Éire / Ireland

85% of the population oppose blood sports. Government votes to keep it anyway.

Stay safe in the coming days and stay up-to-date at the link or the Met Éireann app. Depending on where you’re located it could be dangerous.

(click through for other images, nothing too graphic)

The Minister for Justice has said that those behind an arson attack in which a four-year-old boy and his grand-aunt were killed will be brought to justice.

Tadhg Farrell and 60-year-old Mary Holt were killed in the blaze which occurred at a terraced house in Castleview Park in Edenderry on Saturday evening.

Minister Jim O'Callaghan said gardaí will "relentlessly" pursue those responsible for this "murderous attack".

He said it was "an attack that was designed to kill the inhabitants" of the house.

Speaking to RTÉ's Morning Ireland, the minister said he was aware that one line of inquiry is that the attack was carried out by an organised criminal gang involved in the drugs trade in the Midlands.

If that is the case, he said, "it just confirms that drugs are destroying societies and people who get involved in drugs need to know that they will wreak devastation, not just on themselves, but on those close to them and families in the area."

Gardaí are working to identify suspects for the attack, in which another woman, aged in her 50s, was seriously injured.

She is being treated at the Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore.

Gardaí described the incident as a "callous, reckless and a murderous attack on a family home".

One line of investigation is that the attack may have been carried out by an organised criminal gang involved in the drugs trade in the Midlands.

However, Ms Holt and Tadhg were innocent and it is understood the house may have been targeted in a case of drug debt intimidation.

It is believed that a petrol bomb was thrown in the front window of the house sometime before 8pm on Saturday.

Post-mortem examinations were carried out by Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margot Bolster yesterday afternoon.

The scene remains sealed off today as further technical and forensic examinations continue.

Castleview Park is a long established housing estate close to the town.

Independent Ireland Councillor Fergus McDonnell called on local people to support gardaí and come forward with any information about the attack.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, he said: "I'd ask people to support the gardaí with any information they have or may have, whether it be dash cam footage or word of mouth information, to pass that on to the gardaí and to make sure that these people are brought to justice and face the full rigors of the law."

Cllr McDonnell said people are very cautious and nervous following the attack.

Drugs are the scourge of society worldwide, he said, and there are drugs in every town and village throughout Ireland.

He said that people in Edenderry have been calling for a 24-hour garda presence in the town for some time and called on the Minister for Justice to deliver on commitments to increase garda presence throughout the country.

(video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jX6u5xj6QKo

A new one for your podcast subs. And if you're looking for something as Gaeilge, or even to improve your Gaeilge, let me recommend the vibrant, playful and insightful Gaylgeori podcast: https://gcn.ie/new-queer-podcast-gay-linn/

Bit of an embarrassment here. No attempt to shoot them down or use electonic warfare on them.

They hovered over a naval vessel but "there was no ability onboard the naval vessel to disable them".

Couldn't have happened to a nicer person (edit: /s for the non-Irish; He's a cunt)

I'm almost sure I saw them mentioned in my teenager's books when they were at school, but I've no way of checking.

In 2024, President Higgins delivered a speech to his guests, the Dunnes Stores anti-apartheid strikers. They sacrificed and suffered so much that it's great to hear them recognised. Presidential speeches are uploaded to SoundCloud and iTunes (among others, presumably). They now also include Catherine Connolly's speeches.

1. Speech by President Higgins to representatives of Dunnes Stores Anti-apartheid Strikers https://soundcloud.com/presidentirl/speech-by-president-higgins-to-representatives-of-dunnes-stores-anti-apartheid-strikers https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/speeches-by-president-of-ireland/id1095283705?i=1000662764559

2. Home of Speeches of the President of Ireland https://soundcloud.com/presidentirl https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/speeches-by-president-of-ireland/id1095283705

Fascinating video about an aluminium refinery holding tonnes of toxic waste right beside the Shannon.

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/5471711

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/5471701

Archived version

A safety issue has been identified with a children's fancy-dress costume sold on SHEIN marketplace which has resulted in the item being recalled across Ireland.

The costume has inflammable material (light blue fabric) and may catch fire if worn close to an ignition source, resulting in burns.

...

The model number is 4097369. The batch number is M7431. The unique identification number is sk2412254123997662.

There are approximately 66 affected products in the Republic of Ireland.

...