Crusties Are Go

Admin at 11:05 am July 15, 2015

They gave us Macnas, the Aran sweater and sean nos singing.

But now it’s time to forgive.

John Gallen writes:

A new wee video for the Galway bid to become European City of Culture 2020 :)

Galway 2020

It Reeks

Admin at 10:25 am July 15, 2015

Gulp.

Gary Mac writes:

“Kerry Medicine! Spotted in Sister Lakes, Michigan. It’ll grow hairs on your chest…”

Gathering Dross

Admin at 10:02 am July 15, 2015

FIGHT!

Sinead O’Connor Calls For Boycott of Rolling Stone Over Kim Kardashian Cover (Telegraph)

Thanks Garthicus

Nama’s Land Strategy

Admin at 9:46 am July 15, 2015

A section from FOI documents pertaining to Nama, obtained by journalist Gavin Sheridan, from the Department of Finance.

Mr Sheridan obtained the NAMA Advisory Group minutes from March 2012, and a NAMA internal document on its strategic plan.

In relation to the section highlighted above, Mr Sheridan asks on his website The Story:

Is this a plan to constrain housing supply to increase land/asset values in favour of NAMA?

Anyone?

See the documents obtained and Mr Sheridan’s blog post in full here

Previously: Nama And The Rise In Property Prices

A Limerick A Day

John Moynes at 9:37 am July 15, 2015

‘Too pale’ Grace Wain, refused entry to Abu Dhabi.

It seems that now gingers can’t fly,
On a passenger jet in the sky,
They won’t let you in,
If you’ve got pale skin,
But even the docs can’t see why.

John Moynes

(Daily Record)

Ay, Number One

Admin at 9:13 am July 15, 2015

Glove and Boots’ Johnny T extols the virtues and vicissitudes of his favourite city.

Related: Planning A Trip To NYC?

gloveandboots

Perfect

Niall Murphy at 8:40 am July 15, 2015

jimbenton

For Your Consideration: If Money Were No Object

Admin at 8:32 am July 15, 2015

Fionn McArthur writes:

Here’s a project I’ve been working on for a few months now. It has plenty of scenic shots from around Sligo. Once I heard the speech “If Money Were No Object” by Alan Watts. I knew I could relate to it and try to capture cinematic shots that would correspond to the speech.

So whenever I found free time before or after work I was out filming, planning or location scouting shots. The majority of the sunny shots have weeks in between them. Any other filmmaker in Ireland will tell you the weather is never on your side when you need it. It was tough at times. I couldn’t help but feel like a one man army sometimes. It really goes to show that a crew would be a help, even a crew as little as two people would be a huge help.

lakesideproductions

‘The Deal Itself Was Straightforward’

Admin at 8:24 am July 15, 2015

Lawyer Ian Coulter

You’ll recall how Ian Coulter was the former managing partner at Tughans Solicitors in Belfast – which was involved in the sale of Project Eagle, Nama’s Northern Irish loan book – until he resigned in January of this year.

Late last night he released a statement for the first time since Mick Wallace told the Dáil, on July 2, that a routine audit of Tughans, “showed up where 7million in Sterling ended up in an Isle of Man…It was reportedly earmarked for a Northern Ireland politician or party.”

Last night, Mr Coulter said:

The concept of a Northern Ireland Nama deal was developed and significant work leading up to this deal was done by other business people in Northern Ireland, before any involvement of Cerberus (or any bidder). None of these other parties were from Tughans and none were politicans or relatives of politicians.

Through Tughans I was formally engaged to provide the required local counsel to Brown Rudnick. This was a commercial arrangement with Brown Rudnick, for which fees were discussed and agreed. No politician, nor any relative of any politician in Northern Ireland, was ever to receive any monies in any way as part of this deal. This was never discussed, assumed nor expected.

The deal itself was a straightforward one between a buyer (Cerberus) and a seller. Nama received what it has publicly confirmed is the full and disclosed value. No monies from Nama went towards any fees paid to Tughans. The money which has been called into question was part of the total legal and consultancy fees agreed as payable by Cerberus to Brown Rudnick. Cerberus did not engage or pay Tughans directly. Cerberus has acted completely professionally and properly at all times in relation to this matter.

The fees payable were paid into a Tughans company account supervised by the firm’s Finance team. In September 2014, a portion of the fees was retained by Tughans and I instructed Tughans’ finance director to transfer the remaining portion into an external account which was controlled only by me. Not a penny of this money was touched.

The reason for the transfer is a complex, commercially – and legally – sensitive issue and has been explained to my former partners at Tughans. It will be explained to the appropriate authorities and those entitled to that information as part of my continuing co-operation with any investigation.

The money which was transferred to an external account was not “discovered” or “retrieved” by the Law Society or Tughans during an audit, as some reports have incorrectly stated.

In fact, I transferred the money back to Tughans in early December 2014 and I brought this to their attention. From late November until early January, discussions took place to try to resolve the matter. In January 2015 these discussions broke down and I decided to resign from Tughans.

Terms and conditions for my resignation were agreed between me and Tughans. I have not received any personal financial benefit for my work on this transaction. Neither I nor any third party has received any part of the 7.5 million fees.

Meanwhile…also last night: