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Slowly it dawns that you no longer fit in in Ireland, after 18 years gone
I laughed hysterically the first time somebody called me Frau Murphy, but that is who I have become. To be an emigrant is to be an enigma, shrouded in mystery and, in my case, wrapped in a conundrum of shamrocks and sauerkraut. Emigration changes every ounce of your being, over and over again.
The Irish Times q -
Passenger planes dodged Russian bombers in Irish-controlled airspace
Commercial jets carrying hundreds of people had to be diverted in mid-air or else prevented from taking off to avoid potential collisions with two Russian bear bombers which “cloaked” their presence during their latest incursion into Irish-controlled airspace. A report in the Irish Examiner revealed that the Tu-95 bombers, which flew just 40km off the coast, criss-crossed into major civilian airline traffic lanes, including incoming flights from North America on February 18. Following the first publicised incursion two weeks previously, the Department of Foreign Affairs signalled its officials had spoken to the Russian ambassador and sought reassurances that its military aircraft would not fly into our area of control without advance notification, especially if their transponders were off.
BreakingNews.ie q -
The Irishman Who’s Never Been Drunk
The Irishman Who’s Never Been Drunk
Today FM q -
Six Nations: Timekeeping controversy in Ireland’s match with England
Six Nations officials are investigating the possibility that more than two minutes of additional time was accidentally added into the second half of Ireland’s 19-9 win over England at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday. A Six Nations source admitted to The Irish Times that “there was a problem with the synchronising of the timing” and that at one point “it got out of sync”, although he maintained that this error may have been corrected. The apparent mistake followed Robbie Henshaw’s try, when Craig Joubert went to the TMO Deon von Blommestein, but after the South African referee awarded the try, the match clock seemingly remained stopped on 52 minutes 39 seconds for two minutes and four seconds, as first Johnny Sexton converted and George Ford restarted the game. Thus, when Joubert blew the final whistle at 80 minutes and four seconds, it would appear this equated to 82 minutes and eight seconds.
The Irish Times q -
Ireland to be top beneficiary of QE
Ireland is likely to be a top beneficiary of the European Central Bank’s forthcoming €1.1trillion quantitative easing (QE) programme bond strategists say. The country’s improving economic prospects, together with the fact that it has a smaller, less liquid market than lower-yielding nations such as the Netherlands and Belgium, make it likely to benefit from QE, pushing borrowing costs even lower. “I would not be surprised if Irish treasuries start to trade on par with France on sub-5Y maturities,” Cyril Regnat, a fixed-income strategist at French bank Natexis, said, referring to five-year debt. BNP Paribas, Commerzbank and Nordea Bank also foresee gains being made in Ireland’s debt.
The Irish Times q -
8 celebrity break-ups equally as devastating as David Walliams and Lara Stone's 'split'
Say it’s not true!
BreakingNews.ie q -
Hozier unveils new video starring Natalie Dormer
Hozier unveils new video starring Natalie Dormer
Today FM q -
Solicitor barricades himself in Killiney home to stop repossession
A High Court judge wants evidence as to what has been happening at a house in Killiney, Dublin, after he was told solicitor Brian O’Donnell has barricaded himself inside it to prevent a bankappointed receiver taking it over. The house, Gorse Hill, at Vico Rd, was recently vacated by three of the children of Brian and Mary Pat O’Donnell in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling dismissing a challenge to repossession on foot of a €71.5m judgment obtained against them by Bank of Ireland. Mr Justice Brian McGovern said he wants affidavit evidence todayfrom receiver Tom Kavanagh outlining what has been happening there since 12pm yesterday when the receiver was due to take possession.
Irish Examiner q -
New car sales still climbing but there’s a sting in the tail for used buyers
The sales of new cars in Ireland grew by 24 per cent in February, compared to the same period last year, bringing the total sales gain over 2014 to 28 per cent overall. Volkswagen Group took three of the top five selling model spots for February, with the Golf and Passat locking out the top two spaces, the the Nissan Qashqai coming third, the Skoda Octavia fourth and the Ford Focus fifth. VW claimed the best-selling brand and model (the Golf, again) slots for the year to date overall. In year-to-date sales, Hyundai has climbed above Nissan to snatch fourth place overall behind VW, Toyota and Ford.
The Irish Times q -
Helen Mirren admits her secret subway shame
Dame Helen Mirren has confessed she is a “terrible person” after getting a fellow subway passenger into trouble, weeks after she was spotted displaying flawless subway etiquette. The Oscar-winning actress used her latest red carpet moment to publicly apologise to a passenger she said was hauled away by “subway police” in New York. Dame Helen made the admission as she walked the red carpet for the Roundabout Theatre Company’s 2015 Spring Gala which was held in her honour in New York last night. “This very nice man jumped up and held the doors open so we could all come in and sit down and then the train sort of got stuck and then the subway police came along and said, ‘who’s responsible for holding the train?’.
BreakingNews.ie q -
Reports claim Eric Clapton had a brief romance with Princess Diana
Eric Clapton enjoyed a romantic liaison with Britain's Princess Diana, a new book has claimed. The 70-year-old guitarist enjoyed a flirtation with the late princess - who separated from husband Prince Charles in 1992 - after meeting regularly at his favourite restaurant, San Lorenzo in London's upmarket Knightsbridge. Paul Scott wrote in his new book 'Motherless Child: The Definitive Biography of Eric Clapton': "One who regularly caught his eye was another San Lorenzo devotee, Princess Diana.
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Long stays in direct provision lead to dependency, says UNHCR
The length of time asylum seekers spend in State-funded accommodation is leading to dependency and disempowerment among some of those seeking protection here, the UN’s refugee agency has warned. A UNHCR study, Towards a New Beginning, which consulted with 71 refugees living here, has found that lack of access to work, education and integration supports over the course of a number of years can be difficult to repair and may hinder prospects of integration. “It is clear from this report’s findings that the length of time refugees spend awaiting final decisions in respect of their asylum applications should be reduced in order to limit the negative effects of such waiting periods,” said Sophie Magennis, UNHCR Ireland’s head of office.
The Irish Times q -
It's not a dream — Opel Astras can break down
Don’t listen to supermodel Claudia Schiffer in the advert on the television — Opel Astras do break down. Despite this rather obvious fact, the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland (ASAI) has ruled that the latest advert for the car brand, which features the German model — Schiffer, that is — appearing in a man’s dream was not misleading. One complainant considered the claim, “an Astra doesn’t break down”, to be misleading as he had owned an Astra and it had broken down on a number of occasions. In view of his experience with his Astra, he considered that the statement was untrue.
Irish Examiner q -
Gardaí search for missing Dublin woman Pamela Kenny
Gardaí have asked for the public’s help in tracing missing woman Pamela Kenny.
BreakingNews.ie q -
VIDEO: Turkish Airlines jet nose-dives near Kathmandu runway
A Turkish Airlines jet landing in dense fog in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu has skidded off a slippery runway but there were no serious injuries, officials said. Officials at Kathmandu's Tribhuwan International Airport said the plane with 238 people on board was coming from Istanbul when the accident happened. The runway was slippery after two days of rain and there was dense fog at the time.
BreakingNews.ie q -
Evening Echo — Check out Cheryl Fernandez-Versini’s dramatic new hairdo
Last year she changed her name, and now Cheryl Fernandez-Versini has gone for another big reinvention. Cheryl, 31, posted a picture of her chic new bob on Instagram, saying her haircut was “long overdue”. Cheryl has kept her hair long for some time now, opting for big body and waves, or a sexy top knot. Perhaps her new look is yet another example of how French hubby Jean-Bernard has been influencing her new chic style.
Evening Echo q -
Retired garda gets €50k for trauma over Galway siege
A retired garda sergeant who suffered post-traumatic stress disorder after being involved in a 21-hour siege in Gort, Co Galway, eight years ago has been awarded €50,000 damages in the High Court. Mr Justice Bernard Barton said during a Garda Compensation hearing that Peter Carr had been in a dangerous and life-threatening situation and it was no surprise he had suffered psychological injuries. The court had heard that gardaí received a call from a woman around 11.20pm on October 8, 2006, stating shots had been heard at Crowe Street, Gort. Two Garda cars had been dispatched and it had transpired that a domestic dispute had taken place at No 67, where Anthony Burke had fired shots.
Irish Examiner q -
Check out Cheryl Fernandez-Versini's dramatic new hairdo
Cheryl Fernandez-Versini has had her hair chopped off.
BreakingNews.ie q -
Evening Echo — Gardaí search for missing Dublin woman Pamela Kenny
Gardaí have asked for the public's help in tracing missing woman Pamela Kenny.The 52-year-old has been missing from her home at Delwood, Castleknock, Dublin 15, since 10.30am yesterday morning. Pamela is described as being 4' 11" in height, of slim
Evening Echo q -
Woman 'didn't see killer of Russian opposition leader Nemtsov'
A 23-year-old Ukrainian model who was with slain Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov when he was shot dead has said she did not see the gunman who pulled the trigger. The emotional account by Anna Duritskaya in a TV interview came amid speculation about who was responsible for the high-profile assassination near the Kremlin in Moscow and what it means for Russia. While state-run and Kremlin-controlled media focused on a theory that the killing was a provocation aimed at staining president Vladimir Putin, critics are holding the Russian leader responsible for creating an atmosphere that encouraged the crime by fanning nationalist, anti-western sentiments and vilifying the opposition. Ms Duritskaya said she has been questioned extensively by authorities.
BreakingNews.ie q
