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The extraordinary work of glass artist Kiva Ford, by day a manufacturer of specialised glass lab equipment, by night, the creator of curious handmade vessels redolent of hybrid mythological and natural scenes.

MORE: Metamorphosis & Metamorphosis II

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Donie O’Sullivan, of Storyful, writes:

“Today, Storyful, in partnership with the Open State Foundation, is delighted to announce Politwoops for the Irish elections. Politwoops records, stores, and publishes tweets deleted by candidates. The tool has been used effectively in the United States and countries across the world to increase transparency and accountability. We hope it will serve the same purpose in Ireland.”

Check out Politwoops here.

Thanks Donie

Meanwhile…

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Hmmm.

Anyone?

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Urban Legends write:

“We’ve made something that you may like (we hope). We’re a couple of no good enigma hunters and our favourite show when we were kids was the peerless Unsolved Mysteries – recently we thought, what better way to pay tribute to its formative influence on us than to do a cover of its theme and make a video for it.”

Urban Legends

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Screengrab from water.ie

Owen writes:

“Just tried to access my water bill from abroad. Wouldn’t load, so asked customer service via the Twitter machine. I got this response: ‘We are aware of some customers having difficulties accessing water.ie from outside Ireland. Our IT team are working to resolve this issue as soon as possible.’ Why would they need to geo-block water.ie?”

Anyone?

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuGXWNg4atk

A short film from Equate Ireland ahead of the general election, as part of the group’s Open The School Gates campaign.

Meanwhile…

“With a general election expected next month, a movement is underway in the rapidly changing nation to target another hurtful social condition by which non-Catholic children are legally denied seats at overcrowded state-financed primary schools, 97 percent of which are controlled by Catholic authorities.”

“With schools allowed to give preference to Catholics, other families are forced to have their children baptized in the church, linger on school waiting lists or search for scarce alternatives. Only 74 of the nation’s 3,200 primary schools are run by Educate Together, the main multidenominational alternative, whose Dublin schools are swamped with four applications for every available space.”

“…Church officials are at odds, with some urging a slow evolution toward a more open-door policy in the schools. Clearly the current policy is at odds with a modern Ireland. The most encouraging force in the debate is the Irish public’s realization that their nation can no longer afford shameful religious bias to remain in the law.”

Intolerable Bias in Ireland’s Schools (New York Times editorial, January 29, 2016)

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Cookies McGarnagle writes:

“Was walking home today, when I saw this poster for Terence Flanagan’s public meeting. The image seemed somehow familiar and then it hit me… Strange coincidence? Or a look into Terence Flanagan’s true intentions?”

Evil Empire?

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From top: FAI CEO John Delaney (right) Republic and of Ireland soccer manager Martin O’Neill; press release issued by the FAI on Friday

It’s John’s club.

And you’re not in it.

You may have read about how the FAI held a press conference last Friday about the launch of its 2016 – 2020 strategic plan which, among other things, stated it will “continue to aim to be debt-free by 2020”.

The FAI only invited representatives from their “media partners” to the launch – those from RTÉ and independent.ie.

Further to this…

Paul Rowan, in yesterday’s Irish edition of The Sunday Times wrote:

“When John Delaney first stopped holding open media sessions at the FAI’s AGM two years ago, a list of 10 questions were sent by the assembled media to him and the association which remained unanswered. By last year’s event in Sligo, it had swelled to 20 questions, but there was no response. Now the policy appears to be to lockout the press completely when it comes to any platform where the future of the association is being discussed.”

“Certainly it was more Cluedo than 20 questions when it came to approaching selected media over launch of the FAI’s strategic four-year plan, now dubbed the press conference to which the press were not invited.”

“…Also there was John Treacy, the chief executive of Sport Ireland, the state body which distributes public funds to the FAI and other sporting organisations in the country. And it is at the door of Treacy and his paymasters in the department of transport, tourism and sport that the responsibility now lays to rein in the FAI.”

“The association, and in particular Delaney, appear to believe they are above proper public scrutiny, despite the fact that the FAI goes cap in hand for state funding — €2.7m of which it received in the last annual round — and is also the guardian of the most popular participation sport in the country.

So far, neither Sport Ireland nor the politicians have done a very good job in scrutinising how an important national organisation in receipt of large sums of public money goes about its business.”

War of attrition on press does Delaney and FAI no favours (The Sunday Times)

Related: A sad day for game? FAI launch plan without inviting press (The Irish Sun)

Pics: Rollingnews and Irish Sun

Broadsheet.ie