Yearly Archives: 2014
The BetYou.ie social betting app.
Bonzer writes:
“Saw this advertised in the Metro today (page 8) Ridiculous Irish Startup. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that “social betting apps” are a terrible, terrible idea.”
Latest odds:
Terrible, Terrible Idea – evens
Harmless Fun – 10/1
Splutter – 5/1
FIGHT! – 2/1 (Fav)
Coade – Understand
Photographer Mick Quinn writes:
“‘Understand’ is a song from a father to his son. The video features real life Irish fathers and sons…”
*phones da*
If you want to know what’s to be viewed,
In Drumshanbo, the highlights include,
A few dangly bits
And uncovered tits,
Because everyone there’s in the nude.
John Moynes
(BBC)
Step 1. Plant seeds
Step 2. Wait while tree grows
Step 3. Cut tree
Step 4. Make into Hurley shape
Step 5. Pull Hard
Dalachy writes:
“From Craic and Divilment Productions. Available in County Colours of your choice. €5 or three Lotto scratch cards. Pick them up in The Blue Note, Galway.”
Previously: Pints By Post
Protests outside the Marie Stopes clinic in Belfast in 2012
An abortion clinic in Belfast has been training volunteers to escort clients past anti-abortion protesters. Escorts trained in the use of body-worn cameras have been accompanying clients of the Marie Stopes clinic to and from its city centre building.
A Northern Ireland Assembly member has said the measure is an over-reaction to the protests. There have been regular protests since the clinic opened in Great Victoria Street in 2012.
Clinic director Dawn Purvis said the protests were having an effect on clients, and that the clinic had to respond. “The women that come to us are very upset and very frightened by the behaviour of the protesters,” she said. “Our volunteers have been through a vetting scheme and a very intense training course in de-escalation methods and how to deal with conflict.”
The escorts have also been trained in additional security measures including body-worn CCTV cameras and distress calls.
However, DUP MLA Jim Wells supports the protests outside the clinic and said they are important and peaceful. “I have spoken to some of the protesters and they do try to talk to women and persuade them not to have an abortion, but certainly watching what goes on, I don’t see anything that would cause me concern.” He said the clinic has gone “over the top” by introducing the escort scheme and additional security measures.
Meanwhile, an harassment case against Precious Life founder Bernie Smyth is due to resume on Tuesday next.
Anti-abortion campaigner harassed Purvis, court told (Irish News)
Marie Stopes clinic in protest escorts move (Robbie Meredith, BBC News NI)
Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland
Mist Again
at
This morning.
From top: River Liffey at Dublin, View from Hueston Bridge and Phoenix Park;
Thanks Ian Begley; James Cregan; Niall C: Colm Hewson and Sam Boal.
Bishop of Galway Martin Drennan
The Bishop of Galway appears to have rowed back on his strong stance on the St Vincent de Paul (SVP) donation towards a gay resource centre, telling a member of the public that he “got it badly wrong”.
There have been calls for Dr Martin Drennan to resign in the wake of his comments on Galway Bay FM last week about the €45,000 allocation to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community support group Amach.
He described gay culture as “morally wrong” and said he had a problem with the “moral judgment” involved with making the decision by the SVP.
Salthill resident Cormac Ryan wrote an email to the Bishop after hearing the interview, describing his remarks as “deeply offensive, uncharitable and unchristian”.
A reply the following day from the Diocesan email address, which was also sent to the Bishop’s Diocesan secretary, thanked him for the letter.
“My humble apologies for the hurt caused. I got it badly wrong,” it said.
Vice chairperson of Amach, Nuala Ward, invited the Bishop to sit down and talk with the organisation to discuss their work, which involved collaborating with bodies such as the Health Service Executive, the Gardaí and suicide prevention groups.
Meanwhile..
Tackling poverty is what the SVP does best. But Galway LGBT Amach! is a campaigning organisation. It even helped promote a pro-abortion march in Galway last year. That’s the opposite of reaching out to the poor and marginalised.
And it’s not as though left-wing, liberal causes are stuck for money these days. When it comes to friends in the media and funds from millionaires, gay rights projects are top dogs, not underdogs.
Did SVP Galway ask Amach! whether it would be campaigning for the redefinition of marriage next year? Might its resource centre and facilities be used in that referendum?
It’s a strange thing, but heaven help you if you dare to regret using the poor box to fund a campaigning gay rights organisation.
Read my article in this week’s Connacht Tribune about St Vincent de Paul grant to LGBT Amach! pic.twitter.com/c7iSHlE8G9
— Senator Rónán Mullen (@RonanMullen) September 11, 2014
Keep supporting St. Vincent De Paul. But crikey, the Galway branch was ill-advised. — Senator Rónán Mullen (@RonanMullen) September 5, 2014
Update:
Enda Cunningham [of the Connacht Tribune] writes:
Purely in the interest of balance, there is actually a third piece [above] in the Tribune today – it’s from Nuala Ward, Vice Chair of Amach LGBT.
Bishop of Galway says he got it ‘badly wrong’ (Denise McNamara, Galway City Tribune)
Previously: How Dare They?
Graham Hughes/Photocall Ireland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWDZ350laUQ
VFX shenanigizer Joey Shanks celebrates the 30th anniversary of Ghostbusters by attempting to recreate the proton streams from the film.
And why wouldn’t he?
(Thanks Joey)