Irish Echo July 2018

HISTORIC SKINNY DIP

DÁIL APOLOGY

PAGE 8

PAGE 7

More Than 2500 Naked Irish Women Break World Record

Taoiseach Pays Tribute To Gay Victims Of Hate, Discrimination

For breaking news visit www.irishecho.com.au

AUST RALI A’ S I RI S H N E WS PA P E R July, 2018 | Volume 31 – Number 7

AUS $5.95 (incl GST)

Wallabies Left In Irish Wake All-conquering stars cap ‘best ever’ season with historic rugby series win.

PAGE 23

FUTURE RETURNING EMIGRANTS MAY BE INELIGIBLE FOR IRISH STATE PENSION

PENSION RULES SET TO CHANGE THE Irish government has defended proposed eligibility rule changes that might make it significantly more difficult for emigrants who return to live in Ireland to claim a full State pension when they retire.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

Irish Echo Australia | www.irishecho.com.au | 02 9555 9199 | newsdesk@irishecho.com.au | (Admin): mail@irishecho.com.au | PO Box 256, Balmain, NSW 2041 I Print Post No 100007285

2

July, 2018 I www.irishecho.com.au

AUST R ALIA’S IR ISH NE WSPAP E R

FIND IRISH STAFF

In Print & Online Email ads@irishecho.com.au

Call 1300 555 995

IMMIGRATION LAWYER Tel: 02 9389 2290

www.australianvisas.com.au

rience e p x e l s lega 25 year RATE, S S E C UC HIGH S ABLE FEES. N REASO

Email: andrew@australianvisas.com.au

Andrew Hackworthy BComm LLB (UNSW) Solicitor and Attorney MARN: 9790738 Eastern Suburbs Sydney

www.workpermitsandvisas.com.au An agent, not an agency – for personal & professional service.

enda o callaghan (llb)(ba)(dip) registered migration agent

Work, Study & Travel Visas

D

suite 2201, level 22, tower 2 westfield, 101 grafton st, bondi junction, nsw 2022, australia.

(02) 8095 6406

enda@workpermitsandvisas.com.au

marn 1383553

3

July, 2018 I www.irishecho.com.au

A U S TRA L IA’S IRIS H N EWS PAPER

news PERTH AND SOUTH AUSTRALIA SELECT THEIR ROSES FOR TRALEE FESTIVAL

Aussie bunch of roses now complete David Hennessy THE final two Roses from Australia have been selected for the Rose of Tralee International Festival in August.

Emilie Helbig, with roots in Newry, Co Down, has been selected as the 2018 South Australia Rose. Laura Cannon from Donegal has been crowned as this year’s Perth Rose.

South Australia Rose Emilie’s family run the Newry Studio of Irish Dancing in Adelaide and Emilie has competed competitively for 21 years. She now teaches at the school and performed some Irish dancing on the night of her selection. She is also studying for a Bachelor of Education.

“I’m still a little bit in disbelief,” the 25-year-old told The Irish Echo. “I’m learning a lot more about how intense the international festival is. I’ve been talking to some of the international Roses, it still doesn’t feel real so I think when I get over there it will really hit home how important it is and how big a deal it is as well. It will be really good to grow myself and learn more about the Tralee festival so I’m very excited.

“I’ve always known about it since I was a little girl, we had a family friend [Siobhan Denneney, 1988 South Australia] win it just before I was born and I grew up knowing the story of her winning it but as I’ve gotten older. I’ve learned a lot more about what it means to be part of it; what sort of person you have to be to be part of it and all the extra stuff that goes on the side.

“That last part, as I’ve got older, drew me more into it because the face value of just a beauty pageant really turns me off but when you get deeper into what the Rose of Tralee is, it really makes you question who you are, who you want to be and where you want to go later so that’s what drew me.”

Was Emilie surprised to be selected at the South Australia ball? “I did not expect to win. The four other girls on the night with me were absolutely incredible human beings and all of them

contribute to so much of other people’s lives that I really didn’t expect me to be on the same level as some of them.

Some of their speeches made me cry because I felt they were perfect human beings so, when I was chosen, I felt very very privileged to be thought of on the same level.”

What is Emilie looking forward to?

“The whole experience. I’ve been to Ireland a couple of times and it blows me away every single time. When I go to Ireland, it feels like home. I’m most looking forward to meeting everybody else. I consider being a worldly person a very important aspect in a person so for me to get the opportunity to meet other Irish women that aren’t only from Ireland but from all over the world, that’s what I’m most excited about.”

Perth Rose Laura Cannon has been in Perth since 2016 and is a nurse at St John of God Hospital where she works in intensive and coronary care.

“I didn’t anticipate for this at all,” Laura told The Irish Echo. “I haven’t booked any time off work so I’m sorting it all out now because I didn’t expect to get this far and to be so lucky to represent Perth.

“I put in my application because my

mum has always been wanting me to do it so I said, ‘Right, I’ve put it in and I don’t want to hear any more about it’.”

Laura laughs remembering the story before adding: “I put it in and here I am, lucky duck. Very, very excited and delighted.

“We always watched it as kids, as everybody did, and my mum always said, even when we were kids, ‘You and Aisling (Aisling’s my older sister) would be so good in that, you would be great and we would always look at each other, roll our eyes.”

When Laura called her mum in Ireland to let her know the good news, it was already too late. Social media had beaten her to it.

“I didn’t realise they had been watching it live on Facebook. They knew. It was lovely.”

What is the 24-year-old looking forward to about the whole experience?

“I don’t really see it as a competition, I see it as an opportunity to meet more people and take part in it.

“I’ve been chatting to some of the girls and they seem absolutely lovely so I’m looking forward to meeting them in August.”

Now that she has, to her disbelief, been crowned Perth Rose, can Laura see herself being crowned as the international Rose at all? “Anything can happen. All you can do is imagine and hope. I just want to really enjoy it, more than worry about or think about winning or not winning. It’s just an experience ahead of me that I would never have had the opportunity to have before, I will just grab it with both hands and enjoy every minute of it.”

These selections complete Australia’s five Roses.

The Irish Echo reported last month that Caitlin Macinante will represent Sydney while Suzie Jackson has been selected as Melbourne Rose and Sarah Griffin-Breen took the Queensland crown.

The Rose of Tralee international Festival takes place from August 17-21.

GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY: South Australian Rose of Tralee for 2018 Emilie Helbig and (above left) Perth winner Laura Cannon.

IRISH AMBASSADOR SAYS CHANGES WILL MAKE PENSION RULES FAIRER

Proposed rule changes may reduce Irish pension for returning citizens Fiona Brady

IRELAND’S Ambassador to Australia has played down concerns that returning emigrants could be worse off by proposed Irish pension reforms, saying most people’s entitlements would be largely the same.

Br eandán Ó Caollaí said the proposed overhaul of how a person’s State pension is calculated (see inset) would be “a fairer approach for all.”

One of the more controversial proposals is that a person may need to make 40 years of social security contributions to claim the full State pension.

This is in contrast to the current system where someone could qualify for a full pension based on just 10 years’ payments, provided they had no gaps in their employment record.

Mr Ó Caollaí said this scenario was “quite rare” and “an anomaly”.

The example given in the Government’s consultation paper is of someone who worked in the UK between the ages of 17 and 52 and worked up to a full UK pension, then moved to Ireland and worked for 13

years before retirement. Under the current system, they would also get a 100 per cent Irish pension on top of their British one.

It is in contrast to other scenarios in the consultation paper of people who worked for much longer but got a smaller pension.

One is a woman who worked from the ages of 17-20 and then cared for children for 20 years. She went back to work for another 22 years but would only receive an 85 per cent pension under the averaging system.

Under the new way of calculating pensions, the person in the first scenario would only get a 33 per cent pension while the second person would get 100 per cent.

While these scenarios had very different outcomes under the old and new systems, Mr Ó Caollaí said that people with normal emigration patterns would have mostly similar entitlements.

“Most people can claim pensions from both jurisdictions they worked under, and receive two pensions,” he said. “While both pensions might be at a reduced rate, their combined pay-

ment will quite possibly be greater than a single pension.”

People who worked in Australia also have the option of claiming a pro-rata pension under the Irish Australian Social Security Agreement if this is more beneficial to them.

Under the agreement, periods of working life in Australia are treated by Ireland as periods of insurance, and vice versa. These periods are added together to meet the minimum periods required for the pensions offered by each country.

Ashley Johnston of the Irish Welfare Centre in Sydney said they could direct people of pension age to the appropriate social welfare ser vice “to receive sound and comprehensive advice regarding their entitlements and pension queries.”

The proposals are explained in a consultation paper, on which interested Irish citizens can give feedback on until September 3, 2018. To make a submission go to www.welfare.ie and clicking ‘consultations’.

How are State pensions currently calculated?

State pensions are currently calculated using the yearly average approach. Your total number of social security contributions is divided by the number of years between first starting work and the last full year before retirement. A yearly average of 48 is required for a full pension.

This method penalises those with big gaps in their employment record, eg for child-rearing. Under the proposed reform, pensions would be calculated using the Total Contributions Approach (TCA). Pensions would be based on the total number of Social Security Contributions a person made. Controversially, as many as 40 years of contributions could be needed to get a full State pension, although the Government stresses the number of years has not been decided yet. People who left the workforce to care for children will receive credited contributions that will count towards their pension entitlement.

Is applying for a pro-rata pension under the Social Security Agreement between Ireland and Australia a separate application process? Do you choose one or the other?

No, you apply for the State pension in the ordinary way. The application form requests (among other things) details of any employment abroad.

When assessing your claim, the official will first see if you can qualify for a full rate pension in the normal way. If you do, there is no need to check overseas contribution records etc. If you do not, he or she will then go through a number of checks to see what method of qualification will give you the highest possible payment. If you have indicated you have a foreign employment record, this will be one of the options considered.

4

July, 2018 I www.irishecho.com.au

AUST R ALIA’S IR ISH NE WSPAP E R

news FAMILY CRISIS

Irish father again facing deadline to leave Fiona Brady

AFTER a temporary reprieve, time is again running out for the Limerick man who faces being depor tation from Australia, leaving behind a young family.

Dan Hall, 45, featured in the June edition of the Irish Echo, speaking about his sadness at the thought of being parted from his Australian wife Virginia and their three Australia-born children Cu Chulainn, Aislinn and Kianna.

Mr Hall said his plight arose when his application for a permanent visa was rejected because his police check went missing in the mail.

Initially he was given until May 30 to leave the countr y and return to Ireland where he could apply for a new visa. This was extended to Friday, July 6 so he could receive medical treatment on his thumb which he had injured at work.

Although the deadline is again looming, he has not given up hope. He said he has spent the past month contacting anyone he thought could help.

He has appeared on television and in newspapers.

“I’ve been on the phone constantly…. to the media, to politicians, anyone…. just trying to get people to realise that it’s about my three little kids.”

Mr Hall arrived in Australia on a tourist visa 11 years ago and met his future wife soon after. The couple married in 2009 and Mr Hall was granted a temporary visa the following year. The Halls could not afford to use an immigration lawyer and tried to navigate the complicated process of applying for a permanent spouse visa themselves. More than 9000 people have signed a petition calling on Minister Peter Dutton to let him stay.

Go to www.change.org and search for ‘Peter Dutton don’t tear me away from my three young children’.

YOUNG IRISH AUSTRALIAN CHORISTER SINGS FOR POPE DURING EUROPEAN TOUR

Oisín’s papal performance Fiona Brady

IF there’s a sure-fire way to impress your Irish granny, it’s to sing for the Pope. Oisín O’Sullivan’s Killarney grandma has been bursting with pride since he sang for Pope Francis with his fellow choristers from Australia’s oldest choir on Pentecost Sunday.

The 12-year-old has been a member of Sydney’s St Mary’s Cathedral Choir for four years and said the performance in St Peter’s Basilica in Rome was “the biggest thing we’ve ever done”.

“It was really exciting,” he said.

“I was trying to focus on the music, but in the background I was thinking about how cool it was.”

Oisín said the Pontif f, who was standing only 10m away, was humble.

“I thought he’d be sort of like royalty but he seemed really down to earth.”

The Papal Mass was the highlight of three-weeks of per formances in France, Br ussels and Italy to celebrate 200 years since the choir was founded by Dubliner Catherine Fitzpatrick.

In total, 32 young scholarship students from St Mar y’s Cathedral College and 11 adult singers performed.

The performance was broadcast to millions around the world.

Oisín’s father Pádraig O’Sullivan is from Killarney and has been in Sydney for 23 years.

He said both the Australian and Irish sides of the family were thrilled by the youngster’s accomplishments – especially his grandmother Breda O’Sullivan in Muckross.

Mr O’Sullivan said all the choirboys had worked extremely hard to earn the amazing trip.

In an average week, the singers rehearse and per form for 10plus hours, before and after school and on Sundays.

Extra rehearsals will also take place in preparation for a special anniversary Mass in August that will be attended by descendents of the choir’s Irish founder.

Mrs Fitzpatrick was a school teacher who voluntarily came to Australia after

VISA-BILITY Your visa questions answered

Co Antrim native and registered migration agent John McQuaid provides a uniquely Irish perspective on immigration issues.

Dear John, I have been living in Australia for over 40 years but never taken out citizenship. I recently went to book a flight back to Ireland and was asked about my permanent residence and if I had a resident return visa to get back into Australia.

I applied for this resident return visa but was told I couldn’t get one as I had something called a BF111.

What happens if I leave Australia?

Can I come back in again? I’m only planning to be away for four weeks.

Judy P

Dear Judy The short answer is that the BF111 will allow you to leave and come back into Australia.

The BF111 is a bit like an older version of the Resident Return Visa.

Authorities to Return (ATR) and Return Endorsements (RE) are old-style return visas issued to permanent residents between March 1, 1976 and December 31 , 1986.

This would have been a stamp or label in your old and

PLACE IN THE CHOIR: Irish Australian youngster Oisín O’Sullivan (pictured far right and above) has just returned from Europe where he performed in front of Pope Francis. (Below right) Oisín with proud dad, Pádraig.

her husband Bernard was sentenced to transportation for embezzlement.

She trained a small group of singers, including her own sons, to sing for the first Catholic services in the colony.

As Sydney grew, they became the choir of the first St Mary’s church and eventually the St Mar y’s Cathedral Choir. Mrs Fitzpatrick was the choir director for many years.

Melbourne resident Neill Fitzpatrick discovered he was the great-greatgreat grandson of Catherine Fitzpatrick when he was researching his family tree last year and was impressed by his talented ancestor.

“She was a woman well in advance

of her time because she was highly educated and a school teacher,” he said.

“She was either very naïve or very courageous to come out in 1811 as a free settler with two young sons, the youngest of which was less than one year old. ”From what I’ve read of her sons’ letters they were very, very proud of her. She was the anchor that kept the family together.”

Mr Fitzpatrick joked that singing is one family talent hasn’t been passed down the generations.

“I can’t sing at all,” he said with a laugh.

by now expired passport. These old stamps are not compatible with Immigration’s (now called Department of Home Affairs) new electronic systems. So, holders of an ATR or RE can apply to have it recorded on the Home Affair systems as a BF111. Having the BF111 means you shouldn’t have any delays at the airport on the way out or back, so, it’s worth getting this done a month or so before you plan to travel. You need use form 929. (www.homeaffairs.gov.au/ Forms/Documents/929.pdf).

Provide evidence of your ATR or RE stamp and your current passport ID page. You can email the application to 929@homeaffairs. gov.au. There is no charge for this service.

When permanent residence is granted it is technically for life, but you only receive a travel facility valid for five years. If you are a permanent resident who has never held an ATR or RE and the travel facility has expired (or will expire while you are away) you need to apply for a resident return visa to re-enter Australia.

To maintain permanent resident status, you must either meet a residence requirement or show that you have close ties to Australia.

Applying for citizenship is usually a better option. Allow about 12 months for processing.

You need to be in Australia to do the final citizenship ceremony; so, allow plenty of time to plan the application. Alternatively, you can get a five-year Resident Return Visa if you can show that you have spent at least two of the last five years physically in Australia. Ensuring that you spend at least two years in Australia out of each five-year period is the best way to maintain your permanent residence in Australia.

If you cannot meet the residence requirement, you might get a 12-month Resident Return Visa but you must be able to show substantial business, cultural, employment or personal ties of benefit to Australia. For example, close family ties in Australia, a job offer or business ownership Evidence that you have established a residence here or have children in school can help.

RRV applications are best made before you leave Australia. This can be very difficult to do and makes for a complex application so consider consulting a registered migration agent to assess your best option.

A U ST R A LI A’ S I R I SH N E WSPA P E R

Telephone: +61 2 9555 9199 Facsimile: +61 2 9555 9186 Postal Address: PO Box 256, Balmain, NSW 2041, Australia E-mail (Admin): mail@irishecho.com.au E-mail (Editorial): editor@irishecho.com.au Web: www.irishecho.com.au The Irish Echo is a national publication published monthly by The Irish Exile P/L Printed by Spot Press Distributed by Wrapaway

A U S TRA L IA’S IRIS H N EW S PAPER

Find a way to stay!

There are more than 100 different types of Australian visas.

To find out which one best suits you call John McQuaid or Narelle Ballard on 02 9369 2400. We’ll assess your options.

S P E C IA L I S I N G I N VI S A S FO R : — Employer sponsorship and skilled workers — Partners and families — Student visas with work rights CO N TAC T Level 25 / 101 Grafton Street Bondi Junction NSW 2022 T. +61 2 9369 2400 E. info@arriveaustralia.com.au arriveaustralia.com.au MARN . #0324918

5

July, 2018 I www.irishecho.com.au

MOVING OVERSEAS? Working with the Irish community since 1970!

Specialist international mover Door to door service High quality packing Cars & Motorbikes Secure Storage Trust our 40 years experience

Call for an obligation free quote

1300 789 322 info ossworldwide.com @

www.ossworldwidemovers.com Lic 2TA00839

Blacktown

L YOUR FOR ALL NEEDS TRAVE EAKAWAY R CALL B AVEL! TR

SUPER DOOPER SPECIAL AIRFARES TO ALL OF EUROPE. PLEASE EMAIL ME IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE OUR SPECIAL FARES!

blacktown@breakawaytravel.com.au

(02) 9622 7799

FOR THE BEST FARES TO IRELAND CALL US NOW !!! * PRESENT THIS AD WHEN BOOKING AND RECEIVE $50.00 DISCOUNT ON YOUR INTERNATIONAL INSURANCE. *FAMILY POLICY CONDITIONS APPLY. Division of Rotonda World Travel ACN 001 448 835

94 Main St Blacktown 2148 - Telephone (02) 9622 7799

6

July, 2018 I www.irishecho.com.au

AUST R ALIA’S IR ISH NE WSPAP E R

ireland HILLARY CLINTON SAYS BREXIT MUST NOT UNDERMINE PEACE PROCESS IN NORTHERN IRELAND

Clinton urges Ireland to defy Brexit challenges Michael McHugh and Rebecca Black HILLARY Clinton has said Brexit should not be allowed to undermine the Northern Ireland peace process.

The former US Secretary of State and presidential candidate was at Trinity College Dublin to receive an honorary degree. She also referred to the recent referendum in the Republic of Ireland on abortion, describing the result as an “inspiring sight”.

“It was an example of grassroots’ activism fuelled by young people, and a triumph of the democratic process,” she said.

Mrs Clinton also said the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which largely ended violence in Northern Ireland, set an example for the rest of the world of what was possible when citizens came together to demand peace.

“As the Brexit debate rages on, I continue to believe in the value of the European Union, and of a Europe that is whole, free and at peace,” sh said.

“No matter the outcome of these discussions, Brexit should not be allowed to undermine the peace that people voted, fought and died for.”

Mrs Clinton first visited Northern Ire-

Saturdays’ singer conquers baby blues THE Saturdays’ singer Una Healy has revealed she suffered postnatal depression and has praised her rugby player husband for helping her through it. In an interview with the Sunday Mirror, Healy, who is married to England star Ben Foden, described the impact the crippling disorder had on her life following the birth of the couple’s second child, Tadgh, now three.

“I got through my postnatal depression. Thank God I did. Your family are there to be with you and support you through it all, and Ben was amazing. I am in a very good place now, and that is all that matters,” she said.

Butts make up lion’s share of street trash CIGARETTE butts comprise more than half of Ireland’s litter, research shows. It has become more common over the last year. Pedestrians and motorists are among the worst culprits, a national litter pollution report shows. Cigarette butts accounted for more than 56 per cent of rubbish discarded on the streets.

Packaging items like cardboard, paper, bottles and caps, glass and cans comprised 17 per cent of litter, while food-related items made up 9 per cent. Sweet wrappers accounted for less than 8 per cent of the total litter on Ireland’s streets.

Surprise choice for new Garda chief IRELAND’S next Garda Commissioner

has pledged to focus on protecting the vulnerable in Irish society.

Drew Harris, 53, is the first Garda Commissioner to be appointed from outside the State. He said he was honoured to join the force at a time of change. The outgoing Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) deputy chief constable has a history of close co-operation with his colleagues south of the border on issues such as tackling terrorism.

He takes up the position of commissioner in September.

land in 1995, at a crucial time for the peace process. She accompanied her husband Bill Clinton when he became the first serving US president to visit Northern Ireland and they were greeted by huge crowds of well-wishers. They switched on the Christmas lights in Belfast during a hugely symbolic visit.

In a separate address, Mrs Clinton warned against a “rising tide of illiberalism” as she lambasted Russian President Vladimir Putin for undermining democracy.

“We are in the midst of a global struggle between liberal democracy and a rising tide of illiberalism. Vladimir Putin has positioned himself as the leader of an authoritarian, white supremacist and xenophobic movement that wants to break up the EU, weaken America’s traditional alliances and undermine democracy.”

A protest took place outside the building where Mrs Clinton had delivered her address, with some shouting “Clinton, out, out, out”.

“Clinton has done nothing to progress the causes of women,” Workers Party councillor Eilis Ryan said. “She has abused the label of feminist to further her own agenda.”

GIRL POWER: Former first lady of the United States and unsuccessful Democratic candidate for the US presidency, Hillary Clinton, with the former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson. Picture: Brian Lawless

AMBITIOUS PLANS SET OUT TO BOOST COUNTRY’S INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE

Global Irish vision launched Cate McCurry

TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar has unveiled ambitious plans to double the impact of the country’s global footprint.

The seven-year project, entitled Global Ireland, will involve the promotion of Irish arts and culture in a bid to boost the country’s international presence.

The Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Af fairs and Trade, Simon Coveney, were joined by a number of Government ministers to launch the initiative last week.

The expansion will involve targeting the areas of diplomacy, culture, business, overseas aid, tourism and trade.

Under the initiative, the Government has already announced new embassies in Chile, Colombia, Jordan and New Zealand and new consulates in Vancouver in Canada and Mumbai in India.

The Government said it plans to expand its diplomatic and enterprise agency presence in Europe, promote Irish culture, enhance its digital footprint and strengthen its presence in the United States, North and West

Africa and in the Middle East and Gulf region. There are no specific plans for Australia at this stage.

It also said that as Brexit becomes a reality, the project will help expand export markets, inward investment and tourism.

“With the launch of Global Ireland 2025 we are setting out our path for global citizenship,” Mr Varadkar said.

“Today we follow in the footsteps of our forebears by showing how we will engage as citizens of the world in the 21st century. Last summer, on a visit to Toronto, shor tly after I became Taoiseach, I set out an ambition to double our global footprint.

“The concept was a simple one. I wanted to double our impact by doing things differently, doing more and doing it better.

“Technological change is transforming lives and driving change in every corner of the world. Geopolitical and economic power is shifting south and east. The global trading environment is experiencing a period of turbulence and volatility. And closer to home, our nearest neighbour and largest trading

The launch of Global Ireland 2025

par tner is preparing to leave the European Union.

“I believe the challenges we face demand comprehensive multilateral responses. It is the only way to make a significant difference on issues such as climate change, security, taxation in the new digital world and migration.”

Mr Varadkar said the Government has plans to win a seat on the UN Security Council in 2021.

“Global Ireland, the Government’s initiative on expanding and deepening our presence overseas, sets an exciting and ambitious agenda,” Mr Coveney said.

“As Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, the value of our networks abroad to the prosperity and wellbeing of our citizens has always been very clear to me.

“I believe it is both timely and appropriate to invest now in that global presence,” Mr Coveney added.

The minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys, said: “We cannot sit still [becasue] we are confronted by a rapidly shifting business and geopolitical landscape.”

“When it comes to positioning Ireland to thrive in the new global marketplace, we have no better tools than our first-class enterprise agencies, IDA Ireland (Industrial Development Agency) and Enterprise Ireland. What Global Footprint 2025 will do, over time, is to sharpen and hone those tools further and extend their reach even further again.”

BOXER KATIE TAYLOR OFFERS CONDOLENCES TO SHOOTING VICTIM’S FAMILY

Champion boxer’s dad survives fatal attack at Bray club David Young

BOXING champion Katie Taylor has expressed heartfelt condolences to the family of a man shot dead in an attack in which her father was injured.

Father-of-three Bobby Messett, 50, died while Pete Taylor, 57, sustained serious but non-life threatening injuries in the shooting at the gym he owns in Bray, Co Wicklow.

A third man, 35-year-old Ian Britton, was also injured when a lone gunman opened fire in the Bray Boxing club.

World champion and Olympic gold medallist Taylor broke her silence on the incident in a statement issued to

the Irish Times. Describing the attack as horrific, the boxer said she was relief that her father was recovering well.

She confirmed she and Mr Taylor were “somewhat estranged” and said she was appalled by the media coverage of the event, accusing outlets of leveraging her name to “sell a story”.

The statement to the Irish Times said: “Following the horrific gun attack that took place in Bray Boxing Club ... in which one man Bobby Messett was tragically killed and two others Ian Britton and my father Pete Taylor were seriously injured, there has been considerable public interest in the event.

“However, for personal reasons, as well as ensuring clarity in future stories that will inevitably be written, I would like to make the following statement: “First and foremost, I would like to wish my most heartfelt condolences to the family of Bobby Messett for their tragic loss. I can’t imagine the despair or the sense of injustice they must be dealing with. I’m praying they know God’s comfort in the hard days ahead.

“Finally, to Bobby’s family: You didn’t deserve this heartache, I’m so sorry for your loss.

“For my Dad, I’m very thankful and relieved he made it through this horrific attack and is recovering well. I

understand there is still a lot of uncertainty about the nature of the incident but I’m hoping the Garda will get to the bottom of it very soon.

“As many of you know, I have been somewhat estranged from my Dad for a number of years now. I’ve had little contact with him in the last three years and no contact or association whatsoever with Bray Boxing Club since 2015.

“I have been appalled by the misuse of my name and image during the reporting of this incident in the media coverage. It has been reckless and irresponsible, and a deliberate attempt to inappropriately leverage my name to sell a story.”

7

July, 2018 I www.irishecho.com.au

A U S TRA L IA’S IRIS H N EWS PAPER

ireland TAOISEACH BACKS CHRISTINE LAGARDE’S CALL FOR MORE GENDER EQUALITY ON BANK BOARDS

Don’t be a laggard, exhorts Lagarde Cate McCurry GENDER balance and diversity on boards of financial institutions “will perhaps lead to better decision making and fewer unnecessary risks”, the Taoiseach has said.

Leo Varadkar made the comments after meeting with the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Christine Lagarde who urged the Government to look at its banks and financial institutions to ensure greater gender equality on its boards.

“Madame Lagarde told me about the important work she is doing to advance gender equality, including in placing it at the centre of the IMF’s work,” Mr Varadkar said.

“In employment terms, the participation rate for Irish women has recovered in recent years, but still lags being many of our partners and peers. This needs to change.

“We will also establish a business-led group charged with increasing the representation of women on boards of the largest Irish publicly listed companies,” he said.

On her third visit to Ireland, Ms Lagarde, the former French finance minister and now managing director of the IMF, praised Ireland’s growth in employment and economy. “We also discussed some of the challenges on the horizon for which Ireland has to prepare, has to make sure it has the resources, the rainy day funds, the good fiscal position in order to resist potential shocks, whether they come from trade, whether they come from financing costs and this is clearly something the Taoiseach is very much attentive to and I feel really reassured Ireland will take all the right measures.”

BALANCING ACT: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar with International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde in Dublin.

VARADKAR HAILS UNKNOWN HEROES AS HE MARKS DECRIMINALISATION OF HOMOSEXUALITY

Dáil apology to gay-hate victims David Young

THE Taoiseach has marked 25 years since Ireland decriminalised homosexuality by hailing the thousands of unknown heroes who once lived under fear of prosecution.

Highlighting the transformation in Irish society in recent times, Leo Varadkar, Ireland’s first openly gay leader, said his election would have been unimaginable decades ago.

“There are many people who helped change minds and change laws and their contribution should be remembered,” he said. “People who fought for me before I did so myself.

“In this country we were too silent on too many issues for far too long. It was the voices of the brave few who gave us all hope and who changed things for everyone.”

Mr Varadkar was speaking in the Dáil as his administration backed a motion asking parliament to apologise to all those convicted of homosexuality

before the law changed in 1993. The Taoiseach referred to research that showed that between 1940 and 1978 an average of 13 men a year were jailed for homosexual offences in the state.

Between 1962 and 1972 there were 455 convictions, he said.

“I was born in 1979 and in the three years before that there were 44 prosecutions in this country. It’s not that long ago,” he said.

“Homosexuality was seen as a perversion, and trials were sometimes a cruel form of entertainment. Others saw it as a mental illness, including the medical profession at the time. For ever y one conviction there were a hundred other people who lived under the stigma of prosecution, who feared having their sexuality made public, and their lives destroyed.”

Mr Varadkar said Ireland had a long history of same-sex relations, noting that a number of those who battled for Irish independence were gay.

“It’s no secret that a number of pa-

triots who were involved in the founding of the state – men and women – were homosexual,” he said.

“While the State’s laws affected gay men in a legal sense, they had a chilling effect on lesbians as well.”

Mr Varadkar expressed his admiration for assassinated San Francisco politician Harvey Milk.

“Last summer, I was in San Francisco and I visited the memorial in City Hall in honour of Harvey Milk,” he said.

“Milk was the first openly gay man to be elected to office, and he was assassinated 40 years ago by those who were offended by everything he stood for.

His picture now hangs in the Taoiseach’s office. Milk believed that hope is never silent.”

Mr Varadkar also recounted the 1982 murder of gay man Declan Flynn in a Dublin park, and contrasted it with events 33 years later when Ireland voted to legalise gay marriage.

“I was just a child when Declan Flynn was murdered in Fairview Park,

Tel: (02) 8243 2600 Fax: (02) 8243 2611 Email: georgina@celtictravel.com.au

SUITE 502, LEVEL 5, 4 BRIDGE ST, SYDNEY 2000 Licence No. 2TA003945

his only crime that he was gay,” he said.

“The 22nd of May 2015 – a date I will never forget; it was the day of the marriage referendum – the bench where Declan Flynn was killed, at Fair view Park, was covered with flowers and notes. We think of him today on this anniversary, and of the new Ireland that we live in.”

The Fine Gael leader singled out a number of high-profile campaigners and politicians who advocated change in the 1980s and 1990s.

“Today the people I want to pay a special tribute to are the unknown heroes, the thousands of people whose names we do not know, who were criminalised by our forebears.

“Men and women of all ages who tried to live and love and be themselves in a society where their identity was feared and despised, and who were aliens in their own country for their entire lives.

“We cannot erase the wrong that was done to them. What we can say is that

we have learned as a society from their suffering. Their stories have helped change us for the better; they have made us more tolerant, more understanding and more human.

“This evening we mark the anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Ireland and the progress made since.

“We have come a long way, we remember those who suffered and we acknowledge that we still have more to do.

“There is always more to do, whether it’s promoting LGBT equality on other parts of this island and around the world, combating bullying or working to improve sexual health.

“Harvey Milk reminded us of the challenge we face in society to ‘break down myths, and destroy the lies and distortions’.

“He understood why it needed to be done. We do it for ourselves, we do it for others, and, most of all, we do it for the young.”

AT LAST! ONE HOP WITH ONE STOP - TO IRELAND Call and let us show you how!

8

July, 2018 I www.irishecho.com.au

AUST R ALIA’S IR ISH NE WSPAP E R

ireland MORE THAN 2,500 WOMEN STRIP OFF FOR RECORD-BREAKING SKINNY DIP IN WICKLOW

Dip in the nip pips Australian record David Young

THE organiser of a world record-breaking skinny dip, in which saw more than 2,500 women stripped off to the take the plunge, has hailed it an empowering experience in the fight against cancer. A total of 2,505 women, aged from their late teens to mid-80s, took over a secluded beach in Co Wicklow in Ireland for the charity record bid.

Many were cancers survivors, who used the mass naked swim as a way to overcome self-confidence issues related to mastectomy scars. Collectively, the nude bathers smashed a record previously held by Australian skinny dippers in Perth, despite the water temperature being about 10 degrees colder in Ireland. They also raised more than €275,000 for Irish cancer charity, Aoibheann’s Pink Tie. Organiser Dee Featherstone, who led the charge into the Irish Sea, said the numbers exceeded her wildest dreams.

“I thought we might get 1,500 but it just got bigger and bigger,” she said. “The whole beach was just awash with us - it was just incredible. Half the people who were there either had cancer or were affected by cancer or were supporting somebody or remembering someone. Every woman had their own little story of why they did it. It was very empowering.”

Ms Featherstone said a lot of women had been nervous about baring all, due to scars left by cancer operations.

“On the day absolutely nobody cared and the people who would have been really scared and nervous about doing it they were the ones who were in the water longest and naked longest on the beach,” she said. “They went in one sort of women and came out another sort of women.”

Popular actor Alan O’Neill dead at 47 TRIBUTES have flooded in for Irish

actor Alan O’Neill, who has died aged 47. The actor, who appeared in hit US show Sons of Anarchy, was best known for his portrayal of Hugh in the cult motorbike gang crime drama. Most Irish people will know the actor from his time featuring in domestic soap Fair City. Mr O’Neill’s career began in the 1990s, with several television appearances before his big domestic break with Fair City. He played the role of Keith McGrath in the soap, set in the fictional town of Carrigstown, between 2006 and 2012.

Neutrality should be in Constitution: SF NEUTRALITY has earned the Irish

State significant goodwill abroad and must be enshrined in the Constitution, Sinn Féin has said.

Aengus O Snodaigh said the party would introduce a bill to the Dáil before the summer recess aimed at protecting Irish neutrality. Mr O Snodaigh said ensuring the country remained neutral was essential to its ongoing positive relationship with other states.

Ireland to vote on blasphemy offence A REFERENDUM on the removal

of the offence of blasphemy from the Constitution could be held on the same day as the presidential election, the Minister for Justice has said. Charlie Flanagan was given approval by the Cabinet to hold the referendum in October. It could be held on the same day as an election for the office of president, and alongside another referendum to remove the part of the Constitution that refers to the woman’s place in the home.

“By removing this provision from our Constitution, we can send a strong message to the world that laws against blasphemy do not reflect Irish values and that we do not believe such laws should exist,” Mr Flanagan said.

BARE STATISTICS: More than 2,500 Irish women bare all for a record-breaking charity swim in Wicklow. Picture: Karen Wade

TIPPERARY TD SENTENCED OVER TAX OFFENCE

Lowry hails ‘fantastic result’

Cate McCurry

THE sentence handed down to Independent TD Michael Lowry for tax offences has been blasted as a “chicken feed fine”.

Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger criticised the €25,000 fine issued to Mr Lowry after he was found guilty of a tax offence and failing to keep proper books of account.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told the Dáil that tax offences are serious crimes as he faced questions over Mr Lowry’s sentence.

“There was a case where a member of the Dáil was sentenced for filing false tax return, failing to keep proper company accounts, falsifying accounts and yet receives a chicken feed fine in the context of his wealth and a pat on the back from the judge rather than a rap on the knuckles, saying he was a great TD,” Ms Coppinger, a Dublin West TD, said.

“I think we are seeing is one law for the rich, another for the poor. That is the conclusion of workers all around

the country following this case.” Mr Varadkar said that he believed Mr Lowry got a fair trial that had resulted in a conviction.

“When somebody commits a tax offence, they’re not just taking money from one person, they are taking money from all of society,” he added.

In an earlier exchange, Fianna Fáil leader Micheal Martin pressed Mr Varadkar about deals between independent TDs and the government in return for their support.

“Why do you continue to hide information about the non-written deals,” Mr Mar tin asked. “We know that Deputy Lowry has never voted against the Government. Can you commit to publishing information in relation to assistance given so that speculation can be cleared up?”

In response, the Taoiseach said there was “nothing to publish and nothing to hide”.

“We have no formal agreement, written or verbal, with any independent TD,” he said.

He told the Dáil that Mr Lowry has

Controversial TD Michael Lowry has been fined €25,000 for tax offences.

voted against the Government on ten occasions in the past two years and with the Government 89 times.

Mr Lowry described his sentence as a “fantastic result”. He was fined €15,000 while his refrigeration company, Garuda Ltd, was fined €10,000.

The charges relate to a payment of about €372,000 from a Finnish company, Norpe OY. He was also disquali-

fied as a company director for three years. Judge Martin Nolan told the Criminal Courts of Justice that he did not consider a custodial sentence appropriate.

Speaking outside court, Mr Lowry said that he “came to court a free man and I’ll leave this court a free man”.

“I’m thrilled for my family, for my relatives, for my staff and for the people of Tipperary who have been so loyal and steadfast in their support for me in 22 years of absolute turmoil.

“For me today is the beginning. It has been a fantastic result and to hear the judge say I’m a conscientious taxpayer, that I’m a good public representative, that I’m a good employer, what more could I ask for?

“Nobody understands unless you’re in the position of being harassed, chased and hounded by various institutions of the State.

“Fortunately I had the strength, the courage, and the reason I had was simple, I knew in my head and in my heart that I didn’t do the type of wrongs that was portrayed in such a way.”

IRELAND BATTLES DROUGHT AND GORSE FIRES ON HOTTEST DAY IN FOUR DECADES

Water restrictions imposed as Ireland swelters

Aoife Moore

IRELAND has recorded its highest temperature since 1976, it has been announced.

The temperature topped 32 degrees Celsius at Shannon Airport, as the countr y sweltered in a rare heatwave.

Nor ther n Ireland was similarl sweltering. Fermanagh recorded a temperature of 30.4C. A mile-long gorse fire broke out on the Glenshane Pass in Co Derry.

The weather has also caused a critical issue for water usage. Irish Water says it is very concerned about the possibility of having to impose

longer-term water restrictions due to the weather.

The company has labelled the situation critical and says long-term restrictions will be unavoidable if the warm conditions continue into the autumn with lower-than-normal rainfall. It was forced to take additional measures to protect supply as water usage continued to increase.

The group’s drought management team has been meeting daily to monitor water supplies and demand around the countr y. Customers in Kilkenny, Longford, Athlone, nor th Galway, Louth and Ker r y experienced restricted water supply and outages.

The record level of summer con-

sumption is also depleting raw water reser ves needed for the coming months. Demand for water is increasing while levels in rivers and lakes are dropping, which means less water available to treat and supply to homes and businesses.

“If the drought is prolonged, water restrictions would become unavoidable if demand does not continue to drop,” Irish Water’s corporate affairs manager, Kate Gannon, said. “Irish Water is appealing to the public to be mindful of their water usage.

“Irish Water is also currently assessing all legal options open to us and how they could be implemented. The situation remains critical and we are con-

tinuing to seek the public’s help. Every effort the public make to conser ve water will help to minimise risk of supply loss to them and their community.”

Prices for crops such as broccoli could rise as yields are down. Speaking on RTÉ a vegetable growers’ spokesman, Paul Brophy, said the sustained heat was af fecting all ar eas of farming.

“Reserves of water that people would have are becoming more and more fragile ever y day and it’s across all crops not just what we’re growing. It’s all producers.”

A ban on the use of hoses has been imposed in Dublin.

9

July, 2018 I www.irishecho.com.au

A U S TRA L IA’S IRIS H N EWS PAPER

news POPE’S IRISH ITINERARY RELEASED

Packed twoday visit for Pope Francis Cate McCurry

THE itinerary for Pope Francis’s visit to Ir eland in August has been disclosed.

The Pope will travel on Saturday August 25 and Sunday August 26.

After arriving at Dublin airport, he will go to Aras an Uachtarain where he will meet President Michael D. Higgins. He will then give a speech at Dublin Castle before visiting St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral before travelling to the Day Centre of the Capuchin Fathers for a private visit with homeless families.

In the evening, the Pope will give a speech at the World Meeting of Families in Croke Park. On Sunday he will visit the Apparition Chapel in Knock, Co Mayo and celebrate the closing Mass for the World Meeting of Families at the Phoenix Park. Half a million tickets will be made available to the public for this event.

The Pope will also meet bishops in the Convent of the Dominican Sisters and a farewell ceremony will be held at Dublin airport.

The leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland said he is disappointed that Pope Francis is not visiting Northern

Ireland as par t of the Ireland trip.

Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, said: “We were really hoping this might be an opportunity and I think he really would love to come to Northern Ireland but I suppose the pressures of this particular event and all he wants to do for the World Meeting of the Families has overtaken that.”

Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, said victims and survivors of clerical abuse meeting the Pope are high on the list of priorities.

“In other visits across the world he has met survivors. Generally speaking, he has met them quietly to respect their anonymity and we’d be looking at the way that can be done.

“There are a wide range of people who are survivors of institutions, of abuse by priests, and of mother and baby homes.

“We’d find a way which the Pope can address concerns of all of those people but we have many meetings. “I get five letters a day from people wanting to meet the Pope and certainly victims and survivors are high on the list of priorities. It’s a challenge for all of us.”

The estimated cost of the Pope’s visit is €20 million.

ROYAL NEWLYWEDS ASSURED OF WARM WELCOME

Brown Thomas concierge Jim Kearns on Grafton St and (inset) Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Harry and Meghan confirm Irish trip Rebecca Black PRINCE Harry and his new bride Meghan Markle will visit Dublin for two days next week.

The couple will visit Croke Park and view the Book of Kells at Trinity College before visiting EPIC, the Irish Emigration Museum, telling the story of the Irish diaspora.

Confirmation of the royal trip was greeted with enthusiasm on Grafton St. “I’d love to see them on Grafton Street,” flower seller Beatrice Donovan said.

“Hopefully he’ll come over and throw

a few pounds in the box, then I can retire,” she said. “I think he looks like could take a bit of slagging.”

Jim Kearns from Dublin, who is concierge at the Brown Thomas store, was also pleased by the news.

“I am delighted to hear they are coming, of course, and they will be made very welcome” he said.

“I think most people in the Republic are very respectful of the royal family.

The Queen’s visit in 2011 went down very well and also the recent visit of Prince Charles. I think personally it is a very good thing, our two peoples moving closer together.”

Amy O’Brien from Dublin, who works in Carrolls Irish Gift shop on Grafton Street, said she thinks the visit will be great for tourism. “It is a good thing.

I think there will be a great turnout of people to see them,” she said.

Millions of people around the world watched the televised wedding at Windsor Castle.

Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said the visit was a “wonderful opportunity to showcase Dublin and Ireland to a huge audience of prospective holiday makers across Britain”.

It is not known if Ms Markle will be exploring her Irish heritage.

FORMER ECHO MAN NOW CORK MAYOR

Emerald Travel

For the best deals and service when travelling to Ireland and beyond!

Seamus and Christina Moloughney at Emerald Travel continuing a family tradition of professional travel service.

We have moved!

You can find us at our new location at 339 Ferrars Street, South Melbourne.

Our new number: (03) 9690 2123 ATAS Accreditation: A10427

Emerald Travel 1a, 339 Ferrars Street SOUTH MELBOURNE VIC 3205 t: (03) 9690 2123

w: www.emeraldtravel.com.au e: info@emeraldtravel.com.au

Proud former journalist takes on mayoral chains FORMER Sydney resident Mick Finn has been elected Lord Mayor of Cork.

Mr Finn, 46, lived in Australia for a number of years and worked as deputy editor of the Irish Echo from January 2000 to February 2002.

A huge hurling fan, he was also heavily involved in Gaelic games in Australia, par ticularly the Sydney Shamrocks club.

After retur ning to Ireland, he embarked on a political career and was elected to Cork City Council in 2009, following in the footseteps of his late father Mick Finn Snr, who served as a councillor in the 1970s.

On the night of his election, he said that he was delighted to be able to share the ceremony this evening with his mother Marie.

“My mother lives in Friars Walk in Cork. She is 80 next weekend so it is a big thing for her. My father would have been involved in the council back in the Seventies,” he said.

“My mother is from off Griffith’s Lane off Barrack Street originally. My father was from the Lough. So we have always been in the city. There are a lot of challenges on the horizon. But I am looking forward to it. “ When asked if he ever expected to be in office at this level Cllr Finn said his sister maintains that he always had aspirations to either be the Lord Mayor or the Bishop of Cork. He light heartedly said that he must have wanted a chain of some kind but the priesthood was not for him.

“When I went to school in Sullivan’s Quay I remember all the lord mayors

New Lord Mayor of Cork Mick Finn

coming. This is great for the family and it is great for my area,” he told Cork’s Evening Echo.

He has also worked as a GAA schools coach, a parliamentary assistant in the Oireachtas to former Fianna Fáil TD John Dennehy and a project worker with the Deis School completion programme in Cork. He takes over as the city prepares for an influx of office and housing developments, as well as the first extension of the city boundaries in 50 years.

“Cork is looking outward and forward with confidence,” he said. “We are a city rising: 5000 jobs are in the making across several major capital developments already under construction, with more to come.”

10

July, 2018 I www.irishecho.com.au

AUST R ALIA’S IR ISH NE WSPAP E R

ireland :: abortion :: after the vote CAMPAIGNERS: GOVERNMENT NOT OBLIGED TO ALLOW UNRESTRICTED EARLY STAGE ABORTION

‘No’ camp in fresh push to restrict abortion laws Michael McHugh THE Government is not obliged to allow unrestricted access to abortion during early pregnancy, pro-life campaigners have said.

The LoveBoth campaign said it had attempted to save the Eighth Amendment’s constitutional restrictions, before May’s repeal referendum, on the grounds that protecting the unborn’s right to life is sacrosanct.

New legislation implementing the poll’s overwhelming ‘yes’ verdict in favour of making the procedure available will be implemented in the new year, the Taoiseach has said.

“We do not believe, however, that there is any obligation on the Government to legislate for unrestricted abortion in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy,” Caroline Simons, legal consultant to LoveBoth, said. “When examined closely, providing abortion on such grounds would fly in the face of the Taoiseach’s commitment that any new law would be restrictive.”

Ireland voted resoundingly to reform its strict abortion laws, paving the way for the removal of the Eighth Amend-

ment, the Constitution’s all but blanket ban on terminations.

Health Minister Simon Harris is to draft legislation that would allow abortions within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, subject to medical advice and a cooling-off period, and up to 24 weeks in exceptional circumstances.

Ms Simons urged the provision of counselling services so that women with unplanned pregnancies were aware of all the alternatives to abortion. She said pain relief should be administered to the baby before a termination if there was a risk of pain.

Doctors should strive to preserve the lives of babies born alive following the procedure, she said, and warned against prenatal discrimination against the unborn on the basis of sex or disability. “Provision should be made for the exercise of conscientious objection by healthcare professionals and by others working in healthcare facilities.”

Foetal remains should be disposed of in a fashion respecting the dignity of the unborn, Ms Simons said, and pregnant women should have access to emergency care in hospital in case of complications.

LoveBoth legal consultant Caroline Simons (in black) says healthcare professionals should be able to exercise conscientious objections to carrrying out an abortion. Picture: Michael McHugh

CATHOLIC HOSPITALS EXPECTED TO CARRY OUT ABORTIONS

Hospitals must obey new laws: Varadkar David Young

IRISH hospitals with a Catholic ethos will be expected to carry out abortions when the country’s new laws on terminations come into effect, the Taoiseach has made clear.

Leo Varadkar said while individual doctors, nurses or midwives could opt out of performing procedures on conscience grounds, entire institutions will not have that option.

Mr Varadkar was addressing concerns about surgical abortions raised in the Dáil by Solidarity TD Mick Barry.

The Government is drafting legislation that will allow for any woman to request an abortion up to 12 weeks, subject to a cooling off period, and will allow abor tion in extreme cases between 12 and 24 weeks.

“

The legislation will allow individuals to opt out based on their consciences or their religious convictions but will not allow institutions to do so.

”

It comes after citizens last month voted two-to-one in a historic referendum to repeal the State’s constitutional ban on abortions. The Taoiseach said the legislation would follow the model of the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013, which allowed for terminations in extreme medical circumstances, and allow individual medics to opt out.

“It will not, however, be possible for publicly funded hospitals, no matter who their patron or owner is, to opt of providing these necessar y ser vices which will be legal in this State once this legislation is passed by the Dáil and Seanad,” he added. “I’m happy to give you that assurance.”

“That legislation will allow individuals to opt out based on their consciences or their religious convictions but will not allow institutions to do so.

“So just as is the case now in the legislation for the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013, hospitals like for example Holles Street, which is a Catholic voluntary ethos hospital, the Mater, St Vincent’s and others will be required and will be expected to carry out any procedure that is legal in this state and that is the model we will follow,” he added.

IRELAND’S ABORTION NUMBERS

Health statistics point to ongoing problem Catherine Wylie

ALMOST 1,000 women from Northern Ireland travelled to England or Wales for an abortion in 2017, an increase on the year before.

In 2017, there were 4,809 abortions for women recorded as residing outside England and Wales, and most non-residents travelled from the Irish Republic (64 per cent) and Northern Ireland (19 per cent).

There were 919 abortions for women from Northern Ireland, an increase of more than a quarter on 2016 and the highest level since 2011, Department of Health (DoH) statistics show.

However, looking at the historical series, the number of Northern Ireland residents having an abor tion in

England and Wales has generally declined since a peak of 1,855 in 1990.

Unlike other parts of the UK, the 1967 Abortion Act does not extend to Northern Ireland. Abortion is illegal except where a woman’s life is at risk or there is a permanent or serious danger to her mental or physical health. Anyone who unlawfully carries out an abortion can be jailed for life.

The number of Republic of Ireland residents having an abor tion in England and Wales has also been declining since 2001 when 6,673 women had the procedure.

In 2017, 3,092 women from the Republic of Ireland had an abortion in England and Wales, less than half the number than in 2001 and a further five per cent decline from 2016.

Overall, figures show the abortion rate in England and Wales went up by 2.3 per cent from 2016 to 2017.

There were 189,859 abortions for women resident in England and Wales in 2017 and 194,668 abortions including non-residents.

The abortion rate increased from 16 per 1,000 women in 2016, to 16.5 in 2017. The rate has declined since 2007, when 17.9 per 1,000 of resident women had an abortion.

The highest abortion rate is among women aged between 20 and 24 (27.8 per 1,000 resident women). This is an increase on 2016 (27 per 1,000) but the rate has declined steadily since 2007 (32.6 per 1,000). The under-18 abortion rate for 2017 is 8.2 per 1,000 resident women.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Stormont must decide on abortion laws, Bradley David Young

WESTMINSTER politicians are not qualified to change abortion laws for Nor ther n Ir eland, the r egion’s Secretary of State has said.

Karen Bradley insisted that people in Northern Ireland do not want MPs making decisions on whether to overhaul the existing regime, as she e x p l a i n e d t h e We s t m i n s t e r Government’s reluctance to intervene on the contentious social issue.

“It’s another example of why the [Stormont] executive needs to be reformed, so those politicians representing the people of Northern Ireland, understanding their views on this very, very sensitive issue, can make sure the law is right for them,” Ms Bradley said.

The British Government is facing mounting pressure to reform abortion laws in Northern Ireland after Supreme Court judges said they were incompatible with human rights legislation.

Unlike in England, Scotland or Wales, the 1967 Abortion Act does not extend to Northern Ireland.

Abortion is illegal except where a woman’s life is at risk or there is a permanent or serious danger to her mental or physical health. Anyone who unlawfully carries out an abortion can technically be jailed for life.

The Nor thern Ireland Assembly voted in February 2016 against legalising abortion in cases of fatal foetal abnormality and rape or incest.

Pro-choice advocates demanded action after a majority of Supreme Court judges last month said the ban on terminations in cases of rape, incest or fatal foetal abnormality needed radical reconsideration.

The campaigners are attempting to harness momentum they believe has been generated by the Republic’s historic referendum vote to liberalise the abortion regime.

Anti-abor tion activists insist the matter should only be determined by Stormont politicians.

While a majority of Supreme Court

Pro-choice campaigners have stepped up their campaign for new abortion laws in Northern Ireland.

judges expressed a view that the current regime is incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), they did not go so far as to make a formal declaration of incompatibility – a move that would probably have forced a law change.

That was essentially a legal technicality – a majority of judges ruled the organisation that brought the case did not have the authority to do so – and it did little to dampen calls for the British Government to intervene and legislate in Northern Ireland amid the absence of devolved ministers due to the powersharing impasse in Belfast.

Downing Street has maintained its view that the issue should be dealt with by a restored devolved Assembly.

Ms Bradley said the British Government was still considering the implications of the Supreme Court judgement.

“My conversations with people here is that they want their voice to be heard and they want their politicians, who they elected, to represent them and to develop laws around abortion that are right for Northern Ireland.

“If I have heard one view I’ve heard 100 different views about what that law should look like.,” Ms Bradley said, “but there is one thing that’s certain: politicians at Westminster are not the people qualified to determine what the law looks like. It should be done in Stormont.”

A U S TRA L IA’S IRIS H N EWS PAPER

11

July, 2018 I www.irishecho.com.au

IRISH ACTS

TOURING

AUS IN 2018

THE LEGEND OF

LUKE KELLY 12 July - Anita’s Theatre, Thirroul

13 July - Enmore Theatre, Sydney

14 July - Mick O’Malley’s Irish Pub, Brisbane 15 July - Rooty Hill RSL, Rooty Hill

17 July - Adelaide Irish Club, Adelaide

20 July - Thornbury Theatre, Melbourne

21 July - Albany Entertainment Centre, Albany 22 July - Astor Theatre, Perth

09 Nov - Prince Bandroom, Melbourne

10 Nov - 2018 Magners Sydney Irish Festival 11 Nov - Badlands, Perth

22 Nov - Prince Bandroom, Melbourne 23 Nov - Metro Theatre, Sydney 24 Nov - Capitol, Perth

tickets on sale now from

troubadour-music.com

12

July, 2018 I www.irishecho.com.au

AUST R ALIA’S IR ISH NE WSPAP E R

ireland :: brexit BREXIT PROPOSALS CANNOT INVOLVE ‘CHERRY-PICKING’, VARADKAR WARNS

Concerns rise as UK dithers Michael McHugh

THE Taoiseach has said he hopes the UK’s Brexit proposals contain new thinking as he issued his strongest warning yet that the European Union (EU) will not compromise on its fundamental principles.

Leo Varadkar received a briefing from British Prime Minister Theresa May on the fringes of a Br ussels meeting of European leaders about the UK’s forthcoming white paper aimed at breaking the deadlock in the negotiations. He remained tight-lipped about its draft contents but publicly warned his British counterpart against compromising or cherry-picking elements of the EU’s four freedoms of goods, ser vices, capital and people during forthcoming talks.

“That would be the beginning of the end of the single market,” Mr Varadkar said. “While we regret them leaving we are not going to let them destroy it.”

Mrs May’s Cabinet is split over whether to form a Customs Partnership with the 27-member bloc after Brexit or introduce a customs border but use

technology and special arrangements like trusted trader status to minimise its impact.

“I am an optimist. I imagine that the white paper will contain new thinking.

I do sincerely hope that it can be the basis for negotiations to begin on the final stages of the [Withdrawal] Treaty,” Mr Varadkar said.

“There is a landing zone on which that has to land and cannot involve cherry-picking the four freedoms.”

He refused to countenance the UK having access to the market for goods but not capital or free movement of labour. If that wer e to happen Eurosceptics elsewhere in Europe would seek the same, he envisaged.

The future of the invisible and frictionless 300-mile frontier between Northern Ireland and the Republic is one of the most vexed issues still facing British and EU negotiators.

If no deal is struck by this autumn a backstop would be introduced.

That has been interpreted by Europe as meaning Nor thern Ireland will continue to follow the rules of the EU Customs Union during a transitional

European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in Dublin.

phase. There has been no agreement on the detail of the provision, with Europe calling for more substantial progress but the Democratic Unionists, upon whom Mrs May relies for her parliamentar y majority, adamantly opposed to anything that would create a regulator y dif ference between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. The British Government is against creating any infrastructure on the

border and has promised to bring forward more trade proposals soon.

The Taoiseach has said the UK should have come up with a Brexit plan two years ago.

“I think it would have been helpful if they had had that white paper two years ago. You would have thought that before people voted to leave the European Union they would have an idea what the new relationship would look like but I appreciate that that hasn’t happened, and two years later it still hasn’t happened,” he said.

Mr Varadkar urged Britain to soften its negotiating red lines and show flexibility. “[Britain] needs to understand that we’re a union of 27 member states, 500 million people. We have laws and rules and principles, and they can’t be changed for any one country, even a great country like Britain.

“Any relationship that exists in the future between the EU and the UK isn’t going to be one of absolute equals: we’re 27 member states, the UK is one country, we’re 500 million people, the UK is 60 million.”

IRISH BORDER AGREEMENT HAS TO BE PART OF BREXIT DEAL, JUNCKER INSISTS

GAEL-FORCE: (From left) Dublin hurling manager Pat Gilroy, former Kilkenny hurler Henry Shefflin, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Phil Hogan, President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney during the presidents visit to the home of the Gaelic Athletic Association at Croke Park. Picture: Brian Lawless

Ireland will not be isolated, says Euro heavyweight David Young and Rebecca Black EUROPEAN Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker has warned the UK there will be no Brexit deal without agreement on the Irish border.

On a visit to Dublin, Mr Juncker said fellow EU member states would not let Ireland be isolated on the impasse, insisting the demand for a resolution was a Europe-wide demand.

Amid an ongoing stand-off over how to maintain a free-flowing border postBrexit, Mr Juncker assured Taoiseach Leo Varadkar that the EU would not waver on what he made clear was a pivotal issue.

“This is not a bilateral question between Ireland and the United Kingdom; this is an issue between the UK and the European Union,” he said.

“We want to make it clear again and again that Ireland is not alone.

“We have Ireland backed by 26 member states and the Commission. This will not change. I am strongly against any temptation to isolate Ireland and not to conclude the deal on Ireland.

Ireland has to be part of the deal.”

The EU warned that more work was needed on how to deal with the 300-mile border between Northern Ireland and the Republic, the UK’s only land frontier with a European state, and protect frictionless movement after the withdrawal. Both sides in the negotiations have agreed to include a so-called backstop option in any Brexit treaty, which would commit the UK to align with an EU regulatory framework in the absence of a wider trade deal.

But the shape of that fall-back remains a sticking point, with the EU rejecting a UK contention that it should only be temporary, even if a broader agreement fails to materialise.

After talks with Mr Juncker in Government Buildings in Dublin, Mr Varadkar said there was an urgent need to “intensify” negotiations to find an agreement on the shape of the border backstop.

“A withdrawal agreement without a backstop is of no use whatsoever,” he said. “Let me be blunt, there isn’t much time left if we are to conclude an agreement and have it operational by the time the United Kingdom leaves the European Union next March.”

Asked about wrangling within the UK Government over the customs issue, the Taoiseach said: “Internal British politics isn’t my concern. My job is to represent my country, Ireland, and to do that as part of the European Union and we remain at the heart of the European Union. The most important aspect of the withdrawal agreement for us is the backstop, and Prime Minister May committed in March that there would be

a backstop and outlined in December what that backstop would contain.”

Later Mr Juncker addressed both houses of the Oireachtas.

He was applauded as he told the joint sitting that “Ireland will come first” in the Brexit negotiations.

“There are those that think the other 26 countries will abandon Ireland for a deal that suits them,” he said.

“Ireland’s border is Europe’s border and it is our priority.”

Addressing the joint sitting, Mr Varadkar said: “We are so deeply grateful for the remarkable solidarity and support we have received from the EU institutions and fellow member states, none more so than from President Juncker.

There has been consistent recognition of the unique position of Northern Ireland, and the unique situation in which it has been put by the decision of the UK to leave the EU.”

COMMENT

‘Europhilic’ strategy on Brexit will come back to haunt Ireland Ray Bassett

WE are, yet again, at a crucial stage in the Brexit negotiations. The pace of developments, and the anxieties associated with them, have risen a pace.

Progress to date has been very slow, leading to European Parliament’s negotiator on the matter, Guy Verhofstadt, to muse that it could take 20 years to complete the process.

There is extreme ner vousness in European capitals at the lack of progress in the Brexit discussions, especially on the Irish border. I am sure that Berlin, Paris etc, did not expect our problems here [in Ireland] to be a major road block at this late stage. How long the big countries in the EU continue to fully support Ireland and the Commission on the issue of the border is a moot point. [EU Commission President Jean Claude] Juncker, in his address to the Oireachtas, made much of his commitment to backing Ireland.

Remember, it will be the German Chancellor and French President, not Juncker, who will be most influential at the final decision-making stages. So far, the European Council has been prepared to farm out the negotiations to the Commission under Michel Barnier, but if he fails to deliver a workable solution, be prepared for Berlin to take over the reins. As Germany [has already] demonstrated … they always pursue a Germany-first policy.

There is also nervousness at developments in London. In the face of the EU Commission’s hard-line approach, the pendulum in the British capital has now swung in favour of the Brexiteers.

David Davis [Secretar y of State for Exiting the EU] and his allies are determining policy and Prime Minister [Theresa] May is increasingly of the view, that she needs to placate that side of her party to stay in office, if not in power. The Tory Remainers have been weakened by a series of retreats. There is much less credibility now to their threats to derail the process.

The EU Withdrawal Bill is now through Parliament. Meanwhile, the emergence of a strongly pro-Brexit group in the Labour Parliamentar y Party seems to indicate that the arithmetic in the House of Commons has swung in the direction of those advocating a clean Brexit.

Parliamentary defeat of Brexit was the last hope of the Remain camp in Ireland and in Brussels. This looks increasingly unlikely now.

Heaping scorn and anger on events in London is of little use. The likelihood of a hard Brexit has certainly increased and there is no doubt but that Ireland, in alliance with the EU Commission, has greatly contributed to that possibility. Ireland’s Government and civil service have made serious errors of judgement. We have been blinded by excessive Europhilia as to our true interests. In any negotiations, it is vital to understand just how far your opponents can be pushed on any issue. The last thing Ireland needs out of the Brexit process is a tr uly pyr rhic victory, whereby the UK is pushed into a no deal outcome, with a consequent hard border as demanded by the EU. Dr Ray Bassett is a former Irish ambassador. Originally published in the Sunday Business Post.

13

July, 2018 I www.irishecho.com.au

A U S TRA L IA’S IRIS H N EWS PAPER

brexit :: ireland BORDER RESIDENTS FEAR TRAIN WRECK AS BREXIT DAY LOOMS

Bordering on panic without a deal Rebecca Black

PEOPLE living on the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland have urged European leaders not to desert them, saying that a deal over the UK’s departure from the EU must be struck.

A business leader, a fisherman and a border priest have all voiced concern before this week’s EU summit, and only nine months before Brexit, that the future for those living on the Irish frontier is still unclear.

Thousands of people live along the border, which stretches more than 300 miles (483km) from Lough Foyle in the north-west to Carlingford Lough in the east. An estimated 20,000 people cross the border every day, and it is traversed by more than 200 roads which have had no checkpoints since 2005.

The border has proved to be a significant sticking point in Brexit negotiations. The British Government has vowed there will not be a hard border, but has not so far not revealed how this will be implemented.

Last week, Nor ther n Ir eland Secretar y Karen Bradley said the British Government’s plan for the border will be proposed next month.

Dar ren Cunningham, owner of Killowen Shellfish on the shores of Carlingford Lough in Co Down, said he believes Brexit is going to completely change life in Northern Ireland, and is disappointed that the political negotiations do not seem to be further forward. The oyster fisherman, who

Police ‘in the dark’ THE Chief Constable of the PSNI has said he feels in the dark as he attempts to prepare the service for Brexit.

George Hamilton told the Northern Ireland Committee that, just nine months before the UK leaves the EU, he has a business plan, but no one to present it to.

“We can’t deliver the full business case until we know who is co-ordinating this,” he said.

“We do feel a little bit isolated and an orphan in this.”

lives in Annalong, just 10 miles from the border, said at sea there is simply a gentleman’s agr eement over territory.

“I thought after a year we would have had some sort of clarity over the future post-Brexit, but we have absolutely no clarity,” he said. “There seems to be mixed messages coming across. One minute one thing is agreed, then next thing something else is. It is just a mess, a total train wreck.”

Mr Cunningham, who exports all his lobsters to mainland Europe, said the EU has been great for his business.

“A hard border and delays won’t be good for us. We are exporting a live high-end product. If there are delays, they will start to die,” he said. “I think everyone’s whole way of life is going to change and we are not prepared.”

WORRIED: Oyster farmer Darren Cunningham at Carlingford Lough in Co Down. Picture: Brian Lawless

The chief executive of the Derry/ Londonderry Chamber of Commerce, Sinéad McLaughlin, said her organisation’s members are very concerned about the potential changes after Brexit.

“From a chamber perspective, we have been very concerned at how the negotiations are progressing because there is very little clarity coming from the politicians and the conundrum which has been thrown up in relation to the Customs Union and the single

market,” she said. “We need both, and that seems to be the sticking point.

That is causing real concern on the future for many businesses.”

Ms McLaughlin said the chamber has been lobbying the UK Government, the Irish Government and Europe on the matter.

“It is very difficult to be confident about a process which is not moving for ward,” she said. “It is extremely uncomfortable.”

People who live along the border

share the concerns of the business community. A parish priest for a border community in Newry said a hard border is inconceivable.

Father Richar d Naughton, of Cloghogue, said a hard border would be politically toxic.

“I can’t conceive it becoming a hard border. I can’t see it being done,” he said. “A hard border would be politically toxic and so dangerous. Yet no one seems to know how this is going to end.”

14

July, 2018 I www.irishecho.com.au

AUST R ALIA’S IR ISH NE WSPAP E R

anglo irish bank :: ireland FORMER ANGLO-IRISH BANK CHIEF DAVID DRUMM JAILED FOR SIX YEARS FOR FRAUD

Luck runs out for crooked banker Rebecca Black

A FORMER banker who led a bust institution that contributed to the collapse of the Irish economy has been sentenced to six years in prison.

David Drumm, 51, was convicted at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of conspiracy to defraud and false accounting after arranging dishonest and fraudulent multibillion-euro transfers to boost the books of the failed bank Anglo-Irish in the months before it imploded in 2008. Judge Karen O’Connor said Drumm will be given credit for the five and a half months he served in custody in the United States during his extradition to Ireland in 2015.

Anglo was taken into State control in January 2009 following a run on its deposits and plummeting share prices.

Bailing out Anglo was to cost taxpayers billions of euro.

The judge said Drumm was being sentenced for the two offences he had

JAILED: David Drumm outside the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

been convicted of, and not for Ireland’s financial collapse.

“This court is not sentencing Mr Drumm for causing the financial crisis.

DAVID DRUMM TIMELINE

Nor is this cour t sentencing Mr Dr umm for the recession which occurred,” she told the court. “This offending did not cause Anglo-Irish

Bank to collapse. This cour t will sentence [him] only for the two specific of fences for which he has been convicted.”

The judge said she was of the view that eight years’ imprisonment was the “appropriate headline figure” but “taking into consideration the mitigating factors, this cour t is going to impose a sentence of six years’ imprisonment in relation to counts one and two.”

Drumm was convicted in connection with the €7.2 billion fraud following a trial that lasted more than 80 days. He had denied conspiring to dishonestly create the false and misleading impression that deposits in 2008 were €7.2 billion larger than they were, as well as knowingly presenting the false figures to the market in December 2008.

But he was found guilty of two of fences: conspiracy to defraud contrar y to common law, and false accounting contrary to section 10 of

the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001. The judge said the second offence flowed from the first, and that the jury had rejected submissions on behalf of Dr umm and unanimously convicted him.

“Mr Drumm, along with others, put together a dishonest scheme and engaged in transactions, designed to inflate deposits from a non-banking entity to Anglo-Irish Bank on September 30, 2008 – which was the reporting year end date for that bank.

“The intention was to create the false and misleading impression that Anglo Irish Bank was stronger, or in a healthier position than it actually was.”

Drummlistened intently as the judge delivered the sentence but made no response.

Three former colleagues – John Bowe, Willie McAteer and Denis Casey – were convicted of the same conspiracy and jailed in 2016 for terms ranging from two to three and a half years.

DAVID DRUMM PROFILE

‘Not remotely credible’

Lorry driver’s son who ignored the rules

November 1966: Born in Skerries, north Dublin, David Drumm grows up in a large middle-class family and is educated by the local Christian Brothers school.

After school he becomes a chartered accountant.

Rebecca Black and Michelle Devane

1993: Drumm joins the Bastow Charlton accountancy firm but within a few months he takes up a role at Anglo Irish Bank as an assistant manager.

1997: After being promoted to manager Anglo sends Drumm to the US to set up operations there. He moves to Boston with his wife and two daughters.

2002: He is recalled by then chief executive Sean FitzPatrick and is appointed to the role of head of Irish lending.

January 2005: Drumm succeeds Sean FitzPatrick as chief executive of Anglo Irish Bank at the age of 37. After taking over the reins Drumm grows Anglo’s pre-tax profits by almost 70 per cent within two-and-a-half years.

June 2007: Anglo shares peak on the stock market at €17.53.

September 2007: Amid trading floor rumours David Drumm, businessman Sean Quinn and Anglo chairman Sean FitzPatrick meet in the Ardboyne Hotel in Navan where Quinn confirms he has about 24 per cent of Anglo stock, mostly in Contracts for Difference (CfDs).

December 2007: The bank offers Quinn a €500 million loan to plug the hole in his finances left by the CfD share bet.

March 2008: Bank shares sink worldwide, with Anglo’s value down by a fifth alone. Four days later Anglo executives tell the financial watchdog Patrick Neary of the scale of Quinn’s 28 per cent holding.

April 2008: In an attempt to protect the bank’s value, Drumm and Anglo’s finance director William McAteer fly to the Middle East and US to find investors to buy some of Quinn’s shares.

July 2008: The €619 million loans-for-shares deal is put into play. The share price rebounds for a few days and then collapses further.

September 2008: The Irish Government offers the five main banks unprecedented support with a €440 billion guarantee of their businesses.

December 2008: Drumm, FitzPatrick and McAteer all resign from the bank after hundreds of millions in directors’ loans are uncovered.

January 2009: Anglo Irish Bank is nationalised, a move that has cost Irish citizens €29 billion.

June 2009: Drumm moves to the US with his wife and two daughters after setting up new US consultancy business.

October 2010: Drumm voluntarily files for bankruptcy in Boston after failing to reach a deal on his debts worth €8.5 million with the new management team installed by the Irish Government at Anglo.

May 2011: Drumm files amended financial statements in the bankruptcy court in Boston which show transfers to his wife Lorraine. They also outline the sale of a $2 million property in September 2009.

August 31, 2011: The new management team at Anglo files a legal action against Drumm claiming he had concealed assets and defrauded creditors.

January 6, 2015: After a four-year battle in Boston, a US bankruptcy court rejects Drumm’s bid, ruling the ex-banker was “not remotely credible”.

July 2015: Drumm tells the banking inquiry in Ireland that he will not be attending a parliamentary committee hearing, as requested.

October 2015: Drumm is arrested in the US and remanded in custody.

March 14, 2016: Irish authorities succeed in extraditing Drumm from the US and he is arrested at Dublin Airport.

March 15, 2016: The former banker walks free from custody for the first time in five months to await trial after securing bail in Ireland when his parents-in-law stump up €100,000.

May 2017: After a lengthy trial, Drumm’s former Anglo boss Sean FitzPatrick is acquitted of all charges June 6, 2018: Drumm is found guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of fraud.

THE former Anglo Irish Bank chief executive David Drumm has been sentenced to six years in prison after being convicted of fraud conspiracy charges.

But who is David Drumm?

He is the former boss of Anglo Irish Bank, who was extradited to Ireland to face fraud conspiracy charges over the ill-fated lender’s collapse.

Drumm was charged with 33 offences linked to his running of the doomed bank after authorities succeeded in making him return from the US in 2016.

The Dubliner was once at the helm of the third-largest bank in Ireland at the height of the Celtic Tiger.

Drumm was born in November 1966 and grew up in Skerries, north Dublin as one of eight siblings. His father was a lorry driver and his mother a hairdresser. He was educated in the local Christian Brothers school, but left at 16 and joined Deloitte and Touche where he qualified as a chartered accountant.

After five years in auditing working for two companies he joined Anglo Irish Bank as an assistant manager in 1993.

He took a 40 per cent pay cut in doing so. The ambitious 26-year-old quickly caught the attention of the then chief executive Sean FitzPatrick, or “Seanie” as he was known.

Anglo Irish Bank was founded in 1964, but it was not until Mr FitzPatrick became the chief in the mid-1980s that the bank began to charge forward.

Drumm’s big break came in 1997, when he was asked by Mr FitzPatrick to set up the lender’s operations in the US. Along with his wife Lorraine and two young daughters, Drumm moved to an affluent suburb in Boston where they stayed until 2002.

On his return home Drumm was promoted to the role of head of Irish lending. Despite his internal success, it was a surprise to some when he, as Mr Grehan put it “somewhat unexpectantly” at the age of 37, landed the coveted role to succeed Mr FitzPatrick.

He fended off the bank’s number two for the previous 10 years, Tiarnan O’Mahoney, to take the top job. In an interview with the Irish Times in 2005, after he took up the role, Drumm told the newspaper Mr FitzPatrick was quick to “throw the keys” to him, telling him to get on with the job.

“Sean chose to hand it on,” Drumm said. “He wanted to see new energy

Drumm outside court in 2016 after being granted bail. and enthusiasm come into the job.”

By May 2007, two-and-a-half years after taking over the reins, Anglo’s pre-tax profits had grown by almost 70 per cent. That year the bank was worth €12.4 billion, ranking fourth on the Stock Exchange league table after Allied Irish Bank, building firm CRH and Bank of Ireland. But Ireland’s boom was not to last. Anglo was nationalised just one year later in November 2008. Its collapse cost taxpayers €29 billion.

Drumm resigned, along with two other executives, after hundreds of millions of euro worth of directors’ loans were uncovered. A few months later in early 2009, Drumm and his family moved back to Massachusetts in the US where, they had retained their old home.

It was in the US in October 2010, Drumm filed for bankruptcy. He wanted to write off personal debts worth €10.5 million. It was the start of what was to become a five-year battle in the courts in Boston. During the proceedings, the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation, formerly Anglo Irish Bank, fought Drumm’s bid. It claimed he had knowingly and fraudulently put assets beyond the reach of his creditors, mostly by transferring them to his wife.

The bid failed in January 2015, when a Boston court ruled the former banker was not remotely credible and that he could be held liable for his debts.

Drumm appealed the decision twice.

It was December 2015 before the bankruptcy matter was finally resolved: Drumm lost and the courts upheld the original decision.

In the midst of it he was arrested in October 2015 after an extradition request by Irish authorities and held in custody in New England. The decision paved the way for Drumm’s forced return to Ireland to face questions about his role in the now defunct bank’s boom to bust saga.

In March 2016, he was extradited from the US and charged with conspiracy to defraud and false accounting relating to €7.2 billion in deposits placed in Anglo accounts by the then Irish Life and Permanent between March and September 2008.

Drumm spent his first night back in Dublin in a cell. But the following day he was released from custody after securing bail.

Since then his strict bail conditions have included the forfeiture of his passport and having to sign on at a police station twice a day. His long-awaited trial got under way in January.

After sitting more than 80 days, Drumm was convicted on June 7 for conspiracy to defraud and false accounting. As Judge Karen O’Connor confirmed he was going to spend six years in prison, he listened intently but made no reaction.

July, 2018 I www.irishecho.com.au

time out

15

16

July, 2018 I www.irishecho.com.au

AUST R ALIA’S IR ISH NE WSPAP E R

Mal Rogers scans Ireland’s regional media for what’s making news in your county DUBLIN

Magdalene Laundry plans meet protest PLANS to turn a former Magdalene Laundry site on Sean McDermott Street in Dublin into a hotel are being opposed.

The Irish Examiner reports that Dublin City Council is considering selling the site, the last laundry in State ownership.

The two-acre site, known as the Convent Lands, was owned by the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity.

Public meetings have been held to discuss plans for the site, as well as how best to honour the women of the laundry by building a commemorative centre there.

Social Democrats City Councillor Gary Gannon says they need to create something with meaning to the women. Building a hotel at that location is not the best way to do this, he believes. “The last Magdalene Laundry that is in the protection of the State shouldn’t be sold off,” he said.

LOUTH

Nine out of 10 retailers fear smuggling upturn NINETY per cent of retailers trading along the border believe that the trade of smuggled goods impacts their profits by between 5 per cent and 10 per cent, Retail Excellence Ireland says.

The Dundalk Argus reports that new research by the retailers’ lobby group also indicated that An Garda Siochána, the PSNI and Revenue Commissioners “need to communicate better with retailers on how to report illicit trade”.

Louth TD, Declan Breathnach, who raised the issue this week said he is greatly concerned “about the rise in illicit trading of smuggled goods which will only get worse with Brexit looming”.

“We need to protect small traders, and at present An Garda Siochána and the PSNI do not have adequate resources to deal with smuggling and illicit trade.”

Mr Breathnach pointed out that retailers, especially those operating along the border, are “extremely worried about the impact of Brexit, fluctuating sterling and the possibility of trade tariffs which will only lead to an increase in smuggling activity”.

The Louth TD said that he had introduced leislation in the Dáil last year under the The Sale of Illicit Goods Bill, 2017, which he hoped to progress through the Dáil.

“This Bill will make it an offence to purchase illicit goods, which will reduce the profit to those criminals involved in the supply of same. We need a sustained effort to protect our legitimate retailers who are the backbone of our communities.”

The survey also revealed that only one out of five retailers believe that the PSNI and An Garda Síochána have the resources they need to

deal with smuggling and illicit trade in their area both north and south of the border.

“Of the border retailers who have never reported trade in illicit goods in the past, 63 per cent said they would not report illicit trading because they believed it would make little difference,” Lorraine Higgins of Retail Excellence said.

LEITRIM

Leitrim folk least likely to be jailed RESIDENTS of Leitrim and Donegal were the most law-abiding in Ireland last year and the least likely to get sent to jail, the Leitrim Observer reports.

Some 7,484 people were imprisoned in Ireland during 2017, a substantial fall on previous years.

New legislation meant far fewer people went to jail for non-payment of fines.

A county-by-county analysis shows Limerick had by far the highest imprisonment rate, with 237 people per 100,000 of population sent to jail last year.

By comparison, the rate in two other counties was almost a quarter of that, with 60 per 100,000 people imprisoned in Donegal and just 59 in Leitrim.

That Leitrim rate equates to just 19 people from Leitrim jailed last year.

The dramatic overall fall in the number of people imprisoned last year has been welcomed by the Irish Prison Service. “There was an enormous amount of often pointless work going on, going through the long process of jailing people for non-payment of fines, with many of them released from custody almost immediately,” a spokesperson said.

LIMERICK

Burglar got bus to suburb so he could ‘ply his trade’ A SERIAL offender who got a bus from Limerick city centre to Castletroy with the intention of breaking into homes has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.

Eoin Woodrow (51) pleaded guilty to burglary charges relating to a number of break-ins which happened in the Monaleen area.

The Limerick Leader reports that Detective Garda Fergal Hanrahan said Woodrow, who has a large number of previous convictions, smashed windows in each of houses in order to gain access.

He escaped empty-handed from one house but was apprehended and detained by relatives of the owner at a second house.

The stolen property, which included a tool box, was recovered and gardaí alerted.

Following his arrest the defendant told gardaí he needed money to buy drugs and that he had travelled on the bus earlier in the day with the intention of breaking into homes.

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall walk on Derrynane beach in Co Kerry during the royal tour of the Republic of Ireland. Photo: Niall Carson/PA Wire “The reason he went out to Castleroy was to ply his trade,” said John O’Sullivan BL, prosecuting who said there was a “clear lack of sophistication” on the part of the defendant.

Imposing sentence, Judge Tom O’Donnell noted the defendant is well-known to gardaí.

He imposed four-year prison sentences in relation to each of the offences, suspending the final 18 months.

DONEGAL

Bronze Age bling discovered in field GOLD band coils discovered in a Donegal field appear to date from the Bronze Age. The Donegal Democrat reports that experts from the National Museum have travelled to the site where the gold artefacts were discovered.

The items were discovered in a field when a drain was being dug, and were taken to the National Museum of Ireland.

They will be put on display in the museum when further investigations are concluded.

Donegal TD Joe McHugh has praised the finders of Bronze Age gold artefacts in the county.

“A discovery like this is so unique and precious. It is impossible to put a price on the value that it adds to our heritage,” Mr McHugh said.

“The finders deserve huge credit and thanks for their openness and for wanting to ensure that these unique artefacts are preserved for the benefit of others.”

LAOIS

Dublin prisoner loses bid to leave ‘alien’ Laois A MAN serving a 20-year sentence arising from the shooting of well-known publican Charlie Chawke has failed to get a High Court inquiry into his detention on the grounds he is illegally detained in an alien county, Laois, where the people are “GAA supporters to a child”.

Frank Ward has been detained in the Midlands Prison, Portlaoise since 2010 and alleged his rights were breached because he was incarcerated in “internal exile” in a county “culturally foreign and alien” outside the geographical jurisdiction of the original sentencing court in Dublin. This detention came as a “monumental culture shock” to him, he claimed.

In refusing an inquiry under article 40 of the Constitution into the legality of his detention, Mr Justice David Barniville said the grounds advanced were spurious and unmeritorious.

There was nothing unfair or contrary to Mr Ward’s fundamental rights in an order transferring him from Mountjoy Prison to the Midlands Prison, notwithstanding that the people of Co Laois may be GAA supporters, the judge said.

Nor was there any basis for complaints of unfair geographical distance from the applicant’s family as there were “excellent road and rail links from Portlaoise”.

The claim that Mr Ward was internally exiled outside the geographical jurisdiction of the court that sentenced him, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, has no merit, the judge ruled. There was also no basis whatsoever for claims that the detention in the Midlands Prison breached the applicant’s rights under the European Convention on Human Rights.

ANTRIM

Bus diver jailed for fatal crash A BUS driver whose dangerous driving caused the death of a Co Antrim football fan in a crash on the way to a match in Scotland has been jailed for five years.

The Belfast Newsletter reports that Ryan Baird, 39, originally from Larne but living in Scotland, was fatally injured when the bus carrying members of the Nith Valley Loyal Rangers Supporters’ Club to Ibrox stadium in Glasgow overturned.

Eighteen others were injured, three seriously, when the vehicle toppled over on approaching a roundabout on the A76 Kilmarnock to Dumfries Road.

Prosecutors said the driver, Callum Phillips, lost control of the bus after hitting speeds of up to 73mph on a road where the limit is 50mph for buses.

The 49-year-old, from Dalbeattie in Dumfries and Galloway, was convicted by a jury of causing death and injury by dangerous driving.

Passing the five year sentence at the High Court in Glasgow today, judge Lady Stacey told Phillips his driving had fallen “far below the standard required of a careful driver”.

In a sentencing statement released following the hearing, she said: “Your driving caused the death of Ryan Baird. Nothing that this court can do or say can lessen the grief that his family and friends feel at their loss.

You also caused other passengers to suffer serious injuries.”

The judge told Phillips, who has

a previous conviction for speeding, that while no other vehicle was involved, he had put other road users at risk.

The judge also disqualified Phillips from driving or obtaining a licence for five years.

WICKLOW

Cemetery in grave state ST Gabriel’s graveyard is in a dreadful state, with grass growing as high as hay, reports the Wicklow People.

“I don’t think anyone is under illusion that the maintenance of the graveyard is anywhere near it should be. The full time caretaker retired a couple of months ago … it’s absolutely horrendous there,” Speaking at a meeting of Arklow Municipal District Cllr Mary McDonald said the graveyard is in a deplorable state. “Even the graves that are being looked after by loved ones are in a bad state because they can’t get at them. It’s just not acceptable.”

District engineer Brendan Doyle said the council has a body of work to do each year and said that some of this could be done with mowers and tractors.

“We are reviewing things on a daily basis and I have been assured that the graveyard will be ready. Grass cutting is very seasonal work.”

CLARE

Sexual offences, thefts on the rise THE number of sexual offences, assaults and thefts in Clare is on the rise, Clare FM reports.

However, the latest crime figures from the Central Statistics Office show drug-related offences and drink driving arrests have fallen in the first three months of the year.

There was a 30 per cent rise in the number of sexual offences recorded in Clare in the first three months of the year, the CSO’s latest figures show.

It is one of a number of categories of crime in Clare that has increased in number. Attempts or threats to murder, assaults, harrassments and related offences have jumped by 13 per cent and thefts are up by almost 2 per cent.

The number drink-driving cases fell by 11 per cent between January and March, while burglaries were down by 7 per cent%.

Drugs possession for sale or supply, or for personal use, fell by 15 per cent. There were four fewer offences involving weapons or explosives.

July, 2018 I www.irishecho.com.au

CHECK OUT OUR NEW WEBSITE

irishecho.com.au

time out

The Irish Echo’s new website is fully responsive, so the pages adapt to any device.

Visit on desktop, tablet or mobile.

Your one-stop shop for Irish Australian news and information online Check out local news that affects you. We want to continue to be your trusted source of authentic news about our community. Our new website only publishes stories relevant to the expats and the Irish Australian community.

Browse our comprehensive what’s on listing The Irish Echo online what’s on is the most complete listing of Irish events around Australia ever compiled.

But now, you can also • Subscribe to the print or the new digital edition • Send us your own Australia and Me story • Submit an item for our what’s on • Sign-up for our free new enewsletter • Got a vacancy? Post a job ad The new website will complement our social media assets.

Our Facebook following now stands at 26,500.

If you’re interested in digital advertising or sponsorship, please contact: ads@irishecho.com.au

The

Online Voice of Irish Australia

17

18

review

July, 2018 I www.irishecho.com.au

Life’s tragedies told

THE front cover advertises Restless Souls as “Comedy, Road Trip, Tragedy” and while there are elements of all those, they miss what the book is about. It is, above all, a story of friendship between four young men, companions since their schooldays. We are not told their age, but there are enough hints to suggest that they are in their early 20s, a period in the lives of young men when many are reputed to go off the rails None of the four has an important or long-term job and each has spent periods on the dole. They are occasional binge drinkers, though they seem to have largely passed through that phase and, despite some scares, have also avoided fatherhood, a state for which none of them is even remotely equipped.

We learn early in the story that their number has been reduced to three, one of the four having recently taken his own life, something for which each of the others blames himself.

As the book starts, Karl and Baz are at Dublin airport waiting for Tom, the third of their number. He is returning from Sarajevo, where he has spent more than three years during the siege of that city

in the Bosnian War. He has lost an eye and has signs of physical beatings but more significantly, he is an emotional and psychological wreck. He has spent some time in a Scottish mental institution where the professionals effectively gave up on him, so Karl and Baz have decided to take him to an experimental treatment centre in California. His pious mother is not keen on the idea, but his wild and unpredictable, sometimes violent, behaviours mean that she has little choice.

As forecast on the front cover, they get lost coming out of Los Angeles airport “and are now getting ready to bed down for the night somewhere in the outer reaches of the Mojave Desert, silent and sulking and feeling every ounce the shower of gormless f…wits.” Tom is moody and uncommunicative and the other two spend much time in banter that seems to a casual reader to cover a narrow range from hostile to aggressive.

Much of the comedy promised in the blurb lies in the teasing between Baz and Karl, each attempting to outdo the other in their various disagreements. It is the kind of humour where you represent yourself as sensible and logical

“This is a writer worth watching.

”

while dismissing the other with outrageous and rude denigration.

The language is street-Dublin – back street at that – and it helps to understand that it is typical of the kind of foulmouthed ‘slagging’ that is not regarded as malevolent.

In fact, although much of the action takes place in California, there are many hints of the Dublin origin of the young men. References

BOOKS

A shudder in the loins engenders there The broken wall, the burning roof and tower

RESTLESS SOULS Dan Sheehan Weidenfeld & Nicolson 290 pp $29.99

And Agamemnon dead.

CCCC

(Yeats, Leda and the Swan)

HOUSE OF NAMES Colm Tóibín Picador 261 pp $29.99

CCCCC Frank O’Shea to wearing a blue football top or “screaming at the referee from the Cusack Stand” or “a lock-in in Doyle’s” or “scraping a D in the Leaving Cert” will be better understood by an Irish reader, but do not take from the enjoyment of the story.

In the final chapters, as Tom is treated for his PTSD, the story abandons any attempt at levity and describes aspects of the biochemistry of the brain and the proposed medical treatments, some of them experimental.

There are parts of this book that are mildly annoying – changes of voice, for example – but the action is so fast that the reader has no time to complain. In Karl, Baz and Tom, new novelist Dan Sheehan has created a memorable group of characters. Their incurable naivety and bungling ineffectiveness are forgiven for the care they take of each other. This is a writer worth watching.

WE are many generations removed from the days when an educated citizen could be presumed to be familiar with the Greek legends. The stories of Achilles and Hector, Helen and Paris were as widely known as epic political or sporting disputes of today. But modern scholarship has moved far from those stories, though whether the ambiguity of economics or the fabrications that clutter psychology have left us any wiser or more edified is a matter of doubt.

Now Colm Toibin has told the story of the house of Agamemnon to remind us what we have missed.

It is a long way from the mundane ordinariness of rural Ireland which is the focus of his more recent fiction.

Perhaps a summary would help.

King Agamemnon is commanderin-chief of the forces determined to rescue his sister-in-law Helen from Troy. He has decided that in order to get the support of the gods, he should sacrifice his daughter Iphigenia to them. His wife Clytemnestra, who does not believe in the gods, is enraged and determines to kill her husband. She succeeds, only to be herself killed by their remaining children Electra and Orestes.

All that killing within one family does not seem to leave much room for development of character, but in fact we get an insight into the motivations of all the characters.

Succeeding chapters are written either in the voice of, or from the point of view of, one of the main characters. We get to understand Clytemnestra as being motivated by revenge while her younger daughter Electra reminds the reader of a modern autocratic dictator.

Only Orestes, the youngest of the children, is left to our imagination.

He is a psychopath, with no hesitation about killing and seeming to be as deficient in ordinary human emotion as he lacking in commonsense and intelligence.

Toibin’s book is a reminder that the old stories did not need much by way of psychology or internal musing. People’s lives were short and brutal, there were great deeds and bad deeds, there was plotting and revenge, betrayal and loyalty and the invocation of the gods when that suited purpose. It is important to note that all the characters in the story are human; though there is reference to the gods, they play no part and none is specifically named.

The book works best as a retelling of one group of incidents from the Greek legends. It satisfies because the author keeps the action moving and the reader will realise that those old stories can still enthral.

THE TOP 10 BOOK CHARTS FROM IRELAND BESTSELLERS

HARDBACK NON-FICTION

1

The President is Missing

Bill Clinton & Jam Patterson

1

The Happy Pear: Recipes for Happiness

Stephen & David Flynn

2

The World’s Worst Children 3

David Walliams

2

12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos

Jordan B Peterson

3

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

Gail Honeyman

3

Prayers from the Heart

Lorna Byrne

4

The Break

Marian Keyes

4

A Teacher’s Life

Colm Cuffe

5

The Tattooist of Auschwitz

6

Oh My God What a Complete Aisling

Heather Morris

5

The Confidence Kit

Sarah Breen/Emer McLysaght

6

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls

7 8

Emotional Resilience

Harry Barry

7

The Food Medic for Life

The Year That Changed Everything

Cathy Kelly

8

A Pocket History of Ireland

9

The Rooster Bar

John Grisham

9

Factfulness

10 Skin Deep

Liz Nugent

ORIGINAL FICTION 1

The President is Missing

2

The Tattooist of Auschwitz

3

Skin Deep

4

The Woman in the Window

5

The Hideaway

6

The Gospel According to Blindboy

7 8 9

Caroline Foran Francesca Cavallo/Elena Favilli Dr Hazel Wallace Joseph McCullough

10 Bodacious: The Shepherd Cat

Hans Rosling Suzanna Crampton

CHILDREN’S Bill Clinton & Jam Patterson

1

The World’s Worst Children 3

Heather Morris

2

Midnight: Skulduggery Pleasant

Derek Landy

Liz Nugent

3

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

J.K. Rowling

A. J. Finn

4

Tom Gates: Biscuits, Bands and Very Big Plans

Sheila O’Flanagan

5

Bumper Unicorn Colouring

Blindboy Boatclub

6

Birthday Boy

The Outsider

Stephen King

7

Gangsta Granny

Solar Bones

Mike McCormack

8

Wonder

Last Stories

William Trevor

9

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Getaway

10 Still Me

Jojo Moyes

10 Bad Dad

David Walliams

Liz Pichon Brown Watson David Baddiel David Walliams R.J. Palacio Jeff Kinney David Walliams

July, 2018 I www.irishecho.com.au

Can you get involved with the organisation of the 2019 Sydney St Patrick’s Day Event??

If you think you could be of assistance to the Committee we invite you to the Extraordinary General Meeting on Tuesday 17 July 2018 at The Gaelic Club, 64 Devonshire Street at 6.30pm.

The Committee would particularly welcome those who have skills in the following areas;

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

time out

However, any assistance you may be able to provide would be greatly appreciated.

Your help is vital to the continued success of the St Patrick’s Day Celebrations in Sydney!

For further information please contact the Secretary at

secretary@sydneystpatricksday.com.au

POSITION VACANT

EXPERIENCED EXCAVATOR OPERATOR For Stormwater crew, work in Western Sydney.

Ute supplied after trial period. $35.00 base rate.

CONTACT CLAYTON 0438 265 388

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

P.J. O’BRIEN’S, SYDNEY P.J. O’BRIEN’S, SOUTHBANK DURTY NELLY’S, PERTH THE IRISH TIMES, MELBOURNE MERCANTILE HOTEL, SYDNEY J B O’REILLY’S, LEEDERVILLE THE PORTERHOUSE, SYDNEY MALONEY’S, SYDNEY THE DRUNKEN POET, WEST MELBOURNE MURPHY’S IRISH PUB, MANDURAH

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

O’MALLEY’S, BRISBANE IRISH MURPHY’S, BRISBANE FINN MCCOOL’S, FORTITUDE VALLEY GILHOOLEYS, BRISBANE FIDDLERS GREEN IRISH BAR, SURFERS PARADISE PADDY’S, PORT DOUGLAS DUBLIN DOCKS TAVERN, BIGGERA WATERS MCGINITY’S BAR AND THAI TAM, CAIRNS IRISH CLUB HOTEL, TOOWOOMBA MOLLY MALONE’S, BROADBEACH

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

DURTY NELLY’S, PERTH J B O’REILLY’S, LEEDERVILLE MURPHY’S IRISH PUB, MANDURAH FIBBER MCGEES, LEEDERVILLE CROWN, PERTH PADDY MALONES, JOONDALUP NOVOTEL LANGLEY, PERTH THE WOODVALE TAVERN, WOODVALE WOODBRIDGE HOTEL, GUILDFORD ROSY O’GRADY’S, NORTHBRIDGE

1 2 3 4 5

NEW SYDNEY HOTEL, HOBART IRISH MURPHY’S, HOBART, COCK AND BULL HOTEL, LAUNCESTON REPUBLIC BAR & CAFE, NORTH HOBART O’KEEFE’S HOTEL, LAUNCESTON

P.J. O’BRIEN’S, SYDNEY MERCANTILE, SYDNEY THE PORTERHOUSE, SURRY HILLS MALONEY’S, SYDNEY FORTUNE OF WAR, THE ROCKS CARRINGTON HOTEL, KATOOMBA SCRUFFY MURPHY’S, SYDNEY JIMMY’S BAR & RESTAURANT, RANDWICK THE DOSS HOUSE, THE ROCKS IVY, SYDNEY

• Book-keeping • Events Management • Fundraising • Marketing • Logistics

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

19

P.J. O’BRIEN’S, SOUTHBANK THE IRISH TIMES, MELBOURNE THE DRUNKEN POET, WEST MELBOURNE THE QUEIT MAN IRISH PUB JIMMY O’NEILLS, ST KILDA IRISH MURPHY’S, GEELONG THE 5TH PROVINCE, ST KILDA THE BROTHERS PUBLIC HOUSE, FITZROY ELEPHANT AND WHEELBARROW, EAST MELBOURNE THE SHERLOCK HOLMES, MELBOURNE

SHENANNIGANS, DARWIN NORWOOD HOTEL, NORWOOD MICK O’SHEA’S IRISH PUB, HACKHAM KINGSFORD HOTEL, GAWLER ALMA HOTEL, WILUNGA

20

time out

Thursday, July 12 THIRROUL, NSW The Legend of Luke Kelly Tour at Anita’s Theatre

Celebrating the memory and music of a true Irish musical legend.

To commemorate and celebrate the memory of this Irish music legend Chris Kavanagh will perform The Legend of Luke Kelly this July.

With a remarkable resemblance to Luke Kelly and an immense singing talent that captures the depth and passion of the great man, Chris Kavanagh brings this striking show to Australia.

Tickets: www.troubadour-music. com

Friday, July 13 – Sunday July 14 GOLD COAST, QLD 2018 Australian International Oireachtas, Gold Coast Open & Preliminary Championships, Priomh Comortas & Grade Exams RACV Royal Pines Resort | Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia Details – Australian Irish Dancing Association website www.aidainc.com

Friday, July 13 ENMORE, NSW The Legend of Luke Kelly Tour at the Enmore Theatre.

Celebrating the memory and music of a true Irish musical legend.

To commemorate and celebrate the memory of this Irish music legend Chris Kavanagh will perform The Legend of Luke Kelly this July.

With a remarkable resemblance to Luke Kelly and an immense singing talent that captures the depth and passion of the great man, Chris Kavanagh brings this striking show to Australia.

Tickets: www.troubadour-music. com

Saturday, July 14 BRISBANE, QLD The Legend of Luke Kelly Tour at the Enmore Theatre.

Celebrating the memory and music of a true Irish musical legend.

To commemorate and celebrate the memory of this Irish music legend Chris Kavanagh will perform The Legend of Luke Kelly this July.

With a remarkable resemblance to Luke Kelly and an immense singing talent that captures the depth and passion of the great man, Chris Kavanagh brings this striking show to Australia.

Tickets: www.troubadour-music. com

Sunday, July 15 ROOTY HILL, NSW The Legend of Luke Kelly at Rooty Hill RSL.

Celebrating the memory and music of a true Irish musical legend.

To commemorate and celebrate the memory of this Irish music legend Chris Kavanagh will perform The Legend of Luke Kelly this July.

With a remarkable resemblance to Luke Kelly and an immense singing talent that captures the depth and passion of the great man, Chris Kavanagh brings this striking show to Australia.

Tickets: www.troubadour-music. com

July, 2018 I www.irishecho.com.au

Tuesday, July 17 SYDNEY, NSW EGM – Sydney St Patrick’s Day Organisation

Can you get involved with the organisation of the 2019 Sydney St Patrick’s Day Event?? If you think you could be of assistance to the Committee we invite you to the EGM at The Gaelic Club.

The Committee would particularly welcome those who have skills in • Book-keeping • Marketing • Events Management • Fundraising • Logistics Your help is vital to the continued success of the St Patrick’s Day Celebrations in Sydney!

Contact - secretary@ sydneystpatricksday.com.au

Tuesday, July 17 ADELAIDE, SA The Legend of Luke Kelly Tour at the Enmore Theatre.

Celebrating the memory and music of a true Irish musical legend.

To commemorate and celebrate the memory of this Irish music legend Chris Kavanagh will perform The Legend of Luke Kelly this July.

With a remarkable resemblance to Luke Kelly and an immense singing talent that captures the depth and passion of the great man, Chris Kavanagh brings this striking show to Australia.

Tickets: www.troubadour-music. com

Friday, July 20 THORNBURY, VIC The Legend of Luke Kelly Tour at the Enmore Theatre.

Celebrating the memory and music of a true Irish musical legend.

To commemorate and celebrate the memory of this Irish music legend Chris Kavanagh will perform The Legend of Luke Kelly this July.

With a remarkable resemblance to Luke Kelly and an immense singing talent that captures the depth and passion of the great man, Chris Kavanagh brings this striking show to Australia.

Tickets: www.troubadour-music. com

Irish Celtic, described as a “thrilling Irish dance show” is coming to Sydney and Melbourne this month. Direct from a highly successful tour of France and Germany, Irish Celtic features 12 top-class Irish dancers and a five-piece band. The show is choreographed by Jim Murrihy, who was an original cast member of Lord Of The Dance.

legend Chris Kavanagh will perform The Legend of Luke Kelly this July.

With a remarkable resemblance to Luke Kelly and an immense singing talent that captures the depth and passion of the great man, Chris Kavanagh brings this striking show to Australia.

Tickets: www.troubadour-music. com

Saturday, July 21

Sunday, July 22

SYDNEY, NSW The Aisling Society – Mid Year Lunch

SYDNEY, NSW The Ireland Funds, Melbourne Young Leaders Lunch

12.00 noon in the Grand Dining Room International College of Management, Manly (formerly St Patrick’s Seminary) Guest Speaker: Susan Ryan AO, the Age and Disability Discrimination Commissioner and a former federal Minister for Education, will speak about the massive cultural changes in education, schools especially, that we have seen over this generation, particularly the changes following the disappearance of the Irish teaching orders More info: aislingsociety.org.au

Saturday, July 21 ALBANY, WA

The Legend of Luke Kelly at the The Legend of Luke Kelly Tour at the Enmore Theatre.

Celebrating the memory and music of a true Irish musical legend.

To commemorate and celebrate the memory of this Irish music

Escape with cold Melbourne winter weather and warm up with the Young Leaders for some carvery & craic! The Ireland Funds Australia would love you to join our Young Leaders for an afternoon at Ludlow’s Bar & Dining on Southbank for a Sunday Roast, a beverage, interesting Christmas fashion and great conversation.

Tickets are $45 per person www.irelandfunds.org/events

Sunday, July 22 PERTH, WA Tour at the Enmore Theatre.

Celebrating the memory and music of a true Irish musical legend.

To commemorate and celebrate the memory of this Irish music legend Chris Kavanagh will perform The Legend of Luke Kelly this July.

With a remarkable resemblance to Luke Kelly and an immense singing talent that captures the depth and

what’s on

passion of the great man, Chris Kavanagh brings this striking show to Australia.

Tickets: www.troubadour-music. com

Tuesday, July 31 – Sunday, August 5 MELBOURNE, VIC Irish Celtic at The Palms, Crown Melbourne

Learn the story behind each wine, including where they’re from, their style, tasting notes. Your ticket is $40 and includes 6 glasses of wine (50ml each), and will be served with a platter of cheese & Charcuterie.

More Info: lansdowneclub.com.au

Friday, August 3

Featuring the finest performers from the top Irish dance companies, Irish Celtic showcases thrilling and spectacular high energy dance routines with explosive rhythms and nail-biting precision. With their spectacular choreography and passionate music, including romantic theme tunes from Braveheart and Last of the Mohicans, they recreate scenes from throughout Celtic history. It’s an unforgettable night of music, storytelling and dance Website: www.irishceltic.com.au

Thursday, August 2 SYDNEY, NSW Lansdowne Meetup and Drinks – Handpicked Wines Sydney

The Lansdowne monthly meetup in August will take place at Sydney’s Urban Cellar Door. Our resident sommelier will guide you through our selection of wines for a fun and informative night. Start with a ½ glass of prosecco on arrival, then taste your way through 6 of our wines from different regions.

BRISBANE, QLD The Ireland Funds, Brisbane Luncheon Event to be held at Hillstone St Lucia Golf Links from 12.30 5.00pm.

Ticket details and booking forms on the website. irelandfunds.org

Tuesday, August 7 – Sunday, August 12 SYDNEY, NSW Irish Celtic at The Capitol Theatre

Featuring the finest performers from the top Irish dance companies, Irish Celtic showcases thrilling and spectacular high energy dance routines with explosive rhythms and nail-biting precision. With their spectacular choreography and passionate music, including romantic theme tunes from Braveheart and Last of the Mohicans, they recreate scenes from throughout Celtic history. It’s an unforgettable night of music, storytelling and dance More info and tickets: www.irishceltic.com.au

Thursday, August 9 MELBOURNE, VIC Irish Australian Chamber of Commerce - Connections at “Bucks”

“In Conversation with Prof. Ronan McDonald”. Do business and stimulate your Celtic soul at this edition of our “Connections” series, returning by popular demand to Buck Mulligan’s in Northcote – An Irish Whiskey Bar by night and Irish Specialty Bookshop and Cafe by day. Newlyappointed Gerry Higgins Chair in Irish Studies at The University of Melbourne, Professor Ronan McDonald, will be in conversation with Chamber President, Fergal Coleman exploring the Irish Australian identity.

There will be a drink on arrival and some Irish Australian finger food, courtesy of Eamonn and his team at Buck’s. 6 – 9 pm.

More info and tickets: www.irishchamber.com.au

Sunday, August 26 SYDNEY, NSW Irish Famine Memorial – Annual Gathering at the Hyde Park Barracks

Save the date! The Annual Gathering at the Sydney Irish Famine Memorial will be held on Sunday 26 August 2018. Further details will be provided soon on the website.

See website for more details: www.irishfaminememorial.org

stay up to date with what’s on at

IrishEcho.com.au whatson@irishecho.com.au :: (02) 9555 9199

July, 2018 I www.irishecho.com.au

Gobshite of the week AUSTRALIA hates to lose at sport.

But, as Irish sports fans certainly know, you can’t win ‘em all.

Similarly, when you do inevitably lose, it’s not always the consequence of a grand conspiracy. Nor is it the time to scale the barricades of jingoism or xenophobia.

You could choose to pay tribute to your opponents or gracefully admit that you got beaten by a better side on the day.

Unless you’ve been under a rock somewhere, you will know that Ireland recorded a long-awaited series win in Australia with a 20-16 defeat of the Wallabies in front of a raucous crowd in Sydney.

One Australian TV commentator decided to vent his frustration with the pace of the game by having a go at the Irish players.

Shortly into the second-half, with Ireland leading 17-9, Phil Kearns, a former World Cup winner with Australia, focused his attention on a group of Irish players.

Frustrated with the amount of time the players in question were taking, Kearns said: “Fiddly dee, fiddly dee, fiddly dee, potato – out the back there having their own little chat.”

Kearns, who was a great player but is a much-ridiculed commentator, has earned himself our Gobshite Of The Month award for his absence of wit, his casual racism and his relentless whining.

The Irish Twitterati did not let him off the hook.

As Ireland celebrated their historic series win, Robert McKenna tweeted: “Hey Phil Kearns, how do you like them potatoes, you dick.”

And the best pissedoff face goes to …

SOME unionists can get really annoyed if they find themselves surrounded by Irish republicans and so it was recently for DUP leader Arlene Foster and British Prime Minister Theresa May. Ms Foster found herself (well actually she went along voluntarily) at the Ulster Senior Football final at Clones.

It’s fair to say that she was in a

21

time out They said it...

“Time is running out for the Withdrawal Agreement to be concluded satisfactorily by the October European Council. I expect EU leaders to send a strong message to the UK that negotiations with the taskforce need to intensify. The lack of progress in the negotiations on the withdrawal agreement has been very disappointing. We still need to see detailed proposals from the UK on how it intends to deliver on the clear commitments it made in December and March.”

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar speaking about Brexit.

“Wish I was in Wimbledon”. DUP leader Arlene Foster

“The Taoiseach is now behaving like somebody who believes he has a divine right to power. He doesn’t really acknowledge the constructive behaviour of Fianna Fáil in facilitating this confidence and supply agreement. He needs to cop on a bit and respect our bona fides in seeing out the agreement.”

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin.

“He reminds me of the Wizard of Oz and the man behind the curtain who claims credit for everything good that happens but no responsibility for anything else.”

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar responding to Micheál Martin.

“We can’t deliver the full business case until we know who is co-ordinating this. We do feel a little bit isolated and an orphan in this.”

George Hamilton, Chief Constable of the PSNI, saying he feels “in the dark” as he attempts to prepare the service for Brexit.

“What have they done with all the men?” British Prime Minister Theresa May meets a Sinn Féin delegation in Westminster. political minority in the ground and she seemed to be clock watching during the game.

Mrs May has the weight of the world on her shoulders at the moment, what with Brexit and, well, Brexit. So a visit from Sinn Féin’s wonder women was hardly going to cheer her up.

But her expression in the compulsory picture can probably best be described by borrowing golf commentator David Feherty’s description of Colin Mongomerie after a bad shot.

“Colin looks like a bulldog licking piss off a nettle,” he quipped.

Some Like It Hot ITS hard to get the weather right for Irish people in Ireland.

The country has been basking in an unprecedented heatwave but it hasn’t taken long for people to start

complaining about not being able to sleep, having sunburn and the flies.

There has been widespread panic as mothers across Ireland declare it’s ‘too hot to be cooking’ and insist on serving ‘salads’ of rolled up ham, coleslaw and boiled eggs.

Grainne O’Keefe tweeted that she overheard three lads talking about sunburn in Dublin.

“One of them said that taking Viagra before going to sleep stops the sheets from hitting off you. Who would have thought?”

Also overheard on a Dublin bus were two older ladies discussing the “desperate” run of hot weather.

“Its not just the heat,” one said, “it’s the humility.”

Some people have of course lost the run of themselves altogether.

Apparently there was a passenger announcement on the Luas the other day: “Could the topless passenger please put their shirt on.”

Quiz

Crossword

1. He was born in Pennsylvania and held dual US and Irish citizenship. He is credited with almost single-handedly making the ballet form commercially acceptable to film audiences.

Who?

Clues across:

Clues down:

1. Boat in the depths in Irish town (6)

1. I act with Tory somehow to expose this extremely wicked act (8)

2. In which country is there a castle built on Wogan’s Cavern?

3. The President of Ireland is protected while travelling by an elite wing of the Gardaí called the SDU. What do the letters SDU stand for?

4. A Republic of Ireland soccer player is no. 6 in the list of Europe’s all-time top international goalscorers. Cristiano Ronaldo heads the list — who is the Irish player?

5. In which Irish novel is the title word not mentioned anywhere in the book?

6. Alex Ferguson, then manager of Manchester United, had a major falling out with Irish businessmen JP McManus and John Magnier over ownership of a racehorse. What was the horse called?

5 & 30 across: One prince bars a convoluted entrance to Meath celebrity (6,7) 8. British Prime Minister gets round county (4)

2. Find fault with west of Ireland town (5)

9. Hidden hero one year, bad man 4. French city by Rhone is confusing for church adherent the next – the life of an actor (12) (6) 10. Linda’s resettled in Rathlin, for 5. I point strangely at spirit (6) example (6) 6. US island found amongst trellisworks (5) 11. Flavouring makes a lot of money (4) 7. Scottish island you can naturally spot here (5) 12. Ken Loach film recorded in Cornakessagh (3) 14. Group of stalwarts hauled up fish (5) 13. Latin’s translated and put in place (6) 15. Rotten name (5) 18. A gal in an odd arrangement with man famous for ball (8)

8. Since the Troubles in the North of Ireland, prisoners with no connection to paramilitary or political movements are called ODCs. What does ODC stand for?

17. Bristol kaleidoscope reveals Irish river (5)

19. Superior forms from seaman with half a bottle (5)

21. Brown togs badly worn by invader of Ireland (9)

22. Lowest digit (3)

9. Who died at Maison du Perier, Due des Beaux Arts, in the Latin Quarter of Paris?

23. Doesn’t succeed with writer Mr Lawrence to get Irish welcome (6)

10. Knockboy is the highest mountain in which county?

26. Reconstituted raincoats for Europeans (9) 28. Article with albums range (4) 29. Short man in Curkacrone (3) 30. see 5 across

“The people of the United Kingdom decided on Brexit and it’s not my job to help Prime Minister May or the United Kingdom government. It’s my job to make sure that we don’t have a hard border on our island and make sure that whatever the new trading relationship is between the UK and the EU, that the negative effect of this is minimised.”

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

“The result of [the] referendum on the Eighth Amendment confirms that we are living in a new time and a changed culture for Ireland. For the church it is indeed a missionary time, a time for new evangelisation.”

Archbishop Eamon Martin, primate of All-Ireland, speaking about the abortion referendum.

“Politicians haven’t led on this issue. We haven’t even followed until recently. For so many people, the weekend’s vote was just like an enormous weight being lifted, a ball and chain that dogged us all our adult life being finally gone.”

Clare Daly TD, speaking in the Dáil after the country overwhelmingly voted to repeal the Eighth Amendment of the Irish Constitution.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8 9

10 11

3. Take too much it is head abroad (8)

16. You can help, hinder or find this town here (6)

7. Which rugby team began in 1888 as the Shaw & Shrewsbury Team?

“I very much welcome the attendance of DUP Leader Arlene Foster MLA at today’s Ulster GAA final. I, along with other Sinn Féin leaders, met recently with Prince Charles in order to demonstrate our desire to reach out and respect those across our community of a unionist and British identity.

We recognise the important significance of Arlene Foster as DUP Leader attending today’s Ulster final and acknowledge and very much welcome her decision to do so.”

Sinn Féin vice president Michelle O’Neill, speaking about DUP leader Arlen Foster’s attendance at the Ulster Championship GAA final between her home county, Fermanagh, and Donegal.

12

13

14

15

16 17

18

19 21

23

20

22

24

25 26

27

28 29

30

23. On the level head in Antrim (4) 24. Mistake in crossword clue (4) 25. Currency registered in Hannahstown (4) 27. One short 12-month period in Scottish town (3)

LAST EDITION’S ANSWERS: Clues across: 1. Howth Head. 6. Royal.

8. Ulysses. 9. Nassau. 11. Hoey. 13. Bergin. 14. See. 15. Yahoo.

17. Fly. 18. (B)Erne. 22. Agreement. 23. Rank. 25. Eyre. 30. Reap.

31. Lisdoonvarna. 33. O’Neal (Ryan). 35. Cavendish (Lord). 36. Yankees Clues down: . Haughey. 2. Wayne. 3. Host. 4 & 6 down: Easter Rising.

5. Donegal. 6. see 4 down 7. Yeats. 10. Gene. 12. Yeomen. 16. Algeciras.

17. Fane. 19. Rennee. 20. Amy. 21. Try. 24. Arran. 26. Apples. 27. Boyne.

28. Ennis. 29. Kathy. 32. Noon. 34. Eve.

Answers: 1. Gene Kelly; 2. Wales — Pembroke Castle; 3. Special Detective Unit; 4. Robbie Keane (68 goals); 5. Ulysses; 6. Rock of Gibraltar; 7. The British and Irish Lions; 8. Ordinary Decent Criminals; 9. Oscar Wilde; 10. Cork

22 sports

July, 2018 I www.irishecho.com.au

AUST R ALIA’S IR ISH NE WSPAP E R

FOOTBALL :: GREEN SHOOTS APPEAR FOR REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

Younsters shine in end of season friendlies GRAHAM Burke was lost for words after marking his first start for the Republic of Ireland with his first senior international goal.

On a night when Ireland celebrated defender John O’Shea’s 17-year career in a green shir t, the 24-year-old Shamrock Rovers striker passed a series of landmarks in the friendly victory over the United States.

He became the first League of Ireland player to start for the nation since Joe Gamble in 2007, and the first to score since fellow Rover Ray Treacy in 1978, and that took some processing.

“It’s been a brilliant night for me. To start a senior game for the Republic of Ireland is an unbelievable achievement for me. To top it off with a goal, I can’t really put it into words what it means to me. It’s an unbelievable achievement that will stay with me forever,” he said.

Burke, who made his debut as a substitute against France in Paris a few days before, only learned he was starting an hour before kick-off, and the reality started to dawn during the anthems at the Aviva Stadium.

“That’s the moment that you dream of, isn’t it?,” Burke said. “You’re standing there in the line and the national anthem is on. “It was long, and you want to just get it started for me with my nerves in front of the crowd and all that going on. I just wanted the game to get going in order to get my first touch and relax myself into the game.”

His big moment arrived 12 minutes into the second half when substitute Darragh Lenihan blasted a shot towards goal and Burke instinctively got

Graham Burke (right) celebrates with his Irish teammates after scoring on debut against the United States in Dublin.

a foot to the ball just as it reached the line. I try to be a goalscorer and my instincts are to get in there and just put it in the back of the net. Darragh’s probably not happy, and he has a right to be, but, as a striker, I’m never going to give up that opportunity to put the ball in the back of the net. That’s my job, to create things and score.”

Burke’s strike cancelled out Bobby Wood’s opener and set the scene for substitute Alan Judge to fire Ireland to a 2-1 victory.

Meanwhile, another young Irish star, Declan Rice is not remotely fazed by the suggestion that he is a Republic of Ireland captain in waiting.

The 19-year-old is just three games into his senior international career and is yet to play a competitive game for his country, but retiring stalwart John O’Shea has already seen enough to tip him to wear the armband one day.

Asked about O’Shea’s comments, he said: “He’s been at the top of the game and played with some top, top players.

To hear that from him, I don’t like to take it on too much, but it’s nice to hear.

I’ve had a little joke with him.

“Maybe one day I do see myself as a future captain because I do have it in me to tell people and order people around.”

Rice was handed his debut in Turkey in March and impressed in different roles against the French and the United States.

The teenager also qualifies to represent England and until he makes a

competitive appearance for the Republic and his first chance will come against Wales in September.

“It’s a question that keeps being asked. I’m just focusing on playing at the moment and enjoying my football – that’s the main thing. There are two games coming up in September and we’re looking forward to them.”

Asked about calls for him to declare for England, he replied: “I’m not going to take too much from it. I’m here and I’m playing for Ireland.”

AFL :: KILKENNY ROOKIE PART OF DRAMATIC MCG WIN

DISGRACED PAIR OFF TO FRANCE

AS a fresh-faced 19-year-old, Darragh Joyce uprooted his life and left his family in Ireland to pursue an unlikely dream, and it seemed all worth the effort last weekend when he debuted in St Kilda’s dramatic two-point win over Melbourne at the MCG. Joyce collected a modest 10 disposals in the clash but he may have done enough to hold on to his spot.

Growing up deep in hurling country in Kilkenny, Darragh Joyce was practically born with a hurl in his hand.

With his sporting future seemingly mapped out before him, the young hurling prodigy’s older brothers Kieran and Conor paved the way, the former enjoying sustained All-Ireland success with Kilkenny.

Darragh also captained Kilkenny to All-Ireland minor hurling glory.

The now 21-year-old has learned from two of St Kilda’s best coaching assets in Lindsay Gilbee, widely renowned as one of the best exponents of the drop punt in the game’s history, and defensive stalwart Danny Frawley.

“I’ve been doing a lot of work with Spud (Frawley) on bodywork to put me in a good position to either intercept or

FORMER Ulster and Ireland fly-half Paddy Jackson has joined Perpignan on a two-year deal.

The 26-year-old’s contract with the Irish Rugby Football Union and Ulster was revoked in April following a review into his behaviour after he was acquitted on rape charges.

Perpignan spor ting dir ector Christian Lanta told the French club’s website: “Paddy Jackson, in the tradition of Irish 10s, knows how to bring his individual qualities to benefit the collective. He is a proven kicker, a talented playmaker, Paddy can bring his international experience to the team.”

Jackson and his former team-mate Stuart Olding, 25, were sacked from Ulster Rugby earlier this year.

The pair were cleared in March of raping the same woman, following a nine-week Belfast trial.

Jackson had previously been linked with Top 14 giants Clermont Auvergne and with Aviva Premiership side Sale Sharks. Perpignan secured promotion to the top flight of French rugby last season after a four-year absence.

Versatile back Olding joined French team Brive last month.

Meanwhile, the Public Prosecution

Joyce debuts for Saints Jackson signed by Perpignan

Darragh Joyce at footy training

spoil it, so just doing the basics week in, week out, and a lot of kicking with Lindsay (Gilbee) as well, so it’s all paying off,” Joyce told St Kilda’s club website ahead of his debut.

“It’s been a big journey for me, so to get here, there’s been a lot of hard work over the last year, but hopefully it’s the first of many.”

Home is never too far away for the Kilkenny man though, and a last-minute

flight booking meant the Joyce family were at the MCG on Sunday to see Darragh run out with the Saints.

Upon revealing to Joyce that he was to make his debut, senior coach Alan Richardson reassured him that his captivating story had nothing to do with his senior selection.

“I’ve been involved with a few Irish boys over the years, and you came in as green as anyone that I’ve worked with, so it’s a real credit to you,” Richardson said.

“You’re in because you’ve earned it.

It’s not a novelty thing, it’s not a ‘Righto, we haven’t quite had the results we’re after, so let’s just have a look at the list’… that’s not the case.

“You’ve worked your backside off, you know, first in, last to leave, that sort of attitude, and it’s certainly got you this opportunity.”

Richardson also drew on Joyce’s exemplary work ethic both on and off the field.

Darragh Joyce becomes just the third Irish-born player to represent St Kilda in VFL/AFL history, following Dermot McNicholl (3 games, 1990) and Colm Begley (1 game, 2009).

Paddy Jackson has been signed by French club, Perpignan.

Service (PPS) in Northern Ireland is considering files on two people who identified the complainant in the Belfast trial of Jackson and Olding.

In Northern Ireland a complainant in a rape, sex abuse or incest case has court ordered anonymity for life.

However, a number of people used social media to identify the young woman at the centre of the case.

Police are engaged in discussions with the PPS about the possibility of bringing contempt of court charges against two of those involved. Two people have been interviewed.

23

July, 2018 I www.irishecho.com.au

A U S TRA L IA’S IRIS H N EWS PAPER

irish rugby tour of australia JOE SCHMIDT THRILLED AS IRELAND CAP VINTAGE SEASON WITH SERIES WIN

Series win up there with grand slam: Schmidt

All-conquering coach Joe Schmidt has led Ireland to its best rugby season ever.

IRELAND coach Joe Schmidt said his team’s series win in Australia was on a par with their Grand Slam success.

The Six Nations champions bounced back from an opening loss in Brisbane to level up in Melbourne and clinched the series with a 20-16 victory over the Wallabies in Sydney.

Ireland won 10 of their 11 games in the 2017/18 campaign, but they saved one of their gutsiest displays for last as Michael Cheika’s men threw the kitchen sink at the tourists but came up just short. A decision by television match official Ben Skeen late in the game went Ireland’s way as he decided Jacob Stockdale had not knocked on Bernard Foley’s pass, and the visiting players were able to celebrate the team’s first

series win over one of the southern hemisphere’s big three since 1979.

Schmidt was delighted with the way his team got over the line.

“It’s up there,” he said of the win, in comparison to Ireland’s other achievements this term.

“I think they are a super team. To be in their back yard and manage to sneak off with the Lansdowne Trophy is a little bit special for us, especially on the back of a pretty long season.

“It is a credit to players, they dug in just well enough. I’m pretty pleased there is not a game next week. That might have been a bridge too far.

“But the Wallabies are going in the other direction, they have got fuel in the tank and I think they are building.

“I’m sure Cheiks is pretty happy with some of what they’re doing, particularly in that second half.”

Having talked to heroes of the 1979 side, Schmidt was fully aware of the historical context of his team’s victory.

“It’s big for us because we don’t do that very often and it was 39 years ago.

I did have a good chat to a couple of the guys who did it last time. Ollie Campbell is a guy I’ve got huge respect for,” he said of the former Ireland fly-half who starred on that tour.

“We had a bit of a chat about it. He’s such an enthusiast and his confidence was brimming that we could do it.

“I didn’t quite share the confidence at the time because I knew how tough it was going to be and that was evident in

LANSDOWNE CUP SUCCESS EARNS IRISH NEW-FOUND RESPECT DOWN UNDER

Irish shake off Wallaby woes IRELAND signed off from their Grand Slam season with one last high as they edged a tense decider 20-16 in Sydney to claim a first series win in Australia since 1979.

A record 44,085 crowd packed into Allianz Stadium for its final Test match, but there was no fond farewell for the Wallabies, who could not make their late pressure pay as Ireland hung on desperately at the end of a long campaign. They have had more impressive wins in 2017/18, but this one was all guts as they tackled their hearts out, struck through a CJ Stander maul try and clung on for dear life.

Referee Pascal Gauzere and his television match official Ben Skeen were central figures until the death, reviewing the last play several times before deciding that Jacob Stockdale was not guilty of deflecting Bernard Foley’s pass before it flew into touch.

Ireland’s series win earned some rare praise from the Australian sporting media even though many commentators complained that the refereeing had contributed to the results.

In the Sydney Mor ning Herald under the heading “Ireland withstand late Wallabies onslaught to take series”, Tom Decent wrote: “A tenacious win from the Wallabies in Brisbane and an energy-sapping loss in Melbourne has been followed up by a draining loss at the death that handed Ireland their first series win in Australia since 1979.

“The home side had a number of questionable decisions go against them and will feel hard done by. Australia were starved of genuine try-scoring chances and, to Ireland’s credit, they executed a similar game plan to what they produced in the second test.”

In the same paper under the headline “Series gets the right result – Ireland were the better team” Paul Cully focused on the aerial issues that have posed problems for rugby in recent weeks, manifest in the incident involving Wallaby fullback Israel Folau who was sent to the sin bin, and subsequently suspended, for a mid-air clash with Peter O’Mahony.

It was the third time that the Irish captain finished on his back competing for a high ball and it marked his departure from the match.

Cully wrote: “Rugby also has a problem with the aerial contest, because we are addicted to it as a contest although it is putting the players in peril. No wonder World Rugby CEO (Brett Gosper) announced after the third Test in Sydney that both areas would be looked at in a review of all the June Tests. Rugby also has an issue

those final minutes, not just tonight but last weekend as well.

“They were coming in waves and we managed to keep them out as well.

“I feel that potentially we were a little bit fortuitous and the margins are so fine.

I didn’t think we were far off in Brisbane either,” he said.

“It’s been a fantastic series.”

Ireland achieved their victory despite losing four players to injury after the second Test and hooker Sean Cronin on the eve of the deciding game.

And when the team bus was delayed by more than 20 minutes as a result of a changed route, it brought back memories of Ireland’s defeat in Murrayfield last season when they were held up in traffic and started slowly.

COMMENT

Irish rugby tours will never be the same Billy Cantwell

ON, WHAT A NIGHT: Peter O’Mahony, centre right, and Johnny Sexton, centre left, hold up the Lansdowne Cup after Ireland’s 20-16 winning decider over the Wallabies in the Test series. Photo: AP

with breakdown interpretations, although that issue is as old as the hills.”

Cully was unequivocal in his assertion that the right side had won the series.

“What rugby doesn’t have an issue with is this: over three games the better side, the more clinical side, usually wins the series... that side is Ireland.

“They came to Australia and in every game imposed their game plan for large periods and ran for more metres in every clash. And when they finally ran out of gas in the final 20 minutes in Sydney, Bernard Foley missed a penalty, Foley knocked on, and Samu Kerevi did likewise.

“Sometimes the officials can simply be the easiest targets.”

But former Wallabies coach and now successful shock jock Alan Jones was less generous about the referees.

“Almost universally, and without whining, the predominant sentiment

ventilated after the match was that the refereeing was woeful,” he wrote in The Australian. “The best referees in world rugby are Nigel Owens and Wayne Barnes. Barnes was put in charge of the Test between the USA and Canada and Nigel Owens was refereeing Georgia and Japan.

“Is someone telling us we’ve sunk so low in world rugby that we merit, at best, a third or fourth-ranked referee?

Ireland versus Australia was second versus fourth in the world. It was given to a French referee. The assistant referee, Cameron Stone, has no experience, even at Super Rugby level. How the hell was he given a Test?”

Israel Folau’s yellow card was, he said, “utter nonsense”.

“If this continues, we are taking all the athleticism out of the game. Folau under the high ball is a magnificent spectacle. It’s glorious sporting aesthetics but he collides with someone

who hits the ground and Folau is suspended for a week. Someone is kidding. Everything you do in a contact sport is capable of incurring an injury.

If you don’t want to take that risk, you don’t play.”

Jones offered qualified praise for the touring Irish, declaring that “considering all the circumstances, the Wallabies did well to get as close to Ireland as they did.”

But he also declared that Ireland “can’t win the World Cup with this side”. There are, he said, “too many players who will be over the hill by the time the World Cup comes around”.

“They will have to rebuild,” he said.

Jones may need to brush up on his research. Apart from Rory Best (35) and Johnny Sexton (33), the Irish squad has a remarkably young nucleus with James Ryan (21), Tadhg Beirne (26), Garry Ringrose (23) and Jordan Larmour (21) already blooded.

NOT so long ago, tours to Australia

by Irish rugby teams were treated with benevolent disdain.

Some of this was of Ireland’s own making. After all, one had to trudge back to 1979 to find an Irish win over the Wallabies on Australian soil. And so when the Irish came, the Test matches were scheduled as ‘second-tier’ events, despatched to ‘non rugby’ venues in Perth (1999, 2003 and 2006) and Melbourne (2008).

Brisbane hosted the Irish in 1999 and 2010 but you have to go back to 1994 to find an Ireland v Australia Test match in Sydney.

The June series, and its dramatic finale in Sydney, was a triumph on every level. Three relatively full stadiums, excellent rugby and an economic bonanza for the host cities as expats and local rugby fans embraced the historic tour.

Rugby Australia perhaps underestimated the determination of expat fans to be at all three test matches but they won’t again.

As Irish back-rower Jack Conan remarked after the Sydney Test: “To look around the stadium and see so many green jerseys and scarves was absolutely fantastic, and I know it means a lot to the lads that people turned out the way they did.”

(As an aside, the AFL must be kicking itself that it has failed to ever bring the International Rules series to Sydney and the Football Federation of Australia may now be able to make the case to stump up enough money to attract Martin O’Neill’s team to Australia).

For Joe Schmidt, the successful tour delivered much more than another trophy. Winning was sweet but he also blooded a cohort of young players who will be called on to contribute to Ireland’s Rugby World Cup campaign next year in Japan. Tadhg Beirne, Niall Scannell, Rob Herring, Joey Carberry and Jordan Larmour will all become more familiar to us as the World Cup looms.

But this tour has also recalibrated the rugby relationship between the two countries, reigniting a rivalry that was allowed to fallow.

24

July, 2018 I www.irishecho.com.au

AUST R ALIA’S IR ISH NE WSPAP E R

IF YOU LIKED RIVERDANCE, YOU’LL LOVE THIS

A THRILLING EVENING OF HIGH ENERGY DANCE AND EXPLOSIVE RHYTHMS

THE PALMS AT CROWN, MELBOURNE 31 JULY-5 AUGUST 8 SHOWS ONLY

CAPITOL THEATRE, SYDNEY 7-12 AUGUST 8 SHOWS ONLY

irishceltic.com.au

Produced by Indigo Productions, Diamond Dance Productions, Lunchbox Theatrical Productions and David Atkins Enterprises Artistic Director: Toby Gough • Choreographies: Denise Flynn - Jim Murrihy • Musical Director: Anthony Davis