Rosita

Irish Times journalist Rosita Boland after a talk to final year journalism students at Dublin City University.

Ann Lovett was the 15-year-old schoolgirl, from Granard, Co Longford, who died giving birth beside a grotto in 1984.

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A short Scannal documentary about the tragedy (including revealing Gay Byrne/Sunday papers moment) here. Part two here.

 

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What You May Need To Know:

1. The Pinapple Express (2008) posse are back! First came the bullshit trailer for PE2 – thankfully, it’s not happening.

2. We had the first trailer for this a while back. This one’s better. Much better.

3. He was lost in a bit of a post-Oscar malaise, but James Franco has just scored back-to-back hits with Oz The Great And Powerful (2013) and Spring Breakers (2012). the latter of which features his finest turn in years.

4. This Is The End is the first movie directed by Seth Rogen and his writing partner Evan Goldberg. Rogen badly needs to get his mojo back after The Green Hornet (2011) and that ill-advised Streisand road movie. That said, he’s still only 30.

5. The Michael Cera comeback starts here.

6. ‘HERMIONE JUST STOLE ALL OF OUR SHIT’!

Release Date: Summer

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Conor Ryan, in today’s Irish Examiner, reports that Denis O’Brien has secured a buyer for the former Doncaster Rovers soccer stadium and that a sale was agreed with British builders Barratts on March 22.

Mr Ryan writes:

Mr O’Brien took control of the aging stadium for £4.3m in 1998. It is reported to be selling for £10m (€11.7m). Mr O’Brien disputed the tribunal’s findings that his original investment was set up to benefit former minister Michael Lowry.

In 2002, Mr O’Brien was forced into mediation talks with the Northern Ireland-based land agent Kevin Phelan over management fees arising from the plan.”

“The tribunal said Mr Phelan got £150,000 from Mr O’Brien to make sure he did not undermine a false version of events which distanced Mr Lowry from the project.”

…

“Despite allegations, the tribunal could not find evidence linking Mr Lowry to the Doncaster deal. It cited one solicitor’s letter, written on behalf of Mr Phelan, which said 40% of the profits resulting from the sale of Doncaster would be split between him and Mr Lowry. This was disputed by Mr Lowry and Mr O’Brien.

“The tribunal said its lack of direct evidence on Doncaster had to be viewed in the context of the level of falsehoods, concealment, and suppression which emerged.  And it said ultimately it believed the purchase of Doncaster was intended to benefit Mr Lowry.

 

O’Brien offloads former Doncaster soccer grounds (Conor Ryan, Irish Examiner)

Previously: The Thicks Plotten

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