Category Archives: Misc

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Former Irish swimming coach George Gibney

You may recall US journalist Irvin Muchnick’s ongoing efforts to obtain former Irish swimming coach George Gibney’s full US immigration file – parts of which have already shown he received a certificate of character from the Gardaí to support his application for an American visa.

Gibney was charged with 27 counts of indecency against young swimmers and of carnal knowledge of girls under the age of 15 in April, 1993 – but sought and won a High Court judicial review in 1994 that quashed all the charges against him. The judicial review was secured after a landmark Supreme Court decision.

Readers will recall how the aforementioned Garda certificate was issued on January 20, 1992.

The Murphy Report – which was set up to look at abuse in swimming in 1998 – states a parent from a swimming club other than Trojan Swimming Club, where Gibney coached, was told by an assistant coach of Trojan in November 1991 that the gardai and the ISPCC were informed of the allegations in relation to Gibney.

Further to this…

Journalist Irvin Muchnick writes:

[Today] is the deadline on the 30-day window US District Court Judge Charles Breyer gave the federal government and this reporter to try to work out an agreement around the court’s tentative order for release of additional materials from George Gibney’s immigration records in my Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security.

In his November 2 opinion, Judge Breyer said he was “prepared to rule (largely) in Muchnick’s favor” over the remaining 20 disputed documents, covering 43 pages, that he had reviewed in camera. At that time, the court forwarded, only to the government, suggestions on redactions that should be reversed.

More as he gets it.

Government’s Response to Court’s Order on George Gibney FOIA Documents Is Due Monday (Concussion Inc)

Previously: A Tentative Order

George Gibney’s Green Card

The Chief Justice, Her Brother And How George Gibney Got Away

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulp5OgFDg0s

A Star Trek-themed video from the Abortion Support Network in England – in which it appeals for donations.

The group has been helping to provide information, financial assistance and accommodation to women from Ireland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man who have to travel to England for a safe and legal abortion since 2009.

For more information and to donate to the ASN, visit here

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Staying in tonight?

TV3’s Tonight with Vincent Browne will broadcast an interview Mr Browne has carried out with Jonathan Sugarman at 11pm.

Mr Sugarman is a former executive at Unicredit Bank Ireland in Dublin’s IFSC who resigned in September 2007 after giving a detailed account of enormous liquidity breaches at his bank a year before the financial crash.

Previously: Who Is Jonathan Sugarman?

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Staff at Independent News and Media are to protest outside a company meeting today over a 70% cut to their pension benefits.

Earlier this month INM announced it would no longer be contributing to the defined benefit pension scheme, which will now have to close.

Separately, the company will today seek shareholder approval for measures that would permit the resumption of dividend payments for shareholders including businessmen Denis O’Brien and Dermot Desmond, who between them own almost 45% of the company.

In 2013, Independent News and Media restructured its defined benefit pension scheme.

Under that ten-year plan, staff had to accept benefit cuts of around 40%.

But last month INM announced  that it would cease contributions to that scheme citing factors including regulatory funding requirements and falling bond yields.

INM staff set to protest over pension cuts of 70% (RTE)

UPDATE:

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Ingrid Miley tweetz:

Union briefing re: pension cuts at INM gets underway – protest to follow outside EGM at 13.30…

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Yesterday

O’Moore Park, Portlaoise, County Laois

Cuala 3-19 O’Loughlin Gaels 2-16

Luke Brennan writes:

The last time I was at a Cuala match in Portlaoise was 25 years ago. That year (1991), a great crop of Dalkey, County Dublin hurlers had won their second hurling championship in 3 years, but were beaten by a strong Birr team in the semi-final.

We left the game thinking that there was always next year…

It was 21 years before Cuala won another Dublin hurling championship (2015). They repeated it this year and yesterday went  on to add their first Leinster title to it.

I can’t tell you how happy I felt to see members of the 1991 team back on the same pitch, celebrating the win with the players. John Treacy, Karl Schutte and Maurice O Callaghan were part of the squad back then.

Yesterday, each of those 3 had two sons on the winning team (David Treacy, Sean Treacy, Mark Schutte, Paul Schutte, Con O’Callaghan and Cian O’Callaghan). It’s also worth mentioning that the Schutte’s are nephews of Vinnie, Mick and PJ Holden who served the club so admirably back in the day.

Winning this Leinster title is the result of generations of endeavour. It’s richly deserved and to be enjoyed by a great young Cuala team. We’re very proud.

Cuala GAA

Mattie Kenny: Progress for Cuala meant lifting Leinster title (RTÉ)