Behold the Vripack Rock Explorer Yacht – a luxury cruiser described by its Dutch designer as ‘the SUV of the sea’.
With three guest cabins, a generous master suite and sundeck complete with hot tub, the 25m long vessel is powered by two 1000bhp V12 Caterpillar engines with a top speed of 16 knots and a range of 4800km.
Yesterday evening.
Mansion House, Dublin 2.
Scenes from the ceremonial commemoration of the Centenary of the First Meeting of Dáil Éireann.
Top from left: Solidarity and People Before Profit TD’s, Paul Murphy, Gino Kenny and Brid Smith; Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland, Eamon Martin and Senator Ronan Mullen; from left: Former Tanaister and Fianna Fail Minister for Agriculture, Mary Coughlan, with Mick Wallace of Independents 4 Change and Minister of State Paul Keogh, Fine Gael Minister for Defence; Former Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Dr. Maurice Manning.
Last night: Meanwhile, In The Mansion House
Pics: Rollingnews
A ‘selfie’ taken by NASA’s Insight Lander, which touched down at Elysium Planitia on Mars last November.
Robert Murray; The River Corrib at Galway city.
Sita O’Driscoll writes:
Just two days ago I published a petition: “Make the River Corrib Safer – Lets Save Some Lives“. following my friend Rob Murray falling in the river – he still has not been found and searches are ongoing. Almost 15.000 people signed in just one day.
Sadly he is not the only one, it happens very regularly, I do not know the figures, but I do live next to the river and hear the rescue helicopter searching for people very frequently.
We lose numerous lives in the River Corrib – one of Europe’s fastest flowing rivers. Some fall, slip in an often intoxicated state, others choose to get/jump in there themselves- but often it is a spur of the moment decision. There is no way out, no way back..
Most cities around the world have safety ladders along rivers, so people can get out. The River Corrib has none, it is like falling into lava..
People need to be able to get out if they fall and to be able to change their mind if they are trying to end their lives. Currently there is no hope of getting out.
We need some safety measures put in place right now, enough is enough, too many lives have been lost prematurely.
The kind volunteers that stand out on Saturday night are not enough. The situation is so bad, that people have to stand guard, in order to stop people. But that simply is not enough.. Every year a lot of people die in this river, that needs to end.
Make the River Corrib Safer – Let’s Save Some Lives (Change.org)
Previously: Have You Seen Robert?
A Scottish farmer has admitted an ‘ancient’ stone circle on his land was built in 1990s
In Scotland a circle of stone
About which almost nothing was known
Attracted attention
Which made someone mention
He recently built it alone
John Moynes
Pic: Getty
MORE to folly
This afternoon.
Mansion, House, Dublin 2
President Michael D Higgins officiates at the ceremonial commemoration of the Centenary of the First Meeting of Dáil Éireann.
The event is to honour the “courage and sacrifice of those who founded the first Dáil, to appreciate the fact that the people of Ireland live in a democracy and to commit to maintaining the structures and values of democracy in Ireland for the next 100 years:.
Pause.
FIGHT!
Earlier: Behind The Wire
Pics: Maxwell Photography
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViLpvBk03T0
Singer Azealia Banks claimed she was banned from Aer Lingus flights following row with stewardess.
The 27-year-old called Irish women ‘ugly‘ and used foul-mouthed racial slurs during the bizarre tirade which she shared on her Instagram story.
The musician removed herself from a morning flight to Dublin, ahead of her sold-out gig at The Academy in the Irish capital on Tuesday.
She claimed she had been ‘banned’ from the airline after accusing a flight attendant of ‘lying’, saying she had been ‘treated like a wild animal’.
Azealia Banks
From top; Mario Blokken, head of Finabel, has said he has met representatives of the Irish Defence Forces
Via the office Luke Ming Flanagan MEP:
‘Meetings have taken placed between a member of the Defence Forces and Finabel, the European Interoperability Centre, according to documents releasedu nder Freedom of Information.
Emails outline preparations for a meeting on Monday 17th September 2018 at the office of the Irish Permanent Representative in Brussels, between Mr Mario Blokken, Finabel Permanent Secretariat, and the MILREP (Military Representative) of the Defence Forces.
More documents show that on the 22nd November 2018, the Irish Military Representative attended the Finabel “Annual Address to the European Military Representatives”, where representatives from the 22 countries were also in attendance.
Speaking to Mr. Flanagan’s office by phone, Mr Mario Blokken confirmed that meetings had taken place with a member of the Irish Defence Forces.
He went on to say the meeting went “well” and that he expected Defence Forces Ireland to apply first for observer status, and later for full membership of Finabel.
A separate Freedom of Information request revealed that Ireland is participating in ten PESCO projects and that the Department of Defence considers that Irish participation in EU military projects such as EU Battlegroups “contributes to our overall credibility in the Union”.
Founded in 1953, Finabel describes itself as “an informal international de facto association” initially focussing on cooperation between armament programmes, but now involved in “the harmonisation of army doctrines”. 22 member states of the EU are currently members of Finabel.
Previously Ireland had only stated its involvement in two PESCO projects, and no further update had been given.’
Previously: EU Army on Broadsheet
Luke Ming Flanagan said:
“The Taoiseach and Minister for Defence Leo Varadkar needs to tell us why it is in Ireland’s interest to turn away from our traditional position of military neutrality and voluntarily involve ourselves in this growing imperial project. Even our newly elected President, Michael D Higgins has said that the government has not done enough to explain this decision.”
