The Cathaoirleach of the Seanad just told me that, under unwritten rules of Seanad procedure, I could praise the President of Ireland as much as I liked, but that I must not utter anything that might be interpreted as a criticism. Sounds very Beijing.
— Senator Rónán Mullen (@RonanMullen) September 29, 2021
This afternoon.
Anyone?
‘sup?
Last week, with a Dogs of Dublin print (above) by John Rooney (available at Jam Art Prints) on offer we asked you for your funniest/most memorable dog story.
Mark at Jam Art chose Janet’s multiple, Paris-based, slightly mucky, canine recollections, which included:
“OK, let’s go with the star of the 11 Arrondissement, a little Jackie named Kitcha, when she wasn’t working the decks she was quality-testing the Guinness (she knows to let it settle) and working the door as the best bouncer in Paris. People new to Paris I warmed to and liked who’d stray into my bar, I liked to take out to get ‘Janeted’. One young pup from Liverpool who is now a fast friend, I invited out to go clubbing after work, he says, ‘What about the dog? OK this is your bar but we are never going clubbing with the dog?’
“Kitcha led the way sans lead, as usual, always stopping before crossing the road for an ‘OK, Go’ sign, skips the line at the club and all you can hear are two huge bald bouncers screaming “Kitcha!” as she legs it in ahead of us to join the madness on the dance floor. She showed that Liverpool lad how it was done and he never looked back.”
“A dog is a good litmus test of any man or potential partner, herself snuck in when I was test driving a new lover and licked the poor sod on his arse mid coitus. The screams! She was right he had to go.”
Splutter!
Well done, Janet and thanks all.
The Jam Art Prints competition runs here every second Thursday.
Last week: Woof! There It Is
From top: Retired Kerry District Court Judge James O’Connor; Paul Murphy TD
This afternoon.
Dail Eireann, Leinster House.
Paul Murphy TD asked Taoiseach Micheál Martin:
“On the 14th of July, I raised with you the gross abuse of power by retired Kerry judge James O’Connor.
“I explained how he had abused his position to persistently and completely inappropriately pursue a woman – a vulnerable woman – who was before his court on a family law matter for a sexual relationship.
“Over the summer I was contacted by another woman who told me a very similar story relating to the same judge.
“She was again before him on a family law matter. He approached her repeatedly, he got her number, and then he persistently pursued her.
“There were multiple incidents. I won’t go through all of them. I’ll just quote one incident she told me about.
“She said: ‘He rang me another day and said he had stuff for my case. He told me to meet him at the back door of the courthouse. I went to the back door. He was waiting. He said he didn’t have the paperwork with him. He brought me in there to get the paperwork. Then he lunged at me. I pushed him and left. He obviously felt he could have done anything he wanted to’.”
“There is clearly a repeated pattern of abusive behaviour by James O’Connor, the question is what is the Government going to do to stop this sort of thing happening again.”
Micheál Martin replied that he will consult with others on “how we deal with this”.
Taoiseach says allegations against former judge are ‘very serious’ (RTÉ)
Previously: A Menace In The District Court (Village, June 2021)
Top pic: Valerie O’Sullivan/ Killarney Today
Meanwhile…
Woman inappropriately contacted on her mobile by Kerry judge James O'Connor mid-hearing made THREE complaints to Micheal Martin – Aug 2020, Sep 2020 & Feb 2021. Yet when @paulmurphy_TD raised the matter with MM in Jul, Micheal pled ignorance. The woman is still seeking answers. https://t.co/p38C5NGnGy
— nwl (@nwl88444048) August 13, 2021
Um.
‘sup?
This afternoon.
Dungarvan, county Waterford.
Aifric Murray writes:
The Tin Man (and The Enterprise Bar)…among new art sculptures of tin men around Dungarvan…
Anyone?
This afternoon.
Kildare Street, Dublin 2.
Musicians – from left Matt McCranaghan, Derrek Mullen, Joseph Leech and Fiach O’Connor with Nichola Hegarty (centre) – indulge in a ‘session’ outside Leinster House before handing in a Pre-Budget 2022 submission, seeking further supports for the live entertainment industry.
Guy playing spoons (out of picture).
Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2 in 1890 (left) and as it is today
“The forecourt outside Leinster House was removed in favour of car parking in 1948, at a time when it was believed that the private car was the future of urban transportation. For reasons of both public health and climate action, we now accept that there is an urgent need to move towards greater use of sustainable modes of transport.
“This will require significant behaviour changes for many in our society and is a major challenge. We commend the legislative work of the Climate Bill but it is not enough for you to pass bills to encourage these changes. We need you, as our representatives, to also embody them. We need you to lead by example.
“The grounds of Leinster House are small; a drop in the ocean in tackling climate change or our public health problems, but they are symbolically large. In the coming years many of you will stand on the plinth to expound the need for action and for change. How much more effective will those messages be, if they are delivered in front of a symbol of your commitment to a sustainable future? How effective will those messages be, if they continue to be delivered in front of your own private city-centre car park?
“Our public spaces matter, and few matter more than Leinster House. We urge you to take up this change; push for a restoration of the Leinster House garden on Kildare Street, and show that talk of a healthier, more sustainable post-pandemic future is backed by deeds as well as words.”
Extract of a letter sent today to the Oireachtas Health and Environment and Climate Action Committee from Advocacy groups, architects and academics.
This afternoon.
Signatories include Irish Doctors for the Environment, Irish Pedestrian Network, Dublin Cycling Campaign, Friends of the Earth, Irish Architects Declare, Irish Georgian Society, ‘as well as dozens of individual signatories from various fields in academia, health, architecture, journalism and environmentalism’.
Fight!
Here is the twisted, vindictive @RollingStone mag screed, the public mobbing of what they call “antivaxxers” in NBA. This smacks of the desperation felt by the coastal elites to enforce their corporate conformity. These people are petty fascists…https://t.co/h9g51VA4Vf
— Patrick Henningsen (@21WIRE) September 29, 2021
Fantastic, Covidians are beside themselves over this. NBA player badgered by typically divisive reporter, but still delivers the most calm and articulate explanation as to why he is not going to take the experimental corporate cocktail #vaccine. Brilliant.
Everyone take notes… pic.twitter.com/uN8mYrjPuH
— Patrick Henningsen (@21WIRE) September 28, 2021
Vaccine?
Me hoop.
The NBA’s Anti-Vaxxers Are Trying to Push Around the League — And It’s Working (Rolling Stone)
This morning
Rabbit-eared, pumpkin sculptress Sienna Castro Darcy (above) announces the return of The I LOVE D8 Mega Yard Sale.
The D8 mega whatnow?
Players Please writes:
On Sunday October 3, neighbours will have a chance to delight others with the things they no longer need and celebrate the change of the seasons with Halloween costume competition and many other games and prizes.
Just set up a stall outside your front door and you’re good to go! Don’t have anything to sell – don’t worry! Just go for a stroll in the neighbourhood to join in on the fun.Participants are asked to consider donating part of it to support the Players Please D8 Residents Association. All funds will be used for the judicial review regarding the proposed over-development of the former Player Wills factory and Bailey Gibson sites.
Register your stall here
Pic: Mark Stedman
This morning.
Dame Street, Dublin 2.
Artist Alan Phelen at the official unveiling of the first sculpture commissioned and created as part of the Dublin City Council Sculpture Dublin initiative. Mr Phelan won a €50,000 commission for his piece called ‘RGB Sconce, Hold Your Nose’, now placed on the Daniel O’Connell Plinth outside City Hall to already some chagrin.
We’ll learn to love it.
Or will we?
*squints eyes*
Saturday: Replacing The Liberator
Arborist – Dreaming In Another Language
Looks like we got ourselves a singer.
Northern songsmith Mark McCambridge (top) has fun when given the run of No Alibis Bookshop in Belfast where he creates a mesmerising soundscape for his poetic musings.
The film was shot by Sam O’Mahony and Tristan Crowe.
Nick says: Tome it may concern.
