Splutter!

This afternoon.

Via RITE [Ringsend and Irishtown Tidy Towns]:

Thanks to [Sinn Féin TD] Chris Andrews (top left) for sponsoring a receptacle for butts at one of our bus stops from NoButts.ie. Butts will be collected and recycled. No 2 will be in place shortly sponsored by local [SF] councillor Daniel Céithinn (top right)…

No johnnies.

Behold: the many interstellar dust clouds and glowing nebulae of the constellation of Orion. To wit:

One of the brightest, M78, is centred in this colourful, wide field view, covering an area north of Orion’s belt. At a distance of about 1,500 light-years, the bluish reflection nebula is around 5 light-years across. Its tint is due to dust preferentially reflecting the blue light of hot, young stars. Reflection nebula NGC 2071 is just to the left of M78. Flecks of emission from Herbig-Haro objects, energetic jets from stars in the process of formation, stand out against the dark dust lanes. The exposure also brings out the region’s fainter, pervasive reddish glow of atomic hydrogen gas.

(Image: Wes Higgins)

apod

Last night.

Samuel Beckett Bridge, Dublin.

A projection of Adam King’s virtual hug sign, first shared with RTÉ 1’s Late Late Toy Show viewers. The hug was also displayed last night at locations in Cork and Waterford city centres to mark National Hugging Day.

Sam Boal/RollingNews

The 14-day incidence of Covid-19 in the Belmullet area stands at nearly five times the national average

This morning/afternoon.

The Belmullet local electoral area in Co Mayo continues to have the highest rate of Covid-19 in the country.

In the fortnight to last Monday, one in every 18 people, or just over 5.5% of the population, contracted the virus.

A total of 700 cases were confirmed among the 12,600 people living in the area, which takes in Belmullet, Achill and a chunk of rural west Mayo.

Meanwhile…

A number of large gatherings in the days before and after Christmas are thought to have significantly increased the spread of the virus….

Belmullet has highest Covid-19 rate in Ireland (RTÉ)

Pic via Tom Quinn Auctioneers

This afternoon.

Broadsheet music editor Nick Kelly bids a fond farewell to his voucher sponsor since skinny jeans were last in, thriving record store chain Golden Discs.

Currys PC World will take over voucher sponsoring duties later this afternoon.

Nick says: Thanks to Sinéad and everyone at Golden Discs. It was beautiful.

Currys PC World

Gulp.

Last night.

Nine O’Clock News on RTÉ One.

Any excuse.

Thanks Bertie Blenkinsop

Broadsheet.ie