Affairs of the Nation

Affairs of the Nation

PUSSY-FOOTING WITH PHONEY PHARAOH

FOR almost three years now an Irish boy has been incarcerated without trial by the Egyptian military regime and all diplomatic attempts to have Ibrahim Halawa released and repatriated have... Read more »
Kevin O'Sullivan

Affairs of the Nation

THE IRISH TIMES GOES NATIVE

IRISH TIMES journalists would normally expect congratulations and awards for high-minded investigations into such matters as clerical child abuse, the Panama Papers and the like. However, the times and the... Read more »
Savyon Liebrecht

Affairs of the Nation

LISTOWEL WRITERS WEEK

Listowel Writers Week stood by its decision to invite Israeli-feminist writer Savyon Liebrecht to address its annual festival recently but, after some debate, it refused money from the Israeli embassy... Read more »

Affairs of the Nation

Shane Ross

Affairs of the Nation

LORD ROSS’S PRIORITIES

THE absence of the voluble Shane Ross from the pages of the Sunday Independent, a platform he used to great effect in his ascent into cabinet over the last number... Read more »
Paul Williams to trial with Newstalk?

Affairs of the Nation

NEWSTALK CRISIS RESHUFFLE

THE exit of Ivan Yates, gradual retirement of George Hook and ongoing slide in Pat Kenny’s ratings has created a perfect storm at Newstalk radio and emergency measures will be... Read more »
Anne Doherty (left) Gemma O'Doherty (right)

Affairs of the Nation

FF LEGAL THREAT OVER MURDER CASE

FIANNA FÁIL has threatened to sue journalist Gemma O’Doherty over various allegations she has made against party leader Micheál Martin and others in the party concerning political interference in a... Read more »
Marc MacSharry

Affairs of the Nation

MacSHARRY JUNIOR SHAFTED BY MARTIN

MARC MacSHARRY’S sulk in refusing Micheál Martin’s offer of the chair of the finance committee – because he was not given a front bench position – is deeply ironic given... Read more »
Jim O'Callaghan

Affairs of the Nation

O’CALLAGHAN OUT OF PROCEDURE TALKS

THERE have been further knowing looks within Fianna Fáil at the absence from the Dáil Committee on Procedure (CP) of the party’s legal advisor and justice spokesperson, Jim O’Callaghan. The... Read more »

Pillars of Society

Alan Moloney

Pillars of Society

Alan Moloney

ALTHOUGH Alan Moloney of Parallel Films was executive producer, he managed, as usual, to stay pretty much below the radar when Brooklyn earned three... Read more »

The Young Bloods

Catherine Ardagh

The Young Bloods

Catherine Ardagh

Thirty-three year-old Catherine Ardagh has risen above personal hardship and defeat in 2016 to become Fianna Fáil’s Seanad leader. The first few months of... Read more »

Fit to Print?

Ingrid Miley

Fit to Print?

RTÉ POL CORR CONTEST

THE two senior political journalists in the state, RTÉ’s political correspondent, David Davin-Power (DDP), and Irish Times political editor Stephen Collins, are due for retirement within months. But while the... Read more »

Fit to Print?

Irish Examiner’s preoccupation

THE Irish Examiner’s preoccupation with anniversaries of IRA outrages in the Republic 20 and 30 years ago is proving to be a litigious and costly exercise. The paper’s coverage of... Read more »
Denis O'Brien

Fit to Print?

COSTS PUT SCREW ON RED FLAG

WHILE Denis O’Brien continues his compulsive, serial litigation against anybody that blinks at him, the most insidious legal vendetta he is pursuing is against Red Flag, the PR company he... Read more »

Last Refuge

Last Refuge

KATE O’CONNELL IN LUCINDA MOULD

IS newly elected TD Kate O’Connell grateful for the concerted and hugely resourced Fine Gael campaign that delivered her to the Dáil for Dublin BaySouth (DBS) like some well-packaged girl... Read more »

Last Refuge

LABOUR WEIGHED DOWN WITH OLDIES

BRENDAN HOWLIN’S effort to resurrect the Labour Party began with a successful Dáil motion on workers’ rights and, despite his Mr Austerity epithet, it is clear that Howlin sees the... Read more »

Last Refuge

Bertie’s Handball Alley Feud

IT’S a long way from the Middle East, Russia and Turkey to the Clonliffe Road area, but Bertie has been asked to arbitrate in the conflict at the GAA’s handball... Read more »

Last Refuge

EU COMMISSION WATER LEAKS

THE EU Commission has issued a statement on the contentious water charges directive which contradicts statements given off the record to RTÉ and which every media, as well as the... Read more »

Fowl Emissions

Denis Naughten

Fowl Emissions

BORD NA MÓNA’S ‘GREENWASH’

“Almost 1,500 jobs” could be lost if Bord na Móna is prevented from harvesting peat for its Edenderry power plant in Co Offaly. This ominous news in the Irish Examiner... Read more »

Foreign Frolics

Ali, teh greatest

Foreign Frolics

MUHAMMAD ALI’S FIGHT AGAINST RACISM AND WAR

A FORTNIGHT last Friday marked the death of arguably the greatest and most beloved Black athlete in history: Muhammad Ali. No sport has exploited athletes, particularly Black athletes, quite like... Read more »

The Hot Air Brigade

hot-air-brigade

The Hot Air Brigade

The Hot Air Brigade

‘It always seems impossible until it’s done.’ #Mandela #RSAvIre Tweet from Sunday Business Post columnist Elaine Byrne after Ireland’s rugby win against South Africa It’s easy to forget you’re being... Read more »

High Society

High Society

Patrick Treacy

High Society

PATRICK TREACY’S TAX BILL

ONE of the most interesting names to appear on the recent list of tax defaulters was that of Patrick Treacy, founder of the Ailesbury... Read more »

High Society

Eva Orsmond

High Society

Dr Eva’s profits

RTÉ has just offloaded a number of programmes to Australian broadcaster SBS, one of which is the documentary Sugar Crash, fronted by celebrity health... Read more »

High Society

Iain Finnegan

High Society

MODERNIST MOVES IN MONKSTOWN

AN UNUSUAL looking new building is creeping into view from behind the high walls at the junction of Seapoint Avenue and Albany Avenue in Monkstown, south County Dublin. The new... Read more »

Behind the Scenes

Anne Clarke

Behind the Scenes

AFTER COLGAN AT THE GATE

WHEN NEWS of Michael Colgan’s retirement as director of the Gate Theatre surfaced last week, media attention quickly focused on his legacy. But the more interesting question is, who will... Read more »
Naoise Barry

Behind the Scenes

STAR WARS Vs THE TAXPAYER

AN INTERESTING detail was included in the congratulatory press release issued by the Irish Film Board (IFB) at the start of the month, when the Star Wars shoot finally wrapped.... Read more »
Orlaith MacBride

Behind the Scenes

ORLAITH McBRIDE’S CONTRACT

The plenary session of the Sheila Pratschke-chaired Arts Council (which is currently three members shy) is set to discuss the renewal of McBride’s contract. The policy that is generally adopted... Read more »

Sport of Kings

lynn-hiller

Sport of Kings

TURF CLUB’S DRUGS CZAR

THE TURF Club is getting serious about weeding out drug cheats, with the appointment of Lynn Hillyer as chief veterinary officer and head of the new anti-doping unit. Hillyer will... Read more »
Roger O'Callaghan

Sport of Kings

TALLY-HO’S BAD LUCK

IT HAS been a tough breeding season for the O’Callaghan family of Tally-Ho Stud. The Westmeath farm, owned and run by Tony and Anne and their sons, Roger and Henry,... Read more »
Joseph O'Brien

Sport of Kings

NEW WORLD ORDER?

IT WILL not come as a surprise to fans of Goldhawk that Joseph O’Brien, son of Aidan, has officially been granted his trainer’s licence by the Turf Club. It will... Read more »
brian-kavanagh

Sport of Kings

THIRD TIME LUCKY?

IT’S LOOKING like Brian Kavanagh could have his position as chief executive of Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) extended – for a second time – without competing for the role on... Read more »

Reviews

The Ponzi Man

Books

THE PONZI MAN – DECLAN LYNCH (HACHETTE)

SINDO columnist Declan Lynch has written several books exploring addiction and his weekly column regularly focuses on the subject. This latest novel is about a compulsive gambler waiting to be... Read more »

Reviews

DUBLIN’S GANGLAND WAR – TV3

JOINING THE conga line in over-the-top documentaries focusing on the continuing Kinahan-Hutch feud, this latest attempt went through the familiar motions of what now passes for serious popular journalism. The... Read more »
kate-gilmore

Reviews

TOWN IS DEAD – PEACOCK THEATRE

IT’S ALL too easy for new playwrights to be tempted by social commentary. Wrapping stories in broad themes helps drama to take on some greater significance – especially when the... Read more »

Moneybags

Moneybags

jeremy-masding

Moneybags

PTSB launches ‘Explore Account’

IN MAY last year the company floated off 25% of Permanent TSB on the Irish Stock Exchange and, in the process, raised €500m by... Read more »

Moneybags

Cathal Friel

Moneybags

No quick cure for Amryt Pharma investors

IN A complete shift of gear, Cathal Friel has turned Fastnet Oil & Gas into Amryt Pharmaceuticals. At first sight, moving from a failing... Read more »

Briefcases

martin-phelan

Briefcases

Trotter Independent Trading winds up

GOLDHAWK spotted one intriguing notice recently related to a business called Trotter Independent Trading Company. The small Dublin investment company is being voluntarily struck off, having recently ceased trading. It... Read more »
The Revenue

Briefcases

Revenue clamps down on corporation tax

THREE unlucky companies were named in Revenue’s latest list of tax defaulters for failure to file corporation tax returns. S Carroll Contracts Ltd, a civil engineering and plant hire business... Read more »
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Briefcases

Dermot Desmond’s graduates

IT HAS been a busy few weeks for Dermot Desmond’s Uversity, the ‘cultural odyssey’ idea he floated at the Global Economic Forum in Farmleigh back in 2009. Initially it was... Read more »
brian-ohare

Briefcases

Louth bookie’s bowl of woes

ONE business name that popped up on Revenue’s latest list of defaulters was a Drogheda company called Nevada Jack’s Ltd. The popular casino on Drogheda’s main street was fined €600... Read more »
chocolate-factory

Briefcases

Galway clampers get the axe

DRIVERS in Galway City shouldn’t get too excited about the news that Galway Clamping Company Ltd is set for liquidation, with a meeting of the creditors scheduled to take place... Read more »
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Briefcases

Des Murphy’s Annus Horribilis

CORK builder and developer Des Murphy has had a hectic 2016, with two of his companies placed in receivership already this year. A second receiver was appointed to Descon last... Read more »
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Briefcases

Nestor boys’ bank troubles

ONE story that caught Goldhawk’s eye recently was the unfair sacking of a Supervalu employee in Galway after he ate a slice of pizza that he found in the bin.... Read more »