Yearly Archives: 2016
“Councillor [Alan] Tobin should stick with local issues that pertain to people instead of coming out with hideous and inaccurate comments that have little basis and that are absolutely hurtful to the many species of dog such as staffies and pit-bulls; animals who are troubled animals all because of their built and look.
Mr. Tobin is sadly going to rubber stamp the already inaccurate view that these animals are dangerous animals and that families across Ireland should be aware – far from it. If anything, these animals are hugely exploited by calculated people who turn them into vicious and nasty blood-thirsty creatures.
If we are to rely on this type of inaccurate nonsense from Fine Gael going forward, then animals in Ireland should be very worried. ARAN intends on presenting Mr. Tobin with our 2016 ‘Ass-Backwards Award’ for his dumb comments in the near future.”
John Carmody, of ARAN [Animal Rights network] on Meath Fine Gael Councillor Alan Tobin’s ‘dangerous dogs’ measure.
Arf.
Too soon?
How long will this useless government last?
‘sheet political analyst Shane Heneghan writes:
Fianna Fáil have put themselves on a tight rope trying to balance leadership of the opposition and prop up the government on issues of confidence and supply. The incentive for them to pull the plug in the event of them performing well in a few stray polls may prove unbearable.
Fine Gael may not be in too different a position to them and may feel the lure of another election in time if this arrangement starts to feel more and more like a hostage situation.
Unless, of course, Stockholm syndrome takes over and given how close the pair of them are ideologically that idea is not to be ruled out.
Sinn Féin probably stand to benefit the most from the situation as they can easily portray this deal as a cosy elite consensus that offers no real leadership. Only Gerry Adams’ twitter account stands between them and more gains.
Unless, of course Labour make a decent crack at recovery. It was interesting to see them vote against Kenny’s final nomination and it will be fascinating to see if any of their grievances from the last government are exposed or leaked in the coming weeks and months.
One of the issues Labour campaigned on was a referendum to repeal the 8th amendment. If they are wise and if they can, they should table a vote on the matter in the Dáil.
It won’t pass, of course, but it will be interesting for voters to see where certain members stand on the issue- particularly Sinn Féin who have been remarkably ambiguous on the matter.
With the appointment of Katherine Zapponne there are now two openly LGBT senior members of cabinet out of 15 – that’s 13% – a European/International record perhaps?
This is, of course, another small victory in terms of visibility and representation. But perhaps what’s more progressive still is that no one even bats an eye lid at this – it’s simply not an issue any more.
Shane Heneghan is a Brussels-based psepholig sepho psiv poltical scientist person.
Related: The 32nd Dáil: A Look Ahead
From left: Margo O’Donnell, Ann Doherty, Mary Boyle’s twin sister and Gemma O’Doherty before meeting Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin last month
Ahead of a forthcoming independent documentary on Ireland’s longest missing child case.
Ann, Margo and Gemma urged Martin to initiate a Dáil debate on the serious allegations about the Garda handling of the case, and to support their call for an inquest into Mary’s death.
A Fianna Fáil spokesman said after that “All of the claims made to Deputy Martin have been forwarded to An Garda Síochána and the Garda Ombudsman”, despite the fact the women have no faith in either of these organisations…
Margo said to me after the meeting: “We would have got nowhere with this if it wasn’t for Gemma. She’s the only one who looked at this and saw there is a case to answer here, for justice for that wee girl.”
….The establishment does not like Gemma O’Doherty.
Her former employer, the Irish Independent, made her compulsorily redundant in August 2013. This happened in the aftermath of her investigation into the Garda wiping of penalty points brought her to the front door of the home of former Garda commissioner Martin Callinan.
Editor in chief at Independent News and Media, Stephen Rae, called her a “rogue reporter”. She was made redundant a few weeks later.
Her investigative instincts appear to have been vindicated, however, and Callinan retired in March 2014 because, he said, “recent developments were proving to be a distraction from from the important work that is carried out by An Garda Síochána”.
Gemma received an abject apology at the resolution of her defamation suit against Independent News & Media in January last year. The organisation and Rae acknowledged “the exceptional work of multi-award winning investigative journalist Gemma O’Doherty” and accepted she had “acted at all times in a professional and diligent manner”.
I have heard political advisers say of her: “She just won’t let it go.” In other words, she’s not easily fobbed off.
What she sees in the Mary Boyle case is political interference in a Garda investigation into the death of a child, and she just won’t let it go.
…It’s time to stop fobbing her off. It’s time a “wee girl” called Mary Boyle got justice.
Mary Boyle’s disappearance and the 40-year fob-off (Kitty Holland, irish Times)
Previously: Mary Boyle case on broadsheet
Myles Manley – touring Ireland this weekend
1. Emerging from Sligo, Myles Manley is a songwriter that is Ireland’s (definitely-not-self-proclaimed) “foremost highbrow, underground popstar”.
2. He’s grand for a tune, though – past the sarky sense of humour lies a penchant for pop goodness, as ably demonstrated in debut album Greatest Hits 2012-2013 and last year’s More Songs. It’s translated to UK, European and Russian touring, as well as love from BBC Radio 1 and the Irish music media.
3. Streaming above is the Arsenal-tastic vid for Pay Me What I’m Worth, described by Radio 1’s Phil Taggart as “an anthem for anyone who works below middle management”. ***NSFW bit at the end.***
4. He’s playing a free gig at the Triskel Arts Centre in Cork this Friday 13. He’s also at Broken Home in Galway on the 14th, and the Swagman in Sligo on the 15th.
Verdict: World-weary troubadour, or grinning smart-alec with an ear for pop? Worth the while to find out in a live environment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyYHjPLeh2s
From Brainy Films.
Starring Liam Hourican and Clare Monnelly.
Caroline writes:
The type of coffee you order says a lot about you. Maybe you ask for a Mocha because you don’t actually like the taste of coffee but want to look like you’re drinking one. Maybe you ask for an ‘Expresso’ because you don’t realise that that’s not what it’s called. Or maybe, like the guy (above)y…you’re just a dick.
FIGHT!
How Much?
at
Yesterday.
The €7 lager.
SPLUTTER!
Thanks Dave
Meanwhile…
@broadsheet_ie Total for beer and food €4..( ok it's Africa ) pic.twitter.com/FZREP9pFef
— noel (@nmaher36) May 9, 2016
Overreaching
at
Ah here.
Starbucks, Baggott Street, Dublin 2.
Thanks Anon
What you may need to know:
1. Nic Cage, atom bombs, submarines and sharks.
2. The USS Indianapolis was torpedoed by the Japanese in July 1945. Only 316 members of the 1,196-strong crew survived four days in shark-infested waters.
3. “Lifeless eyes, black eyes, like a doll’s eye.” Fans of Jaws (1975) will recall that the Indianapolis was the ship that Quint served on during WWII. And the cause of his shark aversion.
4. Look at that poster. So much fail.
5. Probably not coming to a cinema near you.
6. Broadsheet prognosis: A Shark Tale.
Release Date: May 27.
(Mark writes about film and TV at WhyBother.ie)