Last night.

Olympia Theatre, Dublin 2.

The opening night of ‘Copper Face Jacks: The Musical’ which runs until August 10.

Everyone (apart from us) was there!

Including…from top: Nurses Gill Carty and Cara Carton; Eadaoin Fitzmaurice and John Sharpson; Frances Fitzgerald MEP; Alex Dunlop and Sars Kavanagh; Musical creator Paul Howard and Mary McCarthy; Gemma Cullen Kenny and Joe Conlon; Chris Dylas and Ashling Brody; Fiona Claffy and Siobhan Ross; from left: Jonathan Killeen ,Donal Skehan and Sean Kavanagh; Ian Gamble and Alan Hughes; from left: Laura McNaulty , Clelia Murphy and Mariead Ronan; Valerie O Leary and Lauren Butler; Kerri Nicole Blanc; Patricia Garry and Deiric Hartigan.

Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland/Rollingnews

Behold: the Bentley EXP 100 GT concept – a ‘vision’ of Bentley’s planned all-electric ultra luxury grand tourer recently revealed via a live stream.

Despite being 5.8 metres long and weighing in at 1.9 tonnes (relatively light for a Bentley), the real-life EXP will do 0-100km/h in 2.5 seconds with a top speed of 300km/h and a 700km range on a full charge.

Price as yet tba but if you have to ask…

uncrate

This morning.

The European Parliament published its first results of its post-election Eurobarometer survey.

Asked if “taking everything into account, would you say that Ireland has on balance benefited or not from being a member of the EU?”, 89 per cent of Irish respondents said “yes” – 21 per cent more than the EU average.

The programming really works.

FIGHT!

The survey can be read in full here

This morning.

Bebe writes:

Thousands don’t know where they’re going to sleep at night or where their next meal will come from; thousands more on zero hours contracts – what would Leo know about those living on the margins due to neglect by his government since 2011?

He tried to say they were fraudulently claiming benefits ’til that nugget backfired. HSE dealing with crisis after crisis in life and death scenarios where front line staff bear the brunt while executives make the decisions much like executive FG that continue to penalise those consumed by poverty.

I can’t stand to see the leader of the country rub our noses in it like this and speak of focusing NOW on quality of those jobs or quality of life supports housing, etc.

Eight years too late for many who have no choice but to take zero hours contract that offer no stability or security – FG propped up by FF are a joke and the kicker is we have no alternative waiting in wings to seize power.

We don’t deserve this – our newly educated medics should not be forced to emigrate to work in safe and career advancement conditions not available at home.

And no one in our wealthy nation should have to beg, steal or borrow in the hope of finding a bed, night after night week after week year after year.

To add to our owes Dáil on holidays since yesterday to 17 Sept is another bloody joke – on us as usual…

Pic via MerrionStreet

Lucy Blenherhasset tweetz:

Hey @lizzo! me and my mates tried to buy several tickets to your show in Dublin but they sold out after 1 min!? Turns out they’re being re-sold on the same site for double the price! @TicketmasterIre your system is a total scam and unfair to fans. Shame on you

Anyone?

LIZZO

Minister for Health Simon Harris; Quest Diagnostics

Last night.

It emerged that approximately 800 women who had CervicalCheck tests carried out between October 1, 2018, and June 25, 2019, have not received their test results because of an IT issue at a Quest Diagnostics laboratory in Virginia in the US.

It followed one woman affected making inquiries about her own test results.

Most of the women affected were getting repeat tests for the human papillomavirus HPV – which can cause cervical cancer – because Quest had previously carried out HPV testing on the women’s initial smears beyond the 30-day limit.

RTÉ have reported that the HSE told the Department of Health on Wednesday that it became aware of the IT problem in June.

This morning, Fianna Fáil TD Stephen Donnelly told Seán O’Rourke on RTÉ’s Radio One:

“We need to understand why the HSE took so long to inform the department. We know last year, when CervicalCheck [scandal] broke, that actually the Department and the HSE had been going back and forth and it was in reference to preparing the minister for the fact that Vicky Phelan’s case was about to break and that that could lead on to knock-on implications as of course it did.

“We want to know why the department wasn’t informed. And, indeed, maybe they were informed but they were informed informally.”

“…Why wait until an hour after the Dáil goes into recess to let the information out publicly. Why, if it’s not a big deal, were the minister, or the HSE, a no-show on Morning Ireland this morning?

“If this is not a big problem then we need to hear from the political leadership and the administrative leadership to explain that.”

Mr O’Rourke told his listeners that his programme also asked both the minister and the HSE for a spokesperson but neither were available.

Listen back in full here

800 women did not receive CervicalCheck results after IT issue at US laboratory (RTE)

Rollingnews

Bill Callahan

One of the most eagerly awaited shows of the year is undoubtedly Bill Callahan in Dublin’s Vicar Street on September 29.

The artist formerly known as Smog and later [Smog] is considered one of the finest songwriters of his generation and fans will be itching to hear songs from his new double album Shepherd In A Sheepskin Vest up close and personal.

To be in with a chance to win two tickets to the show simply tell us your favourite song by Smog or Bill Callahan and why.

Lines close at 2.30pm.

Nick says: Good luck!

Bill Callahan

Broadsheet.ie