Staz Beats & Leigh Michael & Zimback – Spider Fight

Bray emcee Leigh Michael and Parisian producer Staz Beats join forces with Osaka, Japan rapper Zimback for their first release.

Leigh writes:

We have been performing together around Dublin for just under a year blending bilingual lyrics and balancing a new international fusion of hip hop. Bound by the webs of anxiety,In ‘Spider Fight’, me and Zimback battle the shadow self over Staz’s dark and menacing beat….

Leigh Michael

This afternoon.

There will be an exhumation and a forensic examination of remains at the site of the former Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, County Galway but no inquests to discover the causes of death.

Actions to be taken will include:

A phased approach to the forensic excavation and recovery of the juvenile human remains in so far as this is possible;

The use of systematic on-site ground-truthing and test excavations to effectively locate potential burials;

The forensic analysis of any recovered remains and, where possible, individualisation and identification, and arrangements for respectful reburial and memorialisation and the appropriate conservation of the site.

Statement by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Dr Katherine Zappone TD

The Tuam Babies’ Family Group said:

‘This is an exceptionally important decision and will pave the way for all the other mother and baby homes, and the lost children of Ireland.

We want all of the children found, if they are not in the grave, where are they? All of the children must be found and we would like to see a full excavation of the entire site as we believe there are many graves in the area, not just at the site we have all come to know.”

Kevin Higgins, a legal advisor to the Tuam Home Survivors’ Network, said:

“The set piece orchestrated today by Katherine Zappone announcing an excavation of the Tuam grave is possibly one of the most cynical and callous acts ever carried out by an Irish Government.

Having maintained for almost two years that Government would make the ‘final decision’ on the Tuam grave -she has repeatedly rebuffed the plain truth that Government did not have the power to make that decision.

Last evening [Monday] Leo Varadkar was asked several times by a representative of the Tuam Home Survivors’ Network – what powers Government had to make such a decision and whether they had advice from the Attorney General, that they had such power.

In response he filibusterd and failed to give a direct answer.

Today in her Statement, Minister Zappone explicity acknowledges that it will require new legilsation to allow the Government excavate the site.

For two years the Coroner for North Galway has sat on his hands and declined to convene an inquest into the deaths of 800 children who have no known burial place except a cess-pit.

Two successive Attorneys General have declined to appoint another Coroner on foot of his failure to carry out his statutory duty to convene an Inquest.

Today the Government announces its intention to introduce legislation, effectively giving it the power to by-pass the law in respect of Inquests.

The only purpose of an Inquest is to determine the cause of death.

Neither Government or the Bon Secours Order are disposed to public knowledge of how those children died.

Denied any justice in life, Government now proposes to deny them any justice in death.

What is proposed is an excavation, reburial and as a gesture an attempt at identification for the benefit of survivor families.

A ‘dignified reburial’ means giving the residents of the Dublin Road Estate in Tuam, back the full run of their playground.

There will be no blame, no liability, no accountability, no vindication for the Tuam babies.

In tandem with today’s announcement, the biggest global owners of private hospitals, the Bon Secors nuns, have offered a ‘voluntary contribution’ of €2.5 million towards the cost of excavation.

They must consider it very good value.”

Tuam Home Survivors Network

Earlier….

From top: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Galway Independent TD Catherine Connolly

This afternoon.

In the Dáil during Leaders’ Questions.

When posing a question to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar about a change in the application process for women who formerly worked in Magdalene laundries seeking compensation and Caranua, Galway Independent TD Catherine Connolly referred to the pending decision of the Government on the Tuam Mother and Baby Home site.

She said:

“I sincerely hope that your decision will be for a full excavation, a full exhumation of the site with a view to maximum information being available.”

In regards to Tuam, Mr Varadkar said:

“In relation to the Tuam Mother and Baby Home, Minister [Katherine] Zappone will make a statement about that at 3pm and I think it’s fair to say that she’s put an enormous amount of work into studying this matter over the last two years.

“The Cabinet accepted her recommendations today and I’d like to give her the opportunity to outline them in detail at 3pm when she’s able to do so.”

Related: Magdalene laundries victims fear officials want to limit compensation (Ellen Coyne, Times Ireland edition)

Earlier: ‘The Taoiseach Reflected The Need To Respond Now With Action, Rather Than Words’

Yesterday: ‘The Only Acceptable Outcome Is The Immediate Convening Of An Inquest Into The Deaths Of All The Children’

Children’s author Patrica Forde reads for. from left:  Roisín and Clíodhna Ní Dubhghaill, Abi and Scott McSweeney, with TG4 presenter Marie Trees Ní Dhubhghaill and her daughter Aela at the launch of Ár Scéal

Starting next Monday

Ár Scéal

A 26-part pre-school, art/storytelling series produced by Galway-based Meangadh Fíbín for Cúla 4 (Young Peoples’ Programming) on TG4.

Kathleen Nic Dhonnacha writes:

This ambitious series follows presenter, Úna Ní Fhlatharta, in her funky art-filled van, as she visits 52 primary schools nationwide to collect delightful stories, lovingly illustrated by the children themselves.

All stories are newly written by the award winning children’s author Patricia Forde.

Each episode sees Úna and the children draw inspiration from their unique story to create imaginative and innovative artwork that will allow the story to come alive.

Both Úna and the children enjoy creating and making before they eventually listen to the story being told in full by one of the schoolchildren.

In fairness.

Ar Sceakl on Monday at 9.15am on TG4.

Ar Sceal (TG4)

Kenny Tynan

On Monday

Kenny Tynan, who has a brain tumour and obtained a licence for cannabis oil but has been told his cost will not be reimbursed, wrote on his FB page:

“”d like to thank Prof. Micheal Barry of St James for my wonderful totally avoidable seizure last night. It was traumatic for my wife and my 11 yr old son.

Traumatic in the sense that at any time they could be fatal for me. I wouldn’t mind but I had taken my conventional anti convulsant about 40 mins before I seized. Goes to show how well they are working.

Waiting over 3 weeks for a response to an appeal that blew his reasons for denial of reimbursement out of the water.

You would think the money was coming out of his own pocket. Just over a month left on my licence too…’

Yesterday, Kenny wrote:

“An Angel has stepped forward last minute and offered to pay for my medicinal cannabis. Thank you heavenly Father for putting this person in my path. The world works in mysterious ways. Namaste.’

Kenny Tyanan (Facebook)

Johnny Keenan writes:

This is indeed a great day for Kenny. That is 100% well deserved. Never underestimate what good people are watching and listening from the sidelines and want to make a substantial difference when and where they can.

However its another dark day for Simon Harris Fine Gael government and more importantly thousands of other Irish citizens who need and want the right to use medical cannabis.

A right that is afforded to most of our brothers and sisters across the western world but unfairly ignored by our corporate government.

It is extremely important to remember that Professor Michael Barry Consultant at St James’s hospital Dublin stated to Kenny that his recommendation would be that the Irish health Board and or HSE would not be in a position to pay for the Medical Cannabis Kenny required.

They (sorry the Irish tax payer) would still be in a position to continue to pay for anticonvulsant pharmaceutical drugs. The same drugs that don’t seem to be working for Kenny and have side effects for him.

The question now is and still remains why would Irish consultants whose salaries are paid for by the Irish tax payer and working on behalf of our HSE give licences to people in need of medical cannabis and then expect them to pay thousands of euro to receive this medicine.

Then to add insult to injury expect these patients of cannabis to travel outside their country to get that medicine.

So let’s please make a concerted effort to force pressure on our legislators to sign into law ASAP that Irish citizens have the right to use medical cannabis at a reasonable cost to them and the Irish people.

Previously: Kenny Tynan on Broadsheet

Mister Green.

And Mister Green.

Bohemian FC writes:

Dalymount Park has played a unique part – chiefly in the sporting – but also in the musical and cultural history of Ireland.

The Home of Irish Football was graced in the 1970s by Thin Lizzy and the Boomtown Rats, in the 1980s by Bob Marley, Meatloaf and Black Sabbath, and in the 1990s by Faith No More, Sonic Youth, Ice Cube and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

This jersey, designed by Bohemian FC in conjunction with our new kit supplier O’Neills, gives a nod to that history – and to the stadium’s special place in the hearts of both football and music fans.

In fairness.

Bohemian FC

Broadsheet.ie