Category Archives: Ireland

International students trapped in Ukraine appeal for urgent evacuation

Posted on by

At least 1,200 foreign students are thought to be stranded in Sumy, with some running out of food and water

International students trapped in a Ukrainian town near the Russian border have made desperate appeals for evacuation, as the number thought to be stranded in Sumy has risen to between 1,200 and 1,500, and they are running out of basic supplies.

Jana Kalaaji, a Syrian-Lebanese student who has been at the city’s university for a year, said: “There’s no electricity now. There is no water. There is no tapwater. There are no supplies. There is no heat because the heat comes with electricity.”

Continue reading...

Irish homeowners hit by mica building scandal welcome report

Posted on by

Figures better reflect cost of repairing houses made using defective blocks, say campaigners

Figures showing the true cost of rebuilding houses built with defective blocks that “crumble like Weetabix” could end the “torture” for thousands of homeowners hit by the Mica building scandal in Ireland, campaigners have said.

They have given a cautious welcome to a government-commissioned report that they say more accurately reflects rebuilding costs. If adopted by the government as expected, it would significantly increase the €2.2bn (£1.8bn) compensation scheme unveiled last December.

Continue reading...

Dublin city council takes street artists to court over murals

Posted on by

Subset collective to enter proceedings after 10 year ‘game of cat and mouse’ over murals including one of Sir David Attenborough

Across the world, public murals have given bursts of cultural and political expression to cityscapes. Some of their creators, such as Banksy, have even become millionaires in the process.

But in Ireland, a collective of street artists known as Subset are about to enter a court battle as part of a 10-year “game of cat and mouse” with Dublin city council over three murals, including one celebrating the life of Sir David Attenborough.

Continue reading...

Brexit: huge jump in trade between Ireland and Northern Ireland

Posted on by

Official Irish data suggests boost in trade on island of Ireland, but imports from Great Britain fell €2.3bn

The impact of the first year of Brexit on Ireland has been revealed after official data showed cross-border trade between Ireland and Northern Ireland jumped by €2.8bn (£2.3bn) in 2021.

Full-year figures from Ireland’s Central Statistics Office show that imports to Ireland from Northern Ireland were up 65% to €3.9bn, a rise of €1.5bn compared with 2020.

Continue reading...

Halt to Northern Ireland Brexit checks ‘a breach of international law’

Posted on by

Ireland’s European commissioner criticises decision by DUP minister affecting food and animal imports

A decision by a Democratic Unionist minister to halt all Brexit checks on food and animals entering Northern Ireland has been described by Ireland’s European commissioner as “an absolute breach of international law”.

The move announced by the devolved administration’s agriculture minister, Edwin Poots, on Wednesday has been branded an electioneering stunt by opposition parties in Northern Ireland and has set the UK on a collision course with the EU.

Continue reading...

Former Irish soldier was prepared to die for Islamic State, court hears

Posted on by

Lisa Smith ‘enveloped’ herself in the ‘black flag of IS’ in Syria, prosecutor says

A former Irish soldier accused of joining Islamic State was prepared to die a martyr, a court in Dublin has heard.

Lisa Smith, 39, from Dundalk, County Louth, has pleaded not guilty to being a member of the terrorist organisation between October 2015 and December 2019.

Continue reading...

Irish police rule out foul play over death in post office pension incident

Posted on by

Gardaí attempting to establish at what point 66-year-old man died before alarm was raised at shop in Carlow

Police suspect that a dead man who was brought to a post office in Ireland by two men trying to claim his pension had died just hours before the incident.

Gardaí have ruled out foul play, with a postmortem revealing he had died not long before the alarm was raised at Hosey’s shop and post office in the town of Carlow, in County Carlow.

Continue reading...

Two men take corpse into Irish post office to claim dead man’s pension

Posted on by

Deceased man ‘propped up’ by two men as they walked into the building in County Carlow on Friday morning

Gardaí have launched an investigation after two men carried a dead body into an Irish post office in an apparent attempt to claim his pension.

The deceased pensioner was described in reports as being “propped up” by the men as they walked into the building in County Carlow on Friday morning.

Continue reading...

Coronavirus live: Japan and Poland report record cases; Germany seven-day rate at new high

Posted on by

Concerns about new Omicron offshoot in England; France to bring in strict restrictions for unvaccinated people

Germany’s seven-day incidence rate has risen to a high of 772.7 infections per 100,000 people, up from 706.3.

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) reported 135,461 new infections on Saturday, an increase of 57,439 on the same day a week ago, when 78,022 positive tests were reported.

Continue reading...

Irishman faces 20 years in jail after exposing himself on flight to New York

Posted on by

Shane McInerney allegedly refused to wear a mask, threw a can at another passenger and mooned at a flight attendant

An Irishman who refused to wear a Covid mask during a flight from Dublin to New York and exposed his rear end to a flight attendant faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of assault, the US justice department said on Friday.

Shane McInerney, 29, from Galway, was alleged to have caused the disturbance on a Delta Airlines flight on 7 January.

Continue reading...

Irish taoiseach looks to spring after lifting one of Europe’s longest Covid clampdowns

Posted on by

‘Humans are social and we Irish more than most,’ Micheál Martin tells country after ending 20 months of social restrictions

Ireland has ended what has been one of the longest and strictest set of coronavirus restrictions in Europe, with the end of lockdown declared “a good day” by the country’s prime minister.

In a televised address to the nation the taoiseach, Micheál Martin, announced that the “the majority of public health measures” would be swept away from 6am on Saturday after the cabinet concluded they were no longer justifiable.

Continue reading...

Ireland announces annual bank holiday to honour Covid victims and workers

Posted on by

Government will also give tax-free bonus of €1,000 to frontline staff in hospitals and nursing homes

Ireland is to get a bank holiday as a national commemoration of those who have lost their lives to Covid and to recognise those who worked on the frontline of the pandemic, the government has announced.

Frontline healthcare workers in hospitals and nursing homes are also to receive a €1,000 (£830) tax-free bonus for their contribution to the national pandemic effort as part of a package of measures agreed by the cabinet on Wednesday.

Continue reading...

Irish police arrest second man in Ashling Murphy case

Posted on by

Man held in relation to potential withholding of information as police continue to question murder suspect

A second man has been arrested in connection with the killing of the schoolteacher Ashling Murphy while she was out jogging in rural Ireland.

The man is reportedly known to the 31-year-old man who was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of Murphy’s murder. The second male was detained in relation to potential withholding of information contrary to the Offences Against the State Act and can be held for up to three days.

Continue reading...

Ashling Murphy: Irish police arrest man on suspicion of teacher’s murder

Posted on by

Suspect in his 30s was detained after being treated for unexplained injuries in a Dublin hospital

Irish police investigating the death of Ashling Murphy have arrested a man in his 30s on suspicion of murder.

Murphy, a primary school teacher, was strangled on a canal path near the town of Tullamore while out jogging last Wednesday afternoon. Her funeral was held on Tuesday.

Continue reading...

Calls for action on gender-based violence after Ashling Murphy killing

Posted on by

Ireland’s minister for justice promises new strategy by March and a zero-tolerance approach

Campaigners have called for the end of the “scattered” approach to gender-based violence in Ireland after the murder of 23-year-old Ashling Murphy.

Irish police are still hunting for the killer of the primary school teacher, who was strangled on a canal path near the town of Tullamore while out jogging on Wednesday afternoon.

Continue reading...

Irish foreign minister orders inquiry into champagne party during lockdown

Posted on by

Photo shows department officials drinking Moët & Chandon in June 2020 while strict rules were in force

The Irish foreign minister, Simon Coveney, has ordered an inquiry into a champagne celebration involving officials in his department at the height of the first Covid lockdown.

A photo of the celebration in June 2020 showed about 20 officials drinking Moët & Chandon champagne, without wearing masks or social distancing.

Continue reading...

Hundreds join vigil in London for murdered teacher Ashling Murphy

Posted on by

Killing of the 23-year-old while out running reignites debate about violence against women

Hundreds of people gathered in London on Saturday for a vigil to remember Ashling Murphy, a primary school teacher murdered while she was on an afternoon run in Ireland last week, and call for an end to violence against women.

Murphy, a talented amateur musician and athlete, was attacked on the banks of the Grand Canal in Tullamore, County Offaly. The area is known as Fiona’s Way, in memory of another local woman who disappeared 25 years ago, while seven months pregnant. Her death has renewed debate about women’s safety, in Ireland and beyond.

Continue reading...

Ashling Murphy: thousands attend vigils across Ireland for teacher killed going for run – video

Posted on by

Thousands have gathered in towns and cities across Ireland after the 'senseless' killing of the 23-year-old teacher, with echoes of the national reckoning that was sparked in the UK last year by the murder of Sarah Everard. Murphy was killed on Wednesday afternoon while going for a run along the banks of the Grand Canal in Tullamore in County Offaly

Continue reading...

Ashling Murphy: thousands attend vigil for Irish teacher killed going for run

Posted on by

Killing of 23-year-old in County Offaly has provoked outpouring of grief and anger in Ireland and beyond

Thousands have gathered in the town of Tullamore in Ireland as a vigil was held for Ashling Murphy.

Other memorials were also held across Ireland after the “senseless” killing of the 23-year-old teacher, with echoes of the national reckoning that was sparked in the UK last year by the murder of Sarah Everard.

Continue reading...

Son of Sinéad O’Connor dies at age of 17 after going missing

Posted on by

Irish musician says Shane O’Connor, last seen on Friday morning, ‘was the very light of my life’

Sinéad O’Connor’s 17-year-old son has died, two days after he was reported missing.

The musician shared the news on social media, writing that he “decided to end his earthly struggle” and asked that “no one follows his example”.

In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.

Continue reading...