This afternoon.

A new set of stamps celebrating the Irish Abroad designed by Dublin-based ZeroG is now available.

Via An Post:

Three of the stamps feature common themes of emigration: a photo of people gathering in ‘The Galtymore Dancehall’ in Cricklewood, London showing the importance of Irish Centres and Irish hubs to the emigrant community.

An image of suitcases at Dublin Airport (1969) capturing the common experience of people leaving Ireland.

A detail from the painting ‘Emigrants letter and envelope, 1988’ by Geraldine O’Reilly representing communication with home and the importance of staying in touch.

Two other ‘N’ stamps feature a gallery of Irish people who have made an impact on the world from the 1800s right up to the present, each of whom has emigrated and made a contribution in their own sphere of excellence: Dame Kathleen Lonsdale (Scientist), Richard Harris (Actor) and Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore (Musician) and Edna O’Brien (Author), Fr. Michael J Kelly (Priest/Aid Worker) and Mary Elmes (Humanitarian) featuring on another stamp.

An Post

Poet Kevin Barrington

 

Kevlar For The Soul
(For Liz )

Yo
Listen up
Just been told.
Am on
An active waiting list.
For
A ward.
So….
Congratulations may be in order
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
But really, where else would you find me?
Hardly on the passive one
Cos that doesn’t sound at all like me.
I’m the active dude
On the active list
That’s right, that’s cool, that’s just
That’s perfectly suited to me.
Yippee
A ward
A ward
A ward
Another a ward
In a life that’s been full of on and off
A ward
A ward
For scallywagging Scallywagging
All across the universe.
Think we started out with politics
And a little bit of rock n roll
A dalliance with the Saatchi Bros
Before the toxic beauty of Cambodia
Took its inevitable toll
Then somewhere between grim grim Bosnia
And Africa’s riotous machete glint glow
I just fucking ran
Full out of Kevlar
Kevlar for the soul

Now I need you back Mr Kevlar.
God I need you back real bad
Cos Kevin here has just been told
The a ward they have granted him

Is the very same one
They granted
To a wonderful sweet august person
That just happened to be
His dear dear Dad
That’s right you heard me
The same as my dear dear Dad
I don’t think I can overstate this
My dear dear Dad
Dear dear Dad
Dear
Dear
Dad
How
I miss you
Then I listen out
And catch his voice.
In its loving judicious tone
And he is saying
Don’t panic, relax now
My sweet sweet son
The Kevlar I can offer you
Is the fact you won’t be alone.
The fact
You won’t be alone

Kevin Barrington

February, 2020

Pic: Conor Horgan

Previously: Kevin Barrington on Broadsheet

Chief Executive of the Irish Rugby Football Union Phillip Browne (second left) arriving at the Department of Health on Baggot Street in Dublin for a meeting with Minister for Health Simon Harris earlier

This afternoon.

The IRFU has released the following statement:

The IRFU had a positive meeting with Minister Harris and his advisors today, where we requested a formal instruction as to the staging of the Ireland v Italy international matches over the weekend of 6/8 March.

At the outset we made it clear that the IRFU was supportive of the Governments’ need to protect public health in relation to the Coronavirus.

We were then advised, formally, that The National Public Health Emergency team has determined that the series of matches should not proceed, in the interests of Public Health.

The IRFU is happy to comply with this instruction.

We will immediately begin to work with our Six Nations partners to look at the possibility of rescheduling the matches and would hope to have an update on this in the coming days.

IRFU Statement On Ireland’s Six Nations Matches Against Italy (IRFU)

Earlier: Proportionate Measures

Rollingnews

Meanwhile…

Top from left: Liam Woods, HSE National Director, Acute Operations; and Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health,

This morning/afternoon.

Department of Health, Baggot Street, Dublin 2.

The Department of Health delivering an update to media on Ireland’s preparedness for Covid-19, protocols in place and public health advice.

Surge in virus cases ‘concerning’, but not a pandemic – WHO (RTÉ)

Earlier: Proportional Measures

Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Marcus – Obey

Bonnie & Clyde do Bray.

That’s the gist of the quite wonderful video for Dublin singer/songwriter Marcus’s debut single.

Alan Dunne and Stubborn Monkey Media directed the film of the young lovers on the run as they zoom over the Sally Gap on their motorbike…

Marcus credits Amy Winehouse, Frank Ocean and Mos Def as influences but his own personality shines through on this very promising first release.

Nick says: O Bray!

Marcus

This morning.

Airfield Estate, Dublin 14.

Telly’s Kathryn Thomas and her daughter Ellie (2) at the launch of Self Help Africa’s ‘One Million Trees’ campaign, sponsored by Glenisk.

‘One Million Trees’ is a local-to-global initiative that aims to plant 100,000 native trees in Ireland and one million trees in sub-Saharan Africa this year ‘in a bid to tackle climate change’.

Self Help Africa

Leon Farrell, Photocall Ireland

Broadsheet.ie