A time-limited chance to see Tomek Popakul’s Oscar long-listed semi-autobiographical short: the story of Young and Skinny, whose chance encounter on a bridge leads to a disturbing, mushroom-fuelled trip.

shortoftheweek

Clive James

This afternoon.

Broadcaster, poet, memoirist and renowned television critic for The Observer, Clive James has died aged 80 after a long illness.

In a statement announcing the death of Clive James, United Agents said:

‘Clive James, poet, critic and broadcaster, died at his home in Cambridge on Sunday 24th November 2019. A private funeral attended by family and close friends took place in the chapel at Pembroke College, Cambridge on Wednesday 27th November.

RIP

Clive James, writer, broadcaster and TV critic, dies aged 80 (The Guardian)

Meanwhile, in 1988…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4BUp4AylZE

Meanwhile back in the present day…

Jonathan Miller, director and humorist, dies at 85 (BBC)

Earlier: Gary Rhodes Dead At 59

Getty

This afternoon.

Dawson Street/ Trinity College/ College Green, Dublin 2

Gardai escort a tractor convoy from Stephen’s Green as the farmers’ protest begin to leave Dublin after a two day protest over the price of beef and investment in rural Ireland.

Earlier: Farm Fresh

Sam Boal/Rollingnews

Behold: the Delfast Offroad – a softail e-bike with a 5000W hub motor capable of 80km/h and 180km on a full charge.

The Offroad has three levels of ‘pedal assist’ for tricky terrain, all manner of Bluetooth/GPS/security features, hydraulic disc brakes, fat tyres and full suspension to smooth out the Xcountry/urban trail.

Yous from the Dover UK-based manufacturer from seven grand.

uncrate

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Eoghan Murphy

This morning/afternoon.

The Social Democrats will  bring a motion of no confidence in the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Eoghan Murphy to the floor of the Dáil next week.

It comes, according to RTE, amid speculation that Fine Gael TD Dara Murphy is set’ to resign his seat in the Dáil to take up a job in the European Commission’.

Catherine Murphy , co-leader of the Social Democrats, said:

“Our housing situation has gone beyond a crisis and has been an emergency for a long time. This Minister and this Government have abjectly failed Irish families, our communities and our economy in not getting to grips with the chronic lack of housing that is affordable to buy or rent.

“The Minister’s trots out his plan – Rebuilding Ireland – but he can’t even meet the tame targets set in that plan. It is failure upon failure. And the consequences for real people are appalling.”

Roisín Shortall, Ms Murphy’s fellow co-leader, added:

“On almost every door in the by-elections, our candidates in Cork North Central, Dublin Mid West and Dublin Fingal hear the same story of an emergency in housing.”

Meanwhile…

A spokesperson for Minister Murphy said the motion is an “election stunt” ahead of the by-elections on Friday.

“This is pathetic and the Social Democrats would be better using their time seeking support for a constructive solution rather than a stunt that will not pass,” the spokesperson said.

Social Democrats to table no-confidence motion in Murphy (RTÉ)

Rollingnews

SOLD last Month for €118,0000

FOR SALE today for €195,000

You’ve come to the right place.

Mary writes:

I was looking at this apartment (above) with an asking price of €195k.  I checked the Property Price Register to see prices of similar apartments sold recently only to find that the exact same place was bought for €118k last month.

Further research shows it was sold on the BRG auction site as a bank disposal (by a long term trustee savings bank). Over 65% increase in price in a single month was not what I expected to see in a slowing property market.

I am wondering if estate agents have any responsibility in preventing property market hyperinflation? That might seem counter-intuitive, but in the long term I reckon it would be better for business.

Anyone?

28, The Willows, RivercourtDrogheda, County Louth (Daft)

28, The Willows, Rivercourt, Drogheda, County Louth (Property Price Register)

You’re not alone.

Me Head is Wrecked with Tony Kelly

A new, mental health-themed podcast with actor and comedian Tony Kelly (top).

Last Sunday’s first episode peaked at Number 2 in the Mental Health charts on iTunes and Number 9 on the overall Health & Wellness charts

Tony writes:

The first episode is me telling my own story about my recovery from depression and prescription drug addiction.

Emily O’Callaghan was the guest host for the episode as she had interviewed me previously on her own “Green Rebel Podcast”, which you guys wrote a lovely piece about.

It has been amazingly well received, I have been inundated with messages, emails, DMS etc from people sharing their stories with me and saying how it spoke to them.

Listen here

Me Head Is Wrecked With Tony Kelly

Previously: Suicide, Toxic Masculinity And Stand Up Comedy

Noon today.

Dawson Street, Dublin 2.

Thanks Sauvignon Blanc

Meanwhile…

Around the corner.

Farmers outside the Shelbourne Hotel on day 2 of their protest over the price they are getting for beef and investment in rural Ireland among other issues.

Earlier: “He Said he Had A Pulse Number”

Meanwhile, At Leinster House

Sam Boal/Rollingnews

O’Devaney Gardens site in Dublin 7

This afternoon

In the Dublin Inquirer…

Laoise Neylon reports:

A council report said the value of the land at O’Devaney Gardens in 2017 was €15 million to €20 million.

A council spokesperson said last Monday that that figure remains the same today. “The indicative land value range (€15M to €20M) as outlined in the O’Devaney Gardens Feasibility Study has not changed,” they said.

Other vacant sites in the wider area have significantly higher values.

In Fairview, a similar distance from the city centre, a site with scope for 32 apartments was for sale in May for €3 million.That valuation suggests a site value of €94,000 per apartment.

Back in 2018, a site in Cabra was valued at €32 million, which suggests a site value per apartment of €76,000. That was over a year ago and land values have gone up since.

What if the site value on the O’Devaney Gardens land was midway between these, say €85,000 per apartment?

Barta is building 411 homes for private sale, so an approximate commercial value for half of the land being transferred to Bartra would in that case be in the region of €35 million.

…Architect and housing expert Mel Reynolds said he was chatting to a developer recently and he put a challenge to him.

“I said to him – ‘Do you think if we sat down together, we would we be able to figure out a way to make a 12 acre site, worth €65m, disappear?” said Reynolds.

“Dublin City Council have managed to do just that,” he says. “The unbelievable thing is that they start off with an asset but then they just give it away for free.”

A Closer Look at the Costs of the O’Devaney Gardens Deal (Laoise Neylon, Dublin Inquirer)

Previously: “There Is Something Seriously Wrong Here”

BBC’s Mock the Week (top) and Have I Got News For You (above)

Promise
(inspired/provoked by UK-based comedians, who used to be edgy, savagely lampooning Jeremy Corbyn and Labour’s British General Election campaign)

If you piss on the frail
red-petalled flower
just now nudging its way back up
from presumed extinction,
with your cynicism and your sneers;

the day of your funeral
I’ll pay a team of loudspeakers,
town criers, and dogs to howl
at the few mourners about
how useless you were
when it really mattered,
until it’s the one trait of yours
anyone remembers;

then call the Union of Worms, Death Beetles,
and Incinerator Operators out
on an official strike that will apply
only to you, so your sour carcass can sit
forever lodged in the world’s gut
as a warning to future others.

Kevin Higgins

Pics: BBC

Broadsheet.ie