https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a67n7FA4_k
Some NSFW, Kerry-based rap?
Oh go on then.
Hound by Tralee rapper Zach Buggy, aka SendMoreSpies.
Previously: You May Like This
Thanks Oscar Brophy
Minister for Health Leo Varadkar
A sugar tax in today’s budget?
Fat chance.
A Food Critic writes:
When a right-wing Minister for Health calls for a sugar tax to combat childhood obesity, he deserves applause. How wise it was for Leo Varadkar to announce his support for such a tax last week. After all, a quarter of Irish three-year-olds are now overweight or obese. We are talking about the greatest public health crisis in the history of the state.
The only problem is that Leo Varadkar doesn’t want a sugar tax. He regards such taxes with contempt. The Minister revealed his true colours in the Sunday Independent on August 23rd, when he boasted that his favourite thing about Ireland is “our unique culinary delights like red lemonade and Tayto crisps.”
When a politician boasts about his love of sugared water in the middle of an obesity crisis, it seems a bit irresponsible. When he is also a qualified doctor it seems bizarre. But when that same politician is also the nation’s Minister for Health, our kids don’t stand a chance.
If a sugar tax is introduced in today’s budget, the government should be heartily congratulated. If a sugar tax is not introduced, will the Minister for Health apologise for pretending to give a sh*t about Irish kids?
FIGHT!
(Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTHQ9aKPm3g
“[Ireland captain] Paul O’Connell will undergo surgery on his torn hamstring this week and will not play again at the World Cup. Ireland has called up Mike McCarthy to replace O’Connell.”
Seán O’Rourke on RTÉ moments ago.
Mmf.
Injury ends Paul O’Connell’s Ireland career (RTE)
Previously: Blood, Sweat And Cheers
Pic: Euronews Sport
http://youtu.be/oSSD8uEmlI0
Want to own Brian O’Driscoll’s soiled cast-off boots?
Solas Project are holding a prize draw to raffle off the very boots B.O.D wore in Ireland’s Rugby World Cup 2011 victory over Australia in an effort to raise €10k to fund its mentoring and social development activities.
Clodagh writes:
The competition runs from today until Thursday 22nd October. Entries can be made by texting “Boots” to 50300 and all texts will cost €6
Name that voiceover artist.
Anyone?
Playboy will no longer include,
Pictures of chicks in the nude,
But I really can’t say,
That there’s any way,
It will sell if it stops being lewd.
John Moynes
Anne writes:
Beautiful at Blessington Street Basin this morning…
Meanwhile, in West Cork…
Thanks Míceál Ó Lorcáin
The Guardian reports:
A club of bearded men posing for a photograph in the Swedish countryside with their black flag was mistaken for Islamic State militants, prompting a visit by the police, a club member has said.
Andreas Fransson was with his friends on Saturday outside the ruins of Brahehus castle in southern Sweden when two police officers turned up.
“They told us that a motorist thought he had seen a gathering of Isis terrorists,” said Fransson, whose Bearded Villains organisation does charity work.
Bearded hipster group says police mistook them for Islamic State terrorists (The Guardian)
Thanks John Allen
http://youtu.be/oZ86PiVp8rg
For the weekend that will be in it.
Wednesday, October 20th, 1999.
The Stade Félix Bollaert, Lens.
A much fancied Irish team just had to show up and beat Los Pumas to secure a World Cup quarter-final place at Lansdowne Road. Guided by Warren Gatland and Donal Lenihan, they had, in fairness, steadied Irish rugby’s on-field fortunes.
Plucky tyke Brian O’Driscoll becoming evergreen in an Irish shirt even before he had broken through at Leinster.
Times were bon..
Donal Spring writing for the Irish Times said:
For this Irish squad, the 1999 World Cup is over before it really begins. We all knew that we were going to get to Lens and that we would meet our first genuine test there as we were always unlikely to beat Australia.
We have failed that test. In these days of public relations the message from the Irish camp was to go “where no Irish team had gone before in the World Cup”. They have achieved that distinction, but it is not quite what they had in mind..
We’ve been here before it would seem.
RUCK!
Uncanny
at
Taoiseach Enda Kenny speaking to media outside the Dáil this morning
Ahead of the Budget being announced this afternoon…
RTÉ’s political correspondent Martina Fitzgerald reported on Morning Ireland earlier:
“It’s reported this morning that the old age pension will be increased by €3 a week. Other measures include the restoration of the Christmas bonus to 75 per cent of what it was before it was abolished in 2009. The fuel allowance is going to rise by €2.50 per week from January, which will affect 380,000 households. The respite care grant will be restored in full. Around 2,200 new teaching posts will also be announced, 600 of the recruits will be resource teachers for those with special needs.”
“At least 500 additional Garda posts will also be announced. A childcare package will provide for two weeks’ paid paternity leave, free pre-school from three years of age and an expansion of the community childcare subvention programme. There will also be €120million additional money for housing. On the tax see, the price of a packet of cigarettes will rise by 50 cent. Most of the tax package will focus on the USC and a tax credit for the self-employed. There would be a reduction in the first three USC rates and the threshold for which people pay the tax will rise to €13,000.”
UPDATE:
Meanwhile, not in the Budget…
The Irish Times reports:
“Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said measures on rent, which the Government has failed to agree ahead of the budget, will continue to be worked on by the Coalition parties.”
“He said Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly and Minister for Housing were looking at a package of measures “that will deal with the question of the supply side” of housing, “which is the real problem here”.”
“Mr Kenny said discussions would continue between these two Ministers and Minister for Finance Michael Noonan to determine how to proceed “without interfering with the market to its disadvantage”.”
Budget speeches are expected to begin at 2.15pm.
Rent measures to be excluded from budget after disagreement (Irish Times)
Budget 2016: Tax credits and USC reductions on way (Irish Times)
Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie