Yearly Archives: 2017

Laura Gaynor

“I once went looking at a place which was €700 for a matchbox room in South Dublin (no wardrobe space). I didn’t get it…. There was a rule that you couldn’t use the shower for more than 5 minutes or the rent would go up.

There was no bath either. The prospective landlady said, no boyfriends, no skateboards, no baths, no showers over 5 minutes, no staying at the weekends ….

“The price you’re paying now, for a shared room, is the price you would have paid for your own room a few years ago…. Someone quoted me €500 to be sharing a room with one another.”

Broadcaster and student Laura Gaynor on a  RTÉ Radio One Today with Sean O’Rourke discussion on student housing yesterday.

Student accommodation‘No boyfriends, no skateboards, no baths, no showers over 5 minutes, no staying at the weekends’ (Today with Sean O’Rourke, RTÉ)

Last week, with a TWENTY FIVE euro voucher to spend at any of the 14 Golden Discs stores nationwide on offer, we asked you to nominate your favourite track from the Paul Weller canon.

You answered in your dozens.

But there could only be one winner.

In reverse order then…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJRmrlkYdsQ

The Jam – Eton Rifles

Gay Teashop writes:

Paul Weller’s finest musical contribution would have to be writing and playing on Eton Rifles because art predated life and offered a soundtrack to the Cameron May Brexit Tory-boy era. And Varadkar.

The Jam – Down In The Tube Station At Midnight

Pat Walsh writes:

Paul Weller’s finest musical contribution would have to be Down In The Tube Station At Midnight because its lyrics are pure poetry & witty as hell, it tells a brilliant story very economically & it rocks. Take it away, Paul, Bruce & Rick:

The Jam – Bitterest Pill

Ivan writes:

Paul Weller’s finest musical contribution would have to be The Bitterest Pill (I Ever Had To Swallow) by The Jam because the strings, the duetting and the all-out fabness of the whole job lot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fo0lMI7bynE

The Style Council – My Ever Changing Moods

Essexhian writes:

Paul Weller is so talented. He was why all the shoes got nicked from the Bowling Alleys! I grew up listening to the Jam and then the Style Council. I sat next to him in a London pub years ago but I was too shy to chat to him! My favourite song is “My Ever Changing Moods” .
The DJ in the nightclub I went to got fed up with me asking for it to be played again and again but he did play it for me because he fancied me! Oh those were the days…

Winner

Paul Weller – Broken Stones

Leonore McDonagh writes:

Paul Weller’s finest musical contribution would have to be Broken Stones because we are “all just trying to get home”.

Thanks all.

Golden Discs

Last week: Weller, Weller, Weller

Earlier at lunchtime.

Members and supporters of the group Dublin Tenants hold a picket outside the headquarters of Ires REIT, Ireland’s biggest landlord, on Grand Canal Dock, Dublin.

It follows Ires launching The Maple – an apartment complex in Sandyford.

In May, Fiona Reddan in The Irish Times, reported that two-bed apartments in the complex were set to be rented out for €2,750, thus setting a new rental price record in the area.

Last night, Dublin Tenants released a statement about their planned picket, stating:

The protest has been called in response to escalating rents, IRES’ treatment of tenants and the wider issue of government supported vulture fund activity in Dublin’s crisis hit housing market. IRES was established in 2014 but has already amassed 2378 properties, making it Ireland’s largest landlord, and plans to double its portfolio over the coming years. 67% of its assets were acquired from NAMA. As a Real Estate Investment Trust it enjoys specific tax breaks, REITs are not subject to tax on rental income or on capital gains arising from the disposal of assets.

Previously: REIT It And Weep

Pic: Anthony Flynn

Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau are greeted by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar TD as they arrive at Dublin Castle for the Official Dinner last night.

O Trudeau!

Cometh the rubbish haircuts firing tweets and ICBMs;
the people with bad teeth daring belch their opinions in public.
Cometh also the Warren Beatty of the North,
sans the wrinkles and heavy politics, bearing
to the sisterhood of the stuffed vine leaf
and gourmet sausage
ribbon-wrapped boxes labelled ‘hope’,
‘moderation’, and ‘free trade’;
your tongue’s delicious wiggling
persuading even Lycra clad
husbands to put bikes and running shoes aside
a moment and join the ravenous pack of dangerous
sensibilists in drizzling a tribute
of garlic butter all over
your French speaking torso.
Your hair, a field of wheat that reminds
soon-to-be-ex Prime Ministers
of better times.
Your words, as gorgeously proportional
as the gossip from the ladies’ golf-club,
float off towards the sun.

Kevin Higgins

Yesterday: Trudeau, Madly Deeply

Stop CETA Alliance (Facebook)

Rollingnews

Hello you.

Benz writes:

I see Richard Boyd Barrett attended the party of the year. Thought he’d rather stick pins in his eyes than party with the very wealthiest that London had to offer.

Maybe he was there to educate them in the errors of their ways. I’d doubt it though.

FIGHT!

More air kisses than Oscar night! Stars including Jude Law, Nigella Lawson, Damian Lewis and Jemima Goldsmith attend party in Chelsea to celebrate 80th birthday of playwright Sir Tom Stoppard (MailOnline)

Nat King Coleslaw writes:

So LEAVE.EU calls him an “Irish Diplomat” when, according to Aidan, he’s the “ex Irish Ambassador to Canada and is not currently involved in any govt department, civil service or political group”

So (as Carol Cadwalladr suggests) who’s bankrolling him to get “Irexit” moving?

Anyone?

Ex-ambassador Roy Bassett on Ireland’s links to UK and EU (BBC)