MORE to follow
MORE to follow
Marred
at
This morning.
The Andrew Marr Show on BBC1.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin appeared live from Dublin to discuss British tourists, Brexit and Boris Johnson (@26.59)…
Andrew Marr: “Let me ask you about your relationship, you mentioned Boris Johnson.You weren’t terribly complimentary about him at the McGill Summer School about this time last year. You said:
‘Anyone in Dublin who met Boris Johnson during his time as Foreign Secretary will tell you the many ways in which he failed to show the slightest level of understanding about the operations of the Good Friday Agreement. don’t think anyone can credibly say he has thought through how he can promote property and reconciliation in Northern Ireland.’
Have you had second thoughts?”
Martin: “Well, I was very heartened by our discussions in terms of trying to reset the Irish-British relationship post-Brexit, which I think the Prime Minister is keen on doing and I was particularly taken by that and we are both committed to the necessity of doing that in a post-Brexit scenario.
From our perspective, from an Irish perspective the entire peace process on the island of Ireland was based on the relationship between Britain and Ireland and then the relationship north and south and between the two traditions in Northern Ireland. So central to all of this is a very strong proactive relationship between our two countries.”
Earlier: No Turning Back
Barry Cowen, Minister for Agriculture and the Marine
This morning.
Barry Cowen disputing claims in The Sunday Times he was pursued by gardai after doing a U-turn before a checkpoint on the night in 2016 he was caught drink driving.
The Minister for Agriculture and the Marine alleges the arrest record leaked to the paper is incorrect.
Barry Cowen disputes garda account of driving offence (John Mooney, Sunday Times)
Friday: Byrne After Reading
Previously: Mea Gulpa
Via Fran McNulty
Meanwhile…
If he accepted the fine at the time, it implies that he also accepted the Garda report. If he now disputes the report, he’d have to go to court to answer for the charge which has now been disputed
— Andrew O'Connor (@HesTheSportsguy) July 12, 2020
Thanks, Jack
at
From top: Jack Charlton with former FAI boss Fran Fields in College Green, Dublin 2 for the Italia’90 homecoming, July 1, 1990; Addressing the crowd at the same event; With his backroom staff pitch side at Lansdowne Road during a game against Spain, October 1993; At the World Cup ’94 homecoming in the Phoenix Park, July 7, 1994; Jack leaves Lansdowne Road after a friendly against England is called off when rioting starts by away fans, February 15, 1995; Jack (centre) with Kilkenny hurler DJ Carey (left) and rugby star and pundit Tony Ward in September 9, 2003; Jack in 1998
Former Republic of Ireland manager, World Cup winner and Leeds United legend Jack Charlton has passed away at the age of 85.
He died yesterday, following a long-term illness. His family were by his side.
RIP
From left: Nick Kelly, John Ryan and Bodger coped with lockdown through uplifting balladry. Olga on bodhran (out of picture).
How’s your voice?
With pubs now back in business*(*well, sort of), what better way to mark the occasion than ask: What’s your favourite drinking song?
Here’s mine.
Simply answer below for the chance to be in with a shout of winning a merry €25 Golden Discs voucher.
The winner will be chosen by my personal barman.
Please include video links if possible.
Lines MUST close at 10am (Saturday).
Nick says: Good luck.
Nick adds: Hic.
Earlier: Last week’s winner
Pic: Thurles, 1952
Craic Bust
at
Gotcha!
This evening.
Dame Court, Dublin 2.
After last week’s harrowing scenes…
…an unmasked man is questioned by bike mounted Gardai under new regulations to stamp out stuff that may upset people on twitter.
Last Friday: Worth The Wait
A delightful, if heartrending stop motion short (eight years in the making) by Suresh Eriyat about mistakes and forgiveness wherein a young girl attempts to redeem the accidental breakage of a family heirloom by selling baskets on the streets of Mumbai.
Making of… featurette here.
Thomas Byrne, Fianna Fáil TD and Minister of State for European Affairs
This evening.
Amid public silence from his party, Ken McFadden, the Meath Fianna Fáil activist who named his friend Thomas Byrne as the source of the Barry Cowen drink drive leak, has tweeted his thoughts.
Mr McFadden writes:
‘I want to say a HUGE Thank You to all of the hundreds of people who have been in contact with support and to tell me they believe me 100%. I’m still getting through the messages, and they have come from every political party and none.
Today I did a number of media interviews and working on a few more over the weekend, the support has been overwhelming.
I also want to say it was not an easy decision to take to go public on the issue of the leak and who leaked it, I have had praise for being “brave” and others with abuse, I “betrayed” a “friend”.
I remain steadfast the information I put out on Wednesday night was the truth and I can live with the abuse from a certain few and even the two individuals (one from Slane and the one from Duleek ) who are being fed misinformation and worse by a person known to me but no longer a friend,
The more of this abuse I get the more interviews and tweets I will do, so let’s just see.
The allegations I am a man with a grudge who is angry I didn’t get a ministerial driver’s job are not true. I was unhappy I did not get the job having been asked by Thomas Byrne at least three times would I do it.
I was unhappy the way that information was given or in this case not given to me and when I eventually caught up with Thomas I felt the way it was handled by him was very grubby, so I was unhappy YES.
Does that mean I turned into a Looney Tune and decided to lie about a very serious matter like the Cowen leak? NO, it is a ridiculous allegation and it is something Trump would do with anyone telling a truth he didn’t want to hear,
I spent a decade or so trying to help/support and win elections for Thomas Byrne and I walked many a road with him and for him in all sorts of weather and conditions.
We had good elections, we were abused in some , we were welcomed in others, we met the best of people at the doors and out canvassing for with us, it was incredible.
I have made life long friendships out of Fianna Fáil and politics and I wouldn’t give back a day, so please know I’ve been there through thick and thin.
To suggest I suddenly turned on someone over a job is just an excuse for someone who must look at their own behaviour in recent times and must be honest with themselves, I can’t do that for them.
They literally pulled the ladder up behind them as soon as they got news they were in as a minister and I to this day do not know why, I think a quick ring around the elected councillors in Meath will back up the picture I’m painting here.
I love politics and I love the Fianna Fáil party. I will always support FF and always vote FF no matter what.
Finally, I just want to say I’m sorry my actions on this issue have caused stress and hurt to the people around Thomas Byrne and especially his family who I know very well and who are people I have a huge regard for and are not part of this issue.
I say again the allegations I made on Wednesday are true and I will defend them anywhere.’
Mr Byrne has yet to respond.
Earlier: Slow Byrne
Previously: Well Now
Wednesday: Who Spilled?