Niall O’Dowd with Gerry Adams in 1996

This morning.

Via New York-based publisher and journalist Niall O Dowd in the Irish Times:

…It is quite an onslaught by the political leaders and many in the media.

The tenor of the anti-Sinn Féin columns makes one think many of the commentators and party leaders would almost prefer Sinn Féin had never given up violence, as they swaddle themselves in self-righteousness.

As expected the media revisionists are truly angry that their cock-eyed view of history, where Sinn Féin are incapable of political thought and are just a bunch of goons who threatened the legitimate Northern Ireland state, has been discredited.

Their theory is destined for the dustbin of history which makes it all the more strange to see leading politicians suddenly begin flogging that long-dead horse

In the process, they are draining much of the goodwill Irish Americans have for Irish political leaders. We believe it defies logic to face backwards after so much has been accomplished.

Irish America is hostile to the exclusion of Sinn Féin from government (Niall O’Dowd, Irish Times)

Previously: Eamonn Kelly: Memo To The Mainstream

Rollingnews

The Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) in Brussels, Belgium

This morning.

In an internal mail seen by EURACTIV, the European Defence Agency (EDA) confirmed that one of its staff members has tested positive for novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and it therefore cancelled all meetings to be held at its premises until 13 March as a precautionary measure.

First confirmed case of COVID-19 in the EU institutions (Euractiv)

Britain’s Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton last night in the Guinness Storehouse

Last night.

Guinness Storehouse.

Kate and Wills were poured a pint of Guinness, and while William took a generous gulp, his wife has been accused of taking a ‘fake sip.’

Is the future Queen Consort expecting her fourth child?

‘I’d bet she didn’t even take a mouthful,’ commented one royalist, while another made a VERY telling observation about Kate’s new, short ‘do.

‘Each time a pregnancy has been announced it was a few weeks after a change in her hairstyle……… just saying.’

Kate Middleton noticeably ‘fake sips’ beer during tour of Ireland (New Ideea)

Last night: A Pint Of Plain

Nama; developer Michael O’Flynn (centre) outside the Four Courts in 2014

The Irish Times reports:

The State’s National Asset Management Agency (Nama) received just £340,000 (€390,760 ) from the O’Flynn group’s sale of two British properties that were later valued at £5.3 million, the Court of Appeal heard.

Companies linked to developer Michael O’Flynn are suing former workers Patrick Cox, Liam Foley, Eoghan Kearney and others, claiming that they earned a €12.5 million profit on a student accommodation project at the property business’s expense.

Mr Cox and the others are challenging the claim on several grounds, including that the companies taking the legal action never employed them.

Nama got just £340,000 from sale of O’Flynn properties, court hears (Barry O’Halloran, The Irish Times)

Rollingnews

Shelves for toilet rolls at a store in Sydney, Australia followingpanic buying over the coronavirus outbreak.

Some Aussies don’t know what to do
When they’re finished their job on the loo
For when rumours fly
Other folk panic buy
So much bog roll there’s none left for you

John Moynes

Pic” Twitter

Martin and Mary McAleese

This morning.

Patsy McGarry, in The Irish Times, reports that former President of Ireland Mary McAleese has threatened to leave the Catholic Church.

It follows an inquiry concluding that the founder of  L’Arche Community Jean Vanier, who died aged 90 in Paris last May, sexually abused at least six women between 1970 and 2005.

Mr McGarry reports that Ms McAleese is threatening to leave if it transpires that the Vatican failed to act to protect members of the L’Arche Community, which assists people with disabilities.

He reports:

She said people should have been alerted to “the known predatory activities” of the community’s founder Jean Vanier and his mentor, Dominican priest Fr Thomas Philippe.

“I have to say that this will be my final line of least resistance. I could not in conscience continue to support an institution capable of such gross negligence,” Mrs McAleese said in the letter.

…She asked “what steps if any did the Holy See take to interrupt the growth of the powerful cult of Vanier by warning the many good men and women who trusted him in good faith that he had an alarming past?”

“I am one of those who regarded Vanier as inspirational for decades,” she said. “Hearing last week the awful story of his sexually and spiritually abusive conduct was devastating. Even worse was learning that the Holy See had been aware since the 1950s of his malevolent proclivities and those of his colleague Pere Thomas Phillippe.”

*Cough*

McAleese threatens to leave Catholic Church if Vanier story not explained (Patsy McGarry, The Irish Times)

Previously: The Magdalene Report: A Conclusion

Rollingnews

Last night.

At an undisclosed location in Dublin.

Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Poland Adam Bodnar extols Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy as he poses for a picture with the Fine Gael TD and Zuzanna Rudzińska-Bluszcz, Coordinator of Strategic Court Proceedings in the Office of the Ombudsman in Poland.

MMW?

Anyone?

Meanwhile…

On Monday, the Children Rights’ Alliance released its Report Card 2020. In it, they found:

The lowest grade received in Report Card 2020 is for Child and Family Homelessness for which the Government receives an ‘F’ – or a FAIL.

Children now make up the largest population in homelessness with child homelessness rising by a staggering 400% from 2014 to 2019, but neither the response nor the follow-through on commitments already made by this Government would suggest that anything has changed in the last five years.

The Rapid Build Programme has delivered just 423 homes out of a planned 1,500. The over-reliance on family hubs has resulted in hundreds of families living in what was introduced as a temporary solution for up to, and sometimes over, two years.

What we have witnessed over the last five years has been a grave social injustice and now we face a homelessness crisis that is depriving thousands of children of a childhood.

The next Government must acknowledge this crisis for what it is and commit to build, to legislate and to plan with children and families in mind.

Read the Children’s Rights Alliance report in full here

Previously: 10,271

This morning.

BBC Radio Two tweetz:

“It’s official. Genesis are back together and heading out on tour later this year!”

UPDATE:

Prog rock stars Genesis announce reunion (The Guardian)

Broadsheet.ie