Author Archives: Admin

Denis O’Brien leaving the Four Courts last year after he lost his case against the Dáil and State over statements made by in the Dáil about his banking affairs; a tweet by former Communicorp journalist Jessie Magee

Further to Denis O’Brien-owned Communicorp banning all journalists from The Irish Times contributing to its radio stations…

Mark Tighe, in The Times Ireland edition, reports today about journalist Jessie Magee, who worked for Communicorp stations for ten years, deciding to quit last week.

He reports:

“I was unhappy with the management culture there for a while,” Ms Magee said. “It’s not a happy work environment.”

She also said that there was always extra concern about covering stories about Denis O’Brien on Newstalk or Today FM.

“There have been stories over the years on Esat or O’Brien suing newspapers or the Dáil and there is a fear about covering them.’ Everything about him has to be vetted and proofed . . . There was huge concern about how, or if, we could cover those stories.”

Communicorp declined to comment.

Communicorp radio staff ‘embarrassed by ban on Irish Times journalists’ (Mark Tighe, The Times Ireland edition)

Tonight.

On RTÉ Two.

The first instalment of the new four-part documentary series Trauma will begin at 9.30pm.

Tonight’s episode will include a focus on shop owner Milan Hosek who was treated in the Mater Hospital’s emergency department after his ear was bitten off when he was subjected to a racist attack on a street in Dublin.

Via RTE:

Father-of-three Milan goes to A&E carrying the severed part of his ear in the hope that surgeons can reattach it.

He tells viewers that he was attacked by two men who started abusing him saying things like: “f**king foreigners in our country”.

“I felt really bad when the guy started spitting at me and telling me I’m a foreigner in his country”, he tells viewers. One man then urged his companion to “bite” Milan’s ear off and they attacked him.

Both men ran off after the incident. During the attack, they also told Milan they knew where he lived prompting him to ask the Gardaí to watch his family home.

Dr Sinead McArdle, Consultant in Emergency Medicine at the Mater tells viewers that: “to remove a part of someone’s body and the force required to take the whole pin of an ear would be unusual”.

In this clip, Milan and his wife Joanna, who hail from the Czech Republic and have lived here since 2003 having opened a city centre bicycle shop, talk about the racism that they have experienced, with both of them attacked within a 20-day period.

Thud.

Via Daft.ie…

Small double bedroom with shared bathroom to rent in apartment in period home in Rathmines. Rent is 650, only bills are Internet (25e per month) and heating (30-50 per month)!

The apartment is small but it’s in an amazing location, 5 minutes from both Rathmines and Ranelagh villages.

Well serviced by public transport; 5 minute walk to Beechwood Luas, 5 mins to bus stop (11, 14, 15, 18, 83 and 140 ) and 10/15 min walk to Leeson St.

You’d be living with female young professional in mid 20s, looking for someone in similar situation. I enjoy hanging out and having the chats over tea/wine with housemates but also value my own space.

Looking for a housemate who is a bit of craic, tidy, reliable for bills and easy-going. This is a pro-Repeal the 8th apartment.

Mayor Quimby writes:

“Is it OK to discriminate against pro-lifers?”

FIGHT!

Belgrave Square South, Rathmines, Dublin 6 (Daft.ie)

Fine Gael Senator Catherine Noone and Independent Senator Ronan Mullen at a meeting of the Joint Committee on the 8th amendment of the constitution yesterday

Yesterday.

Readers may recall there was a meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution.

At it, representatives of the World Health Organisation Dr Abigail Aiken, Assistant Professor at LBJ School of Public Affairs, Texas; and Dr Ronald Johnson and Dr Bela Ganatra, from the Department of Reproductive Health and Research in the World Health Organisation, fielded questions from members of the committee (top).

Further to this…

Ellen Coyne, in The Times Ireland edition, reports:

Rónán Mullen, a senator opposed to abortion, had a row with the chairwoman of the Oireachtas committee examining the issue of the Eighth Amendment yesterday.

Mr Mullen argued with Catherine Noone, the Fine Gael senator, after a terse session in the committee.

A Times journalist and several TDs who were in the ladies lavatory outside the committee room at the time were able to overhear the entire exchange in the corridor. Mr Mullen was upset after he was criticised for the way in which he questioned two representatives of the World Health Organisation (WHO) during his six minutes of questioning.

The independent senator had claimed that the WHO was wrong for supporting access to contraception after a termination, but not mandatory ultrasound scans for women seeking a termination. Ms Noone interrupted Mr Mullen while he was questioning Ronald Johnson and Bela Ganatra, the health experts, and asked him to give them a chance to answer.

“For those six minutes, they are my witnesses,” Mr Mullen yelled at Ms Noone afterwards.

Yikes.

Read in full: Heated exchange between Rónán Mullen and Catherine Noone overheard in Oirechtas ladies’ lavatory (Ellen Coyne, The Times Ireland edition)

Yesterday: ‘Are These Ill-Informed Myths?’