Above from left: Jane Daly, Irish Theatre Institute, Minister for Culture Catherine Martin, Siobhan Bourke, Irish Theatre Institute and research lead Dr. Ciara L. Murphy

This morning.

Temple Bar, Dublin 8

The launch of  Speak Up: A Call For Change Report, containing findings from a 2021 survey on Dignity In The Workplace in the Irish arts sector commissioned by the Irish Theatre Institute

The survey, with1,300 respondents, found that the…

‘… 70%, had experienced harmful behaviour and 53% had witnessed it.

The majority of those instances were reported to have taken place in the workplace.

The data shows the perpetrators were more likely to be men – 67% – and that women accounted for 42% of the reported incidences.

Freelance arts workers were also more likely to face harmful workplace experiences than those who are not freelance.

Those who experienced the behaviours were more likely to be women than men, and the data found that women were more than three-and-a-half times more likely to experience sexual harassment than male respondents, and more than twice as likely to experience sexual assault.

The majority of perpetrators were reported to hold positions of authority, and respondents reported that often, supports were not available to them and that where they were available, they were insufficient.

Full report here

70% of art sector workers experience harmful workplace behaviours – report (RTÉ)

RollingNews

Jelly gummies next to an illegal cannabis plant

Gulp.

This afternoon.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has warned parents to be vigilant over THC-infused gummies this Halloween.

Via RTE news:.

In its warning about the jellies, the FSAI said: “Cannabis edibles are illegal food products containing THC and come in many forms, but primarily jelly sweets.

“THC is a controlled substance in Ireland with a zero tolerance under the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1977.

“Furthermore, in food, THC is considered a contaminant, with no permitted threshold in EU or Irish food law.”

Also: check apples for concealed razor blades.

Parents warned over cannabis jellies packaged like sweets (RTÉ)

iStock

Different Class

I started school when I was four
A uniformed wee man
By age eighteen I’m out the door
An exam and a dim life plan.

In between were books and lessons
Bullies, friends and rules
Teachers, sports, detention
The parts that make up schools.

Miss Taylor was my favourite
She looked a hundred and three
She was prob’ly in her fifties
Ancient then to me.

A kind and patient lady
Grey hair tied in a bun
Strict concerning lessons
With a smile suggesting fun.

McGee was the maths teacher
We didn’t get along
Not personally, you understand
Just all my sums were wrong.

I don’t recall the others
With any great emotion
Perhaps somehow I picked up
On their lack of real devotion.

Mullins, Carthy, Whelan
And Collins all in trouble
“Sketch” here comes old Duffy
To your desks lads, on the double.

Bag hanging off your shoulder
The homework laid out square
The weight of an Aran boulder
“Aw come on Sir, not fair”.

We’ll do it in the morning
In the yard or before the bell
First up is Mister Clancy
The Irish class from hell.

“Can any of you tell me
The Irish word for horse?
The answers in your notebooks
Now boys it’s on the course”.

A half-day off on Wednesday
For soccer or rugbai
Unless you had a sick note
Then you won the lottery.

Weekends and summer holidays
Christmas and Easter time
Register less intently
Than the nine o’clock bell chime.

Perhaps that’s why I hear it
As I walk in through the gate
As St. Martin’s Boys maths teacher
I prefer not to be late.

Brian Conlon

Brian is “a Dubliner living abroad”. Born and raised in Glasnevin. His first love is writing “but we all know how that doesn’t pay the bills!”. His work can be read here.

Pic via Young Ireland by Jack Manning

This morning/afternoon.

“We’re looking at a number of options there obviously the Gardaí can be involved because it is a criminal offence not to enforce the pass system and we’re looking at involving the private security agency as well because they’re involved in regulating bouncers and people at the door…they might be part of the solution as well.

“But really what I would say to the industry is you’ve been closed for five, six hundred days. We want you to stay open.The best way to do that is by running a good house and enforcing the Covid pass.

“And to say to people as well, I’m going to be doing it you know, when going into bars and restaurants be saying ‘make sure you check my pass because if you’re not, you’re not running a safe shop‘.”

Tanaiste Leo Varadkar.

Leo Varadkar warns gardai and security companies could check if pubs are following Covid pass rules (Irish Mirror)

Earlier: Bizarre Counter Culture

This morning.

Pisa, Italy.

Hockey.

It’s coming home.

2022 Women’s FIH Hockey World Cup – European Qualifier?

The constituency office of Australia’s Victorian Premier Dan Andrews

Strewth.

Last night.

Mulgrave, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Meanwhile…

Dan Andrews

Via MailOnline:

A ‘world-first’ study that Dan Andrews used to justify his mandatory mask mandate has been ridiculed by top experts.

The report was published by the Burnet Institute supporting the Victorian premier’s outdoor mask mandate during the 112-day lockdown in 2020.

The policy has since been widely criticised by Australian scientists and was labelled by an anonymous clinician as ‘crap’.

…Mr Andrews made the decision based on the report, which made the case for ‘the use of masks for controlling epidemics in the broader community.’

Despite no reported cases of outdoor transmission of coronavirus, Victorians were subjected to months of universal mask use.

Humiliation for Daniel Andrews as the ‘world first’ study Victoria held up as proof its mask policy crushed Covid is labelled ‘CRAP’ (Mail Online)

Getty

This morning.

Eustace Street, Temple Bar, Dublin.

Historian Cecelia Hartsell (above left) and Lord Mayor Alison Gilliland at the unveiling of a plaque commemorating American anti-slavery leader Frederick Douglass.

Dublin City Council mounted the plaque to honor Douglass’s 1845 visit to Eustace Street.

On leaving Dublin, he said:

“I can truly say, I have spent some of the happiest moments of my life since landing in this country. I seem to have undergone a transformation. I live a new life. The warm and generous co-operation extended to me by the friends of my despised race—the prompt and liberal manner with which the press has rendered me its aid—the glorious enthusiasm with which thousands have flocked to hear the cruel wrongs of my down-trodden and long-enslaved fellow-countrymen portrayed…

“…The deep sympathy for the slave, and the strong abhorrence of the slaveholder, everywhere evinced—the cordiality with which members and ministers of various religious bodies, and of various shades of religious opinion, have embraced me, and lent me their aid—the kind hospitality constantly proffered to me by persons of the highest rank in society—the spirit of freedom that seems to animate all with whom I come in contact.

“…And the entire absence of everything that looked like prejudice against me, on account of the color of my skin—contrasted so strongly with my long and bitter experience in the United States, that I look with wonder and amazement on the transition.”

In fairness.

Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews

Tanoki featuring Tay Edwards – It Has Begun

Innovation once again.

Kilkenny songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist and knob-twiddler supreme Paul Mahon (top right) aka Tanoki unveils his latest collaboration with rapper Tay Edwards (top left) as the third single from his forthcoming album File New. The result is a jazz-tronic/hip-hop narrative about the wonders and dangers of technology.

Paul says:

“Technology is beautiful. Stunning. Without it, two artists from across the world never would have made this song. But that same song is also a warning about that power.”

The video was created by Paul with assistance from David O’Reilly.

Nick says: Paul’s sonic boutique.

Tanoki

Tay Edwards

Jenny Bassett writes:

An “Irish Day of Solidarity with Julian Assange” will see a whole series of activities from Derry to Kerry in support of the imprisoned Australian journalist and publisher. It is organised by Free Assange Ireland in cooperation with other campaign groups and organisations for peace and justice.

Events include a forum at the New Theatre, Temple Bar with a panel that will include MEPs Mick Wallace and Clare Daly.

Lawyers for the US administration will go to the London High Court on October 27th/28th seeking to extradite Assange to the United States to face dubious charges relating to the US Espionage Act. If Julian Assange is extradited he will be sentenced to 175 years in prison. And although never convicted, he is nearly 3 years isolated in Belmarsh High Security Prison, London. What is Assange’s Crime? He revealed US war crimes that US politicians did not want the world to know.

Free Assange Ireland (Facebook)

Anyone?

Alamy Stock

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