Author Archives: Bodger

Hi-B Bar on Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork; late publican Brian O’Donnell

Early this morning.

Brian O’Donnell, of the Hi-B Bar on Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork city, passed away.

On the pub’s Facebook page, the family wrote:

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of my father Brian O’Donnell at 12.30am Friday morning in the Mercy Hospital after a short illness. On behalf of the family we would like to thank the wonderful staff of both St Luke’s Home and the Mercy Hospital for the wonderful care that he received over the last number of years. Arrangements to follow. May he Rest In Peace.

RIP.

Cork’s Echo reports:

Lord Mayor John Sheehan described Mr O’Donnell’s passing as a loss to the city.

“He was iconic in Cork. He almost became a tourist attraction in himself. I remember bringing visitors over from America and we went for a drink in the bar. They were shocked when one took out their phone to check a restaurant reservation and they were brought to book and told to put it away.

“That was part of the charm. It wasn’t like a regular bar. It was a place where conversation was encouraged and he encouraged it in his own unique manner. It’s a loss for the city.”

Owner of Cork’s iconic Hi-B bar passes away (Irish Examiner)

‘He was a tourist attraction in himself’: Tributes pour in for Hi-B owner (Evening Echo)

Sinn Féin’s John Finucane (top centre) celebrates his win over DUP Deputy Leader Nigel Dodds (above centre) this morning

This afternoon.

Via RTÉ:

Unionists will not have a majority of the 18 seats in Westminster for the first time…

its deputy leader was ousted by Sinn Féin and the party lost out to the Alliance Party in North Down…SDLP leader Colum Eastwood won in Foyle and Alliance Party deputy leader Stephen Farry took the North Down seat vacated by Sylvia Hermon.

The results will be seen as potential evidence of a shift towards more centre-ground politics in the region – a trend that appears to be borne out by another positive showing for the cross-community Alliance Party.

Hmm.

Nigel Dodds loses North Belfast seat to SF’s Finucane (RTÉ)

Earlier…

Via Irish Political Maps

For the first time ever, Northern Ireland has returned a majority of nationalist MPs with a total of 9 (7 SF, 2 SDLP) compared to 8 unionist MPs (all DUP).

Whatever your political inclination, there’s no denying this is historic.

Pics: AP/Getty

This afternoon.

Met Éireann issued a Status Yellow snow/ice warning for Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon and Sligo from around midnight tonight until midnight tomorrow.

It’s also issued a Status Yellow wind warning for Donegal from 5pm this evening until 5pm tomorrow.

Via Met Eireann

Keith Swanick as a GP (left) And as Fianna Fail  Senator and his voting record – the poorest in Seanad Eireann by some distance

Further to an RTE Investigates investigation into missed votes – and expense claims – in the upper house.

Via RTÉ Investigates:

In the first seven months of this year, Dr [Keith]Swanick voted in just six of the 114 votes that took place.

Dr Swanick has claimed his full entitlements under the TAA scheme. As a Mayo resident, he is entitled to claim just over €28,000 each year. From June 2016 to the end of 2018, he received close to €73,000 in travel expenses.

Dr Swanick has a general practice in Belmullet, Co Mayo. Last year, he received €520,000 under the General Medical Services (GMS) scheme, the highest amount for any GP in Mayo. In a statement, Dr Swanick said this figure was a “gross amount” and did not represent his personal income.

On Monday 8 July, RTÉ Investigates phoned his surgery to see if he was available to see patients the following day, Tuesday 9 July, which was also a Seanad voting day.

We were told Dr Swanick would be available for appointments that Tuesday at 3.30pm and at 4.50pm.

Oireachtas records show Dr Swanick was recorded at Leinster House that Tuesday.

He was at Leinster House the following morning, Wednesday 10 July, at 9am and participated in a Health Committee meeting.

RTÉ Investigates asked Dr Swanick if, following the completion of surgery on Tuesday 9 July, at around 5pm, he drove to Leinster House – about a four-hour drive from Belmullet – to record his attendance that evening.

He did not respond.

Senators, expenses and the missed votes (RTÉ)

Gúlp.

;Coiste na bhFocal’ Nua writes:

#GuerillaGaeilge is Coiste na bhFocal Nua’s (The Committee of New Words) latest effort to spread modern (and dirty) words online and in the wider world.

The stickers feature bilingual conversations that deal with terms and concepts sometimes avoided when teaching Irish.

The last one of 4 stickers has been launched today on the subject The Morning After (above).

We want people to be able to discuss all aspects of modern life in Irish.

We want to print at least 10,000 stickers, send them out and have people stick them up in pubs, car windows, buses, on your granny, wherever people will see them.

We have a target of €1,200 which will allow us to print and distribute 10,000+ high quality stickers. People who support us with €10 will get 32 stickers across the range of 4 [at link below]…

Troid!

Guerilla Gaeilge (go Fund Me)

Last night.

Dublin Castle, Dublin 2.

A carousel in the courtyard as ‘Christmas at The Castle’ opens to the public, until December 22. Admission to the market is free from 12pm-8pm daily.

Christmas At The Castle

Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland

Before and after: Proposed changes to Kildare Street Hotel, 47-49 Kildare Street, Dublin 2; letter of objection to the plans by Frank McDonald

Further to the lodgement of a planning application to Dublin City Council – by Ternary Ltd, controlled by the family of businessman Larry Goodman – to demolish a terrace of Georgian houses on Kildare Street, Dublin 2…

Journalist and author Frank McDonald has written to the council (above) setting out his objection to the plan.

Previously: Some Front

Via Frank McDonald

This morning.

British Liberal Democrat party leader Jo Swinson loses her East Dunbartonshire seat after 12 years of being the serving MP.

Under Liberal Democrat party rules, its leader must have a seat in the House of Commons.

Election results 2019: Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson to step down (BBC)