Author Archives: Bodger

 

A queue outside the GPO, O’Connell Street for social welfare payments

This morning

The Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) is expected to close to new entrants from next month and to reduce in instalments of €50 from September.

Via RTE:

The wage subsidy scheme and commercial rates waiver are both expected to continue until at least September.

It is understood the cost of extending these schemes will be around €2bn.

Supports for small and medium sized companies get into the export market will be announced as well as 50,000 training places for digital and green jobs.

Details will also be given on projects to be funded through the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Fund, one of which will be a low cost loan scheme for retrofitting homes.

Govt to lay out roadmap to economic recovery with plan announcement (RTÉ)

RollingNews

This afternoon.

Cork designer and minimalist fan Ray Hurley (above) launches a print collection (available at link below) inspired by Irish cinema and the love of his life. To wit:

Ray met Lisa in Galway City in August 2011. He had just returned to Ireland from Australia after his mother passed away from ovarian cancer.

Long story short, Ray met the love of his life that weekend.

He used his design background to create something for Lisa that would both reflect his passion and inspire his new collection – Irish cinema.

Ray used his keen detective skills to find out Lisa’s favourite movies – leaning heavily on Lisa’s Facebook movie likes! He compiled his list and above is a sample the gallery he came up with.

Did it ‘reel’ her in?

Lisa and Ray with four year-old daughter Nia Rose.

In fairness.

Minimalist Film Posters Ray Hurley

This afternoon.

Aged 40 to 44?

Your vaccine registration portal will be open from Wednesday.

Via RTÉ:

[Minister for Health] Stephen Donnelly said that those aged 44 will be able to register on Wednesday, with 43 year olds able to register on Thursday, those aged 42 on Friday, 41 on Saturday and 40 year olds on Sunday….

Vaccine portal to open for 44 year olds on Wednesday (RTE)

Earlier: V Day

RollingNews

 

Daithi O Se and rose contestants in 2018

This afternoon.

The Rose of Tralee Festival has been cancelled for the second year in a row due to Covid-19.

Via RTÉ:

In a statement, Anthony O’Gara, Rose of Tralee International Festival CEO, confirmed the news on Monday.

He said that since last year’s postponement, they have been working on how to safely deliver the 2021 Rose of Tralee International Festival.

However, the timeframe envisaged to “steer our communities out of this pandemic” means that they will not be able to have a festival again this year.

Rose of Tralee Festival cancelled for 2021 due to pandemic (RTÉ)

RollingNews

KN writes:

All this talk of ‘vaccine equity’ reminded me of the original, British version of Utopia [Channel 4, 2014] where celebrities, including Dara O’Briain (@34.05), are used to promote V-Day, calling for the equitable distribution of vaccines worldwide to combat a deadly ‘Russian flu’. Prescient or what?

Only you can decide.

Meanwhile…

FIGHT!

Meanwhile..

Good times.

From top: Sliabh Bhan in County Roscommon by photographer Will Keane

While you were on the couch.

Will Keane was out walking.

And taking incredible pictures.

Will Keane writes:

At the start of 2021 Ireland was in the middle of lockdown with a harsh limit of 5 kilometres applied to the population. After eating and drinking my way through previous lockdowns in 2020 I decided to embark on a personal adventure, Six Months of Walking.

I decided to document the sights that I encountered on my 5km and uploaded them to Instagram and Facebook. The feedback was really positive and there were many requests for prints.

Being limited to 5km went from a curse to a blessing. I am surrounded by bog (marshy peat land). Taking the sames routes repeatedly forced me to focus on the little things like the curl of a fern, the lighting effects depending on the time of day and how playing with reflections can turn a good shot to a really good shot.

I have a soft spot for sunsets, the moon and love including an animal in a shot to give personality and for framing. I am not a professional photographer but I have been told I have a good eye. I take pride in my picture but I am always learning.

Cut to this week and the launch of Sixmonthsofwalking.ie…having never built a website, it was a steep learning curve but I’m proud of the result and just wanted to share it with you!

Six Months of Walking has really help centre myself physically and mentally and because of the pandemic I have gained a passion.

Sixmonthsofwalking

Pic: Will Keane