Author Archives: Bodger

Violet-Anne Wynne (left), Sinn Féin TD for Clare, with Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald last Summer

This morning.

“I believe that the administrative side to the party and the organisers wanted me to stand down and have been actively seeking this through gaslighting measures and what can only be described as psychological warfare.

“I have tried to force the comradery and on many occasions, I informed them of the impact of their actions on my personal wellbeing and my work but it was to no avail.

“I am supposed to be on some form of maternity leave and I asked Sinn Féin for someone who would be experienced enough to act as office manager.

“As it transpired, I got a prominent member of Sinn Féin who is getting paid for a 41 hour week plus overtime but actually only works two-and-a-half days/three days of the week.

“My unplanned pregnancy was also a further stick to beat me with and I am truly concerned for women who may want to come forward for Sinn Féin in the future, in Clare.

“I feel I have been isolated and steps have been taken to ensure that I would face greater difficulties, locally.

“I have battled with the party for many months now trying to avoid this course of action as I wholeheartedly believed in them.

“My membership has become untenable knowing that what we see is not what is experienced on the ground and therefore I cannot be the only one who is experiencing, or will experience, such difficulties in the future.”

Violet-Anne Wynne, TD for Clare. who recently gave birth to her sixth child

Sinn Féin TD Violet-Anne Wynne resigns from party (RTE)

Meanwhile..

…via Independent.ie:

In statement on Friday morning, Sinn Féin said it “so very sorry” that Ms Wynne has decided to leave the party. The party’s deputy whip Denise Mitchell said Sinn Féin had been working to resolve “challenges at constituency level” over the last two years.

…In a statement through the Sinn Féin press office, Ms Mitchell said: “I am so very sorry to hear of Violet-Anne’s decision this morning. Violet-Anne was a valued member of the Sinn Féin Oireachtas team.

“The party worked extremely hard over the last two years to resolve challenges at constituency level. That work was continuing.

“Violet-Anne has welcomed a new baby girl to her family and is currently on maternity leave. We had hoped to continue in our efforts to resolve constituency issues when she returned.

“Unfortunately, Violet-Anne has now decided to leave Sinn Féin. We wish her and her family the very best for the future.”

Sinn Féin responds after TD Violet-Anne Wynne resigns from party over ‘psychological warfare’ (Independent.ie)

Previously: My Left Foot

Pic via Violet-Anne Wynne

Diarmuid Rossa Phelan

This morning.

Tallaght Distrcit Court

Senior Counsel Diarmuid Rossa Phelan was charged with murder of Keith Conlon in farmland in Tallaght last Tuesday. Mr Conlon died in hospital yesterday.

Via Independent.ie:

Det Gda Michael McGrath, of Tallaght Garda station, gave evidence saying he arrested the accused last night for the purposes of charging him with murder.

The court heard that Mr Phelan, with an address at Kiltalown Lane in Tallaght, made no reply when the single charge was put to him.

Judge Patricia McNamara remanded him in custody to appear before Cloverhill District Court via video link next Friday.

Senior barrister (53) charged with murder of dad of four Keith Conlon in Tallaght (Independent.ie)

UCD President Andrew Deeks addresses the 11th Confucius Institute Conference in China in 2016, where he was presented with with the “Medal of the Individual Performance Excellence Award” for his work as chair of the UCD Confucius Institute

This morning.

Via Irish Times:

Comments from University College Dublin (UCD) president Andrew Deeks, that concerns about a controversial Chinese institute on its campus were “misguided”, have been described as “worrying” by senior academics.

In a recent message to staff, Prof Deeks defended the hosting of a Chinese government-backed Confucius Institute by the south Dublin university.

Academics in UCD’s school of politics previously criticised the fact the institute was permitted to teach a class on Chinese politics to UCD students, given China’s human rights record.

*cough*

UCD academics criticise president’s defence of Beijing-linked institute (irish Times)

Meanwhile…

…this morning.

Via UCD professor Diarmaid Ferriter:

What is worrying and disappointing is how far the president of University Cocllege Dublin, Andrew Deeks, went this week in disparaging understandable concerns by some of his colleagues about the Confucius Institute in UCD. In an email to staff he said: “The UCD Confucius Institute for Ireland is a credit to the University and to everyone involved, including the successive Irish governments that have supported it, and something the whole UCD community should be proud of.”

He went further, however, lacerating those who have dared to challenge the appropriateness of the CI’s agenda: “I have been disappointed by some of the misguided commentary about the UCD Confucius Institute and the UCD Institute for Chinese Studies which has appeared. I would like to remind colleagues of the UCD values of integrity, collegiality, engagement and diversity . . . I have been particularly disturbed by implicit suggestions that the political loyalties of some colleagues can be inferred from their ethnicity, given our ongoing campaign against racism.”

I have never heard or read criticism of any individual associated with the CI that is based on ethnicity. The concerns are not about specific staff members but academic freedom and independence.

Let us not forget that two years ago proposed changes to UCDs academic freedom policy to allow for “divergent approaches” to that freedom due to the desire to drum up business with China and other countries was withdrawn because it was robustly challenged by staff.

Diarmaid Ferriter: UCD Confucius Institute not above criticism (irish Times)


Yesterday evening.

Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

Leah writes:

In an emotional moment outside Leinster House, a member of the Ukrainian community asked to speak on the microphone of the Irish Anti-War Movement. He called on Ireland to not remain neutral, but the IAWM members maintained that they were on the side of neutrality.

Yesterday: In This Conflict, Ireland Is Not Neutral At All”

Leah Farrell/RollingNews

This morning.

Obolon, Ukraine

Via BBC:

Social media videos are showing what appears to be Russian tanks driving through Obolon, an area just north of Kyiv’s city centre.

Just in the past hour, Ukraine’s defence ministry confirmed that Russian forces had infiltrated the residential district.

The videos appear to have been taken by locals in their homes. The BBC has verified that the setting in these videos is Obolon.

Videos show Russian tanks rolling through Kyiv district (BBC)

Meanwhile…

Via Russian state-owned RT:

Moscow is willing to negotiate terms of surrender with Kiev regarding the ongoing Russian military offensive currently taking place in Ukraine, Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said.

According to Peskov, Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his preparedness to engage in discussions with his Ukrainian counterpart, with a focus on obtaining a guarantee of neutral status and the promise of no weapons on its territory.

…The press secretary added that Putin would determine the timing of the negotiations, but gave assurances that Russia would only engage “if the leadership of Ukraine is ready to talk about it.”

“The operation has its goals – they must be achieved. The president said that all decisions have been made, and the goals will be achieved,” Peskov continued, suggesting that, if Kiev were to agree to meet the demands, the current military attack on Ukraine could be called off.

Russia ready to negotiate with Ukraine – Kremlin (RT)

Meanwhile…

Ah here.

Above from left: Green Party Dublin City Council Councillor Hazel Chu; Sinn Fein Cllr Larry O’Toole; Social Democrats Cllr Catherine Stocker; and Green Party Cllr Janet Horner

This afternoon.

Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

The signatories of a letter calling on Health Minister Stephen Donnelly to reconsider plans to locate the new National Maternity Hospital at St Vincent’s Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin 4 gather outside Leinster House. The Sisters of Charity intend to hand over their interest in the land, and in the running the hospital, to a company called St. Vincent’s Holdings, which is obliged to “uphold the values and visions of [Mother of the Religious Sisters of Charity] Mother Mary Aikenhead (who founded St Vincent’s Hospital).”

Previously: 73% in favour of buying land for new National Maternity Hospital, poll

RollingNews

This afternoon.

Mainstream castration.

That’ll learn them.

Earlier…

In the video the presenters read out and comment on a series of vulgar car stickers sent in to them by listeners of their podcast.

Among the slogan read out during the piece is “Workin’ the land and droppin* the hand”; “Tyres are like women, no good unless they are squealing” and “Hocus Pocus, I got your girl in my Focus”.

Other stickers included: “If you can make a girl laugh and giggle, you can make her cheeks clap and wiggle” and “She’s not a princess, she’s a sl*t”.

The Irish Independent has chosen not to publish other offence remarks made during the podcast.

RTÉ’s new radio presenters The 2 Johnnies are accused of posting ‘virulently sexist’ video (Independent.ie)

Meanwhile…

Claim: “If you can make a girl laugh and giggle, you can make her cheeks clap and wiggle”

Broadsheet fact check: Mostly true. ✅

Pause.

FIGHT!

Yesterday.

Unidentified location, Dublin.

Unpatriotic if politically accurate plastic pareidolia.

Thanks Nick Moran.

The Broadsheet Book of Unspecified Things That Look Like ireland (edited by Aiden Coughlan, New lsland)

Meanwhile…

In fairness.