all the way. Ins: Jonathan Davies (Clermont Auvergne), Rhys Patchell, Richard Smith (both Cardiff Blues) Johnny McNicholl (Crusaders), Werner Kruger (Bulls), Jonathan Evans (Bath), Tom Williams (Cardiff Blues), Rynier Bernardo (Ospreys), Tadhg Beirne (Leinster). Outs: Rhodri Williams (Bristol), Rhodri Jones (Ospreys), Steven Shingler , George Earle, Kirby Myhill, Ben Leung (all Cardiff) Maselino Paulino (Lyon), Jordan Williams (Bristol), Kieran Hardy, Regan King (both Jersey),Connor Lloyd, Torin Myhill (both Carmarthen), Michael Tagicakibau (Treviso), Josh Lewis (Ebbw Vale), Jack Jones (Llanelli), Harry Robinson, Phil John, Michael Collins Jack Payne. Last five seasons: 5th, (s/f), 6th, 6th, 5th. Betting: 15/2. Forecast: 4th.
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EDINBURGH
Alan Solomons have moved to solve Edinburgh’s perennial problem position of outhalf by signing Duncan Weir from Glasgow and making Jason Tovey’s loan move from the Dragons into a two-year deal.
Solomoni “Junior” Rasolea has been recruited from Western Force in Australia to replace Gloucester-bound centre Matt Scott, while Tongan international Viliami Fihaki will add ball-carrying power in the backrow. Perhaps the biggest change of all will be the move in the New Year from Murrayfield to Watsonians’ more atmospheric ground at Myreside, giving them an identity akin to Glasgow following their move to Scoutstoun. Ins: Nick Beavon (Melrose), Glenn Bryce, Kevin Bryce, Duncan Weir (all Glasgow), Lewis Carmichael (Melrose), Viliami Fihaki (Sale), Alex Northam (La Rochelle), Solomoni Rasolea (Western Force), Rory Scholes (Ulster), Sasa Tofilau (Kirkcaldy). Outs: John Andress (Munster), Sam Beard (Dragons), Mike Coman (London Irish), Jack Cuthbert (Jersey), David Denton (Bath), Dougie Fife (Otulea Katoa), Nick McLennan (Scotland 7s), Matt Scott (Gloucester), Grant Shiells (London Scottish), Greig Tonks (London Irish), Alex Toolis (Melbourne), Jade Te Rure, Andries Strauss. Last five seasons: 11th, 10th, 8th, 9th, 9th. Betting: 80/1. Forecast: 10th.
GLASGOW
Akin to Leinster, there’s little doubt that supplying over 20 players to the World Cup hit the Warriors hard last season. Even then they were the form team in the second half of last season until twice running into the Connacht whirlwind at the Sportsground, where they begin this season.
The departure of Gregor Townsend at season’s end has been offset by the acquisition of Dave Rennie from the Chiefs as his replacement, and he’ll surely want to bow out by reclaiming their title. The loss of Leone Nakarawa does denude them of serious X factor. Cue the arrival of Namibian lock Tijuee Uanivi, and Leonardo Sarto could make a sizeable impact in every sense too. Ins: Jarrod Firth (Manukau), Corey Flynn (Toulouse), Nemia Kenatale (F Constanta), Leonardo Sarto (Zebre), Hagen Schulte (Buller), Djustice Sears-Duru (Ontario), Tjiuee Uanivi (Natal). Out: Will Bordill, Glenn Bryce, Kevin Bryce, Duncan Weir (all Edinburgh), Jason Hill (Bedford) , Gregor Hunter (Gala), Leone Nakarawa (Racing 92), Taqele Naiyaravoro (Waratahs), Fergus Scott (Currie), Javan Sebastian (Carmarthen), Mike Blair, James Eddie (both retired), Jerry Yanuyanutawa, Tyrone Holmes, Shalva Mamukashvili. Last five seasons: 4th (s/f), 3rd (s/f), 2nd (final), 1st (Champions), 3rd (s/f). Betting: 9/4. Forecast: 1st (Final).
TREVISO
Poor husbandry off the pitch has contributed to a steady decline on it, culminating in their worst ever league campaign and has consigned them to their first Challenge Cup appearance since 2002-03. Kieran Crowley has lured Tito Tebaldi, Tommaso Allan and Tommaso Benvenuti into prodigal returns, and Fijian flyer Michael Tagicakibau arrives from Scarlets. A raft of new outhalves includes Marty Banks, who helped the Highlanders to the Super Rugby title last season, and ex-Leinster man Ian McKinley after his inspiring return to pro rugby. Ins: Marty Banks (Highlanders), Tommaso Allan (Perpignan), Tommaso Benvenuti (Bristol), Tito Tebaldi (Harlequins), Michael Tagicakibau (Scarlets), Andrea Buondonno, David Odiete, Federico Zani, Luca Sperandio (all Mogliano), Ian McKinley, Filippo Gerosa (both Viadana), Guglielmo Zanini, Giorgio Bronzini, Nicola Quaglio (all Rovigo), Tiziano Pasquali (Leicester). Outs: James Ambrosini (San Dona), Enrico Bacchin, Simone Ragusi, Alberto Lucchese (all Petrarca Padova), Sam Christie (Waikato), Andrea de Marchi , Matteo Muccignat (both Rovigo),Salesi Manu (Honda Heat), Duncan Naude (Limoges), Chris Smylie (North Harbour), Ludovico Nitoglia (retired), Rupert Harden, Tom Palmer. Last five seasons: 10th, 7th, 11th, 11th, 12th. Betting: 500-1 . Forecast: 9th.
ZEBRE
Since edging out Treviso for the dizzying heights of 11th place to earn a return to the Champions Cup after a two-year absence, the Parma-based club have overseen quite an overhaul in their playing staff. In a decidedly more Italian slant, lock Josh Furno, hooker Carlo Festuccia and winger Giovanbattista Venditti have all been brought home, while they’ve signed a quartet of South Afrians. They’ll all need to settle in and judging by their pre-season defeat to Munster, they may be left in the blocks. Ins: Joshua Furno, Giovanbattista Venditti ( both Newcastle), Carlo Festuccia (Wasps), Kurt Baker (NZ 7s), Lloyd Greeff, Derick Minnie (both Golden Lions), Bart le Roux (Leopards), Carlo Engelbrecht (Blue Bulls), Gabriele Di Giulio, Tommaso Castello, Maxime Mbanda (all Calvisano), Mattia Bellini (Padova). Outs: Leonardo Sarto (Glasgow), Mirco Bergamasco (Sacramento), Filippo Ferrarini (Ohio), Mils Muliaina (San Diego), Emiliano Caffini , Filippo Cristiano (all Fiamme Oro), Kelly Haimona (Bay of Plenty), Giulio Toniolatti (Lazio), Jean Cook (Kintetsu Liners), Michele Visentin (Mogliano), Paul Derbyshire (Amatori), Emiliano Coria (Nevers), Gonzalo Garcia (Cahors), Marco Bortolami, Luke Burgess (retired), Ulrich Beyers, Bruno Mercanti. Last four seasons: 12th, 12th, 12th, 11th. Betting: 500/1. Forecast: 11th.
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CONNACHT
Given they’d never been top six prior to last season, achieving John Muldoon’s “realistic” target would be a decent achievement in backing up their stunning success of last season.
Robbie Henshaw is a significant loss, but the departure of main ball-winner cum alternate playmaker Aly Muldowney could be even more keenly felt – he played twice as many league games and minutes as Henshaw last season. Marnitz Boshoff will be key, Cian Kelleher will be interesting and the clutch of Academy players have cut their teeth already. Indeed, bar Glasgow, no squad is more assured in what they’re doing. Ins: Sam Beard (Edinburgh), Marnitz Boshoff (Golden Lions), Conor Carey (Nottingham), Eoin Griffin (London Irish), Cian Kelleher (Leinster), Dominic Roberston-McCoy (Northland), James Connolly, Shane Delahunt, Rory Moloney, Seán O’Brien, Rory Parata, Peter Robb (all Academy), Josh Rowland (Ireland 7s). Outs: Rodney Ah You (Ulster), Robbie Henshaw (Leinster), AJ MacGinty (Sale), Aly Muldowney (Grenoble), Api Pewhairangi (London Broncos), Fionn Carr, Conor Finn, Jason Harris-Wright, George Naoupu, Ian Porter. Last five seasons: 8th, 8th, 10th, 7th, 2nd (Champions). Betting: 10/1. Forecast: 6th.
LEINSTER
Another core of leaders have retired, of whom Eoin Reddan had still been very active, and the departing Kurt McQuilkin had masterminded the League’s best defence. Robbie Henshaw and Jamison Gibson-Park are good signings, and Cian Healy, Mike McCarthy and Seán O’Brien will, hopefully, feel like new signings.
They’ve topped the regular season table every second year since 2008, and even if they finish second this season will know that guarantees an RDS semi-final with the decider at the Aviva. Ins: Robbie Henshaw (Connacht), Jamison Gibson-Park (Hurricanes), Ian Nagle (Lon Irish), Niall Morris (Leicester), Adam Byrne, Tom Daly, Billy Dardis, Ross Molony, Garry Ringrose (all Academy). Out: Ben Te’o (Worcester), Ian Madigan (Bordeaux), Marty Moore (Wasps), Cian Kelleher (Connacht), Tom Farrell (Bedford), Tom Denton (Gloucester), Isaac Boss (Waikato), Tadhg Beirne (Scarlets), Jamie Hagan (Melbourne), Mick McGrath (Ireland 7s), Gordon D’Arcy, Aaron Dundon, Darragh Fanning , Luke Fitzgerald, Kevin McLaughlin , Eoin Reddan (all retired) , Royce Burke-Flynn , Collie O’Shea, Tony Ryan , Ian Hirst, Tony Ryan, Gavin Thornbury. Last five seasons: 1st (final), 2nd (Champions), 1st (Champions), 5th, 1st (final). Betting: 15/8. Forecast: 2nd (champions).
MUNSTER
Rassie Erasmus looks like a high-quality acquisition, and along with Jacques Nienaber should enliven the organisation which, of course, is now based en bloc in Limerick.
Jean Kleyn looks a good signing, but they still appear relatively light in the tight five and have not been especially active in the transfer market. Furthermore, Francis Saili and Johnny Holland have been lost to the early months of the season, further heightening the importance of Conor Murray, but it’s worth noting he only started five league games last season.
Thus, the odds on them winning a first title in six seasons are not appealing, and, as the Lam revolution in nConnacht demonstrates, Erasmus will need time. Ins: Sam Arnold (Ulster), John Andress (Edinburgh), Darren O’Shea (Worcester), Jean Kleyn (Stormers), David Johnston, John Madigan, Seán McCarthy, Rory Scannell, Alex Wootton (all Academy). Out: Shane Buckley, Jordan Coghlan , Gearoid Lyons (all Nottingham), Jack Cullen (London Scottish), Felix Jones (retired), BJ Botha, Denis Hurley, Gerhard van den Heever, Mario Sagario, Cathal Sheridan. Last five seasons: 3rd (s/f), 6th, 3rd (s/f), 2nd (final), 6th. Betting: 9/1. Forecast: 7th.
ULSTER
The acquisition of pacey, powerful, elusive match-winning Charles Piutau after his eye-catching stop-off at Wasps looks like the league’s marquee signing of the close-season. He adds to an array of quality indigenous international backs, leaving Les Kiss with an even bigger headache in actually choosing a nominal first-choice threequarters if all were fit.
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Nonetheless, they don’t have the most powerful tight five in the league and they’ve lost their main source of go-forward in Nick Williams, with prospective replacement, Springbok flanker Marcell Coetzee, sidelined for the first few months of the season. The Irish-qualified, one-time England Under-20s lock Kieran Treadwell from Harlequins is another interesting signing. Ins: Charles Piutau (Wasps), Marcell Coetzee (Sharks), Rodney Ah You (Connacht), Kieran Treadwell (Harlequins), Brett Herron (Bath), Angus Lloyd (Dublin University), Matthew Rea (Academy). Outs: Nick Williams (Cardiff Blues), Sam Arnold (Munster), Rory Scholes (Edinburgh), Ian Humphreys (retired), Willie Faloon, Paul Jackson, Ruaidhri Murphy, Bronson Ross, Paul Rowley, Frank Taggart . Last five seasons: 6th, 1st (final), 4th (9s/f), 4th (s/f), 4th (s/f). Betting: 6/1. Forecast: 3rd.
CARDIFF BLUES
Danny Wilson is heading the Blues’ fifth coaching ticket in five years since Dai Young moved to Wasps but, perhaps significantly, is entering a second season, which reflects how they were the form Welsh side in the second-half of last season.
He appears to have emphasised quality over quantity with the ballast of Nick Williams strengthening their rich array of backrowers and and the powerful, side-stepping Willis Halaholo – a key man in the Hurricanes’ Super Rugby success last season – adding to their go-forward. Rhys Gill looks a good signing too. On that artificial pitch, could be relative dark horses. Ins: George Earle (Scarlets), Rhys Gill (Saracens), Willis Halaholo (Hurricanes), Matthew Morgan (Bristol), Kirby Myhill (Scarlets), Steven Shingler (Scarlets), Nick Williams (Ulster). Outs: Elis Wyn Benham, Gareth Davies, Harry Davies (Bath), Tom Davies, Chris Dicomidis (Pontypridd), Gavin Evans, Sam Hobbs (Dragons), Tom Isaacs, Craig Mitchell (Dragons), Miles Normandale (Rotherham), Rhys Patchell (Scarlets), Lou Reed (Sale Sharks), Richard Smith (Scarlets), Manoa Vosawai (Vannes), Tom Williams (Scarlets). Last five seasons: 7th, 9th, 7th, 10th, 7th. Betting: 80/1. Forecast: 5th.
CARDIFF BLUES
Danny Wilson is heading the Blues’ fifth coaching ticket in five years since Dai Young moved to Wasps but, perhaps significantly, is entering a second season, which reflects how they were the form Welsh side in the second-half of last season.
He appears to have emphasised quality over quantity with the ballast of Nick Williams strengthening their rich array of backrowers and and the powerful, side-stepping Willis Halaholo – a key man in the Hurricanes’ Super Rugby success last season – adding to their go-forward. Rhys Gill looks a good signing too. On that artificial pitch, could be relative dark horses. Ins: George Earle (Scarlets), Rhys Gill (Saracens), Willis Halaholo (Hurricanes), Matthew Morgan (Bristol), Kirby Myhill (Scarlets), Steven Shingler (Scarlets), Nick Williams (Ulster). Outs: Elis Wyn Benham, Gareth Davies, Harry Davies (Bath), Tom Davies, Chris Dicomidis (Pontypridd), Gavin Evans, Sam Hobbs (Dragons), Tom Isaacs, Craig Mitchell (Dragons), Miles Normandale (Rotherham), Rhys Patchell (Scarlets), Lou Reed (Sale Sharks), Richard Smith (Scarlets), Manoa Vosawai (Vannes), Tom Williams (Scarlets). Last five seasons: 7th, 9th, 7th, 10th, 7th. Betting: 80/1. Forecast: 5th. | http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/pro12/pro12-gerry-thornley-s-team-by-team-guide-1.2770741?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/d8895747d16cad699b34b58304dd0051682f1b0d215a5c877cc295d305af5c9a.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:01:16 | null | 2016-08-26T09:44:00 | Car maker has set aside €16.2 billion to cover the cost of the emissions scandal | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Ftransport-and-tourism%2Fvolkswagen-to-pay-1-2-billion-to-reimburse-us-dealers-1.2769266.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2769265.1472200977!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Volkswagen to pay $1.2 billion to reimburse US dealers | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Volkswagen will pay about $1.2 billion to reimburse US dealers for losses caused by the emissions-cheating scheme, a person familiar with the matter said.
VW will also buy back unfixable used vehicles under the same terms as those given consumers, lawyers for the 652 dealerships said in a statement without disclosing the value of the tentative settlement.
The German automaker said separately it agreed to make cash payments and provide additional benefits to dealers to resolve their claims.
The agreement, which raises the amount VW will pay to resolve US lawsuits to $16.5 billion, removes one obstacle for the carmaker as it seeks to repair its tarnished reputation.
While the automaker has already settled with car owners and regulators, VW still faces investor claims and possible criminal charges.
VW also doesn’t have an approved fix for the 562,000 rigged diesel vehicles still polluting US roads.
“The dealers are VW’s front line in this matter, so getting them compensated is critical,” Rebecca Lindland, a senior analyst for Kelley Blue Book, said in an e-mailed statement.
“Not only do they represent the company to the owners, they’re also impacted financially since they’re hamstrung on what products they can sell.” Shares RiseThe shares gained as much as 2 per cent and were up 1.4 per cent to €122.05 as of 9.39am in Frankfurt trading.
The stock has dropped 8.6 per cent this year, valuing the German automaker at €63.2 billion .
VW reached a $14.7 billion agreement in July with car owners and US and California regulators that calls for buying back or fixing 480,000 vehicles with 2-liter engines.
The company is also on the hook for $603 million it agreed to pay 44 states.
The automaker still faces more state government claims and investor suits in the US as well as legal claims in Germany and South Korea.
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Criminal penalties hang over the automaker in all three countries.
US District Judge Charles Breyer, who last month gave preliminary approval to the carmaker’s settlement covering the 2-litre models, pressed VW in court on Thursday for a solution for vehicles with 3-litre engines.
Those models include the Volkswagen Touareg, Porsche Cayenne and Audi Q5.
Bloomberg | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/transport-and-tourism/volkswagen-to-pay-1-2-billion-to-reimburse-us-dealers-1.2769266 | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/1f59bc5328d4963bcbb686c56103c35518d435e46fb43e4a5783f6a25f26321a.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T18:52:28 | null | 2016-08-30T17:00:00 | INM seeking 14 layoffs although staff fear close to double that will lose their jobs | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Fmedia-and-marketing%2Findependent-news-media-outsourcing-newspaper-production-to-pa-1.2773277%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2773342.1472577818!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Independent News & Media outsourcing newspaper production to PA | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Independent News & Media (INM), publisher of titles such as the Irish Independent, is to outsource some production and subediting functions of its newspapers to the international media group, the Press Association (PA), and is seeking 14 redundancies. The final number of jobs lost is expected to be higher, when contract roles are included.
INM said today it intends to “outsource the Dublin editorial production services to PA”, which it later clarified includes its copy editing function. It will also outsource some production roles, which it described as “quality control and archive” positions, to Belfast-based company, RE&D.
Stephen Rae, editor-in-chief of INM, said that while production will be outsourced, the process will continue to be “be managed by our editorial team at Talbot Street in Dublin”.
“We will continue to invest in good writing and content in our newspapers and online,” he said.
Robert Pitt, INM’s chief executive, said “businesses need to adapt and innovate to survive and working with PA will allow us to maximise synergies and efficiencies”.
INM previously outsourced subediting – the correction of writing style and cutting of articles to size – to RE&D in 2007, but some of those roles later returned in-house.
The group, the largest newspaper publisher in Ireland whose main shareholder is Denis O’Brien, has notified staff of its intention to seek redundancies.
The company says it is seeking 14 job losses, although rumours swirled among staff that the final number could be almost double that figure, including contractors. INM said six contract roles expire before the year end.
The employees made redundant will not transfer to PA, it is understood. | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/media-and-marketing/independent-news-media-outsourcing-newspaper-production-to-pa-1.2773277?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/20bdd049c50b9f104a1c0fa6ec6ba5c692b01c9a973fea97e5a2a7b4dd4a23b9.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T10:50:23 | null | 2016-08-27T06:00:00 | Number testing positive is more than tripple the number for 2014, and higher than 2013 | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fcrime-and-law%2Frecord-number-of-defence-forces-staff-fail-drug-tests-1.2769842%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2769841.1472238620!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Record number of Defence Forces staff fail drug tests | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | A record number of military personnel have failed drug tests carried out by the Defence Forces.
According to the Department of Defence, 17 members failed random drug tests in 2015 – more than triple the five members who failed in 2014. A total of 13 personnel failed drug tests in 2013 and 16 in 2012.
According to the department, the Defence Forces drug testing team last year carried out 13 drug testing operations and tested a total of 1,184 personnel. Of these tests, 98.56 per cent proved negative.
The Defence Forces is committed to testing 10 per cent of the force each year.
Of the 1,184 drug tests in 2915, 51 were made at Defence Forces HQ, 76 in the Naval Service and 230 in the Air Corps. The largest proportion of tests – 773 – were carried out in Army brigades.
The drug testing programme was introduced in 2003. Since then, 105 personnel have tested positive.
A spokesman for the Defence Forces representative organisation, the PDFORA, said yesterday: “We take the issue of drug taking seriously and recognise the need to have drug testing procedures in place.”
The spokesman wouldn’t be drawn on the increase in positive tests last year.
Three options
Those who test positive face three options: they can retire; be discharged or face withdrawal of a cadetship; or continue in service if they can make a case that taking the drug was inadvertent or the result of some circumstance, such as a spiked drink.
Those who test positive for a controlled drug, as specified in the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977, are subject to an administrative process, including the testing of a “B” sample if so requested by that individual.
In the past, some of those disciplined as a result of testing positive have challenged the decision through the courts. | http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/record-number-of-defence-forces-staff-fail-drug-tests-1.2769842?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/b4121d06beb32622c5292c539f345e95585d4ed0185e529f023bbb100cd9a4a1.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T14:52:21 | null | 2016-08-30T14:36:00 | Like many migrants I found freedom with a British passport, but after Brexit I felt betrayed | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Flife-and-style%2Fgeneration-emigration%2Fwhy-an-ulster-proddie-like-me-wants-to-become-an-irish-citizen-1.2773078%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2773077.1472564183!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Why an ‘Ulster Proddie’ like me wants to become an Irish citizen | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | I was born an Ulster Protestant and brought up in that faith and culture.
But even from an early age I felt a discontent with the strictness and narrow vision of that culture.
As a young man I left Northern Ireland to live in London and so began to realise I did have a (basic human) right to think things through for myself; I determined I would not be what that society which I had left tried to make me and wished me to be - basically insular and conformist.
Like many migrants I found freedom with a British passport.
And I have enjoyed that freedom and have felt content (even sometimes proud) to live in Britain which I perceived as a self-emancipating society.
In my lifetime I have seen an end to much prejudice; NO BLACKS! NO DOGS! NO IRISH! I have seen an end to the criminalisation of the gay community and even now an acceptance of gay marriage. These have come about by changes in the law which make people feel it is wrong to do (or even think) bad things. It is basically patronising, philanthropic, liberal and compassionate. But it worked. It had nothing to do with referenda.
Until we came to Brexit …
When the British people - in a referendum - voted to leave the European Union, I felt a sense of anger and betrayal. It was as if that old hound dog - insularity - was chasing me again. And looking more deeply into it, maybe the undoing of all the liberal agenda, I have described. But it might well be wrong to insult an electorate by saying their only (or main impulse) was anti-immigration and anti-immigrants already here. The simple X which marks a name, an identity, could well be a very sophisticated, private and multi-pixilated semantic cross.
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But since Brexit - immediately afterwards and now in sustained force - there are so many examples of publicly expressed (and criminally expressed) feelings of xenophobia and racism, it is as if a bin lid had been lifted; the bully in the playground has been allowed back, unchecked.
So my first reaction was to think, “OK. From here on I no longer want to call myself British. I don’t want to travel to Europe and around Europe with a British passport, Britain having said – democratically - they don’t want to be part of Europe.
So what to do?
Get an Irish passport and be part of a much wider and more cultured community? European again… but then also to be Irish? Becoming Irish might be the rub.
So, being that Ulster Proddie-boy, born and bred to be British, not Irish - but having lived in London for most of my life, surely there is an easy enough gut-wrench to enable me to be free again of those parochial chains?
Yet, to dismiss memories of a tender upbringing - albeit non-political - would indeed be a wrench, is a wrench. And would I want such a total (if perhaps but nominal) escape?
I am in mind of the words of the English poet, A.E. Houseman –
Into my heart an air that kills
From yon far country blows:
What are those blue remembered hills,
What spires, what farms are those?
That is the land of lost content,
I see it shining plain,
The happy highways where I went
And cannot come again.
Emancipated? Having lived in London … well maybe!
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Click here!
Waiting in the long queue to apply to become an Irish citizen, I had indeed plenty of time to consider my next step and to pass that time I invented a quiz for myself, well more an interview based on questions which a prospective citizen of the Irish Republic might/should (?) face… I mean, would I be asked these kind of questions when my number was called?
So to pass the time …
THE QUESTIONAIRE
Do you speak Irish?
Can you describe the seating arrangements in the Dail?
Can you name (in Irish and with translations) the names of two political parties in the Republic of Ireland?
How do you feel about Martin McGuinness being part of the powersharing government of Northern Ireland?
Are you from Derry or Londonderry?
I was getting a bit edgy at this point and trying to be positive and upbeat about my (imaginary) answers, but happily my number was called - 306 – and I stepped forward:
“Good afternoon, what can I do for you?” said the clerical officer.
“I want to become an Irish citizen,” I said, “Get an Irish passport.”
“Well now, do you now,” the officer replied, “In that case, do you have a birth certificate to show that you were born on the Island of Ireland?”
“I do.”
“Well that’s it then!”
So it all became so very uncomplicated as we began upon the necessary paperwork and I wrote a cheque payable to The Embassy of Ireland.
Shaun Traynor is a Northern Irish writer who lives in London. He has published three collections of poetry and several acclaimed children’s novels. He is also editor of The Poolbeg Book of Irish Poetry for Children | http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/generation-emigration/why-an-ulster-proddie-like-me-wants-to-become-an-irish-citizen-1.2773078?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/c8e0fcc3dedda6501537a57c55f96bd32a360d2717a5e7ccc6c5b5bb2a83f13f.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T00:52:11 | null | 2016-08-30T01:02:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fopinion%2Fletters%2Fbirds-of-a-feather-1.2772126%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/assets/images/favicons/irishtimes.png | en | null | Birds of a feather | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | X
By using this website, you consent to our use of cookies. For more information on cookies see our Cookie Policy | http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/birds-of-a-feather-1.2772126?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/e01037aab9a1a2df06bcc6c506d0fb0cd06cf922c391187f13721b70220c609d.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T00:52:49 | null | 2016-08-31T01:06:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fopinion%2Fletters%2Ftackling-the-housing-crisis-1.2773398%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/assets/images/favicons/irishtimes.png | en | null | Tackling the housing crisis | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Sir, – Well done to Una Mullally on her snapshot of the current situation in the Dublin rental sector, which is a clear manifestation of the dysfunctional housing market that persists in this country (“Tiny flats and endless queues creating bunk bed generation”, Opinion & Analysis, August 29th).
While she highlights some of the contributing factors and possible root causes, she fails to mention one possible factor which allows this to persist. This Government, like those which recently preceded it, seems to think that interference in a market is a line it cannot cross, regardless of the relentless suffering it causes to the citizens it purports to represent. It has bought into the orthodoxy that government should not over-regulate but allow the so-called free market provide for the population when all evidence and precedent indicates that it will always only really serve a small elite.
It is beyond reason how our political class can think it acceptable to live in a society in which gainful employment is no longer a guarantee of a roof over one’s head. – Yours, etc,
BARRY WALSH,
Blackrock, Cork.
Sir, – Once again Una Mullally trains her sights on the Central Bank’s mortgage restrictions and concludes that they are unfair as they keep poor people out of the housing market and allow rich people to buy property.
Does she ever take a moment to consider what would happen if more credit were made available? Does she ever consider that the so-called rich people will still outbid the less well off? After all, they have more money!
Does she believe that looser credit is required in order to develop land? Obviously not, given that development is, by her reckoning, massively profitable.
The housing shortage is the most serious issue facing many people at the moment. They deserve better than muddled thinking and the substitution of anti-Government bromides for rational analysis.
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While you continuously call for imaginative solutions, not one of your columnists makes the case for a proper residential property tax. Not one of your columnists dares to propose ending the capital gains tax exemption for principal private residences. Instead all we have are statements of the obvious – “homelessness is bad” – and hand-wringing.
When will your columnists tackle the real barrier to housing progress – the self-interest that ensures that Nimby–ism triumphs and the widespread dependence of housing as a tax-free asset which must continue to appreciate in value. – Yours, etc,
MATTHEW GLOVER,
Lucan,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – Hugh Sheehy (August 30th) is absolutely correct in asserting that Irish politicians have long favoured high house prices. A clear example of this is the blatant attempt to circumvent the eminently sensible Central Bank rules on mortgage limits – rules that should have been in place years ago – through a “help-to-buy” scheme for first-time buyers. The unequivocal evidence from the UK is that such schemes significantly increase the price of houses. They do absolutely nothing for first-time buyers. We can be certain that an Irish scheme will be announced on budget day.
Everyone knows that we are repeating the mistakes of the very recent past and that those with a vested interest in expensive housing are once again dictating the terms of the debate. Unfortunately, it is hard to think of a single politician with the requisite integrity and ambition to recognise this fact and to really address the housing crisis in Dublin; most seem content to make bland statements about increasing supply while studiously avoiding any hard decisions around planning, taxation, property rights, derelict sites, mortgage arrears and so forth. Meanwhile, house price “recovery” in Dublin is getting closer and closer to the halcyon days of 2007. Well played all! – Yours, etc,
BILL CALLAGHAN,
Clontarf, Dublin 3. | http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/tackling-the-housing-crisis-1.2773398?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/3b7d5b4287bdfdb15f5514c9de5ebdc802c355e57e11b1ecc4530ea853351cb8.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T20:51:15 | null | 2016-08-27T20:33:00 | Intermediate semi-final proves to be a dramatic encounter | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fsport%2Fgaelic-games%2Fgaelic-football%2Fmaria-moolick-s-extra-time-goal-sees-kildare-past-sligo-1.2770875%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2770872.1472326407!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Maria Moolick’s extra-time goal sees Kildare past Sligo | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Kildare 3-17 Sligo 2-14
Extra-time was needed to decide the first of this year’s All-Ireland Intermediate finalists at Kingspan Breffno Park on Saturday evening . And for the second consecutive year, Kildare will contest for a place in the senior ranks after a pulsating 3-17 to 2-14 victory over Sligo.
It was a dramatic encounter between the sides in which there were eight sin bins and one sending off. The winning margin swung in favour of both sides throughout the game with Kildare showcasing a more superior level of fitness towards the end of extra-time.
A goal from the boot of Kildare’s Maria Moolick proved to be the decisive score, followed by points from Noelle Earley and substitute Emer Fogarty, who finished the day with four points to her credit after being introduced in the second half of normal time.
The first portion of extra-time failed to separate the sides. Kildare opened with a second point of the day for Emer Fogarty which was followed up with a point from Roisin Byrne.
Meanwhile, Sligo’s Katie Walsh and Stephanie O’Reilly delivered two towering performances to ensure the Connacht champions kept pace with Kildare. Walsh hit an impressive 2-9 while O’Reilly repeatedly cut through the Kildare cover with penetrative runs.
After posting 1-1 in the opening minutes, it looked as though Kildare would go on to dictate the semi-final. But Connacht champions Sligo relented through the industrious efforts of Bernice Byrne and Stephanie O’Reilly.
At the other end, Moolick and Earley proved to be a potent attacking duo. They manufactured a flurry of goal chances between them in the closing 10 minutes of the first half but couldn’t convert the chances.
Sligo also manufactured a goal chance in the first period. Elaine O’Reilly kept her shot on target but it was parried away on the goal line.
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It was Kildare’s Mikaela McKenna who opened Kildare’s account with a point after the throw-in. She added a free shortly after to build an early lead for the reigning Leinster champions.
But Sligo discovered a rhythm after their first score in the eighth minute through a free from Walsh. Earley responded for Kildare from the kick-out but Byrne and O’Reilly combined to hit one back and leave Sligo just three adrift in the opening quarter of the game.
Sligo added two more scores without reply through Elaine O’Reilly and a beautiful strike from Walsh who managed to squeeze her shot over the bar from an acute angle to level the tie.
Both sides traded scores until the half-time break to leave the scoreline reading 1-5 to 0-8.
The second-half began in tentative style with just one score on the board by the eighth minute with Kildare’s Ellen Dowling restoring their one-point lead.
Stephanie O’Reilly resumed her dominant display from centre forward and earned a close range free to make it a level contest again.
Kildare then placed some distance between the sides through scores from Dowling, McKenna and Fogarty. But Sligo regained their footing with a goal in the 50th minute.
Ann-Marie Coleman threaded a pass through a pocket of space resulting in Walsh stroking it home after a few deflected shots. The sides then traded scores in a tense end to the game. Walsh and Aisling Holton both found the target before the final whistle sounded to send the game into extra-time.
The second half of extra-time witnessed Kildare push into a higher gear while Sligo faded. Kildare will now progress to the All-Ireland final where they lost out to Waterford last year. They will face either Clare or Tipperary in the final.
KILDARE: M Hulgraine; T Duggan, P Keatley, R Cribbin; S Kendrick, A Savage, M Nolan; E Burke, A Holton (0-1); R Byrne (0-3, two frees), M Moolick (1-1), É Connolly; M McKenna (2-2, two frees), N Earley (0-3), E Dowling (0-3).
Subs: E Fogarty (0-4)for Keatley (h/t), T Hallinan for Nolan (h/t), G Lyons for Dowling (42 mins), R Reidy for Connolly (53 mins), R Corrigan for Reidy (68 mins), N Mulhall for McKenna (70 mins), Keatley for Burke (74 mins).
SLIGO: N Gormley; AM Coleman, R Goodwin, E Flanagan; L Boles, E Codd, J Mulligan; B Byrne (0-1), S McTiernan; LA Laffey, S O’Reilly (0-2), D McGrath; K Walsh (2-9, six frees), E O’Reilly (0-1), C Gorman (0-1).
Subs: MA O’Kennedy for Laffey (34 mins), L Casey for McGrath (52 mins), S Reynolds for O’Kennedy (60 mins), T Doddy for Coleman (60 mins), O’Kennedy for Casey (73 mins), Coleman for Gorman (74 mins), E Kevany for McTiernan (80 mins).
Referee: M Farrelly (Cavan). | http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/maria-moolick-s-extra-time-goal-sees-kildare-past-sligo-1.2770875?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/af378381010704b1bc3ad3addd87681c8889f78b218113858c111ff6da9ec608.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T12:51:14 | null | 2016-08-28T12:45:00 | ‘He was in the first group to study for the Open University in Long Kesh. It comprised Loyalists and Official IRA members’ | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Flife-and-style%2Fpeople%2Fwilliam-plum-smith-played-central-role-in-bringing-about-loyalist-ceasefire-1.2770946%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2770944.1472384743!/image/image.jpg | en | null | William ‘Plum’ Smith: Played central role in bringing about loyalist ceasefire | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | William “Plum” Smith, who has died after a short illness, chaired the press conference that announced the Combined Loyalist Military Command’s ceasefire. He was one of those central to bringing about that ceasefire. He was also a trade union activist; a former loyalist prisoner, who worked to find ways of reintegrating prisoners into society; chair of the Progressive Unionist Party and campaigner for social and economic justice. He was committed to tackling the lack of educational attainment among Protestant working-class boys.
Smith spent five years in Long Kesh prison camp, convicted of shooting a Catholic man 18 times: the man survived. By necessity he was forced to talk and negotiate with republicans. After release in 1977, he built on that experience.
William Blair Smith was born in January 1954 in Belfast’s Shankill Road area, first son and one of six children to Charles William Smith, a shipyard worker, and his wife Isobel. His father frequently had to emigrate to England for work.
Jailed
He was swept up in the developing Troubles after August 1969. Believing his community was under attack, he first joined the Shankill Defence Association, then helped found the Red Hand Commando. This later became part of the UVF.
In the summer of 1971 he was convicted of rioting, and jailed for six months. In Crumlin Road prison he was an orderly to internees from Provisional and Official IRAs. He noted they never threatened or abused him.
The following year he was jailed for attempted murder. Years later he felt humbled when the victim’s mother attended a talk he gave, and later said she was impressed by his work to end violence.
He spent most of his five years’ imprisonment in the UVF compound in Long Kesh prison camp. There he was part of a “think tank” working on political issues. One of its conclusions was that the Catholic minority could not be shut out from power.
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He helped initiate a “Camp Council” with the Provisional and Official IRAs, the INLA, and UDA.
In prison he learned about Irish history. He was the first loyalist to learn Irish. The Provisional IRA offered him safe conduct into their cage for classes. The authorities refused. Thus he learned by sitting at a fence, taught by a Provisional IRA member on the other side. His Irish teacher did not just teach him Irish, but how to make poteen.
He was in the first group to study for the Open University in Long Kesh. It comprised loyalists and Official IRA members. One of the lecturers he liked was Miriam Daly, later shot dead by the UDA.
Convenor
On release, he went to work in Belfast’s Harland and Wolff shipyard. There, he became active in the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers Union (now part of Unite), first as a shop steward, then as convenor. On union bodies his contributions were thought out, and listened to. He was dismissed after leading a campaign against privatisation of the shipyard.
Witness
Thus he threw himself into work for ex-prisoners, and his community. One of his last public appearances was as defence witness for republican Gerry McGeough, charged with attempted murder.
Smith gave evidence that the British government had reneged on a promise of amnesty for those involved in Troubles-related violence before 1998. This was because he saw a future Northern Ireland as one that included all.
Plum Smith is survived by his widow, Elizabeth, son John, grandson Alex, sisters Jean, Elizabeth and Margaret, and brother Gordon. He was predeceased by his sister Nan. | http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/william-plum-smith-played-central-role-in-bringing-about-loyalist-ceasefire-1.2770946?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/19248e5654de7e5a1299f47b2343a55acb43456b5591e156dcfc9313e2af4de5.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T04:50:36 | null | 2016-08-27T04:00:00 | Blueberries are good for us, and they’re also very versatile – here they are used in a gluten-free loaf cake, and a fruity compote | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Flife-and-style%2Ffood-and-drink%2Fembrace-the-blues-two-ways-to-cook-blueberries-1.2768430%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2768426.1472140916!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Embrace the blues: Two ways to cook blueberries | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | VANESSA’S WAY... blueberry and lemon loaf cake
My father-in-law grows an abundance of soft fruits and he recently cultivated a crop of blueberries. How amazing to be able to grow a superfood packed with antioxidants in your own back garden.
It’s a labour of love, as the berries are picked in summer, labelled and stored in a chest freezer for use in a myriad delicious desserts over the winter months.
Blueberries are handy to buy in small punnets for cereal toppings and fruit snacks. I often pop them in the freezer and use them in pancakes and muffins at weekends. My latest recipe using them is this zesty blueberry loaf cake, which is gluten-free. I hope it will become a favourite among my coeliac friends.
GARY’S WAY... boozy blueberry compote with apricots and dates We serve this fruity, boozy compote with the cheeseboard after dinner at Viewmount House. It was also what I served as a cheeseboard accompaniment as far back as 2001, when I cooked in Devlin’s of Boston, so it’s a tried and tested formula.
Normally, our recipes are for six people, but due to this being a jam, it’s hard to quantify. As it lasts a long time, making a little more than you need will only save you time in the long run.
As an alternative to serving this with cheese, spoon the mixture into some turnovers, Eccles cake, or even a Banbury cake. It adds an incredible depth of flavour. | http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/food-and-drink/embrace-the-blues-two-ways-to-cook-blueberries-1.2768430?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/826bb5d0a2fc318c8b3155289d66421b8cfa15aa2459edc7cdaaf7a58674438a.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T08:52:53 | null | 2016-08-31T09:02:00 | Andy Murray flourishes in new conditions, cruising through at Flushing Meadows | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fsport%2Fother-sports%2Fserena-williams-allays-injury-fears-after-us-open-first-round-win-1.2774085%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2774084.1472630568!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Serena Williams allays injury fears after US Open first round win | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Serena Williams insists her shoulder problem is not harming her performance after the American dispatched Ekaterina Makarova in the US Open first round.
Williams wore compression sleeves on both arms in Arthur Ashe Stadium but showed no visible sign of weakness as the world number one cruised to a 6-3 6-3 victory against the Russian.
She shot 12 aces with her faulty right shoulder and Makarova failed to create a single break point as Williams booked a second-round meeting with fellow American Vania King.
“No, I didn’t make too many adjustments,” Williams said.
“I didn’t hit my serves as hard as I normally hit them. I just went for more placement. I didn’t go for the big 120s, just the regular.”
Williams is bidding to win a 23rd grand slam title at Flushing Meadows, which would take her above Steffi Graf’s Open-era record and within one of Margaret Court’s all-time best.
She added a note of caution to any optimism about her fitness, however, admitting she increasingly feels pain the day after a match.
“Usually it’s the day of (playing that I feel it),” Williams said.
“But as time has progressed, and this past week it’s usually been the day after, so that’s a really positive thing.”
Sister act
Elsewhere, Eugenie Bouchard crashed out in the first round but said she has not been distracted by her ongoing lawsuit against the tournament.
Bouchard is suing the grand slam and the United States Tennis Association after slipping on a wet changing room floor last year and having to withdraw from the competition.
The Canadian’s misery at Flushing Meadows continued as she was beaten 6-3 3-6 6-2 by world number 72 Czech Katerina Siniakova.
“I am 100 per cent focused on tennis and I have lawyers who are working on the case and I don’t think about it often at all, maybe once a month when they call me,” Bouchard said.
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“I’m disappointed with what I think happened so I have to fight for what I think is right.”
Venus Williams joined her sister in the second round after edging past Ukraine’s Kateryna Kozlova 6-2 5-7 6-4.
Venus, now 36, has never lost a first round match in 18 appearances here but the veteran was pushed all the way by her world number 93 opponent.
“I didn’t know much about her game at all, literally zero, and it’s hard,” Williams said.
“I haven’t played a single match in three weeks. Just getting out there and trying to play perfectly.
“I definitely had a lot more errors than I wanted. If I could cut those in half, it’s definitely a different story.”
Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska and Romanian Simona Halep, the fourth and fifth seeds respectively, are also safely through.
British hope
Men’s second seed Andy Murray has always said he would quite like an indoor grand slam event and at the US Open it seems he has found the next best thing.
The Scot cruised into the second round at Flushing Meadows with a 6-3 6-2 6-2 win over the Czech Lukas Rosol in the night session on Tuesday.
The new roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium was open but because of its size, Wimbledon and Olympic champion Murray said it made conditions almost identical to an indoor tournament.
“It’s quite different playing out there now,” Murray told reporters. “There’s literally no wind at all. It almost has the feel of playing indoors, it’s perfect conditions.”
The roof, combined with the cooler evening air, made conditions easier to control the ball as well as ramping up the decibel levels for the traditionally noisy New York crowd.
“It’s a lot louder than most places we play and it’s a slightly different sound out there,” the 2012 US Open champion added.
“There’s always been noise but I think the roof has changed it a little bit.
“You get used to it as the match goes on but it would be quite a significant difference if you play on the outdoor courts.”
Murray will play Marcel Granollers of Spain in the second round. | http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/other-sports/serena-williams-allays-injury-fears-after-us-open-first-round-win-1.2774085?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/1c4888e8e3513b3a7db5b8a73f5aa83dcdf6b30987f8a4be468205c2969d795e.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T08:50:16 | null | 2016-08-27T08:01:00 | The club’s good start surely cannot last and they remain joint favourites to go down | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fsport%2Fsoccer%2Fhull-s-bright-start-more-a-blip-than-trend-they-re-still-relegation-fodder-1.2769642%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2769630.1472227724!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Hull’s bright start more a blip than trend - they’re still relegation fodder | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | “That Whitsun, I was late getting away.”
– Philip Larkin, ‘The Whitsun Weddings’
Manchester United fans disembarking at Hull this evening will have the pleasure of seeing the fetching Philip Larkin statue that decorates the station, with his train-track opening line carved into the base. There is a sweep to the statue that makes it almost worth the journey on its own.
Admittedly, freshly eager United supporters are unlikely to concur. One glance at Larkin and they’re off to Hull City, hoping the August 2016 version of United can make it three in three in the Premier League.
Late getting away, it’s not how José Mourinho operates. United are buoyant in a manner rarely seen post-Ferguson. Performances may not have wholly merited the alteration in mood, but then Larkin did speak of “All the power that being changed can give.”
Power, change, Mourinho. Manchester United feel different.
As David Moyes and Louis van Gaal proved though, change is not always the solution. Change can quickly become churn and if United’s support and board needed a reminder of that, they will see it on arrival at the poorly named KCOM Stadium. Hull City are also undergoing change; some might call it flux, or chaos.
This is a club in the throes of a takeover, where the fans are rebelling against the current owners, where the first-team coach Keith Bertschin was sacked on the team bus and where the frustrated manager, Steve Bruce, decided to walk off just three weeks before the start of the season. There have been no significant signings but there have been sales. All this from a club who won six of their last 16 Championship matches last season and had to come up via the playoffs.
Pessimism
It’s why everyone expected Hull to be late getting away; if they got away at all.
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The pessimism was such that just as last season it was said Tottenham managed to finish third in a two-horse title race, Hull will finish 21st in the 20-team Premier League.
Yet here they are – like United – sitting on two victories from two games. Hull have conceded one goal.
Caretaker manager Mike Phelan, previously of United, thinks a third consecutive win might just get him the job permanently, although whether the incoming Chinese owners share Phelan’s thoughts is unknown. We would not be in shock if they didn’t.
Phelan has at least made us reconsider Hull, but only up to a point. The overriding sense is that Hull’s bright start is the blip, not the trend. They’ve got six points early but surely it cannot last and they remain joint favourites with Burnley to be relegated, which could be harsh on Burnley. While the Clarets won the Championship, the Tigers came up in late May, winning the play-off final against Sheffield Wednesday courtesy of a goal from Mo Diame, who has since left for Newcastle.
Hull had been relegated the same month a year before. The club who confirmed that relegation were United, which was painful for Bruce. So whatever happens today, it will not be as dramatic as the last meeting.
And Hull City know about drama. There may be a general opinion which views them as about exciting as a Tony Pulis tracksuit, but away from the limelight Hull have rumbled on, making history, breaking transfer records, rowing furiously. Bruce’s four-year tenure, lengthy in modern football, masked some of this.
Bruce grimaced when his former club ensured Hull were going down 15 months ago. It wasn’t just United’s presence on Humberside that day, Bruce knew Hull really should have stayed up that season. Their failure enabled Newcastle and Aston Villa to postpone their own demise.
Bargaining power
What a difference survival might have made. There would have been a third consecutive season in the Premier League, and all the money, status and bargaining power that brings. Bruce was on the cusp of serious achievement.
After all, that season – 2014/15 – had begun with Hull City in Europe. It’s so easy to forget Hull kicked off in July playing unheralded Slovakians AS Trencin in the Europa League.
To some it will have sounded low-key, but this was Hull City’s first-ever match in Europe. It was the consequence of Hull City’s first-ever major final, the FA Cup epic against Arsenal. After a 110-year wait, Hull were 2-0 up in eight minutes at Wembley and lost 3-2.
And it was all just over two years ago.
The instability since has led Hull to the stage were they are simultaneously up and down. An opportunity knocked and it was ignored or misunderstood. No wonder the fanbase and Bruce grew agitated.
True, Hull have not got away late this August, but still, there is not much confidence that by next Whitsun Hull City will reach that place called 17th. | http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/hull-s-bright-start-more-a-blip-than-trend-they-re-still-relegation-fodder-1.2769642?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/3d9da3bf522fe4088bf91769c74f29b0ada4a1c0034c0dc984b689f7239d99bf.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T10:50:22 | null | 2016-08-27T11:01:00 | Detectives continue to question a third man after drugs were seized in Cork | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fcrime-and-law%2Ftwo-men-due-in-court-following-100-000-heroin-seizure-1.2770739%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2770736.1472292098!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Two men due in court following €100,000 heroin seizure | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Two men are due to appear in court on Saturday in connection with a €100,000 drugs seizure in Cork on Thursday.
Members of the Cork city divisional drugs squad are due to bring the two men, aged 35 and 33 respectively, before a special sitting of Cork District Court in relation to Thursday’s drugs seizure in Blarney.
Detectives are continuing to question a third man (35) from the Tower area in connection with the seizure .
The three quarters of a kilo of heroin worth €100,000 was found along with €1,000 worth of cocaine in an apartment in Blarney as part of a follow up search operation by gardaí.
Detectives had earlier recovered €8,000 worth of heroin when they searched two parked cars in an industrial estate in the Togher area of Cork city’s southside at around 3.30pm on Thursday.
Detectives arrested the three men, two of whom are from the Blarney area with the third (35) from the Tower area, and brought them to Togher and Gurranebraher Garda Stations.
All three were arrested under drugs trafficking legislation which allows the Garda to hold suspects for up to seven days. However last night gardaí received directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions to charge two of the suspects.
The arrests were part of an intelligence led operation by members of the Cork city divisional drugs squad investigating the activities of a criminal gang operating in the Cork area. | http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/two-men-due-in-court-following-100-000-heroin-seizure-1.2770739?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/477c215f73e424691b8795fdd65a83df8fdeb3407db7d827e65e79480129eca7.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T10:51:04 | null | 2016-08-28T10:16:00 | Search of vehicle in Clondalkin is part of anti-gangland operation being run by gardaí | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fcrime-and-law%2Fman-arrested-after-200-000-in-cash-seized-in-dublin-1.2770915%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2770914.1472375772!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Man arrested after €200,000 in cash seized in Dublin | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | A man was arrested and €200,000 in cash seized after gardaí searched a vehicle on the Fonthill Road in Clondalkin, west Dublin on Saturday afternoon.
The search was part of an anti-gangland operation being run by gardaí in the city. A bag containing bundles of €10, €20 and €50 notes was discovered in the car. The 39-year-old was arrested, questioned and has since been released without charge.
A file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
On Friday a handgun and ammunition was seized by gardaí during a targeted search operation in the Botanic Avenue area of Dublin.
A Russian-made 9mm weapon was found during the search.
No one has been arrested in connection with the discovery.
The weekend finds of cash and a gun comes after gardaí seized up to €2 million worth of drugs in five separate operations during the week to Thursday, as part of that the force described as an aggressive move against organised crime. | http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/man-arrested-after-200-000-in-cash-seized-in-dublin-1.2770915?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/9b6bc021e369bbcc3f0fe0928454ebd2ae73abc30ea40886cdb03d917081334c.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T12:49:24 | null | 2016-08-31T07:19:00 | Shares slide as much as 12% as analysts prepare to cut forecasts for group | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Fconstruction%2Fgrafton-to-cull-uk-builders-merchants-branches-as-brexit-bites-1.2774071.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2774070.1472640701!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Grafton to cull UK builders merchants branches as Brexit bites | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Grafton Group plans to close “a number of branches” in its key UK builders merchanting business at a cost of £20 million (€23.6 million) as it braces itself for a tougher construction market after Brexit, according to its chief executive.
The restructuring expense will cover redundancies, property costs and asset writedowns as the group tries to reposition its UK merchanting business, which accounts for over 70 per cent of group sales, Gavin Slark, the chief executive, told The Irish Times on Wednesday after the company reported first-half results. He declined to say how many branches will be affected.
“We’ve said for a while that the plumbing and heating [BUSINESS]has been most challenging’’ as margins come under pressure, Mr Slark said, adding that the UK referendum outcome has “galvanised” the group’s decision to “take decisive action now”.
Branches
Grafton, the third largest builders merchant in the UK with over 400 branches, warned in mid-July that its sales in this business had dipped in June and that Brexit is likely to dampen demand for new housing and home improvements for the remainder of the year in its most important market.
On Thursday, it said: “It is still too early to assess the likely impact on the UK economy of the vote to leave the European Union. Following weak trading in June, demand in the UK merchanting business was relatively flat during July and August with markets remaining very price competitive.”
Still, Grafton’s UK trade-only Selco Builders Warehouse business stood out as a bright spot as it continued to post profit growth in the first half, as “smaller jobbing builders” benefitted from resilient levels of home repair and maintenance projects in Britain, Mr Slark said.
Shares in Grafton slumped as much as 12 per cent to £5.35 on Wednesday morning in London, marking its biggest sell-off since the Brexit vote in June, as analysts prepared to cut their earnings forecasts for the group.
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Earlier on Wednesday, the company said its adjusted operating profits for the first half soared 12 per cent as strengthening Irish and Dutch economies offset weakness in its UK builders merchanting business amid concerns about Brexit.
Adjusted operating profit rose to £68.4 million from £61.2 million for the same period last year, helped by the €91.5 million acquisition late last year of a Dutch took distributor, Isero.
Challenging
“Against a backdrop of a challenging UK merchanting market and the associated start-up costs with a pick-up in Selco branch openings, we see full-year 2016 operating profit forecasts being reduced by circa 10 per cent to £131m,” Robert Eason, an analyst with Goodbody Stockbrokers, said in a note.
“Revisions are likely to be larger for full-year 2017 as we start to incorporate slower growth across our merchanting coverage to factor in the potential impact of Brexit,” Mr Eason said.
Analysts at Investec said they expect consensus forecast for the group to fall by 8 per cent, as the group’s operating martings face pressure.
Meanwhile, Grafton said its Irish merchanting and Woodie’s DIY retailing business in Ireland performed well as the property market continue to recover and households spending increased.
The interim dividend approved by the board has been increased by 6 per cent to 4.75p, in line with its progressive dividend policy. Mr Slark said the company also plans to increase its shareholder payout for the full year. | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/construction/grafton-to-cull-uk-builders-merchants-branches-as-brexit-bites-1.2774071 | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/964614a9a1aad16984db829a840c7cd3695271fb2e98136a15a06c9ea35f0c32.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T14:52:08 | null | 2016-08-30T15:15:00 | Dublin 8 cottage is latest of 12 Irish properties opened by Habitat for Humanity Ireland | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fsocial-affairs%2Fso-happy-i-cried-housing-charity-completes-latest-irish-home-1.2773145%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2773138.1472566514!/image/image.jpg | en | null | ‘So happy I cried’: Housing charity completes latest Irish home | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | The Irish arm of an international housing aid agency has completed its latest accommodation project in Dublin.
Habitat for Humanity Ireland, the subsidiary of a global not-for-profit house-building organisation, has either built or renovated 12 properties across the country since the inception of its Irish programme, which started as the economic crisis was unfolding in 2009.
The charity has continued its activities as the number of homeless people has continued to rise in Ireland, a trend compounded by ever-lengthening local authority waiting lists.
One less person
Dubliner Stella Kelleher is one less person waiting on a council unit, as she was the beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity’s latest renovation project in Dublin 8. She is thankful to be out of her crowded family home in the nearby Liberties.
“When I first got the news that I was definitely going to have a new home, I was so happy I cried. Then, I laughed. I was overcome with emotion,” says the beautician, who has been on the housing waiting list for three years.
“If it wasn’t for the hand-up from Habitat for Humanity, I’d still be living with my parents, hoping that one day I’d be able to afford my own home,” she added.
Works on the property were completed with the assistance of corporate donors including Salesforce, the Law Society and Sandisk, and Ms Kelleher will pay a small mortgage on the one-bed cottage.
Opening ceremony
Lord Mayor of Dublin Brendan Carr attended an opening ceremony for the home today, and said he hopes Habitat for Humanity will continue to develop its partnership with the council in coming years.
Aside from contributing to domestic builds, the charity’s Irish volunteers also provide help for projects in Zambia, the Philippines and Romania.
The organisation is headquartered in Atlanta in the US and works in 70 countries worldwide.
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“Decent shelter is something we all need in order to thrive, and the years have shown us again and again what a strong foundation a home can be for a person,” said Habitat for Humanity Ireland chief executive Vinnie Cunningham. | http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/so-happy-i-cried-housing-charity-completes-latest-irish-home-1.2773145?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/06c8827a978b3a74b1d642f6ffae3db7dd764df9ff0b692c0d3875f214db01d4.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T12:51:03 | null | 2016-08-28T11:55:00 | Headstones in Belfast cemetery knocked over and smashed by youths using hammers | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fcrime-and-law%2Fdestruction-of-jewish-graves-a-hate-crime-says-psni-1.2770931%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2770930.1472381626!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Destruction of Jewish graves a hate crime, says PSNI | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | The destruction of 13 Jewish graves in Belfast is being treated as a hate crime by the PSNI.
Headstones were knocked over and smashed. The concrete covers of some of the graves were also damaged.
The attack at the City Cemetery off the Falls Road was reported to police on Friday afternoon.
Youths using hammers and blocks caused the damage, local councillors said.
PSNI chief inspector Norman Haslett added: “This is a particularly sickening incident, which we are treating as a hate crime.
“To disturb the sanctity of a cemetery in this way is completely unacceptable and I can assure the public that we will conduct a robust investigation in a bid to bring those responsible before the courts.
“I have already liaised with local representatives and I will continue to do so regarding this and other issues relating to anti-social behaviour in the vicinity of the cemetery.
“I would appeal to anyone who was in the area at the time and witnessed this incident, or to anyone who has any information whatsoever that could assist in our investigation to contact police on the non-emergency number 101 quoting reference 742 of 26th August.
“Alternatively, information can be given anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
Bishop Noel Treanor said: “These shameful acts are a blemish on our society.”
He said condemnation was not enough.
“What a tragedy and blemish then that the long-present, beloved and treasured Jewish families of our community should suffer yet again such actions of disrespect, violence to the memory of their beloved dead and the regrettable outworking of a latent xenophobia that stalks the minds of some.”
He said people needed to discuss xenophobia.
“Only yesterday a young mother, native of another land, and now an admirable fellow citizen of this city and land, told me of how a young child of four had muttered racist and xenophobic sentiments to her child of similar age in a public playground.
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“Others who have come to live and work among us have told me of incidents in supermarkets where shoppers speaking a language other than English were treated with disdain and disrespect by fellow-shoppers who are natives here.
“I do not suggest these attitudes are widespread, but we all need to be vigilant lest we succumb to, harbour or induce hatred of other races, colour or religious belief.
“Failure to address such attitudes to others is not worthy of a Christian culture and people. Racism and xenophobia are issues of our times.”
The municipal cemetery where the attack took place is one of the oldest public graveyards in Belfast and it is maintained by the city council.
Bishop Treanor told worshippers at St Peter’s Cathedral in Belfast: “As a society, as neighbourhoods and communities, we must honestly consider if we harbour attitudes that are negative to those whom we too easily classify as ‘foreigner’, rather than see them as sisters and brothers in Christ and in humanity.
“As a society, we need to build co-operation between our homes and schools to ensure that our children are educated in heart and attitude, in mind and action, to respect every person without exception.
“As we build here in Northern Ireland a society fit and able to accommodate the contemporary reality of the mobility of peoples, willing to cherish the multi-cultural and multi-faith mosaic that is every contemporary society generally and in its most local communities and neighbourhoods, there can be no compromise on these imperatives to build minds and hearts that are open to, respectful of and treasure diversity.”
PA | http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/destruction-of-jewish-graves-a-hate-crime-says-psni-1.2770931?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/a989bb44f289ea0a3539e77fc6d931d7db0770eb51a55860e475cfc59305f242.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T06:49:09 | null | 2016-08-30T06:00:00 | Regular users of toll roads should consider their tag options | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Fpersonal-finance%2Ftaking-its-toll-how-motorists-can-cut-the-toll-of-road-tag-costs-1.2769383.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2769379.1472539246!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Taking its toll: how motorists can cut the toll of road tag costs | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | It came, not quite at the last minute, but close enough that thousands of motorists have already switched their toll tag provider. From tomorrow, August 31st, drivers on motorways around the country were expected to face extra delays because their electronic tags, which allow them to fast-track the tollbooth, were no longer expected to work on certain roads controlled by the Celtic Roads Group (CRG), including the M7 and M8 (Portlaoise to Castletown, and Portlaoise to Cullahill).
It was thought that up to 80,000 drivers would have been affected by the disagreement between toll service provider eFlow and motorway operator CRG, which meant that their eFlow electronic tag would longer have worked on certain roads.
These eFlow customers would have had to pay cash at these toll plazas, while their tags would have continued to operate as normal on the following motorways: Dublin’s M50; M3 (Clonee-Kells); M4 (Kilcock-Enfield-Kinnegad); N6 (Galway-Ballinasloe); N8 (Rathcormac-Fermoy Bypass); East-Link Bridge; Dublin Port Tunnel; and Limerick Tunnel.
However, late on Friday agreement was finally reached, as CRG agreed to accept eFlow tags on the following roads: M1 from Gormanston to Monasterboice; the M7 and M8 (Portlaoise to Castletown, and Portlaoise to Cullahill) and the N25 (Waterford City bypass).
The dispute is understood to have arisen because of a failure to renew a contract between eFlow operator Transport Infrastructure Ireland (formerly the National Roads Authority) and roadbuilder Celtic Roads Group. It is understood that Celtic Roads Group was not happy with the level of charges and had delayed renewing a service agreement that expired earlier this year.
Minister for Transport Shane Ross welcomed the agreement, saying it was “good news for road users and it means eFlow tags will continue to be recognised at all toll points across the country”.
In the run-up to the agreement however, anxious motorists around the country had already started to make the switch, fearful of being stuck in tailbacks at the toll booth. If you’re used to just driving through the “easy pass” lane on roads such as the M7, taking the time to pay at a booth will likely frustrate you, while some drivers who try to use their tag in the “easy pass” lane may find that they have to turn around, potentially causing further delays.
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Indeed, alternative tag provider Easytrip says that visits to its website soared by 400 per cent in recent weeks, with some 20,000 eFlow customers having made the move by August 24th.
But, while the onus on motorists to switch has now been removed, could there still be a case to check out your options and save money by switching? And if you’ve never had a tag, is it worthwhile getting one to make savings of as much as 33 per cent?
Should I
get another tag?
If you have never had a tag and are considering getting one, it may be worth your while if you’re a user – even infrequent – of roads such as the M50, which charge tag users less. For example, if you pay as you go, you’ll be charged €3.10 each time. If you sign up for either a video account, where the toll is debited from your account and you don’t pay a monthly service fee, the toll drops to €2.60, or €2.10 if you have a tag.
Another factor is late payments. If you use the M50 but forget to settle the payment before 8pm the day after you have travelled, either online or at a Payzone outlet, it’s likely that you will receive a penalty letter.
These can quickly add up. If you miss the first deadline, you’ll be liable for €3; should you leave it more than 14 days to settle up, you’ll face a fine of €41; and if the fine isn’t paid within 56 days, the penalty soars to €150 (€41+€103+€3+€3.10) and you may face legal proceedings.
However, infrequent users should note that they will face costs in either buying, or renting a tag, and this may mean they could be better off simply paying as they go, provided they remember to always settle their bill on time.
What are my options?
There are four providers of tag accounts in Ireland, including eFlow.
Deciding whether to use a tag depends on how often you use a motorway. If you use the M50 just twice in a year, for example, it’s hardly worth paying the monthly administration charge of about €1.25 most providers charge.
Pay-as-you-toll options require you to pre-fund your account, while those that charge a monthly administration fee typically automatically top up your account without you having to do anything.
But you can also pay upfront for a tag, with a provider such as ParkMagic. It charges €30 for its tag, and the only additional charges arise when you use the tag, at a cost of 10 per cent of the toll. It’s convenient but costly.
Another option is a tag from Easytrip, which costs €25, but its actual cost works out at about the same as ParkMagic, as you will also pay a monthly fee of €0.62 for the tag, which makes a total of €32.44 a year.
On the other hand, if you’re a frequent user the frustration of queuing will likely mean that you’ll pay this fee for the ease of using the fast lane. This generally means “renting” a tag by paying a monthly administration fee. Easytrip, for example, charges €1.23 a month, as does eFlow, while DirectRoute charges €1.25. This is about an extra €14 a year.
While it’s a difficult thing to do, considering you’ll likely have it stuck to the inside of your car, beware of losing your tag. Easytrip, for example, charges €15.25 to replace a tag, and it charges €8.61 if a direct debit is returned unpaid.
Some providers, such as DirectRoute and ParkMagic, seek a €20 deposit, which is typically fully refundable but still leaves you out of pocket by that amount while you use the tag.
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Another option for M50 users is a video account, which saves €0.50 each time. While the savings may not be as great as with a tag account, no monthly administration fee applies. So, for example, if you use the M50 10 times a year, you will pay €26 with a video account, compared with €31 if your car is not registered. For light to medium users, then, a video account can make sense. | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/personal-finance/taking-its-toll-how-motorists-can-cut-the-toll-of-road-tag-costs-1.2769383 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/6633489c2e39dc62044503a51942dcd29f72231e944a7c0669acb045cb6809e0.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T10:51:37 | null | 2016-08-29T11:03:00 | Family lawyer critical of arrest by Brazilian police | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fireland%2Firish-news%2Foci-s-pat-hickey-treated-worse-than-a-murderer-1.2771854%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2771853.1472466326!/image/image.jpg | en | null | OCI’s Pat Hickey ‘treated worse than a murderer’ | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | A solicitor for the Hickey family says that a murderer in Brazil would not have been treated in the same way as Pat Hickey was when he was arrested.
“Whether you like the man or not, the Department of Foreign Affairs have to represent him,” Anne Marie James told Newstalk’s Pat Kenny Show.
“Ticket touting is not murder,” she added.
Police arrested Mr Hickey on Wednesday of last week and he was sharing a prison cell with THG official Kevin Mallon. They were arrested by the Brazilian authorities investigating the alleged illegal sale of tickets allocated by the OCI to THG. Mr Mallon was released over the weekend.
THG was not authorised to sell tickets or hospitality packages for the event within Brazil or abroad and therefore any attempt by that company to sell the tickets was illegal. Both men deny any wrongdoing.
Ms James, who works with solicitors Kirwan McKeown James, said that while Mr Hickey might have been a public figure, the family is private. They had been very distressed to find cars outside their house and to have been chased down the street while with small children.
“There is an astonishing level of malevolence about him. People are afraid to say good things about him.”
The family would like Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan to call in the Brazilian Ambassador to Ireland “and let them know we’re watching”, she said.
“Who else is going to stand up for Irish citizens abroad?” she asked.
The solicitor added that Brazilian police had ‘flagrantly abused’ the concept of the presumption of innocence.
“The video of his arrest was an attempt to degrade him.”
Ms James added that there was “a huge amount of misinformation” and that the family was getting more information from the media than anywhere else.
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She also said that until Mr Hickey is charged some comments about him in the media could be deemed as defamatory. | http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/oci-s-pat-hickey-treated-worse-than-a-murderer-1.2771854?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/35352d7eabfc0a7918577681942b9e20d80463efbbf36083e8c07cafecd9cfa8.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T22:51:54 | null | 2016-08-29T22:34:00 | New Zealander coached the Ireland participants in Rio Games | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fsport%2Fother-sports%2Fdon-mclachlan-s-contract-with-rowing-ireland-not-renewed-1.2772379%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2772377.1472506436!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Don McLachlan’s contract with Rowing Ireland not renewed | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | The contract of Ireland lead coach Don McLachlan has been not been renewed by Rowing Ireland.
The New Zealander coached the Ireland lightweight women’s double of Sinead Lynch and Claire Lambe to the Olympic final in Rio de Janeiro.
Sanita Puspure, also coached by McLachlan, finished 13th in the single sculls at the Olympics.
It is understood that Puspure, who took bronze at the European Championship and at the first World Cup in Varese in Italy, is upset at the decision.
She took a significant time to hit her stride when the previous coaching regime changed after the London Olympics, where she was the only Ireland representative.
The change is part of a bigger revamp of the system in which Morten Espersen will be offered the lead position of the new high performance structure. Dominic Casey will be offered a position of high performance coach in the new structure.
A second HP coaching position will also be advertised.
And a third HP coach, funding permitted, will come on stream in 2017. | http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/other-sports/don-mclachlan-s-contract-with-rowing-ireland-not-renewed-1.2772379?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/9e1d78e904dbdc82a851c04c0f6a13c1e6739213bbd2965aa4b778f5a243dd2c.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T20:52:16 | null | 2016-08-30T20:34:00 | Principle that all web traffic is equal designed to keep internet an open platform | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Ftechnology%2Fstrict-take-on-net-neutrality-by-eu-telecom-regulators-1.2773507%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2773504.1472585687!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Strict take on ‘net neutrality’ by EU telecom regulators | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | EU regulators have adopted a strict interpretation of rules limiting how telecoms firms can prioritise some types of internet traffic. The aim is to protect the principle that all web traffic be treated equally.
The guidelines on net neutrality were welcomed by internet activists as ensuring the web remains an open platform and not a two-speed highway benefiting only companies with deep pockets that can pay for prioritised delivery.
The European Union adopted its first-ever net neutrality law last year. The latest guidelines, adopted on Tuesday,will help determine how regulators enforce those rules.
Companies had pushed for leeway that allowed them to prioritise some types of data over others.
Under the latest guidelines, however, they will only be able to offer so-called specialised services – such as connectivity for driverless cars and internet-connected devices – over dedicated network capacity if it is “objectively necessary” and only if it does not negatively affect the Internet.
Specialised services
Services such as high-quality voice calling on mobile networks, live television delivered over the internet, and remote surgery, or telesurgery, are likely to be allowed as specialised services, according to the guidelines.
The telecoms industry said it was essential to avoid “restrictive interpretations” of the net neutrality law.
“Let’s make sure the implementation of net neutrality rules does not hamper new applications and services,” said Lise Fuhr, director general of Brussels-based Etno, a telecoms lobbying group representing operators, including Deutsche Telekom, Telefonica and Telecom Italia.
Regulators have also limited the extent to which telecoms operators may exempt some applications, such as Facebook, from a customer’s data usage, a practice known as zero-rating.
Customers cannot continue using Facebook or, say, Spotify, for free once they have used up all the data in their subscription.
– (Reuters) | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/strict-take-on-net-neutrality-by-eu-telecom-regulators-1.2773507?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/fc7de2c050dbe36b60df42fa5d1e63380d57d424884bcab58dd08a62a1950f10.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T16:52:35 | null | 2016-08-30T17:05:00 | August weakness may be down to decision of Britain to leave EU | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Feconomy%2Feuro-zone-economic-confidence-worsens-more-than-predicted-1.2773035%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2773289.1472573101!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Euro zone economic confidence worsens more than predicted | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Euro zone economic confidence worsened more than analysts predicted in August in a sign that the reverberations of Britain’s decision to leave the EU may finally be reaching companies and households.
An index of industry and consumer confidence fell to 103.5 from a revised 104.5, the European Commission in Brussels said on Tuesday. That compares with a median estimate of 104.1 in a Bloomberg survey of economists, and follows an unexpected increase in July.
With European Central Bank president Mario Draghi leaving it largely to economic data to fine-tune policy expectations before next week’s governing council meeting, the release provides a case for more stimulus to sustain the recovery and revive inflation.
Projections
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has already cut its forecast for euro zone growth next year on the back of the Brexit vote, and the ECB will release new projections next week.
“The weakness in the August reading is broad-based across all countries, with some exceptions, and across sectors,” said Frederik Ducrozet, an economist at Banque Pictet and Cie SA in Geneva. “It’s another reason to be cautious and dovish for the ECB. Maybe not in the next weeks, but in the next months.”
Inflation in the currency bloc probably accelerated to 0.3 per cent in August from 0.2 per cent the month before, leaving it well below the ECB’s goal of just under 2 per cent, according to a separate survey.
Eurostat will release preliminary figures on Wednesday, along with jobless data that is expected to show the unemployment rate dropped to 10 per cent in July.
Industrial sector
Sentiment in the industrial sector fell to minus 4.4 from minus 2.6, the lowest level in 18 months, according to commission data. Confidence also slipped in services, retailing and among consumers, while a gauge for construction rose to an eight-year high.
Figures showed last week that confidence also subsided in the region’s two largest economies. Germany’s business climate as measured by Munich-based research institute Ifo unexpectedly declined the most in more than four years. Sentiment slipped in France, the nation’s statistics institute said. | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/euro-zone-economic-confidence-worsens-more-than-predicted-1.2773035?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/a689586016a8cb70246dd2901a9b75887260dbe955e32e00d6578edee01299c7.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T06:49:16 | null | 2016-08-31T07:21:00 | Earnings at ferry group rose 19.6 per cent, driven by car and freight volumes | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Ftransport-and-tourism%2Ficg-says-tourism-bookings-recover-after-brexit-wobble-1.2774073.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2774072.1472624509!/image/image.jpg | en | null | ICG says tourism bookings recover after Brexit wobble | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Irish Continental Group said the Brexit vote had a brief impact on tourism bookings, but they have since recovered, as the ferry operator reported a 19.6 per cent increase in earnings for the first half.
Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation rose to €30.5 million from €25.5 million for the same period last year as car carried on its ships increased 5.5 per cent and roll-on, roll-off (RoRo) freight volumes gained 5.6 per cent.
Container volumes shipped during the period rose 7.4 per cent, it said.
“Tourism carryings over the key summer months were broadly in line with expectation though the continuing sterling weakness since the end of June has resulted in lower euro equivalent tourism yields,” John B McGuckian, ICG’s chairman said.
“The UK Referendum result has, to date, had very little impact on RoRo freight volumes which remain strong. Notwithstanding the impact of weaker sterling ICG is well placed to benefit from the underlying growth trends in both car and freight volume,” he said.
ICG will pay out 3.82 cent dividend for the first half, up 5 per cent on its last interim dividend.
Net debt at the group fell 57 per cent from the end of December to €18.9 million, it said. | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/transport-and-tourism/icg-says-tourism-bookings-recover-after-brexit-wobble-1.2774073 | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/f0f173b32195dfd6110e7ef1c6e176e2980de2054b0a495af51c07c54de3c0be.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:02:37 | null | 2016-08-26T10:56:00 | Surveys suggest Brexit referendum has done little to dampen the spirits of consumers | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Fretail-and-services%2Fuk-consumers-stepped-up-spending-in-the-second-quarter-1.2769306.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2769305.1472205369!/image/image.jpg | en | null | UK consumers stepped up spending in the second quarter | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | UK consumers stepped up their spending in the second quarter and businesses increased investment as the economy showed few signs of reticence before the June Brexit referendum.
Household spending rose 0.9 per cent from the first quarter, the fastest pace in almost two years, the Office for National Statistics said on Friday. Business investment gained 0.5 per cent.
Growth overall quickened to 0.6 per cent from 0.4 per cent, unrevised from an initial estimate.
“Our survey returns, which include the period leading up to and immediately following the referendum, show no sign so far of uncertainty having significantly affected investment or GDP,” ONS chief economist Joe Grice said in a statement.
The decision to leave the European Union has cast an abrupt shadow over the economy, prompting the Bank of England to cut interest rates this month and piling pressure on new prime minister Theresa May to deliver a tax and spending boost.
While surveys suggest the June 23 referendum has done little to dampen the spirits of consumers, tougher times may lie ahead as quickening inflation threatens to erode almost two years of real-wage growth.
The rise in businesses investment last quarter was driven by spending on transport equipment including cars and planes, the ONS said.
The level of investment was 0.8 per cent lower than a year earlier. Net trade once again dragged on the economy, knocking 0.3 per centage point off growth in the second quarter as exports barely rose.
The 10 per cent fall in the trade-weighted value of the pound since the Brexit vote may aid exports, but not by enough to prevent a sharp slowdown.
The economy will contract by 0.1 per cent in the third quarter, according to economists polled by Bloomberg between August 5 and August 12.
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The pound showed little response to the figures and was at $1.3218 as of 9:41 a.m. London time, up 0.2 per cent on the day.Growth in the second quarter was heavily centered on April.
Bloomberg | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/retail-and-services/uk-consumers-stepped-up-spending-in-the-second-quarter-1.2769306 | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/37283f7d737bb4dd83fa1ea5fdf26aebf3132ddf2ce4ebfbc4333438fdac45f3.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T10:52:50 | null | 2016-08-31T11:30:00 | All-electric compact hatch boasts 322km range | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Flife-and-style%2Fmotors%2Fopel-confirms-ampera-e-will-debut-in-paris-1.2774178%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2774176.1472639418!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Opel confirms Ampera-e will debut in Paris | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Opel has confirmed that its electric Ampera-e hatchback will get its first public outing at the Paris motor show at the end of September, before going on sale towards the end of 2016.
The Ampera-e is basically identical, in all but badging and some minor details, to the Chevrolet Bolt, The Bolt, which was due to go on sale in the US this month, but which has seen its first ordering dates now pushed back to November, uses a 203bhp, 360Nm electric motor fed by a rechargeable stack of lithium-ion batteries, and claims to have a one-charge range of 322km - significantly better than that of its current best competitor, the 36kWh version of the Nissan Leaf which can go for a claimed 250km.
The Ampera-e is likely to be significantly more expensive than the circa-€25,000 Leaf though, US prices for the Bolt have been set at USD$37,500 before rebates, which would suggest an Irish price of as much as €38,000, even with the €10,000 discounts from both VRT and SEAI grants. The last time Opel tried to sell an electric car with a circa €40,000 price tag it was the original, Chevrolet-Volt-based Ampera saloon, and that sank without a sales trace.
Still, Opel seems keen for another crack at e-motoring with CEO Karl-Thomas Neumann saying that “electric vehicles have the potential to make a significant contribution to climate protection and emissions reduction. The new Opel Ampera-e will open the road to electric mobility by breaking down the barriers of high price and short driving range.” | http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/motors/opel-confirms-ampera-e-will-debut-in-paris-1.2774178?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/b77981dfec78df720bbe3bdc445209d2f602f9e2bdb0ee25bc5d8097a0f46630.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T08:51:29 | null | 2016-08-29T08:02:00 | While heartbreaking cases of fathers denied access to their children do happen, thankfully it is not common | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fopinion%2Fsteps-needed-to-recognise-fathers-role-in-childrearing-1.2771800%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2771799.1472454122!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Steps needed to recognise fathers’ role in childrearing | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | The recent Rose of Tralee competition was interrupted by a man, dressed as a priest, who jumped on the stage. That man was Matt O’Connor, founder of the UK organisation Fathers4Justice . O’Connor jumped onstage, holding a picture of his son, and shouted: “Fathers for justice! To all the fathers in this country who are denied access to their children, please join me and the broken families of Ireland.”
His action raises the question of whether fathers actually get a fair deal when it comes to access and related issues in the family courts. Our society and laws have radically changed, in many ways for the better. In previous times wives and children were regarded as the possessions of a husband, while childrearing was seen as an exclusively female domain.
Many marriages stayed intact due to societal pressures, but over time family breakdown became more common and less stigmatised. In such cases, it became usual that children of divorced or separated parents mainly resided with the mother. This fact influenced how the court apportioned the family home and maintenance. This has led to a perception among many fathers that they get a raw deal in the family courts.
Some of our laws and constitutional articles need to be updated. Historically, the role allocated to fathers was as breadwinner; childrearing was assigned to the wife. This was enforced not just by social attitudes, but also by the law. The marriage bar, which dated from the early 1930s, forced many married women out of the workplace. This was finally removed when Ireland joined the EEC in 1973.
The Constitution defined women by their role in the home. Article 41.2.1 states: “In particular, the State recognises that by her life within the home, woman gives to the State a support without which the common good cannot be achieved.” Article 41.2.2 states: “The State shall, therefore, endeavour to ensure that mothers shall not be obliged by economic necessity to engage in labour to the neglect of their duties in the home.”
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The Constitution made clear that a woman had her duties in the home, and suggested that working outside the home was neglecting those duties. Thankfully, our society has evolved. Women are no longer limited to this one role. In the 1981 census, 55 per cent of women over 15 defined themselves as “looking after home/family” . Three decades on, this figure reduced to 17.5 per cent.
Hands-on parenting
Parenting roles are changing: fathers are spending more time with their children, and are adopting more hands-on parenting. I believe the role both parents have in childrearing needs to be acknowledged. I don’t believe defining a woman by her role in the home is appropriate or fair to either sex. This Government is committed to a referendum on articles 41.2.1 and 41.2.2.
In cases of marital breakdown the Judicial Separation and Family Law Reform Act 1989, the Family Law Act 1995, and the Family Law (Divorce) Act 1996 are gender-neutral pieces of legislation. Nowhere do these Acts say a father or mother is more or less fit to have care of a child. Access and custody law place the child’s best interests at the heart of their consideration. However, judicial decisions are influenced by our society. We are moving away from presuming a mother is the only childrearer, the father the breadwinner, and that in breakdown the mother should automatically be the main carer. Increasingly courts are listening to children, and increasingly co-parenting post-separation is being considered.
Our parenting law has changed also. The Guardianship of Infants Act 1964 sets out the law on guardianship, custody and access. A child born to marital parents, or parents who subsequently marry, are joint guardians and custodians of the child. Where the parents are not married, the mother is the sole custodian of the child.
Previous to 2015, with regard to unmarried parents, the mother was the sole guardian of the child until the father was appointed by agreement or by court order. The Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 changed that. Since January 18th, 2016, an unmarried father who is cohabiting with the mother of the child for at least one year, three months of which are following the birth of the child, will automatically have guardianship rights in respect of his child.
The Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 contains groundbreaking special provisions to tackle breaches of access. If a court order for access or custody is being unreasonably denied, or not taken up, the parent being denied access may apply to the court for an enforcement order. The views of the child will be considered where possible, given the child’s age and understanding, and taken into account when determining the order. The court has the power to grant additional access, order expenses to be reimbursed, require attendance at a parenting programme or family counselling, or receive information about mediation. In addition the court has the power to imprison a parent for breach of access.
Heartbreaking
There are indeed heartbreaking cases of fathers whose access to their children is frustrated and denied by the mother. Thankfully, this is not very common, but when it does happen it has seriously negative consequences for the children as well as the father. The courts face challenges: jailing a mother, who more often than not has primary care of the child, is a tough remedy. Clearly a parent being jailed can have profoundly negative consequences for a child. I understand the frustration of fathers who do not believe the courts are quick enough to use this remedy. However, as a family lawyer and mediator, it is my view that criminalising and jailing parents has serious consequences, but is necessary as a last resort.
Where the relationship between parents is fractious, and where access becomes a war zone, other remedies are needed. In such situations tense pick-ups and drop-offs of children outside Garda stations are in nobody’s interests.
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I believe the provision of access centres, either by voluntary bodies or State-funded,which crucially would be open at weekends, would provide a workable solution. The provision of access centres where mothers and fathers are in fractious relationships, or where there were allegations of intimidation or violence, would greatly assist. Mothers and fathers could avail of separate entrances, and children could be collected for access,or spend access time in a family-friendly centre. I believe in complex cases where access is being frustrated, or there are safety concerns, such centres would go a long way to reducing breaches of access.
Josepha Madigan is a solicitor and a Fine Gael TD | http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/steps-needed-to-recognise-fathers-role-in-childrearing-1.2771800?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/e9826fbce2d03b795bbea546d5d7ee032df505efa3b7052443370e511568e9f2.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T22:52:02 | null | 2016-08-29T20:42:00 | Solid political liberal who worked hard for charities dies after Alzheimer’s complication | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2Fus%2Fhollywood-comic-actor-gene-wilder-dies-aged-83-1.2772306%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2772399.1472508545!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Hollywood comic actor Gene Wilder dies aged 83 | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Gene Wilder, one of cinema’s great neurotics, has died of complications from Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 83. Wilder had worked only erratically since the death of his wife Gilda Radner, also a gifted comic actor, of cancer in 1989.
But he will be held in great esteem for two decades of comedy classics, beginning with Mel Brooks’s The Producers in 1968.
Wilder secured his place in Irish cinema history as the star of Waris Hussein’s 1970 comedy Quackser Fortune Has a Cousin in the Bronx. In that film, Wilder played a Dublin dung collector who fell for Margot Kidder’s US exchange student.
Like so many of his contemporaries in comedy, Wilder came from a Jewish background. Born Jerome Silberman in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he took the name Gene Wilder in honour of a character from Thomas Wolfe’s Look Homeward, Angel and of the playwright Thornton Wilder.
Following a trying time at military school – he later revealed he had been sexually abused – Wilder moved to England to train at the Bristol Old Vic before returning home to study at the Herbert Berghof Studio in New York city.
His career was interrupted by conscription into the medical corps, but, by 1963, he was playing opposite Anne Bancroft in a production of Bertolt Brecht’s Mother Courage. It was through Bancroft, Mel Brooks’s wife, that he made the most important connection of his career.
Durable persona
Wilder took a small but significant role in Arthur Penn’s groundbreaking Bonnie and Clyde in 1967.
It was, however, The Producers that finally announced the durable Wilder on-screen persona.
Unlike, say, Woody Allen, Wilder did not play the same character in every film. Leopold Bloom (another Irish connection there), the misused accountant in The Producers, was nervous to the point of psychosis.
The title character of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) had a positively sinister confidence.
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Wilder’s version of a Frankenstein descendant in Brooks’s Young Frankenstein was a smooth charmer whose cool shattered only when students failed to pronounce his name “Fronkensteen”.
Yet all these characters shared an unsettling otherworldliness that was very much Wilder’s own. A wandering eye was forever perusing some mystery just over the viewer’s left shoulder.
The partnership with Brooks led to a string of successes including Blazing Saddles, Silver Streak and Stir Crazy.
He seemed to lose his passion for the business when Radner died, but Wilder’s best films have aged not a second since their initial release.
A solid political liberal, who worked hard for cancer charities, Wilder is survived by his fourth wife Karen Boyer.
One can say no kinder thing of a comic performer than he was unlike anybody else. | http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/us/hollywood-comic-actor-gene-wilder-dies-aged-83-1.2772306?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/89a7c4c32a8401fc460f3923cda86cceb765415be9ff2d14d50fb76477258437.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T06:52:08 | null | 2016-08-30T07:45:00 | All-Ireland SFC semi-final not only matched the hype of the occasion; it rose above it | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fsport%2Fgaelic-games%2Fjim-mcguinness-dubs-revel-in-the-pleasure-of-a-rare-and-pivotal-contest-1.2772217%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2772211.1472492188!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Jim McGuinness: Dubs revel in the pleasure of a rare and pivotal contest | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | On Sunday evening, we drove through the northside out to the airport and you could feel that the city was on fire after the game. All of the pubs we passed had a huge crowd standing outside and you got the sense the supporters were so proud of how their team had played against Kerry.
And it gave me a really strong sense of the city game, of what it means to support Dublin. These are pubs associated with club teams and this is where the fans need to go in order to talk about this game, otherwise they could just be swallowed up by the city. These are little enclaves, GAA strongholds, and it’s the supporters’ chance to stand on the street on a beautiful evening and have a couple of beers and just talk about what they have seen.
And that wasn’t just watching their team win a championship match but coming through something titanic and, I suppose, rare, really. It felt like a pivotal day in the age-old rivalry between Kerry and Dublin, which has been held up as the elemental rivalry in Gaelic football.
Coming into this game, you had the history and tradition of both counties: the All-Ireland champions against the most successful county in the history of the sport. Throughout the week, the message from so many past Kerry players was the same: Kerry must win, this can’t go on, we can’t allow this to continue. There was almost a desperation coming out of the Kingdom, a feeling that they had to turn the tide or the county could be in trouble.
They were heaping a lot of pressure on themselves. You had 83,500 people in the stadium. You had a Dublin team clearly hell-bent on becoming back-to-back champions. So the stakes were exceptionally high and all of that made the potential for a thrilling contest.
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When Éamonn Fitzmaurice did his interview on Sky, he was asked how he felt the preparations went. He replied with true intent: “We are ready for the game.” And I knew then we would be in for a treat.
The big intrigue was how Kerry would approach this. Everyone knew what Dublin would bring, so the key was how Kerry would try to respond to the multiple threats and problems they present. How would they set up? How would they handle Cian O’Sullivan? There were many exciting variations tactically.
And it didn’t let us down. Dublin came flying out of the blocks. If you look at the history of the All-Ireland, the winning teams almost always have the best player in their ranks. And right now, I feel Diarmuid Connolly is the best footballer in Gaelic games. He kicked the first point and the last, and both scores highlighted a general theme: that the decision-making in the offensive half of the pitch was exceptional, by both teams.
Percentage game
There is so much to be learned by every player and coach in the country just by watching that game. Both sides play a percentage game. Look at the number of times Kerry fist the ball into their full-forward line. That is a 99 per cent pass. Or look at how they dink the ball – two metres to the outside of the defender and into the forwards’ hands. Even when they go long, it is away from the sweeper and over his head.
One of the fascinating things is that both teams made Aidan O’Mahony and Cian O’Sullivan, the respective sweepers, redundant by the quality of their passing and decision-making. That comes down to coaching. Yes, Dublin and Kerry have quality players, but it would be very unfair on Jim Gavin and Éamonn Fitzmaurice to suggest this was just about talented players. They have provided a framework of coaching.
For example, one of the most exhilarating things for me was Dublin’s keep-ball before their last two points. You could feel this energy mounting. What’s going to happen, I was thinking, who is going to inject the pace and at what moment? And Dublin were recycling the ball and keeping it out of contact and stretching the pitch, and the next thing the runner comes off the shoulder. And suddenly the whole stadium knows this is the moment.
It was Eoghan O’Gara and Diarmuid Connolly with two incredible scores, but the collective contributed to those scores by dealing with the pressure and moving the ball and having the patience to wait for the perfect moment. That is top-quality play in a pressure situation – and it is coaching.
The strange thing is that Dublin were almost out of sight before the game took hold. Philly McMahon had a fine game, but one of his few errors was failing to play in Kevin McManamon when he was through for the brilliant goal chance. Had Dublin lost this match, there would have been intense scrutiny on that moment. These are the fine margins. It didn’t come back to haunt them. But had McMahon scored it, who knows what would have happened? Dublin were so dominant it was difficult to see Kerry living with them.
When it went 0-9 to 0-4, there was a moment when I remembered our own game in 2014, and I thought if they get another score here, this could be anything. There was that spell, around McMahon’s goal chance, when it occurred to people that maybe we were about to see a very proud Kerry team suffer an annihilation.
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And then I thought about what Fitzmaurice had said. It was very unlike him to be so emphatic before a game, so I figured: nah, Kerry have the work done, it has to come to fruition at some stage.
Brave approach
Kerry had set up with a very brave, attack-minded approach. Critically, they played orthodox corner forwards in Paul Geaney and Colm Cooper. By shuttling their big man, Kieran Donaghy, between the square and the middle of the D, it meant Philly McMahon picked him up but he also drew O’Sullivan in as well. And then they looked to hit Cooper and Geaney with the long ball over the top. It was another smart way of getting around the sweeper.
Their first sign of this tactic was a vintage Donaghy fetch, and Geaney came on the loop and instantly chipped it over. Then there was a foul – harshly called, I felt, on O’Sullivan – when Donaghy had the ball. And those points gave them a chance to start working the Dublin kick-out. Kerry were going zonal. Every one of their players had their arms raised and were waving them frantically, trying to ruffle the Dublin goalkeeper. If you are Stephen Cluxton, all you see is movement and narrowing margins. But he dealt with it very well – until the moment came when he didn’t.
It is something you see in soccer, too, with good teams: they set traps for defenders. They invite the pass, and as soon as it goes: boom. They are all over it. Again, this was down to preplanning by Kerry. Cluxton is left-footed. The kick-out that Kerry swooped on was practically his default kick. He wraps his foot around the ball and he can ping it with pace. So they sat waiting to pounce and then they got in for the interception, and suddenly they had the goal.
A few minutes after that, Donaghy handed the ball to Walsh and he kicked the long diagonal ball into Geaney, who played Cooper on the loop. So now Kerry were forcing Dublin to go long, and David Moran won two big possessions, the second of which resulted in Anthony Maher’s speculative shot and Kerry’s second goal.
Now, that goal came down to a major Dublin mistake: a high hanging ball which should have been dealt with. Davy Byrne just needed to shepherd his man and then there would have been no threat. But he let Geaney run off him and suddenly Cluxton had to contest this very awkward dropping ball. What should have been a mandatory fetch became a horrible situation. It was an extraordinary 10 minutes: all of a sudden, it was 2-8 to 0-9 and you sensed Dublin panicking. John Small committed a needless foul and they found themselves in the dressingroom wondering how there had been a 10-point swing in as many minutes.
Fly on the wall
To have been a fly on the wall in both dressingrooms at half-time would have been fascinating. Dublin were in a tough spot. And their second-half response was sublime. They scored 13 points and some of their score-taking was brilliant. Within 10 minutes, they had played their way back into the match. And the game then grew into a really enjoyable, honest, huge-hearted game which not only matched the grandeur and hype of the occasion; it rose above it. Dublin were averaging a point every three minutes and the scores were coming fast for both teams. You could argue the pick of them.
So Kerry rallied and went three points up with 11 minutes remaining. I met a Kerry person in the airport on Sunday evening who felt they should have gone 15 behind the ball then and tried to kill the game. I myself felt Kerry had put themselves in that position by playing four up and by stretching Dublin’s defence. But from that moment on, they went with two up front. Maybe it would have been better to stay with their original game plan.
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It is easy to talk about these things in hindsight. The truth is that Kerry executed an excellent game plan brilliantly and they were good enough to win. But Dublin were just better still.
It was sad, in a way, to see great servants such as Donaghy and Marc Ó Sé lingering on the pitch and saying their goodbyes. What a brave-hearted performance on which to bow out. But I wouldn’t be fearful for Kerry. In fact, I’d be fearful of what is coming down the line. They aren’t long in filling their sky with new stars. But for this September, it comes down to Mayo and Dublin. And the way Dublin won this game is significant.
Kerry threw all their invention and technical excellence at Dublin, hit them with two goals, and went three points up in the last 10 minutes. And Dublin just kept coming back. That’s why the northside was buzzing on Sunday night. If I was a Dublin person leaving Croke Park, I would have been very proud of my team after that. Everyone recognises their abundance of talent. But this win came from deep resolve and character.
They are one game away from confirming their greatness, and will be very difficult to stop. | http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/jim-mcguinness-dubs-revel-in-the-pleasure-of-a-rare-and-pivotal-contest-1.2772217?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/a9d6e68059432df00eaedb68e23067b61dc5004ec2eebdc340bfdafdd632cb92.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T14:48:46 | null | 2016-08-26T14:09:00 | Study supports State company’s expansion plans | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Ftransport-and-tourism%2Fshannon-foynes-port-handles-7-6bn-a-year-in-trade-1.2769462.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2769450.1472216962!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Shannon Foynes Port handles €7.6bn a year in trade | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Shannon Foynes Port handles almost more than €7 billion in trade every year, according to a report commissioned by the State company that runs mid-western harbour.
Research by W2 Consulting, based on 2014 figures from the port itself and 31 companies using it, shows that it is worth €1.9 billion to the wider economy and handles €7.6 billion in trade annually.
It also shows that Shannon Foynes Port Company and its customers plan to spend €277 million between them over the five years to 2019, which will support 3,372 jobs in the region.
The port company intends spending €130 million on an expansion plan, dubbed Vision 2041 , that will exploit advantages such as its deep water and sheltered harbours to develop an international trade hub there.
Investment
Combined with private sector capital spending, investment there will total €1.8 billion over the plan’s lifetime.
Chief executive, Pat Keating, said that Shannon Foynes will fund its share of this investment from its own resources. “We are generating the cash flow to do this,” he said.
As the EU recognises it as a core European port, Brussels provided it with €3 million last year to aid development. Mr Keating said that it will be able to get more funding from this source as time goes on.
He explained that the company commissioned the study to demonstrate the port’s worth to the regional and national economies.
“We always knew that it had a huge impact, but we didn’t have the figures to back that up,” Mr Keating said. “These are hard figures, collated from at the primary source, there’s no extrapolation.”
Launching the report, Shannon Foynes chairman, Michael Collins, confirmed that business at the port has overtaken levels achieved at the height of the boom in the first decade of the century.
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“We have a clear vision for the company that envisages it doubling its trade over the lifetime of our masterplan and driving very significant employment growth across the region,” he said.
Ambition
He added the completion of the proposed Limerick-Foynes road, already included in Government spending plans, was essential to this ambition.
“The other key project is the regeneration of the disused Limerick to Foynes rail link and a major feasibility study is being advanced in relation to that,” Mr Collins said.
The report’s author, Mark O’Connell, pointed out that the port has already attracted significant investment since the masterplan’s launch in 2013.
“If you take the capital expenditure of €277 million planned by Shannon Foynes Port Company and its customers up to 2019, that’s almost seven times the investment in redeveloping Thomond Park, ” he said.
“ That’s an indication of the importance that the port authority and the estuary will have in the years ahead.”
The port company has statutory jurisdicction over all marine activities and port management on the Shannon Estuary, covering 500 sq km from Kerry and Loop in Co Clare to Limerick city. | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/transport-and-tourism/shannon-foynes-port-handles-7-6bn-a-year-in-trade-1.2769462 | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/398779727dcc9282dc9cdaf77f4d28266628793ef2836ed0598efecea6be52bf.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T18:52:22 | null | 2016-08-30T18:50:00 | Bereaved fought to have latest funeral service, for 37 dead, held in their own town | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2Feurope%2Fitaly-quake-more-amatrice-victims-mourned-in-massive-tent-1.2773437%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2773435.1472579454!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Italy quake: More Amatrice victims mourned in massive tent | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | As if things were not already bad enough after the recent earthquake, the rains came down here in Amatrice this afternoon.
Just as hundreds of people gathered for yet another funeral service, this time for 37 of the 291 victims of last week’s tremor, the first of the autumn temporali (downpours) struck.
In some ways, the angry, grey sky was perfectly in harmony with the sombre mood here.
In the improvised chapel, a huge open-sided tent with freshly spread gravel for a floor, relatives and friends of the dead sat around the coffins, each absorbing their pain in their own way.
Some people sit quietly but others simply cannot contain their distress.
One couple sit silently on either side of a coffin on which sits the photo of an elderly, white-haired lady. A huge wreath of flowers bears a simple message, “Mama, We Love You”. Further down the row of coffins, one woman is howling her sense of pain and loss, screaming out the name of her loved one at irregular intervals.
Long embraces
Elsewhere, friends and relatives bump into one another among the coffins, there are long embraces and the tears flow yet again.
Fittingly, behind the altar at this improvised chapel, you see three things.
Firstly, there are the glorious hills that make this area a summer holiday draw.
Secondly, immediately behind the altar are the ruins of the Don Minozzi orphanage, now an ugly heap of cement, twisted steel and mortar, topped off with a chaotic collection of sun panels.
The third thing you see is a statue to Our Lady Of The Snows, a local Madonna who normally resides in Preta - yet another earthquake-struck village just down the road from Amatrice. This Madonna is now perched on a large pile of rubble as a grim reminder of why we are all here.
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Then, too, of course, there is a crucifix hanging from the stanchion that holds up the tented roof. In the far distance you can see the village clocktower, with the clock still stuck at 3.36 - the time at which the earthquake struck last Wednesday morning.
Sense of community
There is a strong sense of community here. People fought to have this service held here in their own town, and not 60 kilometres away in the regional centre of Rieti.
Police had wanted to stage the service in Rieti because of security considerations linked to small size of Amatrice, to the weather and to the ever-present threat of aftershocks.
The chapel is so crowded that VIPs such as President Sergio Mattarella can hardly make their way down the aisle.
Around them, some people hold up white balloons to recall the number of children who died in the tragedy.
The balloons perhaps prove local Mayor Sergio Perozzi was right when he said this morning the decision to hold the funeral here is right: “Sometimes, sorrow and grieving count for more than security considerations.” | http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/italy-quake-more-amatrice-victims-mourned-in-massive-tent-1.2773437?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/d92d306dc139583d3333ac8b67d4823be01fe59ef197e6a6be013739f2e26b3b.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T02:50:18 | null | 2016-08-27T02:30:00 | Baking bread can be fuss-free and fast, plus it’s an ideal staple for school lunchboxes | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Flife-and-style%2Ffood-and-drink%2Feven-better-than-sliced-bread-sourdough-for-beginners-1.2768363%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2768360.1472137949!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Even better than sliced bread: Sourdough for beginners | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Schools are reopening, and the lunchboxes are looming. One of the best things we could do to improve the quality of our family’s diet, and our own, is to get into the habit of making bread, rather than relying on shop-bought, which is often of poor quality.
Patrick Ryan of Firehouse Bakery in Delgany and Firehouse Bread School on Heir Island in west Cork is a founding member of Real Bread Ireland. He has developed the recipe on this page for a fuss-free sourdough loaf that needs very little kneading, proofs overnight in the fridge, and is ready to go straight into an oven the next morning to bake.
“I appreciate that for many, the biggest obstacle to baking bread at home is time. So to counter this, I have developed a recipe designed to fit around busy lives. Something that can be done by all and which requires no fancy equipment. So, no matter how crappy your oven is, everyone can bake great bread at home.”
From today until the end of September, Ryan and many of his fellow members of Real Bread Ireland will be giving away sourdough starter in support of Sourdough September, a UK and Ireland initiative aimed at getting more people baking bread.
“We will provide the starter in a container, along with instructions on how to maintain it,” Ryan says. “When people receive the starter, if they feed it that evening, it will be ready to use the following day.”
If you want to have a go at making your own sourdough starter from scratch, Ryan’s step-by-step guide is online at irishtimes.com/food.
Real bread bakers have it tough enough, competing with the convenience and price advantage offered by supermarkets and corner stores, so isn’t it counterproductive, getting their customers to bake their own bread?
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“Not at all. This is all about encouraging more people to bake real bread. I believe the more people that can enjoy real bread, the better. Over 70 per cent of the ‘bread’ consumed in this country, and I use the word very loosely, is mass-produced pre-sliced white. By baking for yourself you understand and appreciate the process involved and once you get the taste for it, there is no going back. And let’s be honest, the majority of us will not bake every day, so on the days that you don’t bake, you have us,” Ryan says. For Real Bread Ireland members and Sourdough September details, see realbreadireland.org | http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/food-and-drink/even-better-than-sliced-bread-sourdough-for-beginners-1.2768363?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/3638988c179a58b3df996dacab89d6ce15265b74a69ae026f9ac6305918b0121.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T10:52:02 | null | 2016-08-29T08:53:00 | Heather Humphreys announces support for two symposia on women’s role in 1916 | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fculture%2Fheritage%2Fnew-dublin-artwork-to-honour-women-of-the-rising-1.2771812%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2771811.1472457232!/image/image.jpg | en | null | New Dublin artwork to honour women of the Rising | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Dublin will get a new piece of public artwork specifically dedicated to the achievements of Irish women over the last century and their role in 1916, the Minister for Arts and Heritage has announced.
The idea for the monument came from a women’s workshop on 1916 hosted by Heather Humphreys earlier this year as part of the centenary celebrations.
The Minister said her department will work in conjunction with Dublin City Council and the Arts Council in commissioning the “special piece”.
“One of my priorities in leading the 1916 commemorations has been to highlight the role and lives of the remarkable and capable women of 1916 and to allow their voices to be heard; in many cases for the first time,” she said.
“A new specially commissioned art piece, being funded by my department will prominently reflect the role of women in 1916, and will leave a positive and lasting legacy piece in our capital city,” she added.
No proposed completion date has been put forward for the project.
The department will also sponsor two symposia to be held later this year which will look at the role of women in the 1916 Rising and beyond. It will collaborate with the National Women’s Council of Ireland and the ‘Waking the Feminists’ movement for the events.
While Constance Markievicz has always featured prominently in Irish society’s recollection of the Easter Rising, the less celebrated part played by people such as nurse Elizabeth O’Farrell, who accompanied Patrick Pearse when he presented the flag of surrender, and sniper Margaret Skinnider has often been overlooked.
Ms Humphreys added: “The commemorations have also provided us with a platform to examine and consider the role of women in Irish life 100 years after 1916 and particularly the space occupied by women in our cultural landscape.
“I want to continue to facilitate the expansive examination of the role of women in Irish life and culture - historically but also in the context of contemporary society in 2016 and as we consider our ambitions for the future.” | http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/heritage/new-dublin-artwork-to-honour-women-of-the-rising-1.2771812?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/a089abed0889120abd126347cc5a864fc011e78f06fa86da531b8a0501326535.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T08:50:26 | null | 2016-08-27T08:47:00 | Bangladesh police raided two-storey house and killed three suspected militants | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2Fasia-pacific%2Falleged-mastermind-of-dhaka-caf%25C3%25A9-attack-killed-by-police-1.2770716%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2770715.1472284229!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Alleged ‘mastermind’ of Dhaka café attack killed by police | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Police in Bangladesh have killed three suspected militants, including an alleged mastermind of an attack on a cafe last month that left 20 people dead.
Top counter-terrorism official Monirul Islam said police raided a two-storey house in Narayanganj, near the capital Dhaka, early on Saturday and killed the suspects.
The dead included Tamim Chowdhury, a Bangladeshi-born Canadian who police believe was one of two masterminds of the attack on a popular restaurant in Dhaka.
The militants belonged to the banned group Jumatul Mujahedeen Bangladesh, or JMB, police chief Akm Shahidul Hoque said.
Chowdhury was the mastermind of the July 1st attack in Dhaka and another attack on an Eid congregation outside Dhaka on July 7th marking the end of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, he said.
Bangladesh police have been conducting raids across the country to hunt down those behind the attack.
The police chief said security officials raided the house acting on a tip that Chowdhury, along with other suspects, was hiding in the building. The suspects opened fire at officials who retaliated, he said.
A Swat team made the final push and fatally shot the suspects after they failed to surrender. Mr Hoque said the team asked them to give themselves up but they continued firing.
The Islamic State group had claimed responsibility for the cafe attack but authorities denied that and said it was the work of the JMB, adding that Islamic State, also known as Isis, has no presence in the Muslim-majority country.
The attack on the upscale Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka killed 20 people, including 17 foreigners. The July 7th attack on the prayer gathering north of Dhaka left four people dead, including two police officers.
AP | http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/asia-pacific/alleged-mastermind-of-dhaka-caf%C3%A9-attack-killed-by-police-1.2770716?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/7714f27c431a42c9e17da2b4fc7bdd38236dc05606e761fcbf2b4afff81fd25c.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T00:51:58 | null | 2016-08-29T01:00:00 | Individual a ‘spy who had infiltrated the nuclear team’, says judiciary spokesman | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2Fmiddle-east%2Firan-arrests-nuclear-deal-negotiator-on-suspicion-of-spying-1.2771255%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2771253.1472411634!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Iran arrests nuclear deal negotiator on suspicion of spying | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Iran has arrested a member of the negotiating team that reached a landmark nuclear deal with world powers on suspicion of spying, a judiciary spokesman said on Sunday .
The suspect was released on bail after a few days in jail but is still under investigation, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said at a weekly news conference, calling the unidentified individual a “spy who had infiltrated the nuclear team,” state media reported said.
The deal that President Hassan Rouhani struck last year has given Iran relief from most international sanctions in return for curbing its nuclear programme, but it is opposed by hardliners who see it as a capitulation to the United States.
Mr Ejei was responding to a question about an Iranian lawmaker’s assertion last week that a member of the negotiation team who had dual nationality had been arrested on espionage charges.
Tehran’s prosecutor general on August 16th announced the arrest of a dual national he said was linked to British intelligence, but made no mention of the person being in the nuclear negotiations team.
On Sunday, Mr Ejei did not explicitly confirm that the arrested person had a second nationality.
Britain said on August 16th that it was trying to find out more about the arrest of a joint-national.
– (Reuters) | http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/middle-east/iran-arrests-nuclear-deal-negotiator-on-suspicion-of-spying-1.2771255?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/7ecd6b91df2109c02dc1cdf9dc1ec3fe93387983023975fd6566a8374afd19fc.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T16:51:10 | null | 2016-08-28T16:44:00 | After tremors cause further damage to the Romolo Capranica primary school | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2Feurope%2Fpope-francis-plans-to-visit-italian-towns-struck-by-deadly-earthquake-1.2771068%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2771066.1472399042!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Pope Francis plans to visit Italian towns struck by deadly earthquake | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Pope Francis has said he plans to visit an area in Italy struck by a deadly earthquake to bring the people there the “comfort of faith”.
Speaking after the Angelus prayer in St Peter’s Square this morning, Pope Francis expressed his solidarity with the victims of last Wednesday’s earthquake, adding that he would like to visit the region “as soon as possible”.
“I want to renew my spiritual solidarity with the inhabitants of Lazio, Le Marche and Umbria, so hard hit by the earthquake of a few days ago. In particular, I am thinking of the towns of Amatrice, Accumoli, Arquata, Pescara del Tronto and Norcia . . . the church shares your suffering and your worries. Let us pray for the dead and for the survivors.
“Dear brothers and sisters, as soon as is possible, I too hope to visit you, to bring to you in person the comfort of the faith, the embrace of the Father and the Son and the support of christian hope.”
At this point, it is unclear when Pope Francis will actually visit the earthquake zone but historical precedent would suggest that it will take place within the next month.
Pope Benedict XVI visited L’Aquila just 22 days after the April 2009 earthquake in which 308 people died.
Meanwhile, the after tremors continue to sow fear and worry. In the town of Amatrice, where 223 people died, a 3.7-magnitude tremor at about 3pm this afternoon caused further damage to the Romolo Capranica primary school but did not injure anyone.
This school will feature large in the ongoing investigation into illegal building in the area, opened last week by the state attorney’s office in Rieti.
At the moment, the death toll from this tragedy has reached 290, with 2,500 homeless and anywhere between 15 and 20 people still missing.
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On Tuesday, the Bishop of Rieti will preside over an open air funeral mass in Amatrice for the earthquake victims of both Amatrice and nearby Accumoli. This funeral service will take place without coffins, given that some families have already taken away the coffins of their relatives to be buried elsewhere. | http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/pope-francis-plans-to-visit-italian-towns-struck-by-deadly-earthquake-1.2771068?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/613d92130e4c456552e25dffc8f96883f1ede3bca772675709168c3e84192e57.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T12:48:49 | null | 2016-08-29T13:35:00 | Children invited to suggest name for calf of mother Ashanti and father Chaka | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Foffbeat%2Fdublin-zoo-thrilled-with-birth-of-baby-rhinoceros-1.2771935.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2771934.1472474108!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Dublin Zoo ‘thrilled’ with birth of baby rhinoceros | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Dublin Zoo has welcomed a new 60kg baby – an as yet unnamed white rhino calf.
It was born last Thursday afternoon, and becomes the seventh member of a growing herd of the once-endangered animals alongside mother Ashanti and father Chaka in the zoo’s African Savannah section.
There are now 20,000 white rhinos left in the wild after poachers whittled their numbers down to a low of around 50 in the early 1900s. Dublin Zoo’s latest arrival comes as part of the European Endangered Species Programme which was established to assist the survival of the species.
“We are absolutely thrilled with the new arrival. Ashanti is an experienced mother and the birth was very relaxed. The mother and calf are bonding and will remain very close for the first year of his life,” said African Plains team leader Helen Clarke-Bennet.
Male rhinos can grow to be up to 2,300kg in size, and are mostly found in South Africa, Namibia, Kenya and Zimbabwe, where Dublin Zoo is teamed with the Lowveld Rhino Trust.
Children have been invited to suggest a name for the new calf at www.DublinZoo.ie, and it will host a “Rhino Awareness Weekend” on September 24th and 25th to teach visitors about the animals and the threats they face in the wild. | http://www.irishtimes.com/news/offbeat/dublin-zoo-thrilled-with-birth-of-baby-rhinoceros-1.2771935 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/e410ca2f132606e758cfe969dde489a606caf1ff0afb120da4211dac2767179b.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T06:53:28 | null | 2016-08-31T05:25:00 | Private ambulance operator service reports a €101,231 profit for year ending June 2015 | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Fhealth-pharma%2Fdavid-hall-owned-ambulance-service-lifeline-in-rude-health-1.2773441%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2773439.1472579887!/image/image.jpg | en | null | David Hall-owned ambulance service Lifeline in rude health | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Lifeline, the private ambulance operator service owned by businessman David Hall, reported a €101,231 profit for the 12 months ending June 2015. This compares to a €436,412 loss the previous year, newly-filed abridged accounts show.
The company, recently involved in a high-profile court action involving employees, had net assets of €106,794, as against just €5,563 a year earlier.
Turnover rose to €4.3 million as against €4.1 million the year before, having halved between 2008 and 2014.
Established by David Hall in 1998, Lifeline is the largest private ambulance operator in the State with a fleet of 49 vehicles. Based in Leixlip, Co Kildare, the company employs 66 people.
Mr Hall is also founder of the Irish Mortgage Holders Organisation (IMHO), which last year helped over 2,500 people to come to an arrangement with lenders over their debts.
HSE contract
Lifeline has a framework agreement with the Health Services Executive (HSE) through a service level contract for patient transport services. However, the company has previously taken legal proceedings against the HSE for alleged breaches of the agreement and Mr Hall told The Irish Times that additional proceedings were currently “on hold”.
Mr Hall said the return to profitability was partly due to better compliance with the Lifeline contract by the HSE.
“We won the tender to be the number-one provider nationally and that contract hasn’t been adhered too and, while it is not being fully complied with, there has been an improvement. If we don’t see further improvement though we will end up back in court,” he said.
“The need to injunct the HSE to comply with the contract is currently under review, as is seeking to recover monies not given under it, which were given to third parties.”
Mr Hall added that the turnaround was also due to him being back at the helm again. “I’m back running Lifeline again after being more focused on the mortgage stuff over the last couple of years, “ he said. “There has been a restructuring of the company and a better focus on how it is being run that has involved us looking at our cost base and so on.”
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Mr Hall and his wife Susan Wiseman Hall are listed as directors of Lifeline. Directors’ emoluments for the year ending June 2015 totalled €209,966, down from €217,817 a year earlier.
The accounts show Mr Hall previously provided a guarantee to the value of €377,000 for the company’s banking facilities.
Lifeline operates from a premises owned by Mr Hall, paying him rent in the year to the end of June 2015 of €116,379.
Future viability
The latest set of accounts said restrictive practices in the sector, the state of the economy and a decline in the number of people with private health cover were all concerns that threatened the viability of the company.
However, Mr Hall said that conditions generally had improved over the last year. “All health-related businesses were under pressure for a long time and I wasn’t around. I expect the 2016 accounts will post a higher profit than the 2015 ones. I’m back doing what I think I do well, which is running the business and we’ve acquired an additional 10 ambulances this calendar year and taken on 17 extra staff in the last number of months, so things are going the right way,” he said.
Two managers at Lifeline recently became the first employees in Ireland to win court protection under newly introduced whistleblower legislation.
The Circuit Court ruled late last month that Mick Dougan and Seán Clarke, who were made redundant after accusing Mr Hall of “serious wrongdoing” in a disclosure to the Revenue Commissioners, should continue to be paid until their unfair dismissal case is heard.
The men claimed in affidavits opened in court, that staff were paid mileage expenses in place of taxable pay and alleged they were subjected to bullying and harassment. | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/health-pharma/david-hall-owned-ambulance-service-lifeline-in-rude-health-1.2773441?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/3219a222989d5b8da64cc5fe7f7fd6471ee5f5e28001e4ab5606bddae5b2f30f.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:05:55 | null | 2016-08-26T06:52:00 | Rachel Kavanagh’s qualifications did not prepare her for London’s fast-paced beauty retail business | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Fwork%2Fwild-geese-glossybox-offered-me-a-new-chapter-and-in-a-new-country-1.2753362.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2753357.1472190733!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Wild Geese: ‘Glossybox offered me a new chapter and in a new country’ | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Rachel Kavanagh is managing director of Glossybox UK and Ireland – an online beauty box business established in 2011, which is now one of the industry’s market leaders. Kavanagh lives in London with her husband and two children.
A native of Terenure in Dublin, Kavanagh originally had her own brand – Rockstar Tan – which she established when she graduated with a business, economics and social studies degree from Trinity College in 2007.
She had been in discussions with Glossybox to distribute her brand which was stocked in leading retailers such as Boots and Debenhams. Glossybox is an online beauty retailer that works by selecting five beauty products a month and sending them out to customers.
“I stayed in touch with the MD at Glossybox who then got in touch with me 10 days before my wedding to ask me to interview for her position.
“It was time for a new challenge and I had learnt everything I needed from my own brand. The market was so saturated and I really wanted a new chapter. The job in Glossybox offered me that and in a new country too. The first year was tough – we had an 18-month-old baby and it was a new job – but we are still here 3½ years later.”
Kavanagh and her husband now have two children and Kavanagh returned to work 5½ months after the birth of her second child.
“It’s more challenging with two children. I have a live-in nanny and a very supportive husband. I couldn’t do my job without them.
“In London you spend so much more time commuting. We moved house earlier this year so that we are right beside the Tube station. It shaves 20 minutes off my commute each day so it’s an extra 40 minutes a day with the children. Your life becomes worked into slots of work- and home-life and in trying to find the balance between the two.”
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The family live in Parsons Green. “In London, I think wherever you land you tend to stay. Your borough becomes your village. You crave that village mentality even though you give out about it when you live in Ireland,” she laughs.
Kavanagh gets to her office by about 8.15am. The creative, editorial, social and digital and sales departments are all under her remit.
“Sales is a major aspect,” she says. “Making sure the beauty boxes are full each month, that we’ve the correct mix of product... we are very editorial in the way we work so we have a product to produce with a very heavy theme each month. You’re only as good as your last issue, so my day is made up of fast decision-making, monitoring sales and customer reaction. As an online business, it is very sales target driven and very fast-paced – you’re never off.”
In an effort to make her schedule more efficient she attends external meetings either on the way to, or the way home, from the office.
“A lot of my meetings are with parent companies, brands such as Estée Lauder, L’Oréal, P&G or new niche brand founders, PR companies, distribution companies and so on. I do a lot of the networking and the brand pitching and story-telling.”
Kavanagh is a member of CEW (Cosmetic Executive Women) – a not-for-profit professional organisation that gives women a voice and a platform in the beauty industry.
“I got to know their president, Caroline Neville, early on and she has been a wonderful support to me since I joined Glossybox. She is such a force of nature in the beauty industry and a great inspiration.”
Kavanagh says that her academic background in no way prepared her for her working life.
“When I look back on it, the things I wish I’d been taught are things like excellent Powerpoint presentations, excellent Excel skills – basic business skills. It’s only when you get into the workforce that you become aware of what you want to develop and polish through your own learning and self-empowerment.”
The UK’s Brexit decision was “devastating”, she says. “Not to be dramatic but it was like time stood still. My children are Irish with Irish passports, they are European and they will be raised as such. Nothing changes in that respect, even if we remain in London.
“But it has massively dampened my love for the UK and the life we have made here. There is a sense the country is in freefall and I have friends whose jobs and businesses have already been dramatically affected by it.”
From a professional perspective, increased currency insecurity is something the brand needs to keep an even closer eye on, she says.
“With our HQ in Berlin we see ourselves as a European brand, so it was a sad day for us all when we got the news, as we are a very close global team. In general, it’s a matter of waiting it out to see the real implications.”
For now though, Kavanagh says that she has no plans to return to Ireland.
“It was a big commitment to move over and we feel settled and still excited by the city,” she says. “I have been with Glossybox for three years and we have matured from an entrepreneurial start-up into the leading beauty box in the industry. There is still so much more to achieve and I want to be part of that story.”
www.glossybox.ie | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/work/wild-geese-glossybox-offered-me-a-new-chapter-and-in-a-new-country-1.2753362 | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/e873c9cc740ddfc1b3266626abc7969750dac8b18142d99bb13c93c6cb161a9f.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T16:50:25 | null | 2016-08-27T16:11:00 | Criminal inquiry has been launched into incident that killed Kyrgyzstan workers | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2Feurope%2Ffire-kills-17-people-at-moscow-printing-plant-1.2770825%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2770824.1472310625!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Fire kills 17 people at Moscow printing plant | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | A fire in a Moscow printing plant killed 17 people on Saturday, officials have said.
A representative of the Kyrgyz diaspora in Russia said all the dead were members of its community.
“The incident happened when people were changing shifts at the printing house. It is very hard for us,” Abdygany Shakirov, the Kyrgyz representative told Reuters.
Around 500,000 citizens of the impoverished former Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan are working in Russia. The two countries belong to a Russian-dominated customs union.
The Investigative Committee, which reports directly to president Vladimir Putin, said a criminal inquiry had been launched into the deaths of 17 of the victims of the blaze.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said in his Twitter feed that one more person died later in a hospital.
Ilya Denisov, an emergencies ministry official, told Rossiya-24 TV station a malfunctioning lamp caused the fire.
Lax fire safety standards are often blamed for fatal workplace blazes in Russia. In January, 12 people died in a fire in a Moscow clothing factory.
Reuters | http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/fire-kills-17-people-at-moscow-printing-plant-1.2770825?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/03388c64fcf12f1737a58f2fe682cbded4cdad549c6ba8436e9e7b57bc514087.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T06:52:56 | null | 2016-08-31T06:40:00 | Three five-bedroom houses can be constructed on the 2.23-acre site in south Co Dublin | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Fcommercial-property%2Fprime-infill-site-in-rathmichael-for-2m-1.2772182%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2772180.1472488705!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Prime infill site in Rathmichael for €2m | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | An infill ready-to-go site for three high-end houses in upmarket Rathmichael in south Co Dublin is fresh to the market this week at €2.125 million through agent Knight Frank.
The 2.23-acre site is currently occupied by El Dorado, a large modern house extending to 241sq m (2,594sq ft). There is planning permission till August 2018 for the retention of El Dorado on 0.46 acres and the construction of three five-bedroom detached houses of 394sq m (4,241sq ft) on site areas ranging from 0.35 to 0.44 acres.
This site, zoned Objective A “to protect and/or improve residential amenity” under the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Development Plan 2016-2022, has access to both Quarry and Ferndale roads.
These give easy access to the M50, N11, Shankill Dart and the Luas Green Line at Brides Glen in Cherrywood.
There should be keen competition for this site among developers given the scarcity of high-end housing on the market in south Dublin. | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/commercial-property/prime-infill-site-in-rathmichael-for-2m-1.2772182?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/3f2b5591b0656c8eba559bf5433347dc0b710086e954300cb0cea03d78ff1f29.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T12:50:27 | null | 2016-08-27T11:59:00 | She’s hoping to overtake Steffi Graf’s Open era record 22 major titles, starting Monday | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fsport%2Fother-sports%2Fserena-williams-says-her-us-open-preparations-have-been-far-from-ideal-1.2770754%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2770753.1472295812!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Serena Williams says her US Open preparations have been ‘far from ideal’ | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Serena Williams admits she feels under-cooked ahead of the start of the US Open on Monday.
Williams has only played three matches, all at the Olympics, since winning Wimbledon and the American pulled out of the tournament in Cincinnati last week with a shoulder injury.
Her preparation raises question marks about the 34-year-old’s form heading into Flushing Meadows, where she is hoping to overtake Steffi Graf’s Open era record 22 major titles.
Williams said “shoulder-wise” she is improving but admits the lack of match practice has been far from ideal.
“I have not played a lot, I haven’t practised a lot, but I’m just now starting to feel a little better,” Williams said.
“Hopefully just every day I will keep going higher. I think usually I prefer to play more coming into the final grand slam of the year, but I really don’t think there is anything we can do about it.
“You just have to make the best of every single opportunity. That’s all I can do now.”
Williams was handed a tricky first round in Friday’s draw, which pitted her against two-time grand slam semi-finalist Ekaterina Makarova.
Makarova, ranked 36th in the world, lost to Williams in the last four here in 2014 but the top seed was not flustered by the awkward opening match-up.
“I think it’s okay, I’m okay with it,” Williams said.
“I think I try to look at it we all always have tough matches. I played her I think in the semis I think before. I know she’s a good player. I’ve just got to do the best I can.
“She’s a big fighter. She never really stops. I think one thing I think that’s pretty impressive is she gets a lot of balls back. You think she’s not super quick, but she is.” | http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/other-sports/serena-williams-says-her-us-open-preparations-have-been-far-from-ideal-1.2770754?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/1ff7637b05f8deed63d8f08a255fc4aec373c5c717ac14c4e04cf8f25d4f28b8.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T10:52:33 | null | 2016-08-30T10:16:00 | ‘Do you pick the best squad to win the World Cup? And if one or two of those are like N’Zonzi, do you do it?’ | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fsport%2Fsoccer%2Finternational%2Fsam-allardyce-thinks-non-english-players-may-be-the-missing-ingredient-1.2772897%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2772896.1472548569!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Sam Allardyce thinks non-English players may be the missing ingredient | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | The Football Association has broadened its search for non-English players who can qualify for the national side after the failed attempt to bring Steven N’Zonzi into Sam Allardyce’s team and a shift in thinking brought about by the falling numbers of homegrown players in the Premier League.
N’Zonzi’s move was blocked by Fifa because the 27-year-old Sevilla midfielder, formerly of Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City, had played for France’s Under-21s seven years ago, but the FA is now investigating whether there might be other players who would become eligible because they have spent five years or longer in English football.
Allardyce is behind the change in attitude while acknowledging it is a “very delicate subject”, with the new England manager pushing for a more open-minded approach, in a similar way to Kevin Pietersen initially breaking into the England cricket team on the back of a four-year qualifying period with Nottinghamshire.
The FA did tentatively look at Adnan Januzaj’s potential availability before the Manchester United player, now on loan at Sunderland, aligned himself to Belgium ahead of Kosovo, Albania, Serbia and Turkey, but the governing body has always been reluctant to investigate the issue too closely when it would inevitably lead to accusations of more qualified English players missing out. Mikel Arteta and Manuel Almunia have also been considered in the past but, again, there was little support for the move within the FA or from the relevant England managers at the time.
Allardyce’s view is different at a time when the percentage of English players in the Premier League has never been lower. Diego Costa has been cited as one example, given the Brazilian striker switched to Spain in 2013 having qualified because of seven years playing in La Liga, and the FA is looking at all age ranges in case there are any up-and-coming players who would soon be eligible but were previously considered out of range.
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“Cricket do it, rugby do it, athletics do it,” Allardyce said. “It’s not happening [WITH N’ZONZI]but we can cover this a bit more if I find another player. We have a department to look at the whole situation in all areas for every [AGE RANGE]international team.
“It happens in all the other countries and we all know the shortage of English players in the Premier League. I think it is only 31%. If those don’t play on a regular basis and there is another option, then surely, if we are going to win something and that player is of the calibre to force his way into the side, we give him an opportunity.”
N’Zonzi was born in Colombes, on the edge of Paris, but was signed by Allardyce when he was managing Blackburn in 2009, leading to a transfer to Stoke three years later before the midfielder joined Sevilla 13 months ago. Allardyce had earmarked him as a challenger for Eric Dier’s defensive midfield role, having identified that position as an area of the squad where there was not enough cover, and was willing to call up the Frenchman until Fifa blocked the move.
The FA’s feeling is that England need to move with the times and after failing so dismally in their last few tournaments, culminating in the embarrassment of Roy Hodgson’s team going out of Euro 2016 to Iceland, to start giving themselves the best possible chance of winning something – even if it means potentially having someone in the squad who cannot properly speak the language.
At the same time Allardyce is also keen to find out whether there are players, possibly overseas, he did not previously know about who could qualify because of their parents or grandparents – similar to the Calgary-born Owen Hargreaves, who went on to win 42 caps and was voted England’s best player in the 2006 World Cup.
The difference is that N’Zonzi’s family is of Congolese descent and there is no other link to England apart from the six years in his career when he was playing in the Premier League. On that basis it was put to Allardyce that the FA would inevitably face criticism if, having made a great play of appointing an Englishman as manager, it started bringing in overseas players to improve the side.
“You could say that but does including a player who qualifies because he has played here long enough give us the opportunity to get together the best squad to win?” he said. “The balance is quite difficult. If that player is top quality... do you pick the best squad to win the World Cup? And if one or two of those are like N’Zonzi, do you do it? Or don’t you, and then you suffer the consequences of not winning it, or not getting to the quarter-finals, and failure?”
Hargreaves found it difficult at first to win over the England supporters but Allardyce hopes fans might be more tolerant in the future. “It’s a very delicate subject,” he said. “I’ll have to see, if I actually do it one day, how it’s perceived across the nation. If he goes out and scores the winner, will it be quite that bad?”
Sam Allardyce on...
Roy Hodgson “I haven’t spoken to Roy. I’ve left him alone because I know how disappointed he will be. At some stage I might give him a call but I would have thought he would be sunning himself somewhere. I would be.”
On himself “The Ron Greenwood Room? The names here inspire me. I am in the Sir Bobby Charlton Suite. Do you think there might be a Sam Allardyce Suite here one day?”
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Jack Wilshere “If Jack Wilshere was playing every week for Arsenal he’d be in this squad but unfortunately he isn’t. Game-time for Jack has been few and far between, sadly, and unfortunately for him there have been too many injuries. When he plays every week we’ve seen the contribution he has made to Arsenal, but he is not making that at the moment.”
Andre Gray “He’s not in my plans just yet, but if he continues to score goals I have to consider anyone if they become a goalscorer in the Premier League. Who’s the next man to burst on to the scene? Marcus Rashford is a typical example. If Anthony Martial had not got injured in the warm-up, Rashford might never have played for Manchester United.”
Phil Jones and Chris Smalling “Phil’s had a long list of injuries, which has been a particular problem to his development. That is a great shame for him and a great shame for me, having watched him and nursed him through in his early years (at Blackburn Rovers). Making such an impact on the Premier League in that time, it’s a great shame not to go on to be the number one centre-half for Man United and a big pick for England. He’ll have to try to fight his way in, as will Chris Smalling at Manchester United.”
Guardian services | http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/international/sam-allardyce-thinks-non-english-players-may-be-the-missing-ingredient-1.2772897?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/365c472316d4f072fa2107ae0a6466760019be176581919316176e9c32bab453.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T00:52:22 | null | 2016-08-30T01:00:00 | The prospect of finding work in Ireland is a big issue for Irish abroad hoping to return | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Flife-and-style%2Fgeneration-emigration%2Fmuch-to-love-about-perth-but-family-draws-emigrants-home-1.2772191%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2772188.1472507115!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Much to love about Perth but family draws emigrants home | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | During a recent visit to Australia, The Irish Times held a focus group in Perth to explore how Irish people who had moved there in the last decade feel about life in the most isolated city in the world, versus what they expect it would be like in Ireland if they were to move home.
How does the lifestyle compare? What is their impression of the Irish economy from afar? What are the best things about living in Perth? And the worst?
And do they ultimately plan to move back or stay put?
In 2013, at the height of the mining boom, Western Australia was the most popular state for Irish workers on four-year employer-sponsored (subclass 457) visas, with more than 4,000 Irish living there on those visas in June that year.
The downturn in the industry – and related construction and extraction sectors – as demand for iron ore from China dropped in the past two years has had a significant impact on prospects for Irish workers, but new immigrants from Ireland continue to arrive, to work in the trades and health in particular.
In March this year there were 1,890 Irish on these visas living in Western Australia.
Recent surveys, including one published by Crosscare Migrant Project last week, have shown that employment prospects in Ireland are the biggest concern among Irish people living abroad who are looking to move home, and this was certainly evident among the group in Perth.
All agreed they would have to take a substantial salary cut if they moved back to Ireland, and pay much higher taxes.
Other concerns included the high cost of car insurance, high rents, and limited job opportunities outside the big cities.
There was no doubt among them of the lifestyle sacrifices they would have to make, most notably the outdoorsy activities on offer in the world’s sunniest city.
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But there was one constant they all said that could bring them home in the longer term: family.
Ruth Abbott, nurse
Myself and my partner had a great social life in Dublin but meeting the bills was hard every month. We wanted to travel but we couldn’t save any money. I was sick of working as a nurse in Ireland. It was extremely stressful. I would come home every evening and cry.
One night I came home and said, “we’re going to Australia”. We arrived in Perth last October to a house party of 60 people, some old friends I hadn’t met in years, others I hadn’t met before, everyone hugging and asking what we worked at, saying they could help out with contacts.
My partner got a job straight away, but it took me a while to get my registration and find work as there was an embargo on public health recruitment.
So I did agency work, which was amazing. Agency nurses earn ridiculous money here. I don’t know how the hospitals can afford to pay that much. You go in and do eight hours with four patients. I haven’t come home crying at all.
There are no patients on trolleys. They come in, they are admitted straight away, the porter brings them to a bed. I came from a hospital where patients could spend four days on a trolley. I have since got a permanent job.
I do not want to go back to Ireland to work as a nurse. I am not one to Ireland-bash – I love Ireland, it is my home, and I can’t wait to go back to visit. But the quality of life here is just incredible.
We were only here four months when I found out I was pregnant. We had a big decision to make, but we decided to stay. Our finances are much better here, which is a big factor. We would get the children’s allowance at home but that isn’t a reason to go back no matter what my mother tries to tell me!
Long-term, I think we would go home in about five years. But as the last few months have proven, anything can happen.
Alan McCarthy, carpenter
I have had the travel bug all my life. I left Ireland when I was 20 to play hurling in Boston and ended up staying five years. I went home then and bought an apartment, and was there for two years. I always wanted to go to Australia; everyone does when they are young, thinking of the sun and the sand.
I had a good job in Ireland as a supervisor for a timber frame company. I left in 2007 for six months to go travelling. I came straight to Perth and got a job with another friend and realised it is good here. Work was easy, the lifestyle was unbelievable. Within two years I had built a house of my own.
I set up my own business then, renovating houses, still thinking it would be short term. I am still here nine years later.
I’d be lost without the GAA. It’s just like home, people come out and someone knows someone, it helps you get along. You constantly meet new people.
But it can be a bit isolating here sometimes. I have a dog but there’s no one to mind him when I go on holidays; you take those little things for granted in Ireland.
It is always in the back of my head to go home. It is not homesickness really, it is just about being around family and friends. My parents just left, and it hit me how they are getting older. I’m at that stage now where I stay for good or I go home and set myself up.
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People give out that there is no work at home but it is getting better, and you’ll always find something if you are willing.
In my trade it is about making your own luck – it is dog eat dog no matter what country you are in. The lifestyle is a bit different though; my poor dog will have to put up with swimming in cold water for the rest of his life. I’ll be leaving my shorts here and forgetting about the sunshine.
But I’m not too worried about that; we were born with the rain, the dark clouds.
Annie Armitage, pharmacy retail manager
I have been here four years this October, when I am going to go for my citizenship. I turned 26 at home, and realised I hadn’t travelled, so I booked a one-way ticket to Perth. Two weeks later I met my husband-to-be. We had to decide very quickly about our relationship, and he ended up coming with me.
If I hadn’t met him I would have done the one-year backpacking around that everyone else does. I wouldn’t have come to Perth. But he is a plumber and had to stay where the work was. I am glad we stayed. I love that it is really quiet. We usually go home for Christmas, and Grafton Street is like hell on Earth for me.
We got married in Ireland this year, and since we got back I have been finding things hard. I don’t know if it is a come down from the wedding...I usually get really homesick at this time of year here because Perth is pretty crap in winter. There’s nothing to do – it is a summer place.
We have had a lot of discussions about what we are going to do. My mum would love us to move home.
We would like to buy a house – should we do that in Australia or Ireland?
Perth ticks all the boxes, but if we have kids it is the grandparents-grandchildren relationship we’d be missing out on here, as well as cousins, aunties, uncles...You can Skype them but it is not the same.
We both do the same jobs as we did at home, we go out the same amount, but it is quality of life here that is so amazing. But I don’t know if that is just embedded in my brain now. Is it really true?
Sinéad Glackin, social worker
I first emigrated to Australia when I was seven with my family. I lived in Sydney for 12 years. My mum hit 40, and decided she wanted to move back to Ireland. I was 19, feeling like I had been dragged back. I stayed 15 years. I swore I wasn’t going to do the back and forth thing, that I was going to stick in one place.
I went back to university as a mature student and graduated in 2011 and struggled to find work in social care. That is the last thing to make a comeback after a recession, so leaving Ireland made sense.
My partner Laura, who I have been with for six years, worked in a hardware store. I had a great part-time job working with LGBT young people, but the funding was cut. We were struggling financially. I had an Australian passport, so we said let’s go and see what happens.
We had no big plan, we were just broke in Ireland with no prospects.
We’ve been here three years now. I am working here as a case manager in the WA Aids Council, which I love.
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I find the homesickness really hard and I am constantly torn. I know I wouldn’t get a great job if we went back, and Laura wouldn’t either. We spend all our money and our annual leave saving to go home.
The last time we were home was just after the marriage referendum. That was a really bittersweet moment. We were obviously so happy, but we felt so far away. We had a little party here anyway.
Her permanent residency application has just been approved based on our relationship, but we couldn’t get married here if we wanted to, so that might be something that would take us home.
The Irish in Perth on…
The economy in Perth
Alan: The economy is quieting down but it is still busy enough. A lot of my friends here are bricklayers, and they get treated like pigs, they don't get paid some weeks. A lot of people are going to Sydney. Sydney is booming. A lot of people are going home too, or to Canada or America.
Sinead: My cousin landed on my doorstep recently, and stayed six weeks because they couldn't find a job. It is getting harder. I think there is a bigger downturn on the way. It probably won't be anything like what we know from Ireland though.
Ruth: It is not as easy to find work as it was. Irish nurses who arrived two years before me walked into jobs. But if you are willing to work hard and prove yourself you will get something. But that is the same at home too I think. There are always jobs, it just depends on what you are going to accept.
Annie: Last Christmas my husband was made redundant. Everyone says there is a downturn, but it is not like Ireland.
The famous Aussie lifestyle
Ruth: There is so much to do here, with outdoor cinema, events in the parks... there's the GAA if you are into that, and now I'm having a baby, there are loads of family activities. At home, there might be things going on in Dublin, but I am from Offaly so there's the local and little else. It was great craic and I would have been the first in the door, but it is the same every weekend. Not everything here revolves around alcohol. The weather is a big thing. If you are in a bad mood, you can just go outside and it is sunny and it just lifts you.
Sinead: You do so much more during the week here. After work you can thrown together a picnic and hit the beach. Last year we randomly bought a boat. We were on the shores of the Swan River with our friends, and we said wouldn't it be great to own a boat. It was nothing between the four of us. Then they left and we had to sell it, but we have the memories.
Alan: It is embedded in our culture at home to drink. The pub is where you go to meet people, there is nothing else to do. Here, you can meet your friends on the beach, in a park, go for coffee. You still have a drink, but you are doing something else as well, like having a barbecue or a garden party. We are in the middle of nowhere here in Perth, but it is great for travelling. At home you'd be lucky to get abroad once a year for a holiday. Here I go to Asia a lot. That is something I am going to really miss when I leave.
Homesickness
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Annie: I hated the first three months here. It wasn't until I started working and made friends that I got over it. But every winter I go into a bit of a depression, and start questioning what I am doing here. The weather I think has a lot to do with it. My group of friends here is shrinking as the Irish people move back home.
I thought I was missing out on loads at home, but my friends have told me I'm not missing much at all. They don't see each other that often, it is only when people are back from abroad that everyone meets up. Everyone is getting married now and having kids, it is not like it was when we were 20 and going to Coppers every week.
Ruth: The distance is the hardest thing; if you could go home on a two-hour flight we would have no hesitation about staying here forever. I have nieces and nephews. When I left my niece was crawling and now she is walking, you feel guilty that you don't get to see that, or to share the happiness. Now my family won't be there when my child starts walking. It is a huge thing, especially for Irish families because we are so close. The 1916 commemorations was a big thing. I felt very homesick knowing that was happening in Ireland.
Sinead: I find it hard to make friends. It is a fine balance, trying not to come across as too keen, trying to find people that are your kind of people. A couple we are good friends with went home recently to get married, and we are just heartbroken. All of a sudden, we have no one to go out with on a Saturday night. If you have kids or if you are sporty, I think it is much easier. The Aussies have a different sense of humour, they don't really get sarcasm, and they have their connections, so they don't need to meet new people. It can be really lonely.
The Irish reputation in Australia
Alan: When the crash happened, so many Irish people moved out here, and like there is at home, there were good people and bad people. There was one family who were robbing a lot of houses around Perth, pretending to be roofers and doing driveway paving jobs and that was on the news a lot. That gave the Irish a bad name.
Everyone thinks we are alcoholics, even though I think the Aussies drink more. The reputation got so bad here a few years ago that there were jobs being advertised with “No Irish need apply”. You'd often hear about the Irish being discriminated against when applying for houses, because houses had been wrecked.
Annie: We used my husband's name when applying for houses for that reason, because his name is French, and I really think it helped.
Sinead: Laura used to tell me to put on my Australian accent when calling up about a house. You would see stories in the newspapers about Irish people getting really drunk and doing stupid things. And the media always make a point of emphasising that the person was Irish.
Alan: The Irish have a great reputation work-wise. They have a saying here, that WA stands for “wait awhile”. And it’s true! That laid-back attitude the Australians are famous for transfers at work too. That is why there are so many Irish managers, project managers, business owners, supervisors doing well over here.
Sinead: There is a bit of an anti-Irish sentiment creeping in, especially when things are getting a bit tougher economically. I got on a bus recently and the Irish bus driver greeted everyone getting on. Another Irish girl started chatting away to him, and then this Australian woman said “That'd be right, f***ing Irish everywhere.” You get that a lot.
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Taxes
Alan: I pay about 28 per cent tax here. Getting taxed so much is a worry going back home. It is definitely something I am considering when weighing up Perth versus Ireland. The government pays your pension here too. If you earn $1,000 per week, they pay 10 per cent on top of that. Most people I know at home have no pension, and that is big trouble coming down the tracks.
Ruth: At home you pay about 50 per cent tax if you're earning over €36,000. Even if you are on less than that, and you try to work overtime to make some extra money, half it goes on tax. Why would you bother?
Sinead: Even for me, working for a non-profit here, the wages are good. And there are tax breaks. I can assign a certain amount of my wages to go on rent and it will be tax free, or on entertainment, which includes eating out in restaurants and cafes, and on things like sunglasses and sun cream.
Concerns about moving home
Sinead: Job prospects, definitely. I would be going back to a JobBridge scheme, or something else way below my qualifications. I'm afraid to even think what my credit rating would be like. I'm here three years, I have a good savings pattern, a good credit rating. We are hoping next year to apply for a mortgage. I know a lot of people here are thinking the same, will I have that big black mark against my name with the banks if I go back?
Ruth: You have to have a certain percentage deposit now to get a mortgage and that is really high, especially if you are a middle-income earner. You have to go wherever the work is in Ireland so you don't have a huge choice about where you live.
Alan: I have been hearing of people quoted €2,500 for car insurance when they move back from abroad. That is crazy. There is talk of a recovery, but how can you go back to that? I know people who are taking the risk and driving without insurance, because they just can't afford to pay for it.
You read about a housing shortage, but you wonder how on earth could there be, with all the empty housing estates that were left behind. Homelessness has gone through the roof.
I have resigned myself to starting again from scratch. I know I won't make the same money I make out here. I will be giving up a lot. I was at home for a wedding for the first time in four years, and I sussed out jobs. I was offered work making kitchens. It wasn't as good as what I do here, but it would be a start. | http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/generation-emigration/much-to-love-about-perth-but-family-draws-emigrants-home-1.2772191?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/de015adb372f836270dee7cd6e0e3756a70ff07de6d1efbf341719fb5bf3003f.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T14:51:58 | null | 2016-08-29T14:54:00 | ‘We have not heard about such numbers before,’ an Environment Agency spokesman said | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2Feurope%2Fmore-than-300-reindeer-killed-by-a-lightning-strike-in-norway-1.2771986%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2771985.1472478830!/image/image.jpg | en | null | More than 300 reindeer killed by a lightning strike in Norway | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | More than 300 wild reindeer have been killed by lightning in central Norway in what wildlife officials described as an unusually large natural disaster.
Eerie images showing a jumble of reindeer carcasses scattered across a small area on the Hardangervidda mountain plateau have been released by the Norwegian Environment Agency.
The agency says 323 animals were killed, including 70 calves, in the lightning storm on Friday.
Agency spokesman Kjartan Knutsen said it is not uncommon for reindeer or other wildlife to be killed by lightning strikes, “but we have not heard about such numbers before.”
He said reindeer tend to stay very close to each other in bad weather, which could explain how so many were killed at once.
Thousands of reindeer migrate across the barren Hardanangervidda plateau as the seasons change.
AP | http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/more-than-300-reindeer-killed-by-a-lightning-strike-in-norway-1.2771986?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/506dcf5a6b114fbad56f74475ed9d00a9c0957384bcb1657b3946ce7e4bd1669.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T00:47:38 | null | 2016-08-27T01:00:00 | Tetrarch Capital development involves change of use of Sackville House | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Fcommercial-property%2Fproperty-group-gets-go-ahead-for-sackville-place-hotel-1.2769923.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2769922.1472247641!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Property group gets go-ahead for Sackville Place hotel | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Irish property and investment group Tetrarch Capital has received planning permission from An Bord Pleanála for a 158-bedroom hotel on Sackville Place, which is situated close to O’Connell Street in the heart of Dublin.
Tetrarch originally applied for planning permission to Dublin City Council last year, which was granted by the local authority in March. This grant was then appealed to An Bord Pleanála by the nearby Wynn’s Hotel and by the heritage group An Taisce.
However, the new hotel has been given the green light by the appeals board subject to 13 conditions.
The development involves the change of use of the existing 3,281sq m of Sackville House from retail and commercial use at basement and ground floor level and office use at upper floors into a hotel.
There will also be retail/restaurant/cafe use in one unit of 86sq m at ground floor level and the addition of three storeys to make it a seven storey building in height. The development will also involve a new facade.
There will be staff bicycle parking, a “green roof”, and hard and soft landscaping on adjoining streets. An Bord Pleanála decided that the development would “not adversely impact upon the architectural heritage” of the area and was acceptable in terms of traffic, safety and convenience.
Conditions
The conditions imposed include keeping the glazing at ground floor level free of all “stickers, posters and advertisements”, while no external security shutters can be erected without receiving separate planning permission.
It also requires the appointment of a liaison officer to co-ordinate development with the Luas cross city works taking place in the area. In addition, Tetrarch will be required to pay an agreed “financial contribution” to the local authority prior to beginning any building works.
Located behind the former Clerys department store, the development of the “budget boutique“ hotel will involve an investment of about €16 million.
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No comment was available from Tetrarch on the granting of planning permission but it is understood that the company hopes to open the hotel in mid 2018. This is one of three new hotels that Tetrarch is planning for central Dublin, comprising 750 new bedrooms and an investment of about €100 million over the next two to three years.
The company is developing plans for a 400-bedroom hotel at Townsend Street in the city, with an application for planning permission likely to be submitted before the year end.
Tetrarch is also investing €25 million in a 178-unit aparthotel on a half-acre site at Mark Street, close to Trinity College. This will offer bedroom accommodation and kitchen facilities, aimed at three- to seven-night stays for visitors to the capital.
The Dublin-based investment group last year created Tetrarch Hospitality to manage its leisure and accommodation portfolio, with Damien Gaffney appointed as managing director of this unit. | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/commercial-property/property-group-gets-go-ahead-for-sackville-place-hotel-1.2769923 | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/e369be8872f54d6a613ff95d4c92745fe1efc32662caaab94d887c7879a6bd19.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T08:47:55 | null | 2016-08-27T08:00:00 | A big results week, IFA rows with ABP, employment is up and car insurance swerves | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Ftechnology%2Fbusiness-week-crunch-time-for-apple-the-eu-and-us-1.2769338.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2769337.1472225078!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Business week: crunch time for Apple, the EU and US | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | All the signs are that the EU Commission will shortly issue its final decision on the tax arrangements between Ireland and Apple. This week, the row started to heat up. Everyone expects the European Commission to stick to its original decision that the deal involved illegal state aid to the American giant. But the question is what the commission says should be done about it, and particularly how much tax the Irish Government should recoup.
On Wednesday, the US treasury come out fighting, taking the unusual step of issuing a “ white paper”, which was a strong attack on what the commission was doing. While it was not specifically about Apple – the European Commission is also investigating the tax affairs of a number of other US giants – no-one was in any doubt that this case is the “ big one”.
The treasury said that the EU commission was acting beyond its powers as a “supra-national” tax authority. It went on to argue that, as US companies had no notice of this new approach, it was particularly unreasonable for the commission to tell countries to seek to recoup tax payments going back years. The commission’s approach, it added, threatened the whole multilateral approach to tax.
Add in a warning about the potential “chilling” impact on transatlantic investment and a not very veiled threat to unspecified retaliation and you can see what is at stake here.
The commission is expected to press ahead and make its decision. But how much will it say Ireland should collect from Apple? Either way, it looks very likely that this affair – already three years cooking – will now head to the European courts, meaning we will not get a final outcome for a few more years.
COMPANY RESULTS
In a big week for company results, CRH was in focus, promising a return to dividend growth for the first time in seven years and signalling that full-year earnings will top €3 billion. The company lifted its interim dividend by 1.6 per cent to 18.6 cents, after reporting figures slightly ahead of market expectations. Chief executive Albert Manifold said continued positive momentum in the Americas and some recovery in Europe would continue to boost performance.
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CRH spent a massive €6.5 billion buying assets hived off after the merger of Lafarge and Holcim, but such is its earnings growth that the market remains confident that the extra debt taken on to fund this will quickly reduce. And now, in the relentless drive to growth, Manifold is signalling more acquisitions on the radar, with the possibility of spending €1.5 billion to €2 billion in the year ahead.
Meanwhile, merger costs left Paddy Power Betfair with a £47.5 million (€55.4 million) loss at the end of June. The gambling giant created last February, when Paddy Power and Betfair joined forces, said that revenues grew 18 per cent to £759 million in the six months ended June 30th from £642 million during the same period last year.
Operating profits grew 39 per cent to £147.6 million from £106.5 million over the same period. However, a £195.1 million charge for February’s merger left it with a £47.5 million loss. The group said that it expected full-year earnings to be £365-£385 million.
Kingspan had strong results, reporting that pre-tax profit rose 54 per cent to €155 million in what was a record first half for the insulation and building materials maker. Revenues rose 19 per cent to €1.47 billion in the six months ended June 30th from €1.24 billion during the same period last year.
Trading profit also rose by about 50 per cent, growing to €167.3 million from €111.7 million, well ahead of the €140 million and €150 million predicted by most analysts. Chief executive Gene Murtagh said the Cavan group expected the momentum to continue into the second half.
IFA ROW OVER LEVIES
The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) faces substantial losses following a row over the collection of levies from farmers.
Larry Goodman’s ABP has thrown the cat among the pigeons by ceasing automatic collection levies on farm sales, a vital source of funding for the IFA.
The company claims it was acting on foot of persistent complaints from farmers about the way the tariff was administered.
The IFA, however, claims the move was designed to sabotage its funding arrangements and weaken its standing in the farming sector.
In response, it cancelled ABP’s authorisation to collect it, effectively jettisoning up to €300,000 in contributions from ABP suppliers.
Now all eyes on whether other processors will follow Goodman’s lead, a move that could have disastrous consequences for the farmers’ group, which is still reeling from a string of pay scandals involving former bosses.
MOTOR INSURANCE CRISIS
The Irish motor insurance market is in crisis, with premiums rising by almost 40 per cent a year. And there is little sign of relief for drivers. This week’s news that Gibraltar-based underwriter Zenith Insurance is to withdraw from the market will not lead to the same immediate crisis for policyholders as the Setanta collapse. Existing policies will remain in force and claims will be met. It further reduces competition in the market meaning premiums will probably continue to rise. Of course the problem appears to have been that previous competition for market share drove premiums down to unsustainable levels. Add in the high cost of claims here and you have a toxic mix which is hitting policyholders hard in the pocket.
EMPLOYMENT RISES
Amid all the dire warnings about Brexit, there was further good news for the economy this week with the Central Statistics Office’s Quarterly National Household Survey showing the number of people working in the State has reached two million for the first time since 2009.
The survey revealed unemployment had also fallen by 23,400, or 11 per cent, in the year to the end of June, pushing the total number out of work down to 187,800, marking the 16th consecutive quarter in which unemployment has fallen.
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While unemployment rates are up, with the July figure at 8.3 per cent as against the previous 7.8 per cent, the change was due to an increase in the labour force, rather than newly unemployed people. | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/business-week-crunch-time-for-apple-the-eu-and-us-1.2769338 | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/fdf5200327b1cca949b62b76bc297a6489a05b34fd068dde0fb9493bd33ebdc3.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T12:51:27 | null | 2016-08-28T12:26:00 | Obituary: Senior counsel fought pro bono for strangers who had fallen on hard times | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Flife-and-style%2Fpeople%2Fmarcus-daly-an-eloquent-skilful-and-generous-barrister-1.2770934%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2767106.1472383563!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Marcus Daly: An eloquent, skilful and generous barrister | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Marcus John Albert Daly, who died suddenly but peacefully at home in Dalkey, aged 78, had been Father of the Connaught Bar since November 1994.
Ever since, his tall, imposing and immaculately attired figure, ever warm, good-humoured and generous, had routinely greeted all judicial and official visitors to the Western Circuit..
He was born in 1937, the second son of Marcus John George Daly, a farmer, who tragically died just before his birth, and grew up happily on the family farm at Ballygaddy House, Tuam, Co Galway.
He often spoke of his contented life there, helping his mother manage the farm.
He was educated in St Jarlath’s College in Tuam, was admitted to the King’s Inns in 1955, and was called to the Bar in 1959.
Western Circuit
He immediately started practice on the Western Circuit, devilling for successful junior J Desmond Kearns.
He brought to his practice a strong work ethic and keen sense of organisation at a time when the professional life of a circuit-going barrister was approached on a more leisurely basis than today.
Notwithstanding the paucity of work on the circuit then, Daly soon became a successful junior and was appointed prosecutor for the Cos of Mayo and Galway.
He served in that capacity until he took silk in October 1975.
He quickly became the most successful barrister practising on the Western Circuit.
Experience as a prosecutor helped his criminal practice to develop and, for a while, he acted as a prosecutor in the Special Criminal Court.
He developed a familiarity with the then specialised Land Commission and, with valuation law, appeared in many cases before the valuation tribunals, and litigated seminal valuation decisions before the high court.
In the 1970s, Daly served in a judicial capacity as Ireland’s Judge Advocate General, reviewing decisions of military tribunals.
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He was called to the English Bar (Middle Temple) in 1984 but was never tempted to practice outside his beloved Western Circuit and the Irish Bar.
He will probably be best remembered for his exemplary conduct of many and varied civil jury trials.
Constant demand
His reputation for skill and eloquence in addressing juries was well earned but when juries in most civil cases were abolished in 1988 he remained in constant demand.
He was, when necessary, prepared to stand up to any judge to fight his clients’ corner. Some of his greatest battles were fought quietly pro bono on behalf of colleagues, friends and strangers who had fallen on hard times, a generosity he was unwilling to advertise.
Daly enjoyed nothing better than the company of his colleagues. He loved the good life in the best sense of those words, and when he arranged accommodation for guests the chosen hotel would be fully researched and even tested if necessary – matching best value to best comfort.
He met his wife Ethel, nee Ormston, in Dublin in the 1960s and they were married in Limerick.
They were inseparable, a lifelong love, and he adored their four children, Marcus (Jnr), Sharon, Ivan and Karl, their spouses and his 10 grandchildren.
He and Ethel travelled the world together but he enjoyed Madeira in particular.
He loved his golf and his golf club – Killiney GC.
Great passion
Opera was a great passion, and the couple were patrons and friends of the Dublin Grand Opera Society (the DGOS) and later Opera Ireland.
Every September, or thereabouts, a few of his like-minded friends were advised when they were expected at the Wexford Opera Festival, what operas they would attend and where in Wexford they would stay.
They were never disappointed. He always got it right. They wonder if they will ever go again. It won’t be the same.
If you said that to Daly, a friend observes, he’d say “Pull yourself together”. | http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/marcus-daly-an-eloquent-skilful-and-generous-barrister-1.2770934?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/0ecacc1aa17b52d3d0e14a51ac1e322b66372440b9c4ab340416945b6558c5cc.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T18:50:28 | null | 2016-08-27T17:47:00 | Brendan Rodgers’s side complete fine week to go back on top in Scotland | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fsport%2Fsoccer%2Fceltic-maintain-100-per-cent-record-with-win-over-aberdeen-1.2770849%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2770847.1472316408!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Celtic maintain 100 per cent record with win over Aberdeen | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Celtic 4 Aberdeen 1
Celtic rounded up a fine week sitting top of the Scottish Premiership with a convincing 4-1 win over Aberdeen at Parkhead.
Hoops hit-man Leigh Griffiths opened the scoring in the 13th minute with a storming 20-yard shot before striker Adam Rooney levelled in the 33rd minute in a rare Dons attack.
Midfielder James Forrest, however, restored Celtic’s lead in the 42nd minute and with three minutes remaining Scott Sinclair grabbed the third with a penalty with Dons defender Mark Reynolds sent off for picking up a second yellow card after bringing him down, before midfielder Tom Rogic added the last-gasp fourth.
Brendan Rodgers’s side went into the game on a high after qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in three years with a 5-4 aggregate win over Hapoel Be’er Sheva on Tuesday night before drawing Barcelona, Manchester City and Borussia Monchengladbach in their section.
After the international break, Celtic will host Rangers for the first time in four years – the Hoops leapfrogged the Ibrox men at the top by a point and with a game in hand – before travelling to the Nou Camp for the first of their Group C games.
It is exciting times at Celtic Park.
Rodgers dropped goalkeeper Craig Gordon and gave a debut to 35-year-old Dorus de Vries who recently signed a two-year deal from Nottingham Forest, having worked with the Hoops boss at Swansea.
Defender Erik Sviatchenko and midfielder Rogic came in to the starting line-up at the expense of Saidy Janko and Callum McGregor. Defender Ash Taylor and striker Wes Burns returned to the Dons side with Miles Storey on the bench and Peter Pawlett out with a groin strain.
Following an early attempt by Burns which flew high and wide, Celtic took control, showing no signs of fatigue from the midweek trip to Israel.
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In the 11th minute Rogic crashed a left-footed drive off the crossbar with Anthony O’Connor’s mis-kicked clearance from the rebound gratefully gathered by Joe Lewis.
However, the Dons goalkeeper was not so lucky two minutes later when Griffiths slipped the ball through the legs of Pittodrie midfielder Kenny McLean before unleashing a vicious left-footed drive from 25 yards which flew in off the post.
The Scotland striker then ran the length the park to hold up a t-shirt with ‘RIP Kieran’ on it, in tribute to teenage Celtic fan Kieran McDade who died while training with his local team in Coatbridge last week.
The home side grew in confidence and Forrest missed the target from a Sinclair cut-back when it looked a certain goal.
In a rare attack the visitors levelled.
Former Celt Niall McGinn slipped past right back Mikael Lustig near the by-line and when his cross was cut out by defender Kolo Toure, Rooney reacted quickly to turn and curl the ball into the far corner past De Vries.
The goal surprised the home side but three minutes from the break Rogic picked out Forrest inside the box and the Scotland international, with the outside of his right foot, sent the ball hurtling past Lewis.
With the last kick of the half Griffiths came close with a low drive and eight minutes after the break Sinclair’s goal-bound drive was deflected by Taylor for a corner which was desperately scrambled clear.
Celtic finished strongly and in the 87th minute Reynolds, booked minutes earlier for a foul on Rogic, bundled Sinclair to the ground as he went through on goal with referee Bobby Madden sending him packing.
The Hoops winger forward drove in the penalty before Rogic put the icing on the cake with a 20-yard drive in the 90th minute. | http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/celtic-maintain-100-per-cent-record-with-win-over-aberdeen-1.2770849?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/b360ed058a5482989704f026f51ebc8cf66e5805d47647941bc752d96da14dce.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T16:52:47 | null | 2016-08-30T16:48:00 | Former tánaiste was involved negotiations between Farc delegation and government | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2Fpodcast-eu-envoy-eamon-gilmore-on-colombian-peace-deal-1.2773268%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2773264.1472572085!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Podcast: EU envoy Eamon Gilmore on Colombian peace deal | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | “I remember sitting in the hall in Havana last June when the bilateral ceasefire was announced and the leader of the Farc delegation, Timochenko [Rodrigo Londoño], stood up and said ‘this is the last day of the war’.”
Former tánaiste and minister for foreign affairs Eamon Gilmore was present in Havana, on that and four other occasions, as the EU’s special envoy to the peace process, “meeting with the negotiators from the government side and from the Farc side, the guarantors from the Cuban government and the Norwegian government”.
And the war was over, more or less. Timochenko, commander of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) announced last Sunday that his fighters would cease hostilities with the government yesterday, ending 52 years of fighting.
On this week’s World View podcast, Gilmore talks about how the deal was reached and how it is designed to withstand backlash from those in Colombia who oppose it.
Overly generous
There are plenty of those unhappy with the deal, and what are seen as its overly generous terms for Farc members who committed violent acts. They will be granted a sort of amnesty that limits punishment to a “loss of liberty” in a non-prison setting and community service.
“That is for people who fess up. If they don’t do it within the time limit, they continue to be subject to the normal law. They can be prosecuted and if convicted they get the full whack.”
Gilmore says his experience dealing with the peace process in Northern Ireland came in useful when meeting victims of Farc violence in Colombia.
“It’s interesting to be able to talk with them about our experience of that, and to talk frankly about how uncomfortable people felt with those arrangements. But when you look at what is achieved, you bring the violence to an end. And that is a very big prize.”
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Also on the podcast, Ruaidhrí Giblin reports from Iraqi Kurdistan, where an attack on the Islamic State stronghold of Mosul is imminent. | http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/podcast-eu-envoy-eamon-gilmore-on-colombian-peace-deal-1.2773268?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/54a0a754850b47f31906d82cc6a85cf02d55f90ba1d93e32b034f4a8c2ca2eaa.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T16:50:24 | null | 2016-08-27T17:37:00 | Crystal Palace earn late point at home to Bournemouth; Sunderland and Southampton ends all square | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fsport%2Fsoccer%2Fenglish-soccer%2Fpremier-league-round-up-shay-given-s-own-goal-gives-everton-victory-1.2770845%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2770843.1472315816!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Premier League round-up: Shay Given’s own goal gives Everton victory | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Everton 1 Stoke City 0
Ronald Koeman registered his first home Premier League win as Everton manager but required the assistance of Shay Given’s unfortunate own goal from a Leighton Baines penalty to achieve it.
The defender’s second-half spot-kick rebounded back off the post and the former Republic of Ireland goalkeeper to secure a 1-0 win which should, on the balance of play, have been far more comfortable.
Nevertheless the victory gave Everton their best start to a season since 2006 and ensured the renewed positivity at Goodison Park continues to grow.
Crystal Palace 1 Bournemouth 1
Crystal Palace earned a valuable draw at home to Bournemouth after a comeback inspired by substitute Wilfried Zaha.
Palace’s preparations for this fixture had been undermined by Zaha asking manager Alan Pardew for a transfer to Tottenham and concluded with him being named on the bench.
His second-half introduction transformed their performance and led to Scott Dann’s equalising goal, however, earning them their first point from their third league fixture of the season after Joshua King had given Bournemouth the lead.
The £27million club-record signing Christian Benteke may have been recruited to add the goals his new team had been missing but it was his half-hearted defending that led to Bournemouth’s 11th-minute opening goal.
His casual clearance from Andrew Surman’s free-kick only went as far as Harry Arter, who looped a pass to King from where the forward classily chested the ball down before finishing across the face of goal and inside the far left post.
Southampton 1 Sunderland 1
Jay Rodriguez’s first Premier League goal since March 2014 salvaged Southampton a 1-1 draw after Jermain Defoe thought his penalty had handed Sunderland a priceless away victory.
Stand-in Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford’s mistake gifted Southampton the leveller however, as the Black Cats’ deputy allowed Rodriguez’s strike to slip under his body in a cruel late blow.
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This was Pickford’s chance to come of Premier League age after Vito Mannone’s elbow injury, but the 22-year-old’s error proved very costly on the south coast.
England forward Rodriguez has spent the last two years battling serious knee ligament trouble, and even in midweek new Saints boss Claude Puel suggested he could go on loan for regular match action.
The 27-year-old will insist his late goal underscores his lasting abilities however, as he hit the Premier League net for the first time since a brace in Southampton’s 4-0 win over Newcastle at St Mary’s on March 29, 2014.
Defoe’s unrivalled sharpness so nearly sealed a vital win on the road for David Moyes’s men, but in the end both sides remain winless in the league after three matches. | http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/english-soccer/premier-league-round-up-shay-given-s-own-goal-gives-everton-victory-1.2770845?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/a55e0895680a22b9152522230647396ea8b4b9b72a68e400f3cd33e913c54cd3.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T16:50:10 | null | 2016-08-26T15:34:00 | Analysis: Independent News & Media chief will find it is a competitive world out there | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Fmedia-and-marketing%2Fif-inm-is-to-buy-growth-former-tesco-executive-pitt-must-go-shopping-1.2769523%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2769521.1472226842!/image/image.jpg | en | null | If INM is to buy growth, former Tesco executive Pitt must go shopping | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Independent News & Media (INM) has reported relatively strong half year results in a challenged industry. But it needs to find suitable digital acquisition targets and execute buyouts, fast, if investors are to stay interested in its story.
Its results for the six months to the end of June show cash balances of €62.4 million, up by a whopping 76 per cent since this time last year. Fully one-third of its market value is attributable to cash, and at the current rate of generation, this could top 50 per cent early next year unless it finds buyout deals.
Challenges
Given the challenges facing the newspaper industry, to be frantically looking for ways to spend your cash to drive future revenues is, in relative terms, a bit of a first world problem. But it is a still problem.
Stock market investors don’t buy into media companies to get a one-third slice of its bank account. That’s a boring story. They want a growth story instead, and INM needs digital acquisitions to deliver it.
But if INM appears too desperate to dig out suitable acquisitions and deploy its cash, it may end up overpaying on its targets.
It is a delicate balancing act for Robert Pitt, INM’s chief executive who joined the group from Tesco. He indicated on Friday it has now widened its search for digital acquisition targets beyond the UK. In Ireland, it also wants to mop up smaller print assets.
Competition
Pitt also provided some colour on the type of digital businesses it wants to buy: “We are not looking for small start ups. We are not looking for turnarounds. We want to buy businesses that will have a positive impact on the bottom line as well as the top. They must be well defined [but not niche].”
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In other words, Pitt is targeting, in the UK and elsewhere, the same sort of value-accretive digital media businesses that every other traditional publisher with an eye on the future wants to buy. INM has competition for those assets.
The longer the group sits on its hands waiting for the right type of acquisition target at the right price to present itself, the less bang it will get for its buck as other media companies swarm the same pool, driving up prices. | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/media-and-marketing/if-inm-is-to-buy-growth-former-tesco-executive-pitt-must-go-shopping-1.2769523?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/5ee86da343cb3c522e224e6d4f8bd60c039387b588f9aead8c7e08b30c52216c.json |
[
"Eoin Mcnamee"
] | 2016-08-27T06:50:38 | null | 2016-08-27T06:00:00 | Ed O’Loughlin crafts a big, time-shifting tale around a perilous polar expedition | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fculture%2Fbooks%2Fminds-of-winter-review-a-novel-wondrous-in-tone-and-reach-1.2764703%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2765840.1471966797!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Minds of Winter review: A novel wondrous in tone and reach | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Book Title:
Minds of Winter ISBN-13:
9781780871721 Author:
Ed O’Loughlin Publisher:
Riverrun Guideline Price:
£16.99
It is Van Diemen’s Land in 1841, in the years leading up to Sir John Franklin’s darkling sortie into the Arctic in search of the North-West Passage, from which none would return. The decks of his ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, are conjoined, a dance floor made between the two. A thousand mirrors are set to glitter in the rigging and to reflect the dancers on deck, their complex quadrilles setting the tone for Minds of Winter, Ed O’Loughlin’s gripping new work.
The disappearance of the Erebus and the Terror is the starting point of a series of interlocking journeys northward, each journey revisited in turn, the momentum of the years given shape by the Arnold 294 chronometer thought lost with Franklin but surfacing in a London auction room in 2009. Everything is coded and allusive. O’Loughlin is operating at the interstices of truth and history, of that which can be known and that which cannot.
In the present day Nelson Nilsson and Fay Morgan, strangers to each other, come to the Northwest Territories to unravel family enigmas. They are as much at sea as the vanished family members they are seeking. Fay’s grandfather Hugh Morgan – a career spook, a name not included on passenger manifests, a man whose job it is to set himself among the lost – is not to be easily tracked. Nilsson’s brother Bert has come unstuck in the wraith mists of the far north and threatens to take Nilsson with him.
Bert is not the only one to be led astray by ghosts. The Prince Albert expedition of 1851 to rescue Franklin is guided by a map dictated from the spirit world by the dead four-year-old Louise Coppin, or Little Weasy. At the end of that voyage the French Lieut Mellot is thrown into despair when he finds that he has been honoured by having a nonexistent strait named after him.
The ghost maps of Derry’s death-haunted Victorian parlours set beside the shifting cartographies of men’s search for the sublime.
People get lost in the snow, marooned in pack ice; they are lost in the whiteout of their own desires. Mellot disappears into a crack in the ice. Capt Oates walks into the darkness from his tent never to be seen again. The plane of Roald Amundsen – the first to navigate the North-West Passage – ditches in the Barents Sea, his body never found. Historic figures drift in and out of the text: Scott, Amundsen, Jack London, Capt Leopold McClintock, Ipiirviq, known as Eskimo Joe. Their lives taken elsewhere and returned to them, amplified in mystery.
There’s enough workaday suspense in the pages to keep the eye in, but O’Loughlin has the ability to conduct the reader to the portals of the strange without resorting to the off-the-shelf mechanics of genre. There are shifts in perception, subtle underminings. Chauncy Loomis is quoted: “One cannot map the sublime, or give it place names.” The arts of mapping, the acts of naming must take on a shamanic reach.
The esoterica of European history finds echoes in the northlands. Little Weasy’s chill voice comes back to us in the Inuit belief that the Northern Lights are dead children at play. The legend of Nazi meteorologists left behind in the frozen interior fuses with the ghoulish mythology of the Tunit, the bone tribe whom the Inuit dare not encounter. Our hauntings are their hauntings.
Hugh Morgan eludes us. It is his life’s study to do so. He meets his wife – Fay’s grandmother – when his flying boat drifts past her on the shore as he tests submarine-detecting equipment on Lough Neagh. He works on the early-warning line in the far north, cold-war installations. The Doppler masts. The White Alice antennae. There is a low hum of covert activity through the book. Don DeLillo’s sinister buzz of implication; Capt Oates’s friend William Meares coaches Morgan in covert arts; Room 38 is the Roswell of its time.
The point, though, is not conspiracy but the unseen. When he puts his ear to the great dishes of the early-warning system Morgan is listening not for Russian radio chatter but for the voices of the dead carried to him on eerie polar winds.
The men pitch themselves against the sublime. The women wait. The men seek out loneliness; the women have pickets of solitude set about them. Sophia, niece of John Franklin, will watch John Ross and Francis Crozier sail to their deaths as the expedition captains, one an object of desire, the other an unrequited suitor. Amundsen’s mistress Bess Magids will wait alone in the hotels of Europe for news that will never come. Ipiirviq’s wife, Taqulittuq, carries the Arnold chronometer with her as she once carried the body of a dead infant from which she would not be parted.
And in the present Fay has plenty to be going on with. Booze and desultory sex in functional spaces weren’t what she had in mind coming north. Nilsson can barely seem to prove his existence to himself, never mind to anyone else. The local cop has them down as the kind of people who wash up in end-of-the-earth places, spiritual flotsam with a deadend life ready and waiting. But in the end transcendence awaits them, whether they want it or not.
Minds of Winter is a big, complex book. Multiple stories are told in different voices and in different eras. Research is gathered and sifted. The voyages of the lost are without end and do not lend themselves to straightforward narrative. The pack-ice shifts above unknowable depths.
O’Loughlin has worked the essential harmonics and set the whole structure echoing. The final pages seem inevitable, as great endings must; the whole novel wondrous in its tone and reach. The title is from Wallace Stevens’s poem The Snow Man, where we’re asked to behold “Nothing that is not there and the nothing that is”. It takes a good writer to take that on. It takes a great one to succeed.
Eoin McNamee is the author of the Blue trilogy | http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/minds-of-winter-review-a-novel-wondrous-in-tone-and-reach-1.2764703?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/37d2da631b3dd0d40891259b721ebad2eab935917dc53d4c72901d8e79277302.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T12:51:10 | null | 2016-08-28T12:39:00 | Jazz guitarist became one of the most respected players of his instrument in world | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Flife-and-style%2Fpeople%2Flouis-stewart-legendary-jazz-man-known-by-all-as-louis-1.2770943%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2770942.1472384369!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Louis Stewart: Legendary jazz man known by all as Louis | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Though his laid-back demeanour and typical self-deprecation might have suggested otherwise, Louis Stewart was widely regarded as one of the world’s leading jazz guitarists, an effortlessly fluent exponent of classic be-bop with a deep understanding of the jazz tradition, to which he made a signal contribution.
In a career that spanned six decades, Stewart toured and recorded with many of the world’s leading jazz musicians, including legendary US band leader Benny Goodman and the renowned English pianist George Shearing.
As well as his peerless instrumental prowess, he was noted for his dark sense of humour, and tales of his often acerbic wit are part of the lore of Dublin’s jazz community. His influence on that community was incalculable, and the preponderance of guitarists on the contemporary Irish jazz scene is almost entirely due to his influence. He had the distinction – accorded only to the very greatest jazz musicians – of being referred to by his first name only.
First guitar
Louis Anthony Stewart was born in Waterford on January 5th, 1944, to Tony and Mary (nee Ryan). Though the city of his birth is often cited in profiles of Stewart, it is somewhat misleading as both his parents were from Dublin and the family spent only a short period in the south east. Within a year of his birth, the Stewarts moved back to Dublin and Louis grew up on Harty Place, off Clanbrassil Street, and attended Synge Street school.
At 14, he purchased his first guitar from Waltons on Camden Street, and at 16 he made his professional debut with the Chris Lamb showband. That band also included 20-year-old pianist Jim Doherty, who would become Stewart’s life-long friend and collaborator.
By the age of 20, inspired by his hero Barney Kessel, Stewart had committed himself exclusively to jazz, and his reputation rapidly grew. In 1968, he was part of the Jim Doherty Quartet that won the Press Prize at the Montreux Jazz Festival. Stewart returned to Montreux the following year and won again, this time as best European soloist, a prize which included a scholarship to Berklee College of Music in Boston.
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Stewart would never take up that offer. Instead, he relocated to London, joining the quartet of leading UK saxophonist Tubby Hayes and embarking on a series of tours with Benny Goodman. Between 1975 and 1979, he was a fixture in the famous Ronnie Scott quintet, playing almost nightly in the saxophonist’s eponymous Soho club, where his playing attracted the attention of some of the leading jazz musicians of the day.
Though a stellar international career clearly beckoned, Stewart returned to Dublin in the late 1970s to raise his family, and became the linchpin of a burgeoning domestic scene. His peers included pianist Noel Kelehan, drummer John Wadham and saxophonist Dick Buckley. It was in this company that Louis was most comfortable, and his long-running residencies around the city – at Conways on Parnell Street, Slatterys of Capel street, and latterly in JJ Smyths on Aungier Street – were required listening for generations of Irish jazz musicians.
As well as numerous “side man” appearances with some of the greats of modern jazz, he made some 20 recordings under his own name, beginning with the remarkable Louis the First (1975), and including the highly rated solo recording, Out On His Own (1977) and Super Session (1985), a marvellous duo with UK guitarist Martin Taylor.
Joyce Notes
In 1982, inspired by his great love for James Joyce, he composed Joyce Notes, which he performed to great acclaim at the Cork Jazz Festival and at the National Theatre in Oslo. His last release was a duo with Doherty, Tunes (2013), a recording the pair had been threatening to make for half a century.
In late 2015, Stewart was diagnosed with cancer. He died nine months later, on August 20th, 2016, at Our Lady’s Hospice, Harold’s Cross. He was 72. He is survived by his widow Elizabeth (Betty), his daughter Gráinne and his son Tony, and by his grandsons, James and Conor. His eldest daughter Catherine died in 2010 after a long battle with cancer.
Louis Stewart achieved what no other Irish jazz musician before or since has managed – to become one of the most respected players of his instrument in the world. In recognition of that achievement, in 1998 he was awarded an honorary doctorate by Trinity College, Dublin, and in 2009, he became only the second jazz musician to be elected to Aosdána.
One of Louis’s wittiest remarks was also one of his last. At his funeral, Stewart’s son Tony told the large and illustrious gathering, which included President Higgins, that when he asked his father whether he wanted to be buried or cremated, Louis thought for a moment and said, “surprise me”. | http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/louis-stewart-legendary-jazz-man-known-by-all-as-louis-1.2770943?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/a99c287b641c57014579b018035e7253276ffb188b3d74ab03e2a0396c459226.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T08:50:17 | null | 2016-08-27T09:22:00 | The champions put their European heartbreak aside to go four points clear with win | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fsport%2Fsoccer%2Fnational-league%2Fdavid-mcmillan-helps-dundalk-return-to-winning-ways-1.2770719%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2770718.1472286139!/image/image.jpg | en | null | David McMillan helps Dundalk return to winning ways | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Wexford 0 Dundalk 1
David McMillan scored the only goal of the game as Dundalk got back to winning ways domestically at Ferrycarrig Park to move four points clear at the top of the Premier Division table.
Having lost their previous two league encounters, Stephen Kenny’s champions had to work hard for their victory, though, as Youths finished with ten men.
Central defender Brian Gartland returned after a six-week lay-off with a broken wrist in one of five changes to the Dundalk line-up from their Champions League exit to Legia Warsaw on Tuesday night.
Though Youths, with four changes themselves from their FAI Cup defeat of Sligo Rovers last week, started positively, with Jonny Bonney and Shane Dunne narrowly off target from distance. Good fortune Dundalk settled down to dominate much of the first half.
The champions deservedly went in ahead at the interval thanks to their match-winning goal which came after 38 minutes – helped by a slice of initial good fortune.
Dunne’s attempted pass near the halfway line ricocheted off Dundalk winger John Mountney to give McMillan a run on goal.
And the in-form striker had the pace to hold off the backtracking Conor O’Keeffe before drilling his shot past Graham Doyle to the net for his 13th league goal of the campaign and 18th of the season.
Dundalk remained in command into the second half with Robbie Benson forcing a save from Doyle with a powerfully struck free kick on 59 minutes before Wexford were reduced to ten men a minute later.
Youths’ midfielder Peter Higgins, booked in the first half, was shown a second yellow card following a foul on the visitors’ Sean Gannon. | http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/national-league/david-mcmillan-helps-dundalk-return-to-winning-ways-1.2770719?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/c2101db90ed3fd61f815a5e0f42f00dce3914a0b691226e54551d39660ec922b.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T18:51:05 | null | 2016-08-28T19:09:00 | Sentiment to the fore as trainer scores first Group win in almost three years | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fsport%2Fracing%2Fstrength-in-adversity-as-john-oxx-returns-to-form-at-the-curragh-1.2771209%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2771207.1472407763!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Strength in adversity as John Oxx returns to form at the Curragh | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | John Oxx would be as appalled at sympathy, and the very idea of it seems incongruous for one of the most successful trainers in Irish racing history. But if that didn’t apply, there was still no shortage of sentiment at the Curragh on Sunday after Sea Of Grace’s popular Group 3 success.
Her exciting victory in the Flame Of Tara Stakes was a first Group win of any sort for her legendary trainer in almost three years.
That it contained the sort of potential which provoked 25-1 quotes for next year’s Oaks, also conjured hopes she can ultimately prove to be a first Group 1 winner for Oxx in almost seven years, possibly even as soon as Sunday week’s Moyglare Stud Stakes.
It was 1988 when Oxx won the Moyglare with Flamenco Wave, just one top-flight success in a sparkling career CV that reached a peak in 2009 with Sea The Stars’ season which confirmed him one of the all-time greats of the game.
Just an hour after Sea The Stars’ famous Arc success, Alandi landed the Prix Du Cadran at Longchamp, and the idea that he would be Oxx’s final Group 1 winner for much of a decade would have been scoffed at. However, it has been a tough ride for the 66-year-old trainer since then.
Sea The Stars’ half-brother, Born To Sea, who recorded his first pattern winner as a sire with Sea Of Grace, finished runner-up to Camelot in an Irish Derby in 2012, but a general slide in fortunes was accentuated by the Aga Khan withdrawing his patronage, and now Oxx is down to a string of 45.
If Harzand’s Derby success this year for his Curragh neighbour Dermot Weld stung – especially considering he trained both Harzand’s sire and dam – then Oxx hasn’t let on and instead continued to campaign with the class and good sense that has long made him such an acclaimed and popular figure.
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Sentiment
So if it was odd to associate ‘little guy’ sentiment with a former champion trainer with more than 30 Group 1 winners – including some of the greats in racing’s modern history – and a filly carrying the colours of the fabulously wealthy Tsui family from Hong Kong , then it didn’t prevent widespread delight.
Sea Of Grace confirmed her maiden defeat of Erziya by a neck in a time almost two seconds faster than the colt Yucatan won an earlier maiden and still left Oxx pondering whether she will be better on softer ground.
“It was fast enough for her. They went a good gallop and she has a good turn of foot. Declan (McDonogh) gave her a squeeze and off she went. Then I thought she would get beaten, but she has plenty of heart,” Oxx said.
“If there’s an ease in the ground we may let her take her chance in the Moyglare. It’s only two weeks away, but we’ll see how she is,” he added.
As well as Yucatan, Aidan O’Brien also saddled a Group 3 double, with Somehow, who could have earned herself a Group 1 ticket to the Matron Stakes, landing the Snow Fairy by seven lengths.
“Seamus [Heffernan] said not to be afraid of going back with her for the Matron. She’s getting quicker,” said O’Brien. Somehow was installed as low as 10-1 for the Leopardstown prize on Saturday week. Heffernan got a one-day ban for careless riding in this race.
Intelligence Cross was taken out of York’s Gimcrack due to the ground but missing some work on the back of that made no difference to the colt, who easily landed the Round Tower and may wind up in the Middle Park Stakes.
Pulled muscle
O’Brien reported that his star juvenile to date, Caravaggio, sustained a pulled muscle about 10 days ago and although ok again, the Phoenix winner is “not guaranteed” for the Middle Park.
Sea Wolf had only half a length in hand of Sikandarabad at the line in the €100,000 Cambridgeshire, but could be identified as a likely winner for much of the last half of the big handicap prize.
“I’m delighted for [owner] David Spratt who picked this horse out of the horses-in-training sales and has a great record of picking winners,” said Ger Lyons, who is set to aim the horse at a Champions Weekend handicap. | http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/racing/strength-in-adversity-as-john-oxx-returns-to-form-at-the-curragh-1.2771209?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/b7d8f8e784e5d1a0754a6a0cb4e93b94548410d2339845434f424dfbd7127940.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:47:56 | null | 2016-08-22T12:37:00 | Salaries for construction careers yet to rebound despite jump in demand for courses | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Fwork%2Fwhat-do-the-best-paid-graduates-do-in-college-1.2764425%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2764424.1471878546!/image/image.jpg | en | null | What do the best paid graduates do in college? | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Want to earn €120,000 a year or €32,000? Opting for a particular course, or institution, because of the financial rewards it may bring is not a route many would advise school leavers receiving their CAO offers today to take. Nonetheless, figures from Emolument.com, which crowdsources market data, show the wide disparity in salary expectations certain careers – and colleges – can offer.
As a guide – and note it’s just a guide, salary figures will depend not just on the college you opt for or the course you study, but also your own aptitudes as well as the company you work for – the data offers a useful insight.
But remember, as construction and architect graduates experienced so vociferously during the bust, career prospects do change and a course which may offer a stellar career path when you enter it, may look a lot different by the time you graduate.
Most financially rewarding colleges
As might be reasonably expected, universities look for higher points for entry, and therefore typically offer greater rewards than institutes of technology and other educational institutes. Someone with 15+ years of experience for example, and a degree from University College Dublin (UCD) will earn about €88,379 on average, compared with €45,000 for a graduate from the National College of Ireland.
This is also largely true at junior level, where a graduate with 1-4 years’ experience from University College Cork (UCC) can expect to earn about €35,500 on average, compared with €27,000 at nearby Cork Institute of Technology.
Graduates of Trinity College Dublin who opt for courses like business, economic and social studies (510 points) or mathematics (565) and end up working in financial services are some of the best paid graduates in the country, figures from Emolument show.
Indeed, TCD graduates working in financial services earn an average of €120,000, while the figures for those working in London is even higher at €122,004.
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Finance (515 points) graduates of UCC who go into related growth areas of compliance, are among the best paid in the university, attracting annual average salaries of €78,696, the data shows.
Unsurprisingly, given the breadth and depth of Ireland’s IT sector, computer science graduates from institutions all around the country tend to perform well in salary surveys.
Graduates of courses like software development (380 points) at Cork Institute of Technology for example, earn an average €60,961, or €64,287 at University of Limerick (computer systems, 380 points).
Demand for courses related to the construction and property sector may have rocketed this year on the back of the economic recovery, but salaries don’t appear to have rebounded, as of yet. Graduates of Waterford Institute of Technology working in architecture, real estate and design jobs (construction management and engineering, 250 points; quantity surveying, 295 points) are among the lowest paid from the college, at €38,793.
Engineers however, earn an average of €49,877 in Ireland, figures from Emolument show, while engineering graduates from UCC, where the required points soared by 75 to 490, earn €65,949.
Not so well paid are those emerging wtih degrees in languages, although it obviously depends on what route the graduate takes. At TCD for example, language graduates (european studies: 535) who end up working in translation earn €32,143 on average, while the figure is €32,198 at UL (applied languages, 415 points).
And those looking to pursue a career in media, through courses such as journalism (420) or multimedia (450) might want to prepare for some bumps on the road however. Figures show that graduates working in media, communications and advertising are among the lowest paid from DCU, earning average salaries of €34,914.
MBA style courses, which today’s school leavers may not yet have on their horizon, are one way they could look at to boost their earnings in the future – although most attract a hefty price tag. Graduates of executive management and change at DCU for example, can command an average salary of about €97,000, marginally above earning expectations for a similar course in the University of Limerick, at €96,000. | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/work/what-do-the-best-paid-graduates-do-in-college-1.2764425?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-22T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/e36481ee58cafcd50c4cb28493c9d09aaa0fc4bb87bd08cc30510b78bd74be89.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T14:52:11 | null | 2016-08-30T15:21:00 | We could give the Government an open tab in the Dáil bar for 10,833 years | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Foffbeat%2Fwhat-could-ireland-buy-with-the-13bn-apple-tax-1.2773156%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2773155.1472566839!/image/image.jpg | en | null | What could Ireland buy with the €13bn Apple tax? | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | The European Commission has found that Apple owes the Irish State € 13 billion in back taxes after ruling that the technology giant’s tax arrangements in Ireland constituted a form of illegal state aid.
That works out as approximately €2,732 for every single person in the Republic of Ireland.
So, what could the Irish State buy with that €13 billion? Here are a few ideas:
1. MacBooks for everyone in the audience
If Apple settles its debt by doling out merchandise, each person in Ireland would get approximately one 15 inch Mac Book Pro, valued at about €2,800.
2. Free pints for TDs
If the Government chose to spend the entire sum on free pints and food in the Dail, they could have an open tab for 10,833 years, meaning they wouldn’t pay for a cheap Guinness until the year 12849.
3. A Spire in every school
We could build roughly 3,250 replicas of the Spire on O’Connell Street in Dublin. Enough for each of Ireland’s 3,200 primary schools, with a few left over. OR, we could stack them end-on-end on O’Connell Street, tip the whole lot over in a south-easterly direction, and it would reach Oxford.
4. Shelve motor tax
The Government could pick up everyone’s motor tax bill until about the year 2028.
5. The Irish Times
The State could buy one copy of The Irish Times for every single person in the Republic of Ireland every single day of the week (except Sundays, of course) for the next four years. Sure what more would you want?
6. Tim Cook
The CEO of Apple, Time Cook, is worth roughly €704 million. So by our calculations, you could buy 1,847 Tim Cooks.
7. Dublin to Lisbon
It costs an average of € 8 million to build one kilometre of motorway in Ireland, meaning you could build1625km of motorway. That would get you from Dublin to Lisbon.
8. Steve Jobs’ black turtleneck
In memory of the co-founder of Apple, Steve Jobs, you could buy 97 million replica black turtlenecks, his favourite item of clothing.
9. The fiscal chasm
The fiscal space – allowing tax cuts and increased spending - is expected to be about € 1 billion in October’s budget and about €11 billion between now and in budgets up to 2021. So the Apple tax windfall could deliver tax cuts and spending increases until then (with € 2 billion left over). All assuming Fianna Fáil supports them of course.
10. Olympics
The Brazil Olympics cost an estimated €1.43 billion, meaning Ireland could host nine Olympic Games and still have change. | http://www.irishtimes.com/news/offbeat/what-could-ireland-buy-with-the-13bn-apple-tax-1.2773156?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/fd5bc8e0e07cdd3beb84af003ba95d5e3cdf21a57a63921c6b697ce9d5640780.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T22:51:13 | null | 2016-08-28T22:30:00 | Dublin manager praises team’s control in All-Ireland football semi-final win over Kerry | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fsport%2Fgaelic-games%2Fgaelic-football%2Fjim-gavin-we-stuck-true-to-our-values-that-saw-us-home-in-the-end-1.2771250%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2771244.1472412160!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Jim Gavin: ‘We stuck true to our values - that saw us home in the end’ | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Ask all you like, but Jim Gavin’s emotions are his own and not for sharing. Aliens peering in on the Dublin press conference would have presumed a dismal day at Croke Park. The sombre mood, of course, was business as usual for Gavin, despite this being a performance to file alongside their greatest.
Polite to a fault, Gavin drives one gear only: rigid formality, shelving each performance as a separate entity that must be instantly forgotten.
You look pleased. Well, almost pleased. “Pleased in the performance?”
Yes. You, yourself, satisfaction?
“For them to demonstrate that level of control, for me that is the most satisfying thing. To play against such a great team as Kerry, for them to ask so many, many questions of the team and to demonstrate that level of control for the full duration of the game, that’s what is the satisfying thing from the management’s perspective.”
Compare it to 2013’s semi-final against Kerry. “I have moved on from that game, I’ve never looked back on it.”
Be the best they can
Come on, come on. “How the team performed? The job of the management group is to get these players to be the best they can be, it’s as simple as that. Very satisfied with that level of control but all it is is a semi-final.”
What of the interval? “Half- time is just a break in play. What counts is when the referee blows his final whistle.”
On this being the time of their lives? “There is no team that is the best in the country.”
Paul Geaney laying hands on Stephen Cluxton’s kick-out leading to Darran O’Sullivan’s goal? “These things happen.”
“We are very much, in some respects, open and vulnerable. That is very much part of our game plan. We accept against a team like Kerry they are going to score against you.
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“But we stuck true to our values. That saw us home in the end.”
Kerry outscored Dublin 2-4 to nothing in 10 minutes before half-time. Did their approach surprise you? “No.”
Kevin McManamon’s late shoulder on Peter Crowley left Éamonn Fitzmaurice unquotable and Kerry supporters disgusted, even seeking out referee David Gough: “That’s what we want to see, physicality, shoulder to shoulder.”
What about Mayo’s semi-final victory over Tipperary? “Didn’t see it. Our focus was on the Kerry challenge. We have absolutely no business to be looking at any other game other than the opposition for today.
“And we still won’t look at them. We will do our wash up of this game, take what we can from it, and in a couple of days time focus on them. See what we need to do to get a performance in 21 days’ time.
“We have never anchored ourselves to the past. We won’t be starting now.” | http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/jim-gavin-we-stuck-true-to-our-values-that-saw-us-home-in-the-end-1.2771250?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/2d268536e3bffd4d18a170530b73c86c9a812908514482aff402973c62b2bff6.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T22:52:12 | null | 2016-08-30T21:51:00 | Stephen Kenny’s men strolled past leinster Senior League side Crumlin United at Oriel park | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fsport%2Fsoccer%2Fnational-league%2Fall-too-easy-for-dundalk-as-they-book-place-in-fai-cup-quarter-finals-1.2773608%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2773607.1472590272!/image/image.jpg | en | null | All too easy for Dundalk as they book place in FAI Cup quarter-finals | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Dundalk 5-0 Crumlin United
Dundalk set up an FAI Cup quarter final showdown with UCD after ruthlessly dispatching Leinster Senior League side Crumlin United at Oriel Park last night.
Lilywhites boss Stephen Kenny made a host of changes but it took the cup holders just eight minutes to make the breakthrough. Ciaran O’Connor’s pull back was dummied by Robbie Benson and Chris Shields curled home a stunning left footed effort from just over 20 yards.
Dundalk continued to press forward and the lively Carlton Ubaezuono cut in from the left to let fly with a vicious effort that Stephen Conlon did well to tip over the bar.
The pressure eventually in the 25th minute. Centre-back Paddy Barrett controlled a Robbie Benson free kick on his chest before expertly rifling home off the inside of the post.
The tie was put beyond Crumlin right before the break. Shane Grimes broke on the left and when Ciaran O’Connor stepped over the subsequent cross, Dean Shiels stroked the ball home in style to mark his full debut with a goal.
Ciaran O’Connor should have made it four nil in the 68th minute but he just couldn’t divert Ubaezuono’s delicious cross from the left past Conlon.
His younger brother, however, made no mistake six minutes later. Keane delivered from the right and Michael O’Connor rose to power a superb header past Conlon.
Ubaezuono continued to impress and he picked out Shields at the near post in the 78th minute, the skipper hammering home his second of the night.
CRUMLIN UNITED: Conlon; Forsyth, Murray, Kenna (S Kelly 70), Coone; D Kelly (McGuinness 60), L Kelly, Mooney, McGreal; Murphy; Hurley (Cummins 86).
DUNDALK: Sava; Poynton, Keane, Barrett, Grimes; Shields, Benson (Gartland 58); M O’Connor, Shiels (Gannon 85), Ubaezuono; C O’Connor (Dalton 70).
Referee: Rob Rogers.
Attendance: 600. | http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/national-league/all-too-easy-for-dundalk-as-they-book-place-in-fai-cup-quarter-finals-1.2773608?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/b851120d2b6e132321d687001ef1bb3d9e5d83fdf458e25b99623144fc2c7991.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T10:49:01 | null | 2016-08-30T11:23:00 | New office is an ‘important milestone’ for company CEO says | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Ftechnology%2Fse2-to-double-jobs-at-new-waterford-operation-over-3-4-years-1.2772938.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2772939.1472552651!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Se2 to double jobs at new Waterford operation over 3-4 years | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Life and pensions administrator Se2 said on Tuesday it will double the workforce at its new Waterford operations to 135 employees over the next three-four years.
The US company has an existing fulltime team of 70 and hope to fill out its 135 seat office space over the coming years, and opened its new Waterford offices today, in what is an “important milestone” for the company, chief executive Gautam Thakkar said.
“ This is a sign of our continued commitment to the region, which is an important hub for our global service delivery model, and we are excited about this investment in our business.”
Se2 supports services more than 1,000 life and annuity products for more than 20 clients, and has approximately $100 billion in assets under administration.
Janet Dulohery, VP and head of human resources with Se2 said that the company is still interested in “hearing from ambitious people, who are similarly enthused about making a real impact on the US life and pension industry.”
The announcement is the latest jobs win for the region. Earlier this year healthcare company OPKO said it will create 200 highly skilled jobs over the next five years through the expansion of its EirGen Pharma facility in Westside Business Park in Waterford. | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/se2-to-double-jobs-at-new-waterford-operation-over-3-4-years-1.2772938 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/2f672ca1e9f495ec0500cfc169dc6826dfb94f029adda4eaa77a1aea5e64b961.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T00:48:55 | null | 2016-08-30T01:00:00 | Denis O’Brien’s company formally withdraws New York Stock Exchange listing plan | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Ftechnology%2Fdigicel-secures-150m-bank-facility-as-ipo-remains-on-ice-1.2772224.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2772218.1472492410!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Digicel secures $150m bank facility as IPO remains on ice | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Denis O’Brien’s Digicel is understood to have agreed a $150 million (€134.3 million) banking credit facility to bolster its financial flexibility as the mobile phone operator keeps plans to raise equity and float on the stock market on hold.
While the Bermuda-based group decided last November to scrap plans to raise up to $2 billion and list on the New York Stock Exchange it only formally withdrew its filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission last week.
“The company is requesting such a withdrawal in light of currently unfavourable market conditions that make any offering of common shares by the company inopportune,” it said in a statement, dated August 26th.
Digicel’s chief executive Colm Delves told The Irish Times at the end of June that he didn’t expect to make another attempt to float the business for 12 to 18 months, although he said at the time that the company will remain “opportunistic”.
The group’s earnings, which dipped 1 per cent to $1.165 billion in the year through March amid currency weakness in several of its markets across the Caribbean and South Pacific regions, declined further in its fiscal first quarter amid ongoing foreign exchange woes.
“Digicel reported weak results, especially in Papua New Guinea, while FX (foreign exchange) headwinds continues to be a significant drag on earnings,” CreditSights, a credit research company, said.
It is understood that Digicel’s net debt fell slightly year-on-year in June. The figure stood at $6.156 billion at the end of June 2015, after subtracting the company’s $312.5 million cash position from its total borrowings.
However, CreditSights said that the company’s leverage, or debt in relation to earnings, “continues to rise and is now at very high levels.”
Digicel’s subscribers across 33 markets rose by 200,000 to 13.9 million during the quarter to the end of June. Mr O’Brien founded the company in Jamaica in 2001, a year after he got $285 million from the sale of his shares in mobile phone company Esat Telecom to British Telecom.
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“Digicel doesn’t publish quarterly earnings but we’re very pleased with underlying first-quarter performance in local currency,” a spokesman for the company said. “Digicel’s outlook remains positive as we monetise our substantial network investment in recent years.”
Mr Delves had said in June that Digicel planned to spend between $150 million and $200 million less in the current financial than the $590 million invested last year developing the group’s networks.
CreditSights welcomed the company’s lower capital expenditure levels in the first quarter.
It emerged in April the Mr O’Brien had started in the second half of 2015 to waive his $10 million-a-quarter cash dividend payments until business improves.
Digicel’s $2 billion of bonds, which fall due in 2020, have recovered from a low of 77 US cents on the dollar in February to 91 cents, helped by a recovery in investor appetite in high-yielding debt in emerging markets over the course of the year. | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/digicel-secures-150m-bank-facility-as-ipo-remains-on-ice-1.2772224 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/57798e3a16d04514f131f6130a9681658f34e1676ba7936f117636e291974378.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T06:52:15 | null | 2016-08-30T07:20:00 | Gene Wilder dies; deaths in Cavan; Apple to owe billions; bus strikes; Kyrgyzstan blast | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fireland%2Firish-news%2Ffive-things-you-need-to-know-today-1.2772845%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2772844.1472538027!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Five things you need to know today | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Gene Wilder dies aged 83
Hollywood comic actor Gene Wilder has died of complications from Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 83. Wilder had worked only erratically since the death of his wife Gilda Radner, also a gifted comic actor, of cancer in 1989.
http://iti.ms/2bWr0OW
Deaths at Cavan home
Earlier yesterday morning were called to a house in Co Cavan where the bodies of Alan and Clodagh Hawe and their children Niall (11), Ryan (6) and Liam (13) were found in what is being treated as a murder-suicide.
Assistant Garda Commissioner John O’Driscoll described the scene as “a grim discovery”. The alarm was raised at about 10.45am when someone, believed to be a relative, called to the house and became suspicious.
http://iti.ms/2bWrjcF
Apple to owe ‘billions’ to State
The European Commission will today find that Apple owes the Irish State “billions of euro” in back taxes when it rules that the technology giant’s tax arrangements in Ireland constituted a form of illegal state aid.
http://iti.ms/2c6CbCp
Bus strikes
Hundreds of thousands of Dublin Bus passengers are facing six days of disruption in September with staff set to stage a series of strikes. Trade unions will today serve formal notice on the company of the planned stoppages, with the dispute believed to involve up to three strikes of 48-hours duration each next month.
http://iti.ms/2bWqY9Q
‘Suicide attack’ at Chinese embassy in Kyrgyzstan
A car exploded near the Chinese embassy in Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday, killing its driver and wounding three people, the healthcare ministry said. More to follow on this story.
http://iti.ms/2c6BGZ6
And finally. . . Much to love about Perth but family draws Irish emigrants home: During a recent visit to Australia, The Irish Times held a focus group in Perth to explore how Irish people who had moved there in the last decade feel about life in the most isolated city in the world, versus what they expect it would be like in Ireland if they were to move home.
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http://iti.ms/2c6E81N | http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/five-things-you-need-to-know-today-1.2772845?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/1284501002b3b6d352ab1fa0648326cd8b48a820cf0f7d492b4f20111723d6e7.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T04:51:55 | null | 2016-08-30T05:00:00 | Lorraine Lally was diagnosed with epilepsy when she was eight years old | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Flife-and-style%2Fhealth-family%2Fliving-with-epilepsy-lorraine-a-barrister-says-she-is-lucky-to-be-self-employed-1.2764378%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2764376.1472219382!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Living with epilepsy: Lorraine, a barrister, says she is lucky to be self-employed | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Barrister Lorraine Lally was diagnosed with epilepsy when she was eight. “It’s a life-long medical condition which you need to be brave about but I’ve always told people I have it,” says Lally.
A well-educated advocate for people with hidden disabilities, Lally admits that the difficulty most people have is the fear of having a seizure. “Up to 70 per cent of epilepsy can be controlled with drugs but, unfortunately, I am in the other 30 per cent of people whose epilepsy can’t be controlled,” she explains.
So, Lally always tells her friends that protecting her head is the most important thing to do if she has a seizure. “In my case, the body goes rigid and then moves into a jerky state. The key is to put something under the head of someone having a seizure as the body will usually recover by itself.
“I ask people to put me in the recovery position [lying on one’s side], to use one of my hands to keep my airways open and the other to prevent me rolling backwards. It’s useful to time the length of the seizure,” she explains.
Most seizures last for between 60-90 seconds and an ambulance should be called if a seizure lasts for more than three minutes.
Lally says education and a supportive work environment are keys to coping with epilepsy. “I’m lucky that I’m self-employed and can manage my time.”
She says that spending long hours on computers can be difficult for people with epilepsy.
“There is a high number of adults with epilepsy who are unemployed due to misunderstanding about the condition. A lot of trade unions offer advice to people with hidden disabilities and there is good support for employers now.”
Lally says regular meals, adequate sleep and advanced planning are essential. “I’m meticulously organised about what I do. My condition doesn’t affect me cognitively. I manage my days. I don’t drive and I’ve great support from colleagues. I believe in focusing on what you can control and seeking supports if you need them,” she says.
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As part of her ongoing effort to educate herself and inform others, Lally is training to be an emergency medical technician with the Order of Malta ambulance services. “I think everyone should know first aid and be taught how to help someone who has a seizure,” she says.
She adds, “all people with epilepsy want is equality of opportunity – the same options and choices that everyone has on a given career path”.
“Success is relative but the chance to succeed should not be limited. Give a person with epilepsy the chance to shine and they will as I have been permitted to do – with great love and encouragement.”
Sylvia Thompson | http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/living-with-epilepsy-lorraine-a-barrister-says-she-is-lucky-to-be-self-employed-1.2764378?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/d0ac833521ce68f8e9e8679ce70219c83c8d1f7f3693555413f87640fb75db1f.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T22:50:13 | null | 2016-08-26T22:43:00 | Returning Cian Healy shows up well in Donnybrook while Gibson-Park impresses | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fsport%2Frugby%2Fmoments-of-promise-draw-the-sting-out-of-defeat-for-leinster-1.2769925%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2769924.1472247897!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Moments of promise draw the sting out of defeat for Leinster | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Bath 39 Leinster 19
The final scoreline was distorted by two late, converted tries for Bath, the English side a fuller incarnation of their strongest side than their hosts at Donnybrook.
Leinster coach Leo Cullen used all 29 players, some more than once, and will be reasonably satisfied with substantial swathes of the rugby played by the home side.
They didn’t die wondering. They put width on the ball and looked to offload where possible in the tackle. It was far from flawless but the intent, and at times execution, was laudable.
There were positives too from an individual perspective. Cian Healy was lively on his return. Rob Kearney distributed to good effect, while Garry Ringrose exuded class. His footwork and lines of running were of a particularly high calibre. Jamison Gibson-Park was impressive on his debut, his speed of thought and passing ensuring that Leinster were able to play with a high tempo.
Catching the eye
Rory O’Loughlin had a brilliant game across a variety of positions. Noel Reid, Dan Leavy, Joey Carbery and Peader Timmins caught the eye; so too Adam Byrne.
If there was one moment in the opening 40 minutes that supporters will hope is a barometer of things to come, it materialised in the build-up to a try from secondrow and captain Ross Molony; a homily to sharp angles, intelligent offloading, clever support lines and excellent footwork.
Healy, took a super angle onto Mike McCarthy’s pop pass, Dan Leavy and Gibson-Park passed out of the tackle, and when the ball was flung wide Ringrose’s shimmies bamboozled a couple of defenders. On the recycle, Gibson-Park’s flat pass allowed Joey Carbery to send Moloney under the posts.
It was the high watermark from a Leinster perspective in that half but there were other moments of great rugby clarity, collectively and individually.
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And still the home side trailed 20-12, giving up 13 points to their opponents in the first 12 minutes.
Leinster got a little narrow in defence at times, didn’t fill the field, got caught with a few doglegs and, with numbers down out wide, looked for a couple of man-and-ball tackles that were a split second late.
Their opening try was also characterised by attacking fluency, Healy getting a nudge on his side of a scrum, Gibson-Park hitting Rob Kearney on a flat ball and the fullback finding Adam Byrne with a beautifully timed pass for the winger to score in the corner.
Bath too played rugby that was easy on the eye, scoring a brace of their own; a standout moment was the wonderful pass out-of-the-tackle by England fullback Anthony Watson.
Fluency
Cullen made nine changes at half-time and another four before 10 minutes had elapsed in the second half. Even after that they kept coming. It’s understandable that the fluency of the first half gave way to more disjointed fare.
Leinster did have chances, replacement Barry Daly just failing to gather a clever chip through with the try line beckoning and there were one or two other moments when a better decision in possession might have yielded a try.
Instead it was Bath who extended their lead, the forwards making the hard yards to give Semesa Rokoduguni an easy run in; although he was to receive a yellow card soon after when deliberately batting down a try scoring pass. Barry Daly was denied on that occasion, but minutes later he was sent scampering over for a try by the excellent O’Loughlin.
Breakaway try
Ross Byrne converted from the touchline but a breakaway try from replacement Harry Davies and another from Ford following a blocked-down kick ensured that the honours on the night went to visiting side. The final margin was a tad harsh but Bath deserved their victory.
LEINSTER: R Kearney; A Byrne, R O’Loughlin, N Reid, G Ringrose; J Carbery, J Gibson Park; C Healy, J Tracy, M Bent; R Molony (capt), M McCarthy; J Murphy, D Leavy, P Timmins. Replacements: P Dooley for Healy, N McCarthy for Gibson Park, J van der Flier for Timmins, D Ryan for Murphy, I Nagle for Moloney, B Byrne for Tracy, C Marsh for Carbery, Z Kirchner for O’Loughlin, B Daly for Kearney (all half-time), J Loughman for Bent, H Triggs for McCarthy (both 46 mins), T Daly for Reid, O’Loughlin for Ringrose (both 49 mins), A Porter for Dooley, Murphy for Nagle, Timmins for Leavy (all 60 mins), C Rock for McCarthy, R Byrne for Marsh (63 mins), Marsh for A Byrne (73 mins), S McNulty for O’Loughlin (76 mins).
BATH: A Watson; J Williams, M Clark, D Bowden, S Rokoduguni; R Priestland, K Fotuali’i; N Auterac, R Batty, H Thomas; L Charteris, D Attwood; M Garvey (capt), D Denton, T Faletau. Replacements: N Catt for Auterac, C Ewels for Charteris (both half-time), T Ellis for Denton, D Sisi for Faletau (both 49 mins), G Ford for Priestland, T Dunn for Batty, K Palma Newport for Thomas, H Davies for Williams (all 61 mins) , R Jennings for Bowden (62 mins). Referee: F Murphy (IRFU) | http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/moments-of-promise-draw-the-sting-out-of-defeat-for-leinster-1.2769925?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/4b336c5b9658fa1f3f354382221cf90cc7a8ddd33ec09fd36d05f2733c7c752b.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T04:52:05 | null | 2016-08-30T05:35:00 | User data will be shared with Facebook but most of us won’t do anything about it | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Fmedia-and-marketing%2Fwhatsapp-changes-the-rules-and-hopes-for-opt-out-inertia-1.2771975%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2771962.1472477216!/image/image.jpg | en | null | WhatsApp changes the rules and hopes for opt-out inertia | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | As corporate statements in this digital-first data hungry advertising environment go, WhatsApp’s reassuringly smug media primer, “remember, when advertising is involved, you the user are the end product”, was always likely to come back to bite.
Published by the free messaging app in 2012 in a blog post entitled “Why we don’t sell ads”, its advertising-free “hey we won’t sell out to the man” ambitions were lofty. And then, last Thursday, WhatsApp users learned there is no such thing as a free phone call: the company announced it is to share user data with its parent company, Facebook.
In a change to its terms and conditions WhatsApp quietly told its billion-plus users they have just 30 days to opt out before their phone numbers, online status and other information such as, for example, their software choice, will be handed over to Facebook. The social network with its 1.7 billion users, which has long been trying to winkle phone number and address books out of its own users, will then use WhatsApp numbers to improve its “friend suggestions” – which might sound vaguely friendly but more importantly it’s to offer better targeting to its advertising.
The new terms and conditions invite users to “Share my WhatsApp account information with Facebook to improve my Facebook ads and products experiences”.
WhatsApp, which has been admirably uncluttered in terms of advertising, says the change will not mean that banner ads will be appearing on its platform – so technically it will still not carry advertising – but that the “move will explore ways for you to communicate with businesses that matter to you”, a curious inversion of the dynamic of what happens in the real world of marketing communications where it’s not so much you that sets out to communicate with businesses but vice versa.
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Encrypted
The messages sent by WhatsApp users will still be encrypted end-to-end, meaning neither social media giants will be reading them so there is, so far anyway, no chance that the contents of a message might be data-mined and targeted by advertisers: that WhatsApp message you had with your friend wondering about the best drill to buy won’t result in a bombardment of ads for home improvement gadgets on your Facebook feed.
The new change, though, will permit business accounts who currently communicate through SMS, such as airlines advising of delayed flight or banks notifying of large withdrawals to communicate via WhatsApp – a move that users may fear will herald a slow drip, drip of advertising, or spam, into the app.
That Facebook should seek to leverage the WhatsApp user base for advertising purposes is hardly surprising. The company bought the mobile messaging service for $19 billion (€17 billion) in 2014 and while at the time WhatsApp said there would be no significant changes to its terms and conditions that seemed unlikely given the enormous number of customers and their data it was bringing the table.
While WhatsApp customers can opt out from their information being used for ad targeting by Facebook – by unticking the data sharing box having scrolled down the very many pages of terms and conditions – they will not be able to stop their data being shared by WhatsApp to its owner Facebook.
Bone of contention
The fact that users have to actively opt out (as opposed to the more transparent consumer-friendly opt-in mode) is already a bone of contention as are the obvious data protection issues that arise with such a transfer of personal information – suddenly WhatsApp which publicly prided itself on its emphasis on privacy doesn’t seem so private anymore.
With 25 days to go, it is difficult to gauge how many WhatsApp users will seek to limit the use of their data by Facebook for advertising purposes by opting out, or how many will delete the free app and change over to one of its competitors such as Telegram. Or, as is most likely, will passively accept that as Facebook has so much information on them anyway, it may as well have their numbers.
Last year, media planning agency MediaVest in a survey of 1,000 Irish online users found that while a vast majority said they were concerned about privacy issues in the online space, only 15 per cent could be bothered to even read the terms and conditions. Inertia is the advertiser’s friend. | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/media-and-marketing/whatsapp-changes-the-rules-and-hopes-for-opt-out-inertia-1.2771975?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/677a0a7fdc5c6a3ff21dd60f4b7b2bac6a6cb8175c4d6ba1750cfe92051ebe3e.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T00:52:06 | null | 2016-08-30T01:05:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fopinion%2Fletters%2Fpat-hickey-and-brazilian-justice-system-1.2772144%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/assets/images/favicons/irishtimes.png | en | null | Pat Hickey and Brazilian justice system | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Sir, – As a former honorary national secretary of Athletics Ireland, I had occasion to cross swords with Pat Hickey on a number of occasions. Our exchanges were robust, to say the least. He is a most uncompromising negotiator, which is not always a virtue when a solution to a problem is being sought.
That being said, I find it hard to believe that he is guilty of what he appears to be accused of. Whatever the case there is a legal procedure in place and we have no option but to trust in the Brazilian justice system. In the meantime, is it really necessary to confine him in a high-security prison? At 71 years of age, with known health issues, and having surrendered his passport to the authorities, he can hardly be regarded as a flight risk. Surely he could be released on bail so that he could oversee the preparation of his defence, and enjoy the comfort of his family. Better still if he could be returned to Ireland on the basis of assurances given.
On a humanitarian basis, I believe this is not too much to ask. – Yours, etc,
DERMOT NAGLE,
Dublin 7. | http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/pat-hickey-and-brazilian-justice-system-1.2772144?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/ec9a50feafc83905deddffd57e0adb35d5bd4301d3258fc3bf30d7605ec43fc5.json |
[
"Martina Evans"
] | 2016-08-27T04:50:45 | null | 2016-08-27T05:00:00 | Timothy O’Grady has written a chilling account of how children are affected by parental addictions | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fculture%2Fbooks%2Fchildren-of-las-vegas-review-a-modern-day-fairytale-1.2760763%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/assets/images/favicons/irishtimes.png | en | null | Children of Las Vegas review: A modern day fairytale | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Book Title:
Children of Las Vegas: True Stories about Growing up in the World's Playground ISBN-13:
978-1783522507 Author:
Timothy O’Grady Publisher:
Unbound Guideline Price:
£14.99
Timothy O’Grady has a long history of working with other voices, other artists; from the earlier, lesser known, Curious Journey: An Oral History of Ireland’s Unfinished Revolution (1982) co-authored with Kenneth Griffiths, which features nine powerful interviews with 1916 veterans, to his acclaimed I Could Read the Sky (1998), its poetic vernacular of an Irish emigrant matched with Steve Pyke’s stunning photos.
Children of Las Vegas’s fine production includes 10 Steve Pyke black and white portraits forming a counterpoint with 10 interviews. Further counterpoint is provided by a prologue and a series of interleaved short essays by O’Grady. These profound meditations operate like a chorus or cinematic device that pulls back from the up-close, intense interviews to provide a bird’s eye view of Vegas: “a small galaxy throbbing on the desert floor. Las Vegas may like to take away your sense of time and space but it will always remind you of what you are there for”.
O’Grady came to University of Nevada Las Vegas for a writing fellowship and stayed on for a second year to teach. “It was among the last places I expected to be at that stage of my life, but there I was.” Out of O’Grady’s class of 26 students, all but one worked, “full time mostly at the casinos. One occasionally missed class because of a conflict with his shift as a stripper. Some worked through the night or did double shifts at the weekends. They carried debts, some up around $40,000, lived with their parents and were legally considered dependants”.
One day, when not a single student had read the assigned story, a conversation opened up between O’Grady and his students. They began to talk about the difficulties of their lives, overwhelmingly overshadowed by the parents who came to the world’s greatest playground to make their fortune, only to be sucked into cycles of intense addiction which rendered them capable of sacrificing everything, and especially their children.
“I let it run. It seemed to feed on its own momentum, like testimonials in church. They spoke of routinely losing their homes, of raising themselves, of having their identities stolen in credit card frauds committed by their parents. There were overdoses, desert shoots-outs, suicides … as if a jail door had opened for a time.”
The seed was planted for the book. One by one, the 10 eventual subjects came to O’Grady’s apartment, where he began to record their stories.
Christopher Erle, although caught up in a variety of Las Vegas “proffered vices” was cured of gambling at 16, “walking through the casino pushing the cart with the little box I folded myself into and my hand balancing canes and I stopped dead … this woman at a slot machine smoking a cigarette, sipping at a cocktail while she fed in her coins, completely magnetized. Now that’s normally a sight that would make you pause for thought in a casino, but the fact that she was wearing her wedding dress … I mean, happy honeymoon, doll.”
Kaitlin Reaves talks of her mother: “She drank five litres of wine once, over a weekend. She has a nurse friend who had to come over with an IV to hydrate her. She more or less lives in the garage and I think she likes it as she doesn’t have to see anybody. The money just goes, evaporates, likes it’s been sucked into some hole in the earth. My dad’s pay cheques go on debts and what he gambles.” The reader is gripped as the stories follow each other, stepping stones through a dark hell lit up by garish lights.
These are brave, honest, articulate stories, the children wise beyond lifetimes. While the parents bury their heads in the sands of their addictions, on the other hand, the children see everything and they don’t look away. A quote from Robert Fulghum precedes the first interview: “Don’t worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you.” This quote is repeated on the back cover, reminding us that not only is Las Vegas a metaphor for American society or global consumer greed, it is also a mirror of all human desires and failings. Children of Las Vegas is a modern fairy tale, much more than a sum of its parts.
After each interview, the camera pulls back as another meditation slots into place, the list of titles a poem in itself: “Machines”, “Paradise”, “Signs”, “Childhood”, “Time and Water” and “Backstage”, where metaphysics and geography combine once more to illustrate the appalling waste and how thousands of Navajo villages in Arizona were destroyed by the Black Mesa mine. The killer coal leaves by “chute and travels by rail up to the generating station, where it is converted into the power that pumps water to Phoenix and ignites the lights of Las Vegas that shine for you”.
Martina Evans is a poet and novelist. The Windows of Graceland, New and Selected Poems is published by Carcanet | http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/children-of-las-vegas-review-a-modern-day-fairytale-1.2760763?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/53ac7dd7e2f71d625516fc3f2d6e043b947e1c9a9742f3759e47818461520535.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T04:52:36 | null | 2016-08-31T05:00:00 | Colliers says sale price of €625 per sq ft underlines increasing values in the Georgian market | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Fcommercial-property%2Fgeorgian-on-fitzwilliam-square-sells-for-2-8m-1.2772915%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2772913.1472550319!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Georgian on Fitzwilliam Square sells for €2.8m | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | In a further sign of the recovery in values on Dublin’s Georgian squares, Colliers International has secured just over €2.8 million for 26 Fitzwilliam Square, well above the €2.35 million guide price.
The house is on the south side of the square, and is in immaculate condition. It has a floor area of 418sq m (4,500sq ft) and six car spaces to the rear. However, the sale did not include a mews building which is held under separate ownership.
The house is let to tenants including Adare Cosmetics and Grafton Recruitment at an overall rent of €92,000. The net initial yield will be only 3.1 per cent.
Michelle McGarry of Colliers said the sale price of €625 per sq ft underlined the increasing values in the Georgian market and the higher demand for these properties.
Last December Colliers sold the vacant 40 Fitzwilliam Square for €2.1 million, equating to €507 per sq ft. A year earlier the same agency got €2.45 million for number 43 – the equivalent of €570 per sq ft– with the benefit of a potential mews site. Both properties were bought by international investors.
With the property market in the doldrums in 2012, 10 Fitzwilliam Square was sold for a mere €950,000, reflecting a capital value of only €257 per sq ft.
Ms McGarry says the much improved demand for the houses since then has come from domestic and international cash buyers as well as others looking to reconvert them to residential use. | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/commercial-property/georgian-on-fitzwilliam-square-sells-for-2-8m-1.2772915?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/f9710604e74d2e8e81024c22efcf7472fc72762684d0b1c03378e4ec8fe6aa89.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T14:50:32 | null | 2016-08-26T15:40:00 | Mark Cunningham ‘built a successful life’ in Australia but after five years he’s heading back to Galway | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Flife-and-style%2Fgeneration-emigration%2Fyou-can-t-replace-family-so-we-re-moving-home-from-perth-1.2769528%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2769527.1472222390!/image/image.jpg | en | null | ‘You can’t replace family so we’re moving home from Perth’ | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Mark Cunningham and his family are among an increasing number of Irish people who are moving back to Ireland from Australia.
I was an insurance assessor back in Ireland, and the downturn in the economy had put a strain on life. I always wanted to experience Australia, so my wife and my two girls, now aged 12 and eight, decided to make the trip over here in 2011. Two companies offered me sponsorship so I picked one in Melbourne, and stayed with them since.
I came out on my own at first as my wife was waiting on redundancy. She and the kids were meant to follow me four weeks after, but in the end, we were a split family for 10 months. We spoke on Skype every day, but that of course is not the same.
I put my head down and kept working, and in the last four and a half years I have built what I feel is a successful life here. I came over with a two-year plan, we said we would give it that no matter what, but I thought we would stay forever when I saw how good life was - all our ducks were lining up in a row and I thought, this is brilliant, this is the life. So we decided to build a house in Melbourne, which we sold before coming to Perth this year.
I am really happy with how it has gone in Australia overall, but now we are moving back. My wife is leaving with the two girls next week and I am following. We are going back on our terms. We could have stayed here and continued having a great life, but our kids are at a good age where they can start in a new secondary school in Ireland.
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Every day of the week, Perth would win hands down when you pitch the positives against the negatives, but you cannot replace family and friends, and that’s the thing that kills us.
I think a lot of people back at home think I am living the dream, on the beach at 3pm every day sipping cocktails. But Monday to Friday, you still have to get up and go to work, do a day’s graft. In the evenings and at the weekends you have the great weather, but you are not here on holidays.
There are so many great sides to Perth, and I wouldn’t knock anyone who says, I am staying here forever. I can see a life here, definitely, but I can also see a life at home and that is the one I have chosen.
I have made friends here, don’t get me wrong, but it is not the same. It can feel like you are a kid again, knocking on someone’s door and asking them to be your friend. I have met some really beautiful Australian people who I know will be friends for life out here, and I have met some really nasty Irish people too. Nationality doesn’t come into it for me. It is about not having those long-term relationships. You can’t talk to someone you only know three months about what you’ve grown up with. They are not going to know about your school, your mam and dad. I chat away to people here, but forming a connection is hard. Going back home, I think I will appreciate my friends more than I did when I was with them.
I am afraid of my kids being around the drinking culture that is associated with being at home, where people drink to get drunk. That seems to be the Irish way, which is why the Irish probably have a bad reputation here. I think we are all tarred with the same brush when it comes to alcohol. But there are a lot of people who really respect the Irish. Workwise, we have a great reputation. I know from hiring guys that the Irish fellas will turn up for work every single day without fail, they won’t let me down.
I am going back to Galway, and the price of accommodation is a big concern. Prices have gone up so much. It will cost us about €1,300 for a standard three-bed. I have a house here in Perth with a pool for the same price.
We have to start from scratch when we get back, buying everything all over again from duvets and bedsheets to winter clothes. If the Government wants more emigrants to return, some sort of resettlement package or a tax incentive would be a good incentive, to help people get back on their feet.
I’ve never been clearer in my head about what I want. It is not a knee-jerk reaction, I could keep making Australia a success, but I want to grow old with my family and my life-long friends, my mam, my wife with her mam and dad, our aunties, uncles, cousins… you cannot replace that. I love the sun, I’m in shorts every day here, but you cannot replace family, and that’s it. | http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/generation-emigration/you-can-t-replace-family-so-we-re-moving-home-from-perth-1.2769528?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/058d43b54a6fc3980eef44ac34850ebb5f45f84a753f668f67d8d5fa84478f95.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T12:48:48 | null | 2016-08-29T12:04:00 | Cliff Taylor answers the big questions ahead of the European Commission’s decision | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Feconomy%2Fq-a-what-exactly-is-at-stake-in-the-apple-tax-issue-1.2771902.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2771896.1472471378!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Q&A: What exactly is at stake in the Apple tax issue? | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | The European Commission is expected to shortly issue its final decision on the way Apple paid tax in Ireland.
How did it start?
In 2013 a key subcommittee of the US Senate held hearings into the tax affairs of various big US companies, amid a growing controversy about how little tax they paid on profits earned outside the US.
The hearings were chaired by high-profile senators John McCain and Carl Levin, and Apple chief executive Tim Cook was among those called for questioning. The hearings highlighted how two significant Apple subsidiaries in Ireland had paid tax of 2 per cent or less on profits over many years, well below the headline Irish corporation tax rate of 12.5 per cent.
The senators dubbed Ireland a “tax haven”, a point hotly disputed by the Irish government. Apple said it had got a tax incentive deal when it came to Ireland in the 1980s, but that it had not received any special treatment – and had established huge operations here that were central to its European operations.
Where did the European Commission come in?
In 2014, the European Commission announced that it was opening an investigation into the tax arrangement of Apple in Ireland, Starbucks in the Netherlands and Fiat and Amazon in Luxembourg.
It is important to understand the basis for these investigations. The EU Commission is claiming that EU member states – including Ireland – offered illegal state aid to the US companies involved. In other words, it is saying Ireland offered Apple a deal that was overly generous and not on offer to other companies.
The commission’s decision will thus be against Ireland – though obviously it has implications for Apple.
So what exactly is the commission looking at?
As with all such investigations, this comes down to specifics. The commission is looking at two so-called “tax rulings” issued by the Revenue Commissioners to Apple in 1911 and 2007.
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These rulings are common and give companies some certainty about how the Revenue will impose taxes. However, in the case of Apple, the European Commission argues that a proper basis was not used for agreeing how Apple would be taxed – and that the Irish Revenue effectively gave the US giant a good deal, in recognition of it providing jobs and investment here.
The details relate to the way Apple accounted for costs and revenues across Europe – and how this led to significant profits for its Irish operations – and the way the profits of its two key subsidiaries here were calculated.
What do we expect the commission to conclude?
The commission already issued a preliminary decision in 2014 saying it believed Ireland offered Apple illegal state aid. It looks certain to confirm this in its final ruling. It will then tell Ireland it must collect tax from Apple that the US company should have paid over the years.
The big uncertainty is the figure. Earlier estimates,largely based on a report by investment bankers JP Morgan, were that the commission could tell Ireland to recoup up to €19 billion – an enormous sum. Expectations are that the final figure will be much lower.
In Dublin the hope is that it can be kept under €1 billion, though nobody knows for sure.
What happens when the decision gets issued?
There will be a storm of international publicity, given the huge international interest in the issue. Rightly or wrongly, other European countries and the US will all feel that some of this tax revenue rightly belongs to them, rather than Ireland.
Ireland and Apple are seen as certain to appeal the decision to the European courts. However the Government may be obliged to issue a tax demand to Apple in the coming months in any case. The legal appeal process could go on for years.
So is this more cash for the exchequer?
It is a potential windfall –but one that the Government does not want. Ironically, the Government will be appealing a decision that a big company must pay it money. The Government will argue that it has no option, given the impact of the negative decision on Ireland’s long-term drive to attract inward investment and the fears it could create among other companies here.
The greater the amount of cash involved, the bigger will be the political controversy over this.
Ministers have been told that if the money is paid to the State at some stage , EU rules would mean that – as it is a once-off payment – it would have to be used to pay down debt, rather than used to fund extra Government spending.
Much will depend on how much cash is involved.
The Government will appeal the decision – no matter what political flak this involved.
But the bigger the amount, the trickier the politics of this will be,both at home and abroad. | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/q-a-what-exactly-is-at-stake-in-the-apple-tax-issue-1.2771902 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/f966e00c47ac42db21e0cb763e6d0ab45914df6ae377729a1adb9a2ed59485aa.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T10:52:16 | null | 2016-08-30T10:00:00 | Kay Cairns contributes to the gender episode of this week’s Women’s Podcast to demystify terms such as non-binary, gender fluidity and cisgender | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Flife-and-style%2Fpeople%2Fas-non-binary-someone-not-strictly-a-man-or-a-woman-i-m-seen-as-too-confusing-to-discuss-1.2772871%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2772870.1472544439!/image/image.jpg | en | null | ‘As non-binary, someone not strictly a man or a woman, I’m seen as too confusing to discuss’ | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | “Hi, I’m Kay and I use they pronouns.” This is a regular and necessary conversation starter for me. People automatically assume because of the way I look that I’m a woman and use ‘she’ pronouns. I’m actually non-binary, someone who’s not strictly a man or a woman. There are a lot of us, and at a recent Irish trans youth camp we made up well over half the participants. But you don’t see us talking on TV, on the radio or in the papers. Non-binary people are seen as too confusing to talk about.
It’s surprising then that almost half of Britons feel gender is non-binary, according to the Fawcett Society, in a survey of 8,000 people.
So we might ask - what is it to be a man or a woman? Is it having a penis or a vagina, is it being physically strong or weak, is it being emotionally cold, versus in-touch with our emotions? Or are these all silly stereotypes that don’t make much sense to us in the modern world?
If you’re not transgender and you’re reading this, you’ve probably never had to think about gender. You’ve never had to identify it and ask questions of what gender you are and why. I’m asked these questions pretty regularly because, as a transgender person who’s not strictly male or female, I’m seen as different. In these situations, and many others, it can be useful to have words to describe gender. Words like cisgender, transgender and non-binary.
Instead of saying ‘normal’, to describe someone who isn’t transgender, we can say cisgender. (Someone who is cisgender typically identifies with the gender they were assigned at birth.)
To describe someone who’s a man or a woman (whether they’re cisgender or trans) we can say they have a binary gender. When talking about me and those like me, we can use the phrase ‘non-binary.’
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It’s important to have words like these and respect them. The same goes for pronouns. Some people don’t feel comfortable using he or she, and will use they. Zie and ey pronouns are also gaining ground. There’s no reason to disrespect these pronouns just because they’re not the norm. These terms have come about out of comfort and creativity. One’s got to ask, who has the agency on words? We build up on them as we go along.
Day in, day out, we all reinforce different norms, formed by the way we were brought up as kids. In my case, I grew out my hair, wore make-up and shaved my legs, because that’s what all my friends were doing in the highlands of Scotland in the early 2000s. But had I been brought up somewhere else in the world or some other era, with a different culture around gender and expression, I might have done differently.
We’re all different. I like to think of us all as stars in a cosmos. We each have different ways of being who we are - whether it’s the way we dress, the way we behave, or the way we identify ourselves. None of us can completely fit inside either a male or female stereotype. Indeed there are so many stereotypes outside the western world, and throughout history we aren’t all aware of. We’re a mish-mash of our experiences, our preferences, and our deep-set feelings of gender. The way you feel and express your gender could be very different to that of the person sitting beside you. You’re different stars in this big old universe of identity and expression.
If we think of gender in this way, as a cosmos where we all have different ways of being, transgender identities don’t seem so confusing. The problem is, we’re just not used to thinking about what makes us, us. And we only need to think about it if we defy the norms around us, the norms we grew up with after being told we’re a little boy or a little girl.
We’re taught to think that if we continue to identify as a boy or a girl growing up, and fill the roles set before us, that we’re normal. If we don’t fit the norms, we’re seen as different, and at worst, ‘freaks’.
It’s difficult to exist in a world that views us this way.
That’s why, when I figured out my identity, I set up a support and advocacy organization for people like me who are non-binary. It’s only a year old, but has made a big impact on the people who have come in contact with it. We’ve over a hundred members who meet up for coffee, chat and get support online through our Facebook page, working together to create space for us in a binary world where issues such as gendered bathrooms, legal identity and housing need to be discussed.
Slowly but surely we’re coming out of the dark and being seen. We’re not confusing, we’re just another part of the cosmos.
Non-Binary+ Ireland is a group for any and all non-binary+ people living in Ireland. The plus is there to include a wider spectrum of identities, including genderqueer, demigender, bigender, agender, gender non-conforming, questioning etc. If you’re non-binary+ and would like to be added to our secret discussion space, pop us an email at nonbinaryirl@gmail.com. Find us on Facebook: fb.com/nonbinaryirl
Listen to Kathy Sheridan in conversation with Kay Cairns, Dr Colm Noctor and writer Chris Ricketts on this week’s Women’s Podcast on Soundcloud, iTunes and Stitcher | http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/as-non-binary-someone-not-strictly-a-man-or-a-woman-i-m-seen-as-too-confusing-to-discuss-1.2772871?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/4c916071c8ab2f4fae486582b0e65e2dfda55aa86994e9f8cf8ead79791eab44.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T10:52:57 | null | 2016-08-31T11:29:00 | Mortgage loans fell at a rate of 1.9% over the year to July, new Central Bank figures show | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Feconomy%2Fhighest-annual-growth-in-lending-since-early-2009-recorded-1.2774175%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2774174.1472640608!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Highest annual growth in lending since early 2009 recorded | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Irish households drew down more in new loans than was repaid in the three months to the end of July, leading to the highest annual growth in lending since early 2009.
New figures from the Central Bank show €98 million more was drawn down than was paid back with new lending greater than repayments for medium-term loans, which typically cover car purchases, furniture and holidays, only.
Repayments by short and long-terms borrowers continued to outpace new lending activity, the bank said.
Loans to households adjusted for loans sales and securitisations, were down 3.2 per cent in July compared with the same month a year earlier.
The data show mortgage loans, which account for 83 per cent of onbalance sheet household loans, decreased by €103 million last month. On an annual basis, mortgage loans fell at a rate of 1.9 per cent with households repaying €1.5 billion more than was advanced in new lending.
Non-housing loans for consumer and other purposes were down 2 per cent over the last year while deposits from households rose 2.8 per cent, increasing by €559 million in July alone.
The latest figures show households were net funders of the Irish banking system for the thirteenth consecutive month. Banks now hold €7.4 billion more household deposits than loans, as against early 2009 when loans exceeded deposits by €53.5 billion.
“Although encouraging in some aspects, the overall banking data are still a cause for concern,” said Alan McQuaid, chief economist at Merrion Capital.
“ Households and businesses appear to want to pay down out-standing debt which is fine. However, with the cost of funding remaining high, particularly compared with the euro zone average, there seems to be no real incentive to take on new borrowings, which is a concern as regards boosting economic activity going forward,” he added. | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/highest-annual-growth-in-lending-since-early-2009-recorded-1.2774175?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/4a01e8f05ac2d1e72b05bf4018ee45912ad1ac2800b372a98ba59f8b3ab1890b.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T18:51:25 | null | 2016-08-28T17:48:00 | David Plouffe: Republican presidential nominee ‘meets clinical definition’ of personality disorder | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2Fus%2Fdonald-trump-a-psychopath-says-ex-barack-obama-aide-1.2771130%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2771123.1472403427!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Donald Trump a ‘psychopath’, says ex-Barack Obama aide | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | A former top adviser to President Barack Obama on Sunday labelled Donald Trump a “psychopath”, saying the Republican presidential nominee met the clinical definition of the personality disorder.
With a little more than two months to go before the November 8th US election, the comments by David Plouffe, a former senior adviser to President Barack Obama and manager of his 2008 presidential campaign, mark another escalation in a series of blows exchanged between Trump’s camp and that of his Democrat rival Hillary Clinton.
“Basically, you have a psychopath running for president. I mean, he meets the clinical definition,” Mr Plouffe said in an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press.
Symptoms
When challenged, Mr Plouffe acknowledged he had no degree in psychology but rattled off what he said were the New York businessman’s symptoms: “grandiose notion of self-worth; pathological lying; lack of empathy and remorse”.
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Last week, Ms Clinton accused Mr Trump of fuelling America’s “radical fringe” with racist rhetoric, while Mr Trump said Ms Clinton was letting down black Americans with failed policies and called her a “bigot who sees people of colour only as votes, not as human beings”.
Mr Obama has also lambasted Mr Trump, saying of him: “Somebody who makes those kinds of statements doesn’t have the judgment, the temperament, the understanding to occupy the most powerful position in the world.”
Reuters | http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/us/donald-trump-a-psychopath-says-ex-barack-obama-aide-1.2771130?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/a86a3e8c11e75dd59435ff96e40ac09d93e42262d58d47a76d0c570501b63d5f.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T04:51:18 | null | 2016-08-29T05:35:00 | Vayu report shows 24 per cent of electricity demand supplied through wind in August | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Fenergy-and-resources%2Firish-wholesale-gas-prices-down-35-year-on-year-1.2770964%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2770962.1472388425!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Irish wholesale gas prices down 35% year on year | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Irish wholesale gas prices have fallen 35 per cent since this time last year, according to the latest energy market report from Vayu Energy.
Vayu, which supplies gas to 20 per cent of Ireland’s industrial and commercial market, said the drop in prices was due strong supplies, decreased demand and falling oil prices.
The company, which is backed by mining giant Glencore, also highlighted that gas prices were down 10 per cent on a monthly basis as August is traditionally a period of low demand.
Sterling performing poorly
“Abundant supply continues to be the main driver of gas prices for delivery next month, and there may be a further downside to winter prices as sterling continues to perform poorly against the euro, which is good news for euro-backed traders,” Vayu senior energy analyst Gillian Lawler said.
“Updated storage figures show European stocks are extremely healthy,” she said, pointing to a recent update from Centrica, which houses 70 per cent of the UK’s storage capacity.
However, she noted liquefied natural gas (LNG) deliveries have been disappointing as producers have engaged in competitive tactics to bolster global prices.
Cargos have been diverted from Europe to keep prices elevated to avoid the LNG market crashing altogether, Ms Lawler said.
Qatar has been sending cargos below market value to Japan and India, and the US is sending cargos to non-European markets.
It looks like 16 per cent of global LNG production will have come to Europe by the end of 2016, below some forecasts, she added.
Wind energy
Vayu’s report also highlighted that wind energy accounted for 24 per cent of electricity generation in August.
Wind generation reached a peak of 2,313 megawatts on August 3rd, meaning it had the potential to meet more than 52 per cent of total electricity demand on the island of Ireland at that time.
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Some 18,917 gigawatts of wind energy have been generated since the start of the year, representing 21 per cent of total electricity demand on the island of Ireland during this period.
Ireland’s 2020 renewable energy targets commit the State to sourcing 40 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources, such as wind. | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/energy-and-resources/irish-wholesale-gas-prices-down-35-year-on-year-1.2770964?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/5df3b7ef0e3e3a211af380320c68dde63237c75a076d76e038dfee51258b1d54.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T08:50:58 | null | 2016-08-28T08:53:00 | The probe soared 4,000kms above Jupiter at 209,000km/h five years after leaving Earth | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fscience%2Fspacecraft-juno-skims-jupiter-s-clouds-in-record-breaking-mission-1.2770908%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2770907.1472370775!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Spacecraft Juno skims Jupiter’s clouds in record-breaking mission | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | A spacecraft has skimmed the clouds of Jupiter in a record-breaking close approach to the giant planet. Juno activated its whole suite of nine instruments as it soared 4,000kms above Jupiter’s swirling cloudtops, travelling at 209,000km/h, on Saturday.
Nasa tweeted that Juno had successfully completed its closest ever fly-by to the planet right on schedule. It is the first of 36 such passes that the craft is scheduled to make over the next 18 months.
Rick Nybakken, Juno’s project manager at Nasa’s jet propulsion laboratory in Pasadena, California, said: “Early post-fly-by telemetry indicates that everything worked as planned and Juno is firing on all cylinders.”
Mission controllers at the space agency expect to capture stunning images and a wealth of scientific data from the approach, but it will take some days for all the data collected to be downloaded to Earth.
“We are getting some intriguing early data returns as we speak,” said Scott Bolton, principal investigator of Juno from the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio.
“It will take days for all the data to be downlinked, and even more to begin to comprehend what Juno and Jupiter are trying to tell us.
“This is our first opportunity to really take a close-up look at the king of our solar system and begin to figure out how he works.”
Nasa hopes to release a handful of close-up images from JunoCam, the probe’s panoramic colour camera, later this week. They should include the first detailed pictures of Jupiter’s north and south poles.
No spacecraft has flown so near to Jupiter before. The previous record for the closest approach to the planet was set by Nasa’s Pioneer 11 spacecraft, which passed at a distance of 43,000kms in 1974.
Only one other spacecraft, Galileo, which visited Jupiter and its moons from 1995 to 2003, has orbited the planet.
Although it was deliberately crashed on to Jupiter at the end of its mission, it orbited from much further out than Juno.
Powered by three huge solar panels, Juno was launched into space by an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on August 5th, 2011. It took five years to complete the 2.3bn-mile journey from Earth.
At the end of its 20-month mission, Juno will follow in the footsteps of Galileo by making a one-way plunge into the planet’s thick atmosphere.
Scientists are eagerly looking forward to analysing a treasure trove of data about Jupiter’s composition, gravity, magnetic field, and the source of its raging 617km/h winds.
A British team from the University of Leicester is playing a key role in the mission, focusing on Jupiter’s powerful magnetic field, its spectacular auroras, and its dynamic atmosphere.
The Guardian | http://www.irishtimes.com/news/science/spacecraft-juno-skims-jupiter-s-clouds-in-record-breaking-mission-1.2770908?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/ae7b5990d46688ef471f96da274b80280f87404e324e8bd922bf9efb0608d3bd.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T06:50:17 | null | 2016-08-27T06:00:00 | Art, music and literature are responding to the challenge of remembering momentous events | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fculture%2Fgemma-tipton-designing-memorable-memorials-is-harder-than-it-sounds-1.2767007%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2767005.1472051275!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Gemma Tipton: Designing memorable memorials is harder than it sounds | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | How we remember things is an interesting business. Neuroscientists and psychologists describe how even the act of remembering something changes memory. Experiences of where we are and how we feel at the time of remembering overlay the original, so it becomes a three dimensional thing, building through time and space.
That may be so, but when it comes to three-dimensional memorials, we’re frequently less than good at creating them. Anyone who ever felt in need of having a statue erected to themselves – or a person, or any cause dear to them – should read both Shelley’s Ozymandias, and even further back in time, the poet Horace. Shelley writes of “two vast and trunkless legs of stone” found in the desert, with the inscription “Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair.” “Nothing beside remains,” he adds.
Writing about 1,700 years earlier, Horace was being sarcastic when he claimed for his Ode (number 3.30) “I have created a monument more lasting than bronze”, but he was right. Words outlive the objects we create, and yet the need to make memorials has been to the forefront over the past two years as the Easter Rising, the outbreak of the first World War, and the mind-shattering death toll of the Battle of the Somme are all being commemorated.
Temporary memorials are less contentious. It’s difficult to imagine Paul Cummins and Tom Piper’s sea of 888,246 ceramic poppies that swept around the Tower of London in 2014 ever being able to be permanent, and yet they remain in the minds of all who saw them.
More troublesome
Permanent memorial – from the now-forgotten generals on horseback, to those whose legacies are not as straightforward now that history realises slavery and colonisation weren’t really an ideal way of going about things – are more troublesome.
At Oriel College, Oxford, earlier this year, students failed in their campaign to have the statue of Cecil Rhodes, founder of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) removed; and while removing monuments to periods one would rather forget seems the obvious solution, there’s also the problem of whitewashing the past.
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In Budapest, the intriguingly elegant solution is Memento Park (mementopark.hu), to which the plaques and monuments to the icons of the Communist period have been exiled. As the park’s designer, architect Ákos Eleöd said: “This park is about dictatorship. At the same time, because it can be talked about, described, built, this park is about democracy. After all, only democracy is able to give the opportunity to let us think freely about dictatorship.”
Those now-clumsy and aggrandising memorials to past heroes also let us see what’s wrong with society and where adjustments, and new experiments in fairness need to be made. At this year’s Edinburgh Art Festival (edinburghartfestival.com until August 28th) the art commissions have come under the heading, borrowed from Horace, of More Lasting than Bronze. These include Roderick Buchanan’s Understanding versus Sympathy (2016), a video looking at Irish historian Owen Dudley Edwards’ take on the ideas of James Connolly. Another is Ciara Phillips’s Every Woman a Signal Tower, a “dazzle ship” focusing attention on lesser known histories of women in the first World War.
Damn Rebel Bitches
It will be good to look forward to a time when the words “lesser known” don’t regularly precede “histories of women”. In Edinburgh, there are more statues to animals than there are to women – and that’s not including any horses on which victorious generals are sitting, but ways of memorialising ideas as well as people are becoming more sophisticated.
On my recent trip to the Edinburgh Festival, I discovered Damn Rebel Bitches at the new Scottish design shop Urban Reivers (urbanreivers.scot). Named in honour of the women of the Jacobite Rising of the 1700s (they were dubbed as such), it’s a delicious perfume that can’t help embolden the wearer.
Is that far fetched? Not if you think of each waft as a timely reminder of both factual events and meaningful feeling. Something similar is going on in the so-far excellent programme of events marking the centenary of 1916. Even as names etched into walls have caused their inevitable, and intensely frustrating, controversies as to who “owns” the grief; art, music and literature are responding with projects that focus on what the ideas and ideals meant, and how to take the best of them into the future.
In 1982, Maya Lin’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC broke the mould for future memorials with its sunken reflected wall etched with the 58,307 names of the dead and missing. Controversial at the time, it has now become a template for many memorials in today’s less certain times, when we don’t believe that a war will end all wars, and realise that “good” and “bad” are often a question of perspective, inflected with shades of grey.
In 2007, Leo Higgins’ Home was unveiled at the junction of Buckingham Street and Sean McDermott Street by then president Mary McAleese, to all those who had died as a result of heroin in Dublin. Memorials are no longer simply to the victors, and good ones are more than aggrandising gestures. This September, look out for Composing the Island, a series of concerts a the National Concert Hall, celebrating music written by Irish composers between 1916 and 2016 (nch.ie).
If, in the future, we also remember through sound and scent, we may yet come to make better sense of the past. | http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/gemma-tipton-designing-memorable-memorials-is-harder-than-it-sounds-1.2767007?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/1318d5ee0fe097d5681222b085612ac77adc744fb44b3d42d9426a72a247d719.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T02:50:32 | null | 2016-08-27T03:00:00 | Old school navigation, HP baggage and lumberjack chic | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Flife-and-style%2Ftravel%2Ftravel-gear-tech-to-make-travel-easier-1.2768464%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2768461.1472142024!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Travel Gear: Tech to make travel easier | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Brunton DWB 1894 Compass
DW Brunton, after whom this vintage-style compass is named, started making rugged, portable tools for outdoors survival back in 1894. In suitably anachronistic fashion, it’s referred to as a gentleman’s compass, but I’d guess a lady of adventure might find it just as useful. Although fully functional, with a swivel-lid mirror and a liftable arm to hold and protect the needle, it’s really targeted as a gift, the milled aluminium body engraving nicely. Though if you do want to give it an outing or two, feel secure with its lifetime guarantee. $200, brunton.com
HP Powerup Backpack
Hewlett Packard’s new Powerup Backpack hides away a 22,400mAh battery, packing more than enough punch to recharge most laptops at least once, or your tablet or smartphone multiple times. An integrated sensor monitors the temperature to avoid overheating, increasingly vital for airlines worried about self-combusting batteries. It’s got a minimalist look, with water resistant canvas to protect your hardware. Due for release next month, HP hasn’t said yet where we might get it other than Amazon in the US. Approx €200, see hp.com
Best Made Aluminium Field Box
Best Made Company designs a fairly timeless-looking range of pocket tools, bags and, er, axes that might be classed as lumberjack chic. This simple Field Box is to keep your travel belongings in. Made from folded and riveted aluminium, it’s held closed with a Velcro strap, and comes with a notebook and pencil, but will fit standard journals for those meaningful observations and sketches. Sure, you could improvise your own biscuit tin and elastic band, but where’s the romance in that? $28 from bestmadeco.com | http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/travel/travel-gear-tech-to-make-travel-easier-1.2768464?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/1466615d3bfe18fbd9a47c38a9638f7ca2c32f54f6e12fae3caaa5e126366282.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T14:50:33 | null | 2016-08-27T12:47:00 | He follows up on Olympic silver medal by winning the lightweight single sculls title | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fsport%2Fother-sports%2Fpaul-o-donovan-sticks-by-his-word-to-win-gold-at-world-rowing-championships-1.2770761%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2770764.1472309031!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Paul O’Donovan sticks by his word to win gold at world rowing championships | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Paul O’Donovan won the A Final of the lightweight single sculls at the World Rowing Championships in Rotterdam on Saturday morning. The UCD clubman had over four seconds to spare at the end.
He trailed in the early stages, but then surged to the front, taking on and beating Rajko Hrvat of Slovenia in difficult, windy, conditions.
“On the first stroke I had a bit of a wobble but it was fine after that. I didn’t lose too much ground, O’Donovan said.
“I thought someone would take it on much earlier than they did, but no one seemed to be able to handle the conditions that well.
“Coming through the 500 metres I found myself near the front of the pack. Rajko Hrvat of Slovenia took up the challenge then and I followed with him because I knew (that) during the semi-final he took a big on me in the middle and I had a job then to close him down at the end.
“About 900 metres in I was feeling good and comfortable, so I took it on and opened up a bit of a lead. Coming to the line I was kind of sprinting away. I was getting a bit excited, looking around and taking in the crowd and I took a bit of a look to make sure I wasn’t missing anyone either, and I ended up taking a bit of a wobble. But I had enough of an advantage to hold it to the finish line.”
O’Donovan said it was worth all the effort of flying back from the Olympic Games, where he won a silver medal in combination with his brother, Gary, in the lightweight double. He said he had been seeking to win at this level since he first competed in the junior World Championships in 2011. He took bronze at the Under-23 Worlds in 2013.
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The Corkman said he had been pushed on to win well by the jocular taunts of a friend.
“Down in Rio I was in a pub with one of my mates, Diarmuid [O’DRISCOLL], who I used to row with when I was younger. He was quizzing me up about how I would do (in Rotterdam) and I told him I would win by open water.
“After the semi-finals, when I only won by half a second in the closing stages, he got on to the coach and said ‘what’s going on here?’.
“He was all talk last week, so I said I’d better prove to him as well I could do it.” | http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/other-sports/paul-o-donovan-sticks-by-his-word-to-win-gold-at-world-rowing-championships-1.2770761?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/6d1bce59ae386840db22f1a0951a2bd77f914caa54f1e87196e7a08a7a15735c.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T06:48:58 | null | 2016-08-30T05:00:00 | Can it defend formula it has presented for calculating what US tech giant owes? | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Feconomy%2Fcommission-faces-intense-pressure-on-apple-ruling-1.2772270.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2772258.1472495783!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Commission faces intense pressure on Apple ruling | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | The European Commission faces one big job as it presents its ruling on Apple. Can it defend the formula it has presented for calculating what Apple owes?
The commission has accused the Irish Revenue Commissioners of having no proper technical basis for tax rulings made in relation to Apple in 1991 and 2007. In fact, its preliminary findings were that a kind of reverse engineering went on, under which both sides worked out how much tax Apple would pay, and a way was then found to achieve this.
But has the commission itself managed to come up with a defendable basis for what the bill should have been? The Government here will claim, with some force, that it has not and that its action in trying to do so is unprecedented and has no sound legal basis.
As the commission’s own deliberations have dragged on and on, and huge pressure from the United States has already been applied, it remains to be seen whether the competition directorate has come up with a clear formula which has a legal basis that will stand up in the European Court of Justice, which is where this is all going to end up.
It will face intense pressure in the days ahead of explaining the basis for its decision, with tax and legal experts immediately searching for holes. It remains to be seen just how robust the conclusions prove.
That is not to say that Ireland does not have a case to answer in the way Apple has been treated. Ministers and officials have tended to dismiss the investigation out of hand, rather than engaging in the detail of what actually happened. A key part of their response will be that the many of the key tax reliefs used by Apple and other US multinationals have now been closed off.
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Really what is going on here is a fight for tax dollars. The US wants more tax from its companies, and other European countries will argue that some of the tax which Ireland will be asked to collect actually should be going to them.
Apple, meanwhile, will say that it has applied the letter of the law. It is a mess, and how on earth the European courts will deal with it is anyone’s guess. | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/commission-faces-intense-pressure-on-apple-ruling-1.2772270 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/d7f5a0d9da6a4488a089ce5bd0168d180b4817e5ef5d028d8c9e87db19279b81.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T16:52:23 | null | 2016-08-30T17:19:00 | The Tigers have signed Ryan Mason from Tottenham Hotspur after a turbulent summer | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fsport%2Fsoccer%2Fenglish-soccer%2Fhull-finally-make-a-summer-signing-and-break-transfer-record-1.2773316%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2773315.1472573981!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Hull finally make a summer signing and break transfer record | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Hull have completed the signing of Ryan Mason for a club-record fee.
The sum they will pay Tottenham for the 25-year-old midfielder remains undisclosed, but Hull have confirmed it is a new record.
Mason will further strengthen their squad following the earlier signing of goalkeeper David Marshall from Cardiff, and becomes the latest to leave White Hart Lane for East Yorkshire, following Tom Huddlestone, Jake Livermore and Michael Dawson.
He has signed a three-year contract after costing the club in excess of the £10million paid to recruit Abel Hernandez in 2014, and told their official website of his arrival: “I can’t wait to get started and I see this as a massive opportunity for me.
“I’m delighted and excited to be here.”
Mason established himself as a regular starter under Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino and earned his first and only England cap in the 1-1 draw away to Italy in March 2015.
The progress of Dele Alli and Eric Dier last season restricted his first-team chances but he is expected to significantly strengthen Hull’s squad.
Before Marshall’s arrival, Hull had only 14 fit senior players. Their two new signings, however, combined with six points from three games and the impressive work so far of caretaker manager Mike Phelan has led to optimism they can survive in the Premier League despite their difficult preparations for the season.
“Having spoken to the people up here, I didn’t need any convincing,” said Marshall. “It’s all about having that new, fresh challenge to look forward to.
“I feel that this is a club that is going places, especially when you look at the start they have made to the Premier League season.
“There are only four or five goalkeepers in this division who can categorically say that they are their club’s number one (goalkeeper).
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“Of course I anticipate a battle for the jersey. You can’t take anything for granted and I’m here to fight for a place.” | http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/english-soccer/hull-finally-make-a-summer-signing-and-break-transfer-record-1.2773316?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/3f097f7eb6ab49f44b722ef2c18f55ab91fc4de22d86c9f2c677bf9ad37e7bba.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T16:51:48 | null | 2016-08-29T15:26:00 | Bodies of man, woman and their three sons - aged 13, 11 and 6 - discovered at Ballyjamesduff | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fireland%2Firish-news%2Fgarda%25C3%25AD-believe-death-of-cavan-family-most-likely-murder-suicide-1.2772011%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2772105.1472489402!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Gardaí believe death of Cavan family most likely murder-suicide | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | The bodies of five members of the same family have been found at a house in Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan.
Gardaí said they were a man in his 40s, a woman in her 30s and their three sons, aged 13, 11 and 6.
Assistant Commissioner John O’Driscoll told a press conference in Co Cavan on Monday evening.
“We believe all the answers are within that house,” he said.
“The mostly likely scenario one person may have caused the death of the others.”
The bodies were found at a house in Oakdene, Barconey on Monday morning.
Mr O’Sullivan said three of the bodies were found in bedrooms upstairs and two downstairs.
He said there was no evidence a gun was used.
Gardaí said an investigation is ongoing but at this stage they are not looking for anyone else in relation to the deaths.
It is understood the bodies were found after a relative raised the alarm.
The area has been sealed off and the State Pathologist and the Garda Technical Bureau have been alerted. | http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/garda%C3%AD-believe-death-of-cavan-family-most-likely-murder-suicide-1.2772011?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/cea800e1aecaa130b5e91b368f7598c7223bfca1c0298db077084ce57ff15de7.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T08:52:11 | null | 2016-08-30T07:26:00 | Acquisitions and expansion in north America boosts fresh food group as pre-tax profits jump 5.8%; Davy reiterates ‘outperform’ rating | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Fagribusiness-and-food%2Frevenues-rise-10-4-at-total-produce-1.2772847%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2772846.1472539186!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Revenues rise 10.4% at Total Produce | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Revenues at Total Produce rose by 10.4 per cent to €1.9 billion in the first half of the year, as the fresh food group got a boost from acquisitions and higher average prices.
In the six months to June 30th, total revenues rose by 10.4 per cent, while adjusted EBITA was up by 13.2 per cent and adjusted fully diluted earnings per share grew by 11.6 per cent. Profit before tax rose by 5.8 per cent to €25.6 million. The fruit distributor spun out of Fyffes said it benefited from acquisitions completed in the period and a circa 5 per cent like-for-like growth in revenue on the back of both volume growth and higher average prices. A strong operational performance was offset in part by a small negative impact on translation to Euro of the results of foreign currency denominated operations.
Chairman Carl McCann said the group delivered “a very strong performance” in the first six months of the year, as the group continued its expansion in north America in 2016, acquiring 65 per cent of Progressive Produce, a company headquartered in Los Angeles, as well as a number of other investments.
“ The group continues to actively pursue further investment opportunities,” Mr McCann said, adding that the interim dividend is up 10 per cent to 0.8096 cent per share.
“The group is now targeting increased full year earnings at the top end of the previously announced range of 10.50 to 11.50 cent per share,” he said.
On the UK’s decision to leave the European Union, Total Produce said while it has “created some macroeconomic uncertainties, it is not expected to have a material impact on the group”.
In a note, Davy Stockbrokers said it was a “strong” set of results, adding that the international segment represents “a significant growth opportunity” for the group, as it reiterated its “outperform” rating. | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/agribusiness-and-food/revenues-rise-10-4-at-total-produce-1.2772847?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/96ac1aaa41435dfd3899da50ac4b8c7c1d13ca7861264f3e466ca7102178e3f8.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T04:47:39 | null | 2016-08-27T05:24:00 | Fáilte Ireland tenders for company to help market ‘Ireland’s Lakelands’ | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Ftransport-and-tourism%2Fstate-seeks-adviser-to-help-boost-midlands-tourism-1.2769920.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/assets/images/favicons/irishtimes.png | en | null | State seeks adviser to help boost midlands tourism | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Fáilte Ireland has tendered for a company to help it develop a new tourism strategy for the swathe of land down running down the middle of Ireland that falls outside the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s Ancient East, the two linchpins of the State’s tourism marketing strategy.
The area, generally referred to in tourism marketing circles as “Ireland’s Lakelands” district, takes in parts of east Galway, Roscommon, Leitrim, much of north Tipperary, and runs down as far as the northern reaches of Cork.
Marketing resources
While the Wild Atlantic Way and, latterly, the Ancient East are heavily backed with State marketing resources, local politicians in the midlands region complain their area is being neglected.
Orla Carroll, Fáilte Ireland’s director of strategic development, said she hopes to have appointed a company to do a feasibility study by the middle of October. It may take a further six months, she said, for a study to be completed, after which any extra State funding that is required will be sought.
Fáilte Ireland on Wednesday tendered for a company “to ascertain the potential for growth and the best mechanism to unlock those areas that lie between the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s Ancient East”.
Lakelands moniker
The tender made no mention of the Lakelands moniker, but Ms Carroll confirmed it is area being targeted.
She said the Lakelands term, which is also used in the Programme for Government’s tourism strategy, may not end up being the final slogan that is used for the region.
“We purposely didn’t use the Lakelands term because that’s all open for now. We don’t want to be too proscriptive. We want to see first what the study tells us about the best [slogan] for that geography,” said Ms Carroll.
The study will consider the best way to market the region to foreign visitors, and also predict the possible economic impact of any boost in visitor numbers. | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/transport-and-tourism/state-seeks-adviser-to-help-boost-midlands-tourism-1.2769920 | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/300503ebb0f754fe9a334add94b01e6ba1a6c3099886708ec11e04e1374f0cc1.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T16:52:15 | null | 2016-08-30T15:58:00 | Dundalk-based becomes Siro second retail partner after Vodafone | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Ftechnology%2Fdigiweb-to-launch-fibre-products-on-siro-s-network-1.2773199%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2773198.1472569103!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Digiweb to launch fibre products on Siro’s network | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Siro, the commercial broadband venture between ESB Networks and Vodafone, has signed up telecoms firm Digiweb as a retail partner.
Dundalk-based Digiweb plans to launch a number of fibre packages for residential and business customers on Siro’s network.
The company’s “Electric Broadband” services will go live in Dundalk, Letterkenny and Drogheda later this year, before it expands elsewhere via’s Siro’s ongoing rollout.
Siro is among the final shortlist of three firms for the Government’s National Broadband Plan, which aims to build a high-speed broadband infrastructure
The scheme was recently expanded to encompass 927,000 homes, more than a third of the State’s housing stock.
Siro is investing €450 million in a fibre-to-the-building network, primarily aimed at 50 regional towns.
It recently upgraded Skibbereen’s connectivity status, bringing it to the same level as leading international business hubs such as Hong Kong and Tokyo.
Commenting about the partnership with Digiweb, Sean Atkinson, chief executive of Siro, said: “Our partnership with Digiweb illustrates how Siro is driving competition in Ireland’s broadband marketplace.”
“We want to migrate Ireland from legacy copper based networks to 100% fibre-optic networks, this will ensure that people across the country can avail of next generation services and drive the economy forward,” he said.
Declan Campbell, managing director of Digiweb, added: “This is a different kind of internet and we are delighted to be offering our customers the choice.”
“It will be great to be able to offer our customers Siro powered broadband packages of up to one gigabits per second, enabling us to deliver one of the most powerful broadband services available in Ireland,”he added. | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/digiweb-to-launch-fibre-products-on-siro-s-network-1.2773199?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/eb38ea4b7ff13adad0da9e28dbd3a3d2ab3ae33cf029b48cdb69f49970827ec9.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T08:52:00 | null | 2016-08-30T08:54:00 | Company has committed to creating 200 jobs by end of 2017 | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Ftechnology%2Frevenue-at-datalex-rises-as-tech-firm-expands-business-1.2772865%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2772864.1472543624!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Revenue at Datalex rises as tech firm expands business | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Software firm Datalex said its revenue and earnings grew in the first half of the year as the company continued to grow its business.
The company, which offers digital commerce and retail solutions for the travel industry, said its revenue rose 17 per cent to $24.4 million in the first six months of 2016, with platform revenue up 11 per cent to $11.8 million. Services revenue meanwhile grew by $2.5 million to $11.5 million as it deployed its products to more new customers and added new features for existing customers.
Profit after tax rose to $1.3 million, from $300,000 a year earlier.
Adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation rose by 22 per cent to $4.6 million.
New deals
The company said the growth was driven by the contribution from US airline Jetblue, which went live last year, and a number of new Chinese carriers. During the six month period, the company extended its relationship with the Lufthansa Group of airlines, and began the deployment of its sixth customer in China. It also signed a deal with IBM to develop products in digital commerce and cognitive computing.
Operating costs rose 12 per cent to $23 million, driven mainly by a rise in costs for staff and contractors. Datalex is currently increasing its staff numbers, with plans to create 200 new positions by the end of next year. | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/revenue-at-datalex-rises-as-tech-firm-expands-business-1.2772865?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/d8b7fdd2a4450e62735b53cb80bf5cdee24ae8ade10f969701d29387e76574c6.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T20:52:24 | null | 2016-08-30T20:31:00 | With one day to go before the window shuts, Hull, Palace and Burnley all signed players | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fsport%2Fsoccer%2Fenglish-soccer%2Ftransfer-round-up-arsenal-s-spending-continues-1.2773502%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2773501.1472585411!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Transfer round-up: Arsenal’s spending continues | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Arsenal have concluded the transfer of striker Lucas Perez from Deportivo La Coruna.
The 27-year-old Spaniard’s arrival came amid interest from Everton, and adds greater depth to Arsene Wenger’s squad after an inconsistent start to the season.
“He’s not only a goalscorer, he’s a guy who combines well with partners, who can give a final ball and makes good runs,” said Wenger.
“He’s got a good eye for goal and had an outstanding season last year.”
Confirmation of Perez’s signature came on the same day Werder Bremen said they were close to recruiting Serge Gnabry.
“We’ve got an agreement with the player and we’re confident it will go through,” the club’s director of sport Frank Baumann said of the 21-year-old at a press conference.
“We have reached a fundamental agreement with Arsenal, but nothing is signed yet. Bayern (Munich) have no influence on the potential transfer.”
Leaving Arsenal was defender Calum Chambers who joined Middlesbrough on-loan until the end of the season.
The promising defender, 21, becomes the latest addition to Aitor Karanka’s squad having been dropped following Arsenal’s 4-3 defeat by Liverpool in their opening fixture of the season.
Hull finally bring players in
In the same way Arsenal’s supporters had been waiting for the arrivals of new players, Hull secured three in one afternoon.
Caretaker manager Mike Phelan began the season with only 14 fit senior players, but on Tuesday signed Ryan Mason, David Marshall and Will Keane, the former for a club record.
The fees paid for each remain undisclosed, but Hull confirmed Mason’s exceeded the £10million spent on Abel Hernandez in 2014.
“I can’t wait to get started and I see this as a massive opportunity for me,” the 25-year-old midfielder, who arrived from Tottenham, told the club’s official website. “I’m delighted and excited to be here.”
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Keane joins from Manchester United, where he worked with Phelan, while former Cardiff goalkeeper Marshall said: “Having spoken to the people up here, I didn’t need any convincing.
“It’s all about having that new, fresh challenge.”
Pardew adds Remy
There were also high-profile loan deals elsewhere within the Premier League. Crystal Palace have signed Loic Remy from Chelsea until the end of the season, reuniting the striker with Alan Pardew, his manager at Newcastle.
Pardew had long spoken of his desire to add a further striker to the £27million arrival earlier in the summer of Christian Benteke, and he said: “Loic has been a target of mine throughout this transfer window and I’m delighted the deal has been done.
“I brought him to Newcastle so I know what he is capable of and I am convinced he will be a quality addition to our squad.”
It’s Burnley for Bamford
Similarly Patrick Bamford, who last summer was loaned to Palace, has joined Burnley until the end of the season.
The 22-year-old also arrived from Chelsea, and told Burnley’s official website: “I had heard in the past three seasons that Sean (Dyche, the manager) was interested, but for one reason or another it hadn’t materialised.
“It was just about getting it done in the end.”
And the rest
Watford have loaned Kenedy from Chelsea until the end of the season, and have also re-signed Adrian Mariappa on a three-year contract.
Mariappa left the club four years ago to join Reading, before moving on to Palace who he left earlier this summer.
Swansea have also signed a defender, with Alfie Mawson, 22, agreeing a four-year contract after leaving Barnsley for an undislosed fee.
There was also exit from Sunderland, with Jeremain Lens joining Fenerbahce until the end of the season.
Aston Villa spent a further £11million in their pursuit of promotion, recruiting Jonathan Kodjia from Bristol City on a four-year contract in a deal that could rise to £15million.
Celtic, meanwhile, have signed Costa Rica right-back Cristian Gamboa for an undisclosed fee from West Brom. QPR, also for an undisclosed fee, bought striker Idrissa Sylla from Anderlecht. | http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/english-soccer/transfer-round-up-arsenal-s-spending-continues-1.2773502?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/ce9c643458da437739e088a90ee2b32dc8df2cb2ebb2a92c2b7612218ca48a78.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T20:52:23 | null | 2016-08-30T21:08:00 | Abu Muhammad al-Adnani was one of the jihadist group’s most prominent leaders | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2Fmiddle-east%2Fislamic-state-says-its-spokesman-killed-in-syria-1.2773537%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2773533.1472587731!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Islamic State says its spokesman killed in Syria | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Islamic State spokesman Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, one of the jihadist group’s longest-serving and most prominent leaders, has been killed in Aleppo in Syria, its Amaq News Agency reported yesterday in a statement distributed by the group’s supporters.
Amaq reported that Adnani was killed “while surveying the operations to repel the military campaigns against Aleppo”.
IS holds territory in the province of Aleppo, but not in the city where rebels are fighting Syrian government forces.
Amaq did not say how Adnani was killed. Islamic State published a eulogy dated August 29th but giving no further details.
Recent advances by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias, and by Syrian rebels backed by Turkey, have made inroads into IS holdings in Aleppo province, cutting them off from the Turkish border and supply lines along it.
Iraq said in January that Adnani had been wounded in an air strike in the western province of Anbar and then moved to the northern city of Mosul, IS’s capital in Iraq.
Adnani is a Syrian from Idlib, southwest of Aleppo, who pledged allegiance to IS’s predecessor al-Qaeda more than a decade ago and was once imprisoned by U.S. forces in Iraq, according to the Washington think-tank Brookings Institution.
Ultra-hardline
He has been the chief propagandist for the ultra-hardline jihadist group since he declared in a June 2014 statement that it was establishing a modern-day caliphate spanning large swathes of territory it had seized in Iraq and neighbouring Syria.
Adnani has often been the face of the Sunni militant group.
Earlier this year, he called for massive attacks during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. He has also called for attacks in Western countries, telling Muslims in France on occasion to attack “the filthy French” in any way they could, including “crush them with your car”.
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He has also disparaged Saudi Arabia and its influential clerics for failing to rally behind the rebels that the monarchy supports in Syria like they did decades ago in Afghanistan.
Amaq vowed to gain revenge for the killing. – (Reuters) | http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/middle-east/islamic-state-says-its-spokesman-killed-in-syria-1.2773537?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/991130a5c04e6c58c350de4ec9cdd040b57bc52ae84cc243a3992c10a8bebdf5.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T16:49:09 | null | 2016-08-30T12:52:00 | Apple CEO posts open letter on the tech giant’s website | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Ftechnology%2Fapple-s-tim-cook-reacts-we-are-committed-to-ireland-1.2773002.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2773001.1472568686!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Apple’s Tim Cook reacts: ‘We are committed to Ireland’ | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Thirty-six years ago, long before introducing iPhone, iPod or even the Mac, Steve Jobs established Apple’s first operations in Europe. At the time, the company knew that in order to serve customers in Europe, it would need a base there. So, in October 1980, Apple opened a factory in Cork, Ireland with 60 employees.
At the time, Cork was suffering from high unemployment and extremely low economic investment. But Apple’s leaders saw a community rich with talent, and one they believed could accommodate growth if the company was fortunate enough to succeed.
We have operated continuously in Cork ever since, even through periods of uncertainty about our own business, and today we employ nearly 6,000 people across Ireland. The vast majority are still in Cork – including some of the very first employees – now performing a wide variety of functions as part of Apple’s global footprint. Countless multinational companies followed Apple by investing in Cork, and today the local economy is stronger than ever.
The success which has propelled Apple’s growth in Cork comes from innovative products that delight our customers. It has helped create and sustain more than 1.5 million jobs across Europe – jobs at Apple, jobs for hundreds of thousands of creative app developers who thrive on the App Store, and jobs with manufacturers and other suppliers. Countless small and medium-size companies depend on Apple, and we are proud to support them.
As responsible corporate citizens, we are also proud of our contributions to local economies across Europe, and to communities everywhere. As our business has grown over the years, we have become the largest taxpayer in Ireland, the largest taxpayer in the United States, and the largest taxpayer in the world.
The Apple tax ruling The EC issued a ruling on August 30th in relation to the tax arrangements of Apple in Ireland, where it has its European HQ. The EC said Apple had been granted selective treatment by Ireland through two tax rulings in 1991 and 2007. The EC has ordered Ireland to recover up to €13 billion from the tech giant. Minister for Finance Michael Noonan indicated Ireland would appeal the decision "to defend the integrity of our tax system; to provide tax certainty to business; and to challenge the encroachment of EU state aid rules into the sovereign member state competence of taxation”. Q&A: Cliff Taylor answers the key questions I found this helpful Yes No
Over the years, we received guidance from Irish tax authorities on how to comply correctly with Irish tax law – the same kind of guidance available to any company doing business there. In Ireland and in every country where we operate, Apple follows the law and we pay all the taxes we owe.
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The European Commission has launched an effort to rewrite Apple’s history in Europe, ignore Ireland’s tax laws and upend the international tax system in the process. The opinion issued on August 30th alleges that Ireland gave Apple a special deal on our taxes. This claim has no basis in fact or in law. We never asked for, nor did we receive, any special deals. We now find ourselves in the unusual position of being ordered to retroactively pay additional taxes to a government that says we don’t owe them any more than we’ve already paid.
The Commission’s move is unprecedented and it has serious, wide-reaching implications. It is effectively proposing to replace Irish tax laws with a view of what the Commission thinks the law should have been. This would strike a devastating blow to the sovereignty of EU member states over their own tax matters, and to the principle of certainty of law in Europe. Ireland has said they plan to appeal the Commission’s ruling and Apple will do the same. We are confident that the Commission’s order will be reversed.
At its root, the Commission’s case is not about how much Apple pays in taxes. It is about which government collects the money.
Taxes for multinational companies are complex, yet a fundamental principle is recognised around the world: a company’s profits should be taxed in the country where the value is created. Apple, Ireland and the United States all agree on this principle.
In Apple’s case, nearly all of our research and development takes place in California, so the vast majority of our profits are taxed in the United States. European companies doing business in the US are taxed according to the same principle. But the Commission is now calling to retroactively change those rules.
Beyond the obvious targeting of Apple, the most profound and harmful effect of this ruling will be on investment and job creation in Europe. Using the Commission’s theory, every company in Ireland and across Europe is suddenly at risk of being subjected to taxes under laws that never existed.
Apple has long supported international tax reform with the objectives of simplicity and clarity. We believe these changes should come about through the proper legislative process, in which proposals are discussed among the leaders and citizens of the affected countries. And as with any new laws, they should be applied going forward — not retroactively.
We are committed to Ireland and we plan to continue investing there, growing and serving our customers with the same level of passion and commitment. We firmly believe that the facts and the established legal principles upon which the EU was founded will ultimately prevail.
Tim Cook | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/apple-s-tim-cook-reacts-we-are-committed-to-ireland-1.2773002 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/af44c94023788cab30e64628995fecece2b731d73970753ccfb275c17e3aea6f.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T08:51:30 | null | 2016-08-29T06:36:00 | Belgium on terror alert since Islamic State attack on airport and metro | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2Feurope%2Farson-attack-on-brussels-institute-of-criminology-1.2771787%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2771815.1472457998!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Arson attack on Brussels Institute of Criminology | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Arsonists set fire to Belgium’s National Institute of Criminology in Brussels on Monday, causing an explosion but no casualties, a Brussels prosecutor said.
Ine Van Wymersch said there were no immediate indications that the fire at the institute, which was empty at the time, was a militant attack although nothing had been ruled out.
Europe has been on high alert after Islamic State attacks in Paris and Brussels over the past year.
“It was arson, deliberate arson at the laboratory of the federal police,” she said. “With a fire you get explosions, but it’s not that explosives were thrown inside or installed.”
“It is a path we are looking down,” she said, referring to the possibility of militant involvement. “But certainly not the first one we are thinking about. We are thinking more of deliberate arson by organised crime. We have no indications that it was terrorism,” she said.
The institute is linked to the Belgian ministry of justice and carries out forensic investigations in criminal cases, according to its website.
The attack was carried out by more than one person, Ms van Wymersch said. Two people had been detained, although they were not necessarily the perpetrators.
Belgian broadcaster RTL said that a car rammed through barriers at the centre at about 3am local time. | http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/arson-attack-on-brussels-institute-of-criminology-1.2771787?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/6b28cc18a83fe8b1bd362bab4ea40dc5ef2c0e029f343056b7057abbad6dd5b4.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T14:51:06 | null | 2016-08-28T15:39:00 | Cars recovered by Operation Waste had an estimated value of €1.5 million per year to thieves | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fcrime-and-law%2Fgarda%25C3%25AD-seize-almost-100-stolen-cars-in-the-last-20-months-1.2771017%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2771008.1472395169!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Gardaí seize almost 100 stolen cars in the last 20 months | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Almost 100 stolen cars have been seized by gardaí in the last 20 months as criminal gangs attempted to export them from the Republic.
The cars included a brand new Range Rover along with Mercedes, BMW and Audi models.
Since January 2015 , a two member team running Operation Waste has been working out of Dublin Castle to prevent criminals from exporting cars collectively worth millions of euro.
Gardaí estimate the stolen cars were worth about €1.5 million per year to thieves who in many cases got the car keys during burglaries, even using fishing rods pushed through letter boxes to hook the keys from a hall table.
Since January 2015 a total of 91 vehicles with an estimated value of about €2 million have been recovered by Operation Waste.
The operation is under the supervision of Det Insp Michael O’Connor.
Along with high end vehicles, Nissan Qashqais, Volkswagen Golfs and other family cars have also been recovered. Motorcycles and commercial vehicles have also been found.
In some cases “cloned vehicles”, which are vehicles which use the registration and papers of a similar vehicle, were found. Such vehicles included an Audi Q7 SUV and a Toyota Avensis D-Cat which were recovered before they were exported to Africa.
Operation Waste has also recovered a number of vehicles bearing false registration plates and documents, listed for sale on popular websites.
A dismantled Audi Q5, BMW 3 series and a 2015 VW Golf along with other vehicles were discovered in an articulated trailer destined for Eastern Europe.
As well as port inspections with customs officers and an x-ray scanner, the unit also employs automatic number plate technology and intelligence analysis to track stolen and cloned vehicles on Dublin’s roads.
In some circumstances these vehicles had already been sold on to unsuspecting buyers both in Ireland and abroad.
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The two-officer team running Operation Waste is assisted by the Garda Stolen Motor Vehicle Investigation Unit, and the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
The unit was originally set up in September 2014 with the aim the aim of monitoring the export of vehicles from the State to destinations such as the UK, Africa, Lithuania and Poland.
More than 60 uninsured or un-roadworthy cars and heavy goods vehicles have also been detained, resulting in a number of drivers being disqualified from driving for having no insurance. | http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/garda%C3%AD-seize-almost-100-stolen-cars-in-the-last-20-months-1.2771017?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/57c27a5065c02202ca064d36475f4eae0e59d313ce30e225761831d58178f80f.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T00:50:44 | null | 2016-08-27T23:58:00 | Rory McIlroy seven shots off the lead after 71 | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fsport%2Fgolf%2Frickie-fowler-one-clear-of-patrick-reed-as-ryder-cup-battle-hots-up-1.2770893%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2770891.1472338677!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Rickie Fowler one clear of Patrick Reed as Ryder Cup battle hots up | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Rickie Fowler will take a slender lead into the final round of The Barclays as he tries to book his place in the Ryder Cup in the perfect fashion.
Fowler carded a flawless third round of 68 at the feared Bethpage Black course in New York to finish nine under par, a shot ahead of fellow American Patrick Reed.
Former world number one Adam Scott is a shot further back after surging through the field with a superb 65, with Scotland’s Martin Laird and Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo on six under.
Fowler came into the first FedEx Cup play-off event in 12th in the Ryder Cup standings, with the top eight on Sunday evening securing their place in the US team to face Europe at Hazeltine next month.
And the 27-year-old is on course for a third appearance in the biennial event after amazingly dropping just one shot in the first 54 holes on one of the hardest courses in the world.
“It’s nice at any tournament and you come to a place like this and it’s a true test,” Fowler told Sky Sports. “It’s no joke. My one bogey was a more than 180 (degrees) lip-out and it’s cool to think I was that close to being bogey-free through 54.
“It was nice to see some putts go in (today). This place is a challenge, one of – if not the – toughest course we play throughout the year. You have to be on all parts of your game and especially driving the ball.”
Reed started the week eighth in the Ryder Cup standings and is also on course to secure his place in Davis Love’s side after a battling 71 which featured nine straight pars on the back nine.
Scott’s 65 was achieved despite hitting just three fairways in regulation, the former Masters champion holing from 95 yards for an eagle on the first and also adding six birdies and two bogeys.
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“It was a bonus, obviously,” the Australian said of his flying start. “But it’s what I needed because it had been a frustrating two days, not being able to get anything going.
“I just really tried to clear my mind. When you’re not making (putts) and they are always a little bit short, you start thinking about too many things like stroke and line, feel, speed, all that kind of stuff.
“I just thought, forget about it all and just go with instinct.”
Laird, who is seeking a fourth PGA Tour title and first since 2013, told Sky Sports: “That was by far the best round of the week tee to green.
“I’m not unhappy with 69 although it could have been three or four better, but overall any time you shoot in the 60s round this course you are pretty happy, especially when the wind is blowing.”
World number one Jordan Spieth remains in contention after a 70 left him four shots off the lead, with Jordan Spieth on three under and Rory McIlroy a shot further back.
McIlroy started his third round with three birdies in the first five holes, but played the last 10 in two over par and had to settle for a 71. | http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/golf/rickie-fowler-one-clear-of-patrick-reed-as-ryder-cup-battle-hots-up-1.2770893?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/6a0f770c290be68bfc4e8e2a1d39086cdeaeb136f17fb209d97f07f0e7e7aa46.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T12:51:50 | null | 2016-08-29T12:17:00 | Bank of Ireland will give 3% cashback as mortgage competition heats up | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Fpersonal-finance%2Fbank-to-pay-customers-15-000-to-take-out-500-000-loan-1.2771907%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2771906.1472472440!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Bank to pay customers €15,000 to take out €500,000 loan | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Bank of Ireland is set to increase the amount it is refunding new mortgage customers, as competition in the mortgage market heats up.
The bank’s existing 2 per cent cashback on mortgages was due to expire at the end of September, but the bank has now replaced it with a new CashbackPlus offer. While the offer has now become even more attractive, rewarding home buyers with a 2 per cent cashback on their new mortgage at drawdown, along with an extra 1 per cent cashback five years later, customers must also have a current account with the bank to qualify.
The improved offer is available to current account customers of the bank who draw down a new first-time buyer, mover or switcher mortgage before March 31st, 2017.
If you don’t have a current account with the bank, or don’t want to switch to it, you can still get the existing 2 per cent cash-back offer. Investors, or those looking for equity release mortgages, will also be eligible for the 2 per cent cash-back offer.
The new 3 per cent offer means that someone drawing down a mortgage of €150,000 will get €3,000 straight into their account, plus an additional €1,500 after five years. If you’re buying a house on a mortgage of €500,000, you will get a cashback of €10,000 straight away, plus a further €5,000 back after five years.
BOI is not the only bank to offer a cashback on mortgages. Permanent TSB is offering its customers 2 per cent cashback until December 31st, while EBS also offers 2 per cent back.
Higher rates
While home buyers will welcome the latest offer from the bank, it’s worth noting that the bank’s variable mortgage rates are some of the highest on the market. Over the long-term, this can defray much of the benefit of the cashback offer. For example, the bank’s standard variable rate is 4.2 per cent compared with 3.5 per cent at AIB. However the bank’s fixed rates are more competitive, with a one-year fixed product offering a rate of 3.55 per cent on loan-to-value of more than 80 per cent.
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Moreover, it’s difficult to avoid charges on your current account with Bank of Ireland. Customers can avoid account transaction fees by keeping a minimum balance of € 3,000 in their current account, but they will still be liable to quarterly fees of €5. | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/personal-finance/bank-to-pay-customers-15-000-to-take-out-500-000-loan-1.2771907?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/e236a89d0379d0ed07670a7284c99e0b448459cb56852637f8d9dfafdd651d8b.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T08:52:18 | null | 2016-08-30T08:19:00 | Company confirms event will be held next week | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Ftechnology%2Fapple-readies-september-launch-of-new-iphone-1.2772855%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2772854.1472541564!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Apple readies September launch of new iPhone | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | It’s confirmed: Apple is holding an event on September 7th.
Invites for the product launch, presumed to be that of the company’s latest iPhone, went out yesterday evening, telling attendees “See you on the 7th”, on a background of out of focus multicoloured lights.
Although it hasn’t confirmed the details, Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 7 at the San Francisco launch. A new version of the Apple Watch, with GPS location tracking, and updated MacBook Pro machines may also feature at the product showcase.
Although the design of the new phones are expected to remain largely the same - a move that would push Apple out of its tick/tock product upgrade cycle - a number of new features are expected, including the removal of the headphone jack in favour of using the lightning connection, dual cameras and potentially ditching the Home button.
Those analysing the invitation for hints about Apple’s plans seem to think it implies a dual camera for the new phone and better low light photography.
“The real point to make is how little chance of a surprise there is,” said Colin Gillis, an analyst at BGC Partners LP, adding that two white spots of light in the invitation were indicative of the dual lens, while the event’s date hints at the likely iPhone 7 name. “The company doesn’t seem to be able to generate surprises anymore.”
The new handset will be an important addition for Apple, with the iPhone generating about two-thirds of the company’s sales. However, as people upgrade their handsets less frequently, Apple is facing a revenue decline this year.
Additional reporting: Bloomberg | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/apple-readies-september-launch-of-new-iphone-1.2772855?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/9c5c50cdb563cf2613c436fd7b8d330a23861d53dca81a2124fc2ec1d73c0066.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T14:50:35 | null | 2016-08-26T14:00:00 | Nialler9 rounds up the best new music from around the country this week, featureing Paddy Groenland, New Portals, James Vincent McMorrow and more | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fculture%2Fmusic%2Fnew-irish-music-lisa-hannigan-carriages-and-junk-drawer-1.2769257%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2769264.1472200934!/image/image.jpg | en | null | New Irish Music: Lisa Hannigan, Carriages and Junk Drawer | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Songs of the week
Heroes In Hiding - Hospital
This sprightly indie-pop song from a Dublin band is actually a warning to those who stand up on overcrowded buses. Band member Joe Carroll fell out of the door of a hired bus onto a motorway and ended up luckily with only a neck brace. The bright tones of the song actually come from a recording of a hospital machine, making this song akin to finding out Outkast's Hey Ya is actually about a terrible relationship.
<a href="http://caoiliansherlock.bandcamp.com/track/ill-be-a-fool-for-you">I&amp;#39;ll Be A Fool For You by Caoilian Sherlock</a>
Carriages - Moving Parts
Harry Bookless and Aaron Page have returned with their unique brand of field-recorded folktronica. Moving Parts was made from some interesting sources: Harry’s three year-old nephew Alex singing, drain pipes, gravel, puddles and branches. Best of all, it's wrapped up in a lush tune that nods to Bronksi Beat. Salt of the earth tunes.
James Vincent McMorrow – Get Low
This week, James posted a Spotify playlist of song inspirations for the new record We Move which included Doobie Brothers, Girl Band, BadbadnotGood, Vince Staples and Wiley. That mix and Get Low's R&B boom, synth-bass notes and caterwauling guitar solo make for a very promising first listen to the that third album when it does drop next week.
Paddy Groenland - Djigui
As a musician with Ensemble Eriu, RiZa and Feather, Groenland is no stranger to global sounds and new ways of using them. The lead track on his new Nativism EP (“a reference to the current global struggle for identity and ownership”), is a beautiful guitar piece that has an African, jazz, blues and folk in its DNA.
Release of the week
Lisa Hannigan – At Swim
When it came time to write her third album Lisa Hannigan felt adrift from her craft. Living between London and Dublin, the singer felt a little unmoored to her creativity and her place in the world. A meeting with Aaron Dessner of The National rekindled a spark for songwriting that accumulated in a seven-day recording session with Dessner in Hudson Bay in New York. That transition leaves an imprint on At Swim, Hannigan's most sombre collection of music yet finds her with a heavier heart and an atmosphere denser than ever. Dessner adds textured weight to the music as Hannigan's voice floats above, a guiding light in darker times.
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New artist of the week
Junk Drawer
Fans of Dinosaur Junior and Melvins will dig the throwback guitar sound of Belfast trio Junk Drawer. Stevie Lennox & Jake Lennox (Pigs As People) and Brian Coney (who is the editor for NI online publication The Thin Air) make squalling lo-fi rock music and were recently on tour with Oh Boland and Belfast favourites Hot Cops. A short two track EP called Their Self-Loathing Debut (Mostly) is available on Bandcamp.
<a href="http://junkdrawerbelfast.bandcamp.com/album/their-self-loathing-debut-mostly">Their Self-Loathing Debut (Mostly) by Junk Drawer</a>
Video of the week
New Portals - Cage
Director: Emily McDonald
A seedy city at night is the setting for McDonald's interpretive dance metaphor-heavy video for the Belfast Aicken husband and wife's song. | http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/new-irish-music-lisa-hannigan-carriages-and-junk-drawer-1.2769257?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/97e3d4a4c5c1180bdbd8ba0af3ea6f80bdac210168f8db844aebef5b17b3e25a.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T00:52:22 | null | 2016-08-31T01:00:00 | French ban on Muslim garment may have been overturned but it touches on host of issues | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fopinion%2Fkathy-sheridan-a-lot-is-going-on-underneath-the-burkini-1.2773473%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2773210.1472583865!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Kathy Sheridan: A lot is going on underneath the burkini | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Part of the problem with the burkini fiasco, is that the name itself is misleading. It sounds like a refashioned burqa but omits the burqa’s singular feature; the veil that covers the face, often with a narrow mesh screen across the eyes . I tried the regular blue one in Kabul while covering elections there and first tottered into a nasty street sewer then sideways into a donkey. How we laughed. (Though not for long; inhaling draughts of dusty acrylic makes laughing unpleasant).
The burkini by contrast, covers the head and body but leaves the face clear. Twenty years ago, a friend would have paid top dollar for such a garment for a child with an auto immune condition triggered by sunlight. And given the soaring rates of skin cancer, who doubts that the burkini is the healthy choice? Or a fine option for the masses of non-beachbody-ready women who just want to go for a ruddy swim without the palavar?
Five years ago, Nigella Lawson, the TV chef, went swimming in such a garment at Bondi beach. World media went into orbit. Was it about “privacy” for her body? Or – excitingly – a powerful political statement, coming only a week after France’s 2011 ban on women wearing the burqa and the niqab came into force?
On one side of the world, went the serious commentary, England’s finest rose was choosing to don Sharia-compliant clothing, while on the other, France – one of our foremost liberal democracies – was bringing the full force of the law against the few women who insisted on wearing their interpretation of Sharia-compliant clothing.
Obsession
Relaxed
The well-aired argument at the heart of these stories is the obsession with women’s bodies and how they should or shouldn’t be displayed. For many, the issue is simple, stupid; the right of a woman to wear what she wants. To some observers, the woman on the French beach looked quite like our grannies in bygone days – if they were in the habit of stepping out in leggings, a long-sleeved tunic and headscarf for a day by the lake – and, for good or ill, it just took a generation or two to reach the point of letting it all hang out. Is it that simple ?Since 2011, under French law, women have been banned from leaving home with their faces hidden behind a veil, a law upheld by the European Court of Human Rights in 2014. The fuss faded quite quickly. But if, say, the burkini was indeed the swimwear version of a burqa, as the name implies, would we be as relaxed about it?
On this island, we know all about the power of flags and symbols and how they can be hijacked. The burkini/burqa/ niqab/hijab are mainly symbols of religious belief or of some culturally dictated style. At the height of the Catholic Church child-abuse scandals, many priests in clerical garb were disdained, cursed and spat at, possibly by some of the same people now incensed by the French treatment of the Muslim woman on the beach, a place just 15 miles from Nice where an Islamist crushed 85 people to death by truck a few weeks ago.
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Symbols matter. And Muslim-born women, like all women, differ. Maniza Naqvi, a Pakistani writer working for the World Bank, argues angrily that the hijab, burka and burkini have become “the symbol of Islam and all that there is about Islam. A cloth has become Islam . . . Modesty and virtue have been reduced to the abundance or lack of abundance of a garment . . . and those responsible for doing so are Muslim women who wear it . . . who sit in judgment of other Muslim women who don’t”.
That implies of course, that all such wearers have a choice in the matter. Sarah Haider, a Pakistani-born writer and founder of Ex- Muslims of America, takes the pragmatic view that far from liberating Muslim women, a burkini ban could harm the most powerless of them, removing what limited freedom they have.
The question is, who or what lies behind this? Who traditionally has held the power to decide what constitutes modesty, virtue or religiosity? And who has dictated how those qualities and messages should be symbolised to the rest of the world ?
Public humiliation
From our safe distance, it’s plain that global peace will not flow from the public humiliation of a woman by armed police on a French beach. We know it puts rocket fuel under the likes of Farage, Le Pen, Wilders, Trump and Isis itself, who feed off the “us versus them” narrative while ignoring the fact that France’s top administrative court has struck down the ban as “a manifestly illegal attack on fundamental liberties”. We have made our objections known, loud and clear. But we are also allowed to tease out the nuances.
PS: Some years after the burkini-wearing incident, “friends” of Nigella let it be known that it was all about keeping her skin alabaster pale because that was how her then husband liked his women. | http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/kathy-sheridan-a-lot-is-going-on-underneath-the-burkini-1.2773473?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/d85ee0cf5fe3cfbb504742a30eda6d47177f14c4cae651d689e14885cbf99237.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T06:49:03 | null | 2016-08-30T06:35:00 | Overconfidence in CEOs not always bad and it’s too early to know if pound has bottomed | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Fpersonal-finance%2Fstocktake-sleepy-markets-vulnerable-to-volatility-spike-1.2771156.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2771154.1472404137!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Stocktake: Sleepy markets vulnerable to volatility spike | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | August tends to be a quiet month for markets and things are especially sleepy at the moment.
The S&P 500 hasn’t moved up or down by 1 per cent on a single day since early July; there have been only a handful of days on which the index moved by 0.5 per cent or more. Average daily changes over the last six weeks have been the lowest since 1995.
Trading volumes have plummeted by 30 per cent since January, according to Credit Suisse, compared to a typical January-August drop of 8 per cent. Volatility in emerging markets, too, has fallen to its lowest level in more than a year.
Fear has vanished. The Vix, the so-called fear index that measures the cost of buying insurance against market declines, recently hit its lowest level in two years. Although insurance appears dirt cheap, many expect it to get cheaper – hedge funds’ net short in Vix futures is near record levels,
This is a “red flag”, cautions Merrill Lynch; selling volatility to enhance yield “is now at an extreme level”. In itself, a low Vix doesn’t indicate complacency, and low volatility can persist for years. However, market speculators appear vulnerable to any spike in volatility; traders betting on a lower Vix will be hoping the current sleepy spell doesn’t end any time soon.
Short squeeze drives sterling bounce
Sterling enjoyed a decent bounce last week, following better-than-expected economic data, but it’s far too early to say whether the pound has bottomed.
The recent rebound appears more of a technical rebound than one solely driven by fundamentals. Since sinking to a three-decade low against the dollar two months ago, sterling has remained within a $1.28-$1.34 trading range. The recent rebound coincided with the pound falling to the bottom of that range. More crucially, short bets against sterling had climbed for seven straight weeks; by mid-August, net short positions had hit record highs and were more than three standard deviations above their historical average.
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No asset rises or falls in a straight line; lopsided market positioning meant conditions were ripe for a short squeeze. However, many sellers may reinitiate short bets if sterling rises to the higher end of that aforementioned trading range, especially as the economic impact of Brexit will not become clear for some time. A technical bounce should not be mistaken for a long-term bottom.
Don’t fear low trading volumes
Trading volumes have been extremely low over the last month. Indeed, while volumes soared during the January-February selloff, the subsequent six-month rally has been a low-volume affair, troubling commentators who associate low volumes with low conviction.
However, there is no substance to the oft-repeated notion that volume should confirm price, judging by Bespoke Investment Group research. Since the bull market began in March 2009, the S&P 500 has gained an incredible 826 per cent on days registering below-average trading volumes. In contrast, stocks have fallen by 65 per cent on days recording above-average trading volumes.
In other words, a strategy based on the “low volume bad, high volume good” theory has been a fast way to the poorhouse over the last seven years.
Frustrated investors pulling money from hedge funds
Investors may be losing patience with hedge funds, which last month suffered net outflows of $25.2 billion (€22.5bn) – the biggest monthly redemption since February 2009, according to eVestment.
With similar outflows reported in June, hedge funds appear set to suffer net annual outflows for only the third time in history, and the first since 2009.
It’s surprising it has taken so long. A US 60:40 equity:bond portfolio would have beaten the average hedge fund every year over the last decade. In the UK, too, a 60:40 portfolio would have returned three times as much money as the average hedge fund over the last five years, according to SCM Direct, despite hedge funds’ charging 36 times the fees.
It remains to be seen if 2016 will represent a mere blip for hedge funds or “the first innings of a washout”, as hedge fund manager Dan Loeb warned last April. The latter would be preferable – continuing to pay big fees for lousy returns truly defies reason.
Overconfident CEOs good for stock prices
Overconfidence in chief executives is not always a bad thing, according to a new study (see http://goo.gl/Jw54G9).
. One common way of identifying overconfident chief executives, the researchers noted, is to focus on executives holding deep in-the-money vested stock options (by not selling, they are indicating they expect their company share price will keep rising).
Such CEOs are more likely to provide voluntary earnings guidance, announce stock repurchases and use mark-to-market accounting practices, the researchers found. Increasing information dissemination about the company helps “level the playing field between informed and uninformed investors”, increasing market efficiency and preventing the likelihood of shares becoming undervalued. | http://www.irishtimes.com/business/personal-finance/stocktake-sleepy-markets-vulnerable-to-volatility-spike-1.2771156 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/405f683d24ec6f2ae5af05551ecfa3d142b3ec39cc7f4a1d5ba22a55379e3aa4.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T04:50:12 | null | 2016-08-27T05:00:00 | Ronan has a big fight ahead, but Ross is keeping his eye on a different battle | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Flife-and-style%2Fpeople%2Fross-o-carroll-kelly-we-can-hear-them-chanting-through-the-walls-of-the-dressing-room-in-other-words-the-ladies-toilets-1.2768297%3FlocalLinksEnabled%3Dfalse.json | http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2768293.1472136138!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Ross O’Carroll-Kelly: ‘We can hear them chanting through the walls of the dressing room - in other words, the ladies toilets’ | null | null | www.irishtimes.com | Ronan hasn’t been returning my calls. I say it to him as well. “Yeah, no,” I go, “I was trying to find out how you got on in, like, the Leaving Cert?”
He’s there, “I habn’t been thinking abourrit, Rosser. Ine fuddy focused on this fight and nuttin else.”
The atmosphere is tense in the Tipsy Wagon – especially for a Tuesday lunchtime. The cor pork is full of people. They’re mostly fans of Ronan’s opponent, the so-called Beast from Blanchardstown East, Josey Anto. We can hear them chanting through the walls of the dressing room – in other words, the ladies toilets. They’re going, “Beast! Beast! Beast! Beast!”
Ronan throws a combination of punches at the sanitary towel vending machine. Buckets of Blood, his trainer, tells him to forget about the crowd – he’s only fighting one man today.
The problem is that the last time he fought this dude, he was carried out of the cage on a stretcher, a pile of broken bones, with his face a mess.
I had to identify him by his tattoo records.
“Are you not even curious,” I go, “as to how you did?”
He’s there, “What are you talken about?”
“In terms of, like, results – how many points you got and blah, blah, blah. For all you know, you might end up going to college.”
“Me results are in there,” he goes, nodding at his gym bag. “In an envelope. I said I wadn’t going to open it until arthur the fight – doatunt want any distract shiddens.”
I remember when I did the Leaving Cert, I couldn’t wait to see what I got for ruling my pages and writing my examination number on the front of the answers booklet. It was a lot less than I expected, as it happens. But Ronan’s way cleverer than me. They do say that stupidity skips a generation.
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“But this is your future,” I go.
He shakes his head. “That sham next doher in the men’s jacks is me future,” he goes. “Taking the Irish Mixed Meertial Eerts phantomweight belt off him is all that mattors to me at this moment in toyum.”
He hits the vending machine again – two lefts, then a right – and the drawer pops open, offering him a sanitary pad. There’s obviously a knack to it.
“Look at the woodied face on you,” Ronan goes. “Ine gonna bathor him, Rosser.”
I’m there, “You know how I feel about this sport, Ro. It’s, like, borbaric?”
He laughs. He goes, “It’s not beer baddick! It’s no bethor or woorse than your spowert, the rubby.”
I go, “We’ll have to agree to differ on that basic point.”
There’s a knock on the door and a dude in a long white coat walks in. “Couple of last minute questions,” he goes. “I wanted to ask you, what’s your blood type?”
“Oh,” Ronan goes. “It’s O.”
“Ah, that’s good,” the dude goes, “we’ve got plenty of that. And do you have medical insurance?”
I’m there, “He’s on mine – we’re talking Plan B Plus Options. Anything happens to him, you bring him to the Blackrock Clinic, okay? Nowhere else.”
The dude nods, then leaves.
“It’s joost precaution eddy,” Ro goes when he sees my face. “It’ll be the utter fedda going to the hospididdle in addyhow.”
There’s another knock on the door and suddenly it’s time to go. Buckets leads Ronan out. And that’s when I realise that I can’t do it. I can’t watch. I’m not a coward. I’ve walked into tackles that did damage to my vital organs. I’ve walked into husbands who tried to do damage to the most vital organ of all. But I can’t watch my son get hurt.
So I stay where I am, in the ladies’, leaning against the sink, listening to the crowd go wild as the MC makes the introductions. It’s like, “Laaadieees and gentlemeeen, will you please welcome to the octagon, with a record of six wins and one defeat, Sent from Heaven via Dublin Eleven, the Little Pest from Finglas West – it’s Ronaaan! ‘Maaanslaaaughter’! Maaasters!”
I hear nothing but boos.
Then Josey Anto is introduced – “with a record of 19 wins from 19 fights, he’s put more people in Connolly Hospital than the HSE, it’s the Avalanche from the Rough End of Blanch, Joooseeey ‘The Widow Maker’ Antoooooo” – and I feel my guts suddenly tighten.
There’s, like, a roar from the crowd then and I try not to think about what’s happening beyond that door. I try to think of other things and my eye is suddenly drawn to Ronan’s kit bag, lying on the floor in the corner. I stort to think about his Leaving Cert results and what kind of future he might be facing. And I do what any other parent would do in the same situation. I take the envelope out of his bag and I tear it open.
My hands are literally trembling as I pull out the piece of A4 paper and unfold it slowly. I stare at it for like, 20 seconds, my mouth slung open like someone from Roscommon stepping out of Busarus for the first time. I can feel suddenly tears in my eyes?
Then I fold it up again because I hear the roars outside grow louder and I know what it means every time the decibel level rises like that. It means Ronan is taking a serious pounding.
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Then, totally unexpectedly, the noise dies down, replaced by a simple applause. And all I can do is hope that he’s okay and that he won’t need my VHI details.
The next five minutes feel like five days but eventually the toilet door opens and Buckets of Blood walks in, looking sad but resigned, followed by Ronan, who’s got blood streaming from his nose and tears streaming from his eyes.
I just, like, throw my orms around him. “Fair focks!” I go. “I’m saying that, Ro. Fair focks.”
He’s like, “What are you bleaten on about? I got moordered.”
“You got five As!” I go. “Ro, you got five actual As!” | http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/ross-o-carroll-kelly-we-can-hear-them-chanting-through-the-walls-of-the-dressing-room-in-other-words-the-ladies-toilets-1.2768297?localLinksEnabled=false | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.irishtimes.com/533f4d7532913416191dea0e776a3d81e17049f2ca842df64116b1d50eee8be7.json |
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