Author Archives: Bodger

This morning.

Via Irish Times Letters:

The Taoiseach’s partner Matthew Barrett raises legitimate concerns regarding the risks inherent in empowering members of the public to surveil the behaviour of others.

I am sure he is similarly perturbed by the promotion (in 2017, by Leo Varadkar, the then minister for social protection) of a telephone line and website to enable and encourage members of the public to report on the behaviour of their contemporaries.

Photographing Varadker (Irish Times Letters)

RollingNews/Twitter

Green Party Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin (right) at the launch of Culture Night 2021

Minister for Arts Catherine Martin has said the numbers are moving in the right direction for a full reopening of the live entertainment sector on 22 October.

Ms Martin was speaking at the launch for this year’s Culture Night, which takes place on Friday 17 September.

Over 1,000 events are planned for Culture Night, 80% of them in person, and all are adhering to current government guidelines which includes 60% capacity indoors and 75% outdoors where attendees are vaccinated or recovered from Covid-19.

Entitled ‘Come Together Again‘, this year’s Culture Night will showcase a wide range of activities including comedy, circus, dance, museum visits, musical performances and film.

Full reopening for events on track for 22 October – Martin (RTÉ)

KN writes:

A Vax pass needed for outdoor Culture Night events? ‘Come together again’, my Swiss.

RollingNews

Aidan Gillen as Frank Kinsella in Kin on RTÉ One last night

This afternoon.

Via RTE:

The highly anticipated first offering of drama series Kin got off to a strong start with an average audience of 500,600 (live + vosdal). It was a particular hit with younger audiences, attracting a 50% share of Adults 25-44. A further 40,500 watched on RTÉ+1 last night and it has already had 17,000 streams on the RTÉ Player since it aired – proving that local drama is the best kind of drama.

How was it for you, anyone?

RTÉ/Rollingnews

This afternoon.

90.2% of adults over the age of 18 are now double vaxxed.

G’wan the 9.8 per cent.

Fight!

Meanwhile…

This afternoon.

Airfield Estate, Dundrum, Dublin.

Green Party Leader Eamon Ryan speaking to the media with Green Party Ministers Catherine Martin, Roderic O’Gorman and Pippa Hackett on day 1 of the party’s think-in.

Via RTÉ:

Regarding criticism from the National Women’s Council of a decision by the party not to sanction Brian Leddin TD over his comments on a WhatsApp group, Mr Ryan said the Greens had the highest representation of women in any political party.

He added the party needed to maintain a “culture of dignity and respect” to promote women in politics and confirmed the issue would be discussed at the party’s think-in.

Green Party Deputy Leader Catherine Martin said she had made her views known on the issue and had spoken to Brian Leddin but she would not comment further as the matter “is subject of a garda investigation.”

Ryan says councils must row in behind Government housing plan (RTÉ)

Leah Farrell/RollingNews

This afternoon.

Trim county Meath.

Tanaiste and Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar on the roof of Trim Castle Hotel with Trim Castle in the background, speaking to the media on the first day of the party’s think-in, alongside Minister of State for Civil and Criminal Law Hildegarde Naughton (in yellow) and Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Damien English (above left).

All the big hitters.

FIGHT!

Think-in will unite Fine Gael party – Varadkar (RTÉ)

Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews

Update:

This afternoon.

Late to the roof were: Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney and Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris and Frances Fitzgerald MEP.

RollingNews

Staying in September 22?

Violet Gibson – An tÉireannach Mná a Lámhach Mussolini (The Irish Woman who Shot Mussolini) gets its inaugural TV screening on TG4.

Featuring Olwen Fouéré as Violet.

Barrie Dowdall Producer said

“After the radio documentary The Irish Woman Who Shot Mussolini (2014) produced by my wife Siobhán Lynam, won a Gold Award at the New York Festivals World’s Best Radio Programmes, I decided to adapt the story as a Documentary Feature Film for theatrical release

“I was fascinated with Violet’s story from the very beginning. I wondered how might this distinguished woman have altered the course of world history if her pistol hadn’t jammed. I thought if she was a man she would be celebrated as a heroic visionary with a statue erected in her honour.”

Violet Gibson – An tÉireannach Mná a Lámhach Mussolini on Wednesday, September 22 at 9:30pm on TG4.