From top: The Claire Byrne Shed Party; Phil Collins’ Leaving Party at Montrose; ‘Woulfe At The Door, 24’; ‘The Late Late Toy Show Green Room’; \Bombardier Sausages Grand Opening’

‘Brennan’s Armageddon’.

A regularly updated twitter feed chronicling an alternative and surreal, if possibly more rational, universe for hapless Paul Brennan, of RTÉ One’s Fair City, played by Tony Tormey.

Brennan’s Armageddon

Last night.

Dun Laoghaire, County Dublin.

Dun Laoghaire Rathdown An Cathaoirleach Cllr Una Power beside The new Yuletide Yacht monument after officially switching the lights on at Dún Laoghaire Harbour.

Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland

The Raines – Bare Feet On Grass

Here comes The Raines again.

The Americana/folk trio formed after meeting on the Aran island of Inis Oirr and recorded this uplifting song in the Black Gate in Galway.

It has reached No.1 on the iTunes Singer Songwriter chart.

The band are:Juliana Erkkonen (vocals and fiddle), Ruth Dillon (vocals, guitar and ukelele) and Yvonne Tiernan (vocals, banjolele).

The Raines write:

“Written on a gloriously sunny morning during lockdown while swaying barefoot on a hammock in Connemara, this song focuses on some of the brighter moments that we spent with our respective families, and the beauty we experienced in the world around them. It offers a glimpse of optimism and hope in the continuing uncertainty throughout Ireland.”

Nick says: The grass is singing.

The Raines

Golden Discs CEO Stephen Fitzgerald

Tomorrow.

Malahide Road, Swords Demesne, Swords, County Dublin.

Driven by the vinyl revival, our friends at Golden Discs (home of Nick’s voucher) are opening their newest store in Swords Pavilions Shopping Centre.

Situated on the ground floor next to Supervalu. it will employ twelve new staff and takes the company to 22 stores in total across the country.

CEO Stephen Fitzgerald says:

“We’ve had lots of time to perfect the Swords offering with a particular empathise on Vinyl and turntables.  The resurgence of the format over the last few years has been simply extraordinary. Whether its older fans dusting off the old collection from the attic, or younger fans listening to music for the first time how it’s supposed to be enjoyed, we have something for everyone in-store this Christmas.”

In fairness

Golden Discs

Pic via Orchestrate PR

Sinn FŽéin TD Brian Stanley, chairman of the Public Accoounts Committee, has apologised for a now-deleted tweet referencing incidents from the War of Independence and the Troubles, saying it was “inappropriate and insensitive”.

This morning/afternoon.

Via RTÉ:

The vice-chair of PAC and Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy said while Mr Stanley had apologised and deleted the tweet, this was not sufficient to resolve the matter.

Ms Murphy told RTÉ News she was appalled by the tweet, adding Mr Stanley’s actions so far are not sufficient and there cannot be “business as usual” at the PAC on Wednesday.

One PAC member, Fine Gael’s Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, told RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne that, at a minimum, Mr Stanley should recuse himself as PAC chair…

…Fianna Fáil’s Marc MacSharry said while the comments were very inappropriate and insensitive, Mr Stanley was a good chair and should not resign.

Meanwhile…

fellow PAC member, Cormac Devlin, said it was a matter for Mr Stanley about what do to next.., Labour’s Sean Sherlock, Independent Verona Murphy also said he had apologised and should remain as PAC Chair…Fine Gael’s Alan Dillon said it was a personal choice for Mr Stanley, while the Green TD Neasa Hourigan declined to comment….Sinn Féin PAC member Imelda Munster said Mr Stanley is a really good and fair chairperson….

Committee divided over Stanley position as PAC chair (RTÉ)

Kilmichael ambush?

Narrow Water ambush?

RollingNews

Meanwhile…

Broadsheet.ie