Author Archives: Admin

letter

Sir Tim Barrow (left) gives UK’s letter of notification (article 50) to Donald Tusk President of the European Council today

‘sup?

This afternoon.

Brussels, Belgium.

Sir Tim Barrow, British ambassador to the EU, handed the written letter to European Council president Donald Tusk…The minute the letter was accepted, the notification to leave was triggered.

Britain now has two years to negotiate an agreement with the 27 remaining EU countries over its future relationship with the bloc.

FIGHT!

UK Officially Starts Brexit process (BBCI

Pic: BBC

Meanwhile…
liberation

Bernard writes:

Thought you and your readers might like today’s Liberation front page. Headline is ‘We Already Miss You’ (or Missing You Already)…and the soldier is an Irish Guard (shamrocks on the collar).

Fight!

huge jpegs slow pageload

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdPtKQQ2SzA

Ian Bailey is this week appealing the decision to reject his claim of a Garda conspiracy to link him to the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier in West Cork in 1996..

Olaf Tyaransen of Hot Press magazine sat down with Mr Bailey to discuss this appeal, a likely arrest and extradition to France and how he has found strength through poetry.

I’m Going To be Arrested On Thursday (Hot Press – subscription)

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RTE writes:

On tonight’s episode of What Are You Eating? on RTÉ One at 8.30pm, chef Hilary O’Hagan-Brennan reveals the uncomfortable truth about the meat in many ready meals.

Many people turn to a ready meal for something quick and convenient to eat after a busy day at work – on average twice a week – and the roast dinner is a favourite. But there is a process – not listed on the ingredients – that goes into creating that roast dinner that may surprise you.

Transglutaminase is an enzyme used in food manufacturing to bond – essentially glue – pieces of meat together to create a more valuable “joint” of meat.

EwwwNOMNOMNONOM…

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Irish music is littered with stories of innovation and hidden legacies, lost to time and forgotten.

One artist, an Irish emigré returned home, is preparing to rectify his case.

Writes Rohan Healy:

Hanging in the Bridle Bar of the Áras an Uachtaráin (Official Residence of the President of Ireland) are the framed, original, hand-written lyrics of one of David Virgin’s songs.

He was instrumental in the creation of industrial music in the late ‘70’s with his group SPK. He has lived the world over and in a career spanning four decades has performed with the likes of Mary Black, Nick Cave, INXS, Lloyd Cole, Billy Bragg and Cat Power to name a few.

David now lives permanently in Dublin, the town of his birth, and in summer 2017 will release “The Beautiful Album” through Beardfire Music, backed by his sons, now of The Dublin City Rounders. The family trio will also take to the stage for a select number of live appearances to launch the album upon its release.

Ahead of the full album in summer, the singles “Love Comes” and “Rock N Roll” are out now and available to purchase on Bandcamp, and the music video for “Love Comes” was released online.

David Virgin

 

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From top: Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald; David Costello, head of the International Protection Office; and Jose Carreira, executive director of the European Asylum Support Office; a section of a questionnaire sent out to asylum seekers in Ireland

You’ll recall how the International Protection Act came into effect on December 31, 2016, allowing for new streamlined “single application” procedure for asylum seekers seeking protection in Ireland.

In February, 60-page questionnaires were sent to some 3,000 asylum seekers outlining a specific deadline for their return (see above).

After concerns were raised, the Department of Justice later stated:

“As is clearly stated on the form, applicants are requested to respond within 20 working days, if possible.”

Last week, asylum seekers addressed members of the Oireachtas to explain that the deadline caused great confusion and panic among asylum seekers.

Further to this…

Dublin solicitor Wendy Lyon writes:

[Last night] I attended a briefing for practitioners by David Costello, head of the International Protection Office, on the new procedures. On the subject of the 20-day deadline he repeated the now standard line that this was never a hard deadline and that all flexibility was being shown.

At the Q&A I read out the part of the questionnaire in the attached photo, with the intention of pointing out that it was not unreasonable for asylum seekers to think they really needed to meet the deadline. I didn’t even get that far because he immediately accused me of selectively quoting and omitting the part that said ‘if possible’. I said there was no part of this section of the questionnaire that said ‘if possible’. He insisted I was wrong.

I invited him to read the part in my photograph. He said ‘I didn’t need to read it, I wrote it.’ He shouted that it was unprofessional of me to even bring this up. And then he refused to discuss the matter any further.

Wendy Lyon

Questionnaires cause ‘distress’ for people in direct provision (Kitty Holland, Irish Times, February 20, 2017)

Thanks Mark Malone

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BODIES – Mope-core

What you may need to know…

01. The solo outlet of musician David Anthony McGeown, BODIES specialises in what he refers to as “mope-core”.

02. A new outfit, emerging first as McGeown’s recording pseudonym and subsequently as a live band, BODIES’ debut album Drench was completed last year and should be enroute later in 2017.

03. Streaming above is the project’s debut single Nightmoves, released in December of last year, accompanied by a remix from much-fancied producer Kobina.

04. Next live excursion is Friday night at the Mezz in Dublin, supporting Cork psych-rockers The Sunshine Factory. Also on the bill are Death in the Sickroom and The Thrash Blues.

THOUGHTS: A bleak take on the broad church of alternative sounds and reference points.

BODIES