Irish Echo October 2018

BREXIT

DAMIEN DEMPSEY

PAGE 14-15

INTERVIEW :: PAGE 4

Hard Border A Step Closer As Britain Digs In Over EU Exit

Dublin Urban Folk Star Set To Renew Aussie Acquaintances

For breaking news visit www.irishecho.com.au

AUST RALI A’ S I RI S H N E WS PA P E R October, 2018 | Volume 31 – Number 10

Wilson to star in Sydney Theatre Company production of Beauty Queen Of Leenane Page 6

Rebel Wilson will star in Martin McDonagh’s black comedy.

VARADKAR’S VISION FOR IRISH ECONOMY

Ireland to become Euro tech capital, Taoiseach Aoife Moore

TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar has said that Ireland is well on its way to becoming the tech capital of Europe and, despite Brexit, will continue to offer a stable and strong corporation tax regime for tech companies.

Mr Varadkar was speaking at the opening of the Data Summit 2018 in Dublin Castle last week.

“Seeing the world’s leading tech companies represented here reinforces my belief that we are on the way to becoming the tech capital of Europe,” he said. “From being an inward-looking country at the edge of Europe, Ireland has become a multicultural and globalised country, a melting pot of nationalities, proud to engage with the world.

Changes that have occurred at a speed many believed impossible.”

Mr Varadkar added that 2018 is a time when globalisation, free trade and multilateralism are seen negatively in some parts of the world while Ireland has become a beacon for liberal western democratic values.

“No matter what happens with Brexit, Ireland will continue to provide a stable and competitive corporation tax regime, strong incentives for research and development, an agile, capable and cosmopolitan work-force, open skilled migration, membership of the single European market and the eurozone that we have to defend.”

The Data Summit 2018 is intended to showcase the Irish government’s determination to stay at the forefront of data and digital-related commerce and was attended by companies like Facebook, Google, IDA Ireland, LinkedIn, Microsoft and Arthur Cox. The summit coincided with the announcement that two hundred more jobs are to be created at Microsoft in Ireland. The technology giant is seeking engineers to work on emerging areas such as artificial intelligence for customers across the globe, as well as a range of other roles. It will bring the total employed in Ireland to 2,200.

Cathriona Hallahan, managing director, Microsoft Ireland, said: “The broad-based expansion of Microsoft in Ireland reflects the dynamism, energy and continued transformation of our team in Dublin.”

Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Josepha Madigan welcomed Microsoft’s announcement which, she said, “shows the progress we are making in our mission to make this countr y an innovative, digital economy and a global leader for the tech sector.”

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A U S TRA L IA’S IRIS H N EWS PAPER

news AUSTRALIA’S MISS UNIVERSE HOPEFUL CLAIMS BOTH IRISH AND CHINESE BACKGROUND

Francesca’s not Hung up on cultural heritage Fiona Brady PERHAPS it’s her Irish heritage, but new Miss Universe Australia Francesca Hung definitely has the gift of the gab.

It’s a gift that’s come in useful for all the media interviews she’s had to do since winning the title at the end of June. A lot of the media focus has been on her cultural background – Hung has a Chinese-born dad and an Irish-Australian mum – and the fact she never expected to win because of it.

“I never thought that my looks would be the right ones to represent Australia in the Miss Universe Australia competition,” she said. “I never thought I looked like the typical Aussie girl.”

She was so shocked when her name was announced as the winner that she “burst out crying”.

“Everyone kept saying, ‘make sure you prepare in case you win’….I just thought ‘I’m not going to win so I don’t need to do that’.”

While her dad came to Australia from China as a youngster, Hung’s Irish ancestry is on her mum’s side.

“My mum’s name is Kerry Anne Hegarty..she’s a flaming red head with freckles and pale skin,” she said with a laugh. “She can put on the best Irish accent. You would think she was straight from Dublin.”

Ms Hegarty said her side of the fam-

ily still feel a sense of Irishness.

“When we get together, we sing the Irish songs… and somehow, it’s still there,” she said.

While Ms Hegarty has been to Ireland a couple of times, she hasn’t researched her family history in any great depth – yet.

“This has inspired me to do some further investigation,” she said.

She’s very proud of her beautiful daughter who at times felt “a little out of step” with other children growing up on Sydney’s very ‘Anglo’ northern beaches.

“We would say to the kids to be proud of your heritage and embrace it.

But of course, that takes time and a bit of maturity sometimes.”

Hung hopes to be a role model for other young Australians from culturally diverse backgrounds.

“I’ve had a lot of (young people) message me on Instagram or send me emails who have said…that they’re excited to have someone in the media who is talking about growing up being different.

“That’s motivating me – to keep pushing the message that being different is cool.”

Francesca Hung will represent Australia in the Miss Universe finals in Bangkok in December. She may also have two other nations cheering her on.

Francesca Hung with her Irish Australian mum Kerry Anne Hegarty.

INTERNATIONAL COMMEMORATION OF THE GREAT IRISH FAMINE

Melbourne to host Famine event Fiona Brady

The Famine Rock at Williamstown.

THE FAMINE monument at Williamstown in suburban Melbourne will host this year’s International Commemoration of the Great Famine, the Irish Government has announced.

It is the first time Melbourne has hosted the event which takes place in a different country each year.

The ceremony will take place on Sunday, October 28 and Melbourne Irish Famine Commemoration Committee’s chairman Dr Val Noone said he and his team were “honoured” to be chosen.

The Williamstown Famine Rock was erected 20 years ago to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the arrival of 191 Irish orphan girls into Hobson’s Bay aboard the Lady Kennaway.

The impoverished girls from Irish workhouses were brought out to Australia between 1848 and 1850 to become servants and wives under the Earl Grey Emigration Scheme.

Dr Noone said descendants of the orphan girls’ will attend this month’s commemoration which will also include Irish music and song, flowerlaying and speeches.

“We pass the microphone around and give them a chance to tell us who they are descended from, what age they were when they came, and what ship they came on,” he said.

“When you think of what it was like for those girls, many of them only 14 or 15 years of age, to step ashore in Melbourne, 20,000 kilometres from home facing a terrific challenge.”

Irish Minister for Culture Josepha Madigan said some 1700 of the 4000-

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plus young Irish women who came to Australia under the Earl Grey scheme first landed in Melbourne.

“This year’s commemoration represents an opportunity to not only honour the work of the Irish community in Melbourne in preserving its history but also to pay special tribute to the memory of those young women and their contribution to their adopted homeland,” she said.

Sadly when the girls first arrived, some of the local press whipped up anti-Irish feeling.

The Melbourne Argus newspaper was par ticularly harsh, describing them as “ignorant creatures, whose knowledge of household duty barely reaches to distinguishing the inside from the outside of a potato”.

Dr Noone said they would have needed “courage and determination”

to deal with the discrimination, prejudice and racism they encountered.

“It is moving to think that those girls, scorned and libelled by the local press when they arrived, are being remembered and honoured,” he said.

Irish studies Professor Elizabeth Malcolm is a great-great granddaughter of Margaret Cooke from Co Kildare who came to Australia on the Earl Grey scheme when she was just 16.

“I have often taught the Famine to students, so I am very familiar with its horrors,” Prof Malcolm said. “When I discovered I had an orphan ancestor, it was exciting at first, but, on reflection, I found it very sad. Margaret must have had a pretty terrible early life.”

Dr Noone said they’d been having annual community commemorations at Williamstown since the memorial was first erected 20 years ago.

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irish australia GROUNDED DUBLIN SINGER EAGER TO GET BACK TO AUSTRALIA

Dempsey’s ‘ready for anything’ David Hennessy

ONE of Ireland’s most distinctive voices and passionate performers returns to Australia this November.

Since the release of his debut They Don’t Teach This Shit in School in 2000, Damien Dempsey has earned the admiration of performers as diverse as Sinead O’Connor, Mor rissey and Bruce Springsteen.

His style has been called ‘urban folk’ but he prefers to call it ‘Irish soul’ and the Dubliner is never inhibited about weighing into political debates and championing community causes.

He returns to Australia in November to headline the Sydney Irish Festival which will also feature Mary Black, Lunasa and Saint Sister (see page 6).

“I never performed with Mary but I would know her kids well,” Damien tells The Irish Echo. “You never know, we might do something at the end of the night if she’s into it. With Lunasa and that, get a bit of a singsong going.

I always stick in a few of the old Irish songs because they have such great memories, the songs of our ancestors.

They’re just like old ghosts and you just have to breathe new life into them and they come alive.

“I want to get ever yone in those showgrounds to feel on cloud nine, make them feel as high as they can. A natural high. Get them all singing.

Singing is a great way to get people high. To get them all singing in unison, it releases endorphins. It’s great.”

Dempsey is no stranger to playing to huge Irish crowds abroad and has played to St Patrick’s Day crowds in Australia before.

“Years ago, [playing to large crowds] might have frightened me but I’m kind of ready now for big venues. It took me a while, the nerves used to kill me but I’m ready now. I’m kind of ready for anything now, I think.”

He recalls a memorable night in Sydney in 2013 when he played the Opera House on St Patrick’s Day. “The Sydney Opera House have never seen a crowd like it. They were up on the seats with the tops off, arm in arm, singing the songs and they

Damien Dempsey’s November tour coincides with the release of his ninth album, Union.

drank the bar dry in about 40 minutes.

They had to close the bar because they drank every bit of alcohol, everything was gone so the Opera House (officials and staff) were just going around with their mouths open, just ‘what the hell?’

“They had never seen an audience like it but they were no trouble, just everybody in great form and singing the songs. I’ve done a couple of Paddy’s days there (Australia) and it’s always very emotional.”

The Dubliner’s music resonates very strongly in emigrant communities and he empathises with those who may have been forced to leave home.

“A lot of them have had to leave Ireland and maybe leave old parents behind that they’re worried about, but they’ve no choice. My parents are in their seventies and they wouldn’t be in

VISA-BILITY Your visa questions answered

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This means that more of your mother’s children must be living in Australia than in any other country.

great health, the thought of having to live abroad and not be around for them, I would find it very hard. I feel for the guys who have to be away.”

Having lived in New York and London as well as elsewhere in Dublin in spells, Damien now lives in his native Donaghmede: “I was always being told by people during the Celtic Tiger: ‘Buy a house now, get on the property ladder now. It will never go down’. I kind of felt there was a recession coming so I waited and then when the market was rock bottom, I had some savings and got a house in Donaghmede.”

Two recent Irish TV appearances have thrown him into the public spotlight even more than usual. He appeared on the Tommy Tiernan show where he spoke about battles with depression and his ancestry was ex-

plored on an episode of Who Do You Think You Are?.

“I had ancestors in the Irish Citizen Army that fought with James Connolly and it went in depth into stories of other people who fought during the famine and were imprisoned with Daniel O’Connell.

“Then there was protestant blood on one of the sides which was a shock for a lot of people. Not to me, I don’t go in for all that really.

“Then my family went to America working in cotton mills over there in horrendous conditions. Some of them disappeared and some of them came back. I was in the school in Letterfrack getting the story of what happened to the children. I was in prisons in Dublin where Fenians were sent and City Hall where my great aunt took the building

So if you are an only child, this is met, similarly if you have only one other sibling living outside Australia; you still meet the test.

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These longer visitor visas can only be applied for whilst you are outside Australia.

If you have applied for a parent visa and are currently in the queueawaiting grant, you can get a longer stay visitor visa of up to five years.

The visa allows multiple entries, but you can only stay for a maximum of 12 months in any

18-month period. For instance, if you have just spent 12 months in Australia, you would need to spend at least the next six months outside the country. Otherwise, Immigration may deem you are trying to take up residence and may cancel the visa.

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The long visitor visas are a good alternative to parent visas, allowing a significant amount of time in Australia. But if the plan is to live here long term, applying for a parent visa sooner rather than later may well save your family on increasing visa fees.

in 1916. Fairly interesting.”

His Australian tour coincides with the release of his ninth album, Union.

“It includes collaborations that I’ve done with people like Maverick Sabre who is a great singer. Imelda May is on it, Seamus Begley, Finbar Furey and John Grant. I think they’re all fairly powerful (songs),” he says.

Dan Sultan, the Irish-Australian indigenous singer, also joins him on the song, It’s Important.

“Dan wanted to come to Ireland, to Mullingar to see where his people came from. They asked me would I bring him on tour with me around Ireland. I hung out with him down there and he taught me a lot about Aboriginal culture. He’s a great old friend. I’m looking forward to seeing him when I get to Melbourne.”

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 Network Distribution Services

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irish australia AUSTRALIAN TOUR A ‘DREAM COME TRUE’ FOR SAINT SISTER

Electro-folk duo embark on first Australian tour David Hennessy THE Irish Times says, “their haunting performance is impeccable”, while Hot Press laud their “tremendous vocal depth and vulnerability”.

They once sang with world conquering Hozier at Trinity College and now, Irish electro-folk duo Saint Sister are headed to Australia for their first tour which will include Sydney Irish Festival and Mullum Music Festival.

Described as a mix of early harp traditional, folk and electronic pop or simply ‘atmosfolk’, Saint Sister is made up of Gemma Doherty and Morgan MacIntyre, who first came together in 2014. Their first trip down under comes immediately after the October release of their debut album, Shape of Silence, produced by Alex Ryan (Hozier’s bassist).

“I’ve always wanted to come and see Australia and we definitely weren’t expecting to be able to go this soon,” Doherty tells The Irish Echo.

MacIntyre adds: “It’s a dream come true to be able to get to go to Australia at this stage. We’re really looking forward to it.”

The band will join big names like Damien Dempsey, Mary Black and Lunasa for the Sydney Irish Festival that takes place over the weekend of 10-11 November and also includes a hurling match between Kilkenny and Galway.

Gemma says: “It’s very exciting.

I came from a very traditional Irish background so it’s where a lot of our influences come from, maybe they don’t come directly out on the surface but that’s kind of the world I grew up in so it’s really lovely to be able to cross over into that more traditional Irish folk

world sometimes. I’m really excited about that line-up.”

MacIntyre believes expat audiences will relate to Saint Sister’s sound with its innate sense of longing.

“I think Irish music in general has a lot of nostalgia and longing and yearning,” she says.

“Every kind of Irish music somehow has that innate sense of longing. I think it’s just the make up of us as a country and because we have such a big diaspora, that longing is exacerbated and exaggerated in those forms (music, literature).

“Music is such a big connector as well. I think we’re lucky as Irish musicians that when we’re travelling around the world , we have this ready made group of people that understand us and it’s probably not the same for other people whose nationalities doesn’t have as big a diaspora.

“I think that makes it very easy to relate to and it makes it easy for touring musicians from Ireland because you can go away and know you’ll be understood and that your sense of identity and longing and all that stuff that comes with being an Irish person will translate.”

Doherty adds: “It’s incredible to be going to the other side of the world and having a huge bunch of people who have already come from where you’ve come from. Hopefully there’s a connection there already.”

From Derry and Belfast respectively, Doherty and MacIntyre moved to Dublin in 2010 to study at Trinity College where they met. They sang in the Trinity Orchestra together with Hozier before deciding to join together for their own project. Their sound can be

EXPAT AUTHOR A KIDS BESTSELLER

Saint Sister, Gemma Doherty and Morgan MacIntyre, are touring Australia for the first time. described as dreamy, a feeling that is created by their atmospheric sound and beautiful harmonies.

Their album title, Shape Of Silence, comes, MacIntyre says, from their interest in “the idea of space and what can be said and what can be felt in the gaps, whether it is gaps in the lyrics or the music. And what can be said when you’re not saying anything.

“Silence is quite a deadly thing and quite a powerful thing. We thought it

was interesting to think about it as something you can touch and hold and that had weight and was very heavy, so that’s where Shape of Silence came from. It seemed to suit the kind of world we were going for.”

The album has slowly come together over the last three years as the offers to gig kept coming in, disrupting what could have been writing or recording time. However, this suited them as they still were able to put out material such

as their Madrid EP or Tin Man single, both tracks that feature on the album.

Saint Sister play Sydney Irish Festival on Saturday November 10, Northcote Social Club, Melbourne on Sunday November 11, The Lansdowne in Sydney on Tuesday November 13 and Mullum Music Festival on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 November. For more information, go to www. saintsisterband.com

REBEL WILSON TO PLAY LEAD IN MARTIN MCDONAGH CLASSIC

Dubliner’s Grandpa yarn a big hit with little readers

Stage set for Wilson

David Hennessy

Staff reporters

A DUBLIN author living in Sydney has followed up his best-selling debut children’s book with a second story which aims to help children deal with fear of the dark.

Grandpa’s Space Adventure by Paul Newman sees a grandad teaching his young grandson that he does not need to be afraid of the dark, with the help of some ‘tall stories’ brought to life by award-winning illustrator Tom Jellett.

Paul Newman, originally from Portmarnock, told The Irish Echo: “The first book is a grandfather trying to get his grandson to swim and he just tells some real tall stories in order to get his grandson into the pool.

“It was amusing to me but I went off to work that day and I came in that evening and read it again and thought, ‘this is not a bad little idea’.

“In the second book, the kid is afraid of the dark. Grandpa says: ‘we’ll go camping in the backyard tonight. You have to have the dark, otherwise you wouldn’t be able to see the stars or the moon and if you can’t see the moon, you can’t go to the moon’.”

Grandpa’s Big Adventure became a bestseller in Australia and was last year shortlisted for the Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Award. It also attracted praise in the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Awards.

“I think one of the reasons that the schoolteachers like it is because they

REBEL Wilson will play the female lead in Martin McDonagh’s Beauty Queen Of Leenane for the Sydney Theatre Company next year.

The star of movies like Pitch Perfect and Bridesmaids returns to the Sydney stage in the ink-black modern classic

by Academy Award-winning writer McDonagh who wrote and directed the Oscar-winning Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

Wilson’s appearance in this Sydney Theatre Company production is sure to generate plenty of interest when it premieres next November.

The play is part of McDonagh’s Leenane Trilogy alongside A Skull In Connemara and The Lonesome West.

“The Beauty Queen of Leenane is one of my favourite plays,” Wilson said.

“It’s a fascinating look at a complicated relationship between a mother and daughter, written by my favourite playwright, Martin McDonagh.

“He writes such dark and comedic characters – I’ve always been drawn to his work.

“I am really excited to come back to STC to be in this play.

“The Beauty Queen of Leenane was the first professional play that I ever saw and I saw it at STC when I was 19 years old. I was just blown away by how talented the actors were and how great the play was.

“Then I performed in that same theatre a few months later in my first

Sydney Irish author Paul Newman

can ask kids: ‘Is there anything you are afraid of? Are you afraid of swimming?’

It is nice when you hear that it is used as a teaching aid. Reviews are all saying it’s nice because it’s not sentimental and adults will get something out of it reading it for kids.

“There’s always a little line in there for the grown ups or maybe something thrown into the illustrations.”

Newman has lived in Australia for 30 years and now calls Sydney home.

He is the father of 16-year-old twins and says his experience of being a parent informs his writing. He is also the author of the novel, Fin Rising, a mysterious, dark Irish comedy.

He says he is very keen to continue his series but “that’s entirely up to the people at Penguin”.

Grandpa’s Space Adventure and Grandpa’s Big Adventure are both published through Penguin.

Rebel Wilson says she’s a big fan of Martin McDonagh’s work.

proper play, Spurboard, for ATYP and STC Education. So, to me, the play holds a lot of significance – I hope I can do it justice.”

Set in a small Connemara town, Maureen Folan lives a lonely existence with Mag, her aged mother.

Their relationship is more arm wrestle than warm embrace.

Right now, when Maureen stands the chance of having her first romantic relationship, Mag’s cantankerous presence is simply unbearable.

This play was the first big hit for McDonagh, whose films also include the hugely popular In Bruges.

Rebel Wilson said she is excited by her return to live theatre.

“There’s something very special and

very magical about seeing theatre. I can’t get enough of going. I love that it’s an immediate experience.

“The cool thing is that every theatrical performance is different and it depends on the audience and the energy in the room.

“Just those people there share that one, live, personal experience. You can’t get that from a movie or a TV show, it’s such a particular experience.

That’s why, despite all the technological advances in entertainment, people still go to the theatre – and have for hundreds of years.

“You just can’t beat the shared experience of theatre.”

The play is par t of the Sydney Theatre Company’s 2019 Program.

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MICHAEL D HIGGINS FACES FIVE CHALLENGERS IN ELECTION FOR IRISH HEAD OF STATE

The six candidates in the Irish presidential poll: (from left) Michael D Higgins, Liadh Ní Ríada, Sean Gallagher, Joan Freeman, Gavin Duffy and Peter Casey.

Six candidates for presidency poll Rebecca Black

SIX candidates are in the mix for next month’s presidential election in Ireland. The poll takes place on Friday, October 26.

Every Irish citizen who is 18 years of age and included in the register of electors for a constituency is entitled to vote at the election. The total electorate currently stands at some 3.3 million. You must be ‘ordinarily resident’ in the state in order to be eligible to vote so non-resident citizens are excluded from the poll.

The incumbent, Michael D Higgins, is considered a strong favourite to win a second term but he faces a challenge from five ambitious candidates. The full field consists of: Peter Casey Der r y-bor n businessman Peter Casey became the third star of RTE’s Dragons’ Den to secure the support of four councils to run for president.

The 60-year-old is the founder of recruitment firm Claddagh Resources.

Mr Casey set up his business in 1995 in Atlanta. It operates from five locations across the world, including its European base in Buncrana, Co Donegal. He lives in the United States with his wife Helen and their five children but regularly retur ns to Ireland. Mr Casey studied business administration politics and economics at Aston University in Birmingham before starting his career by joining Rank Xerox UK as a sales representative in 1979.

He has mooted an entrance to politics in the past. In 2015, he indicated he was considering running for the Dáil and attempted to be elected to Seanad Eireann as part of the Industrial and Commercial Panel in 2016.

He has written a number of opinion

pieces in newspapers and also wrote a book about the histor y of the Tata Group which was published in 2014.

Speaking about his campaign to be President, Mr Casey said he is not running to lose and is prepared to spend up to €750,000. He is third Dragons’ Den entrepreneur to seek a nomination after Sean Gallagher and Gavin Duffy. Mr Casey won nominations from Limerick City and County Council, Tipperary County Council, Clare County Council and Ker r y County Council.

Liadh Ní Ríada Liadh Ní Ríada was unveiled as Sinn Féin’s chosen candidate last week. She was hot favourite for the nomination ever since the party signalled its intent to run. The former television producer from Dublin is the daughter of legendary Irish trad musician and composer Seán Ó Ríada.

Ms Ní Ríada entered the political arena in 2011 by joining Sinn Féin.

The married mother of three daughters was elected in 2014 as one of her party’s four MEPs on the island of Ireland, representing the South constituency. The 51-year-old is the youngest of the five confirmed candidates and one of two women in the race.

She has faced considerable adversity in her personal life, losing both parents at an early age.

Her first husband also died when she was in her 20s. In the European Parliament, Ms Ní Ríada has been a vocal advocate for the Irish fishing industr y, and critical of the Common Fisheries Policy, arguing the Irish have not received their fair share of the fishing quota.

Before her political career, she served on the board tasked with setting up Ireland’s Irish language television channel, TG4. She also worked as

a producer for state broadcaster RTE. She ran her own production company for several years, and has been an advocate of the Irish language.

Ms Ní Ríada currently lives in the Muskerry Gaeltacht, an Irish speaking area of Co Cork.

Michael D Higgins The sitting President, 77, was born in Limerick and had an academic career in the 1960s-70s, teaching sociology in Ireland and the United States.

He entered the political arena in the late 1960s, joining the Labour Party and served as a senator in the 1980s before representing Galway West in the Dáil from 1987 to 2011.

Mr Higgins is a fluent Irish speaker and served as minister for arts, culture and the Gaeltacht in the 1990s. He is also a published poet and has presented TV documentaries.

Mr Higgins was first elected president in 2011 after running as an independent candidate. He made history in 2014 when he became the first Irish President to undertake an official state visit to the UK. Earlier this year, he welcomed Pope Francis to Ireland, the first papal visit in almost 40 years.

As the current president, Mr Higgins is able to nominate himself as an independent candidate for another seven years in office. However, he has secured the backing of Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Labour, who have agreed not to field candidates from their own parties.

Sean Gallagher The 56-year-old businessman and for mer Dragons’ Den star from Ballyhaise, County Cavan, finished second in the 2011 Irish presidential election. He secured more than half a million first preference votes, but lost out to Mr Higgins. Mr Gallagher has described himself as coming from the

“Fianna Fáil gene pool”, but is running as an independent.

In 2002 he co-founded Smarthomes, a home technology business. The company won numerous awards for innovation, and Mr Gallagher was a finalist in the 2006 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year contest.

Mr Gallagher became a public figure during his time as an investor on RTE One’s Dragons’ Den from 2008 to 2011.

Last year, State broadcaster R TE apologised to Mr Gallagher over a fake tweet read out during a live TV debate during the last election campaign.

The tweet, which accused Mr Gallagher of collecting funds for Fianna Fáil, was purported to be from an official account linked to the late Martin McGuinness, who also ran for president in 2011.

However, it later emerged the account was not the official campaign account of the Sinn Féin candidate.

Mr Gallagher had been leading some opinion polls in the 2011 race prior to the tweet furore in the closing stages of the campaign.

Mr Gallagher won the backing of Roscommon, Mayo, Leitrim and Wexford councils, and was the first independent candidate nominated.

Gavin Duffy The entrepreneur and businessman from Sallins, Co Kildare, is best known for his role on the RTE programme Dragons’ Den. Mr Duffy, 58, started his career as a shareholder in radio stations, and in 1992 he co-founded a media and management consultancy.

He is the former owner of HRM, one of Ireland’s largest recruitment companies. His early career in the media included presenting the first RTE television business programme, Marketplace; broadcasting on Morning Ireland on RTE Radio One, and found-

ing regional radio station LMFM. Later, Mr Duffy became a serial entrepreneur and is now a veteran of over 40 start-ups. His venture capital portfolio has been concentrated on recruitment, professional development, education and media.

He has been a panellist on the Irish version of Dragons’ Den for all eight seasons since the show began in 2009.

Mr Duffy has worked in the past as an adviser to both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail. Mr Duffy will run as an independent candidate after securing his nomination by winning the backing of Water for d, Meath, Carlow and Wicklow councils.

Joan Freeman The independent member of the Irish Seanad is a psychologist and mental health activist from Dublin.

Senator Freeman has served on the Seanad since May 2016 after being nominated by the then Taoiseach Enda Kenny. She is the chairperson on the committee on mental health.

The 60-year-old founded Pieta House, a suicide intervention charity, in 2006 in Lucan, Co Dublin. It now boasts 12 additional centres around Ireland. She also founded the annual fundraising event Darkness into Light in aid of Pieta House. The event began with 400 participants in 2008 and has since grown with approximately 200,000 people participating in the 2018 events held across Ireland, and around the world including Australia.

She resigned from Pieta House in 2014, in order to concentrate on developing Solace House, a similar charity based in New York City launched in 2015. Senator Freeman will run as an independent. She earned the backing of Galway City Council as well as Galway County, Fingal and Cork County councils.

IRELAND’S PRESIDENT CALLS FOR DIGNITY ON CAMPAIGN TRAIL AHEAD OF ELECTION

Candidates plough into campaign Michelle Devane PRESIDENT Michael D Higgins has said he wants the presidential election campaign to address “real issues” and be “dignified”. Mr Higgins, who formally opened the first day of the national ploughing championships in Co Offaly last week, said he was very much looking forward to the campaign.

“Let it be about real issues and let it be dignified,” the president said.

“I’ve never run away from a campaign in my life,” he said. “I’ve answered questions, I think, for about 30 or 40 years in relation to campaigns and I’m looking forward to it.”

Dragons’ Den stars Sean Gallagher and Gavin Duffy, as well as Pieta House founder and senator Joan Freeman, all of whom have entered the race for Aras an Uachtarain, were also pitching

for votes at the championships.

It is the second time Mr Higgins is going head-to-head against Mr Gallagher. Mr Higgins pipped him to the post in 2011. Mr Gallagher said he was looking forward to a “positive and engaging” campaign.

The businessman said Mr Higgins had wished him well and Mr Gallagher said he had congratulated him for the last seven years of his contribution to the Irish people.

Mr Gallagher said he was not seeking the job for the big pay cheque.

“I’m not seeking the role of president to do with the salary,” he said. “I’m concerned about the job itself and how I can use my skills and experience at this juncture in our history to help be of service to the Irish people.”

Mr Duffy said he had received a warm welcome from farmers as he

arrived. He said rural development was needed to keep people in communities in particular in communities along the western seaboard.

“I’m somebody who understands those issues and I feel I’ve something to contribute to the national conversation,” Mr Duffy said.

Sinn Féin candidate Liadh Ní Ríada has pledged to be a new president for a new Ireland. The MEP also vowed to initiate an “inclusive citizens’ conversation” on Irish unification if elected head of state in October’s poll.

“Ireland has radically changed since the last presidential election,” she told supporters in Dublin after her nomination was confirmed. “But we are only at the beginning of this new chapter.

It’s time for all of us, particularly our younger generation, to write our own story, to shape a new, united Ireland.”

James Coffee from Roscommon kisses his horse alongside President Michael D Higgins at the Irish 2018 National Ploughing Championship.

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CRANBERRIES SINGER DOLORES O’RIORDAN DROWNED IN HOTEL BATH

Singer’s death ‘an accident’, coroner THE Cranberries frontwoman Dolores O’Riordan drowned in a London hotel room bath after drinking alcohol, an inquest heard.

The iconic singer, from Kilmallock, Co Limerick, was pronounced dead aged 46 on January 15 at the Hilton Hotel in Park Lane where she had been staying while recording. Coroner Shirley Radcliffe told an inquest at Westminster Coroner’s Court that the cause of death was drowning due to alcohol intoxication and concluded that the death was an accident.

Pc Natalie Smart, who attended the scene, said: “I saw Mrs O’Riordan submerged in the bath with her nose and mouth fully under the water.”

The inquest heard that there were empty bottles in the room - five miniature bottles and a bottle of champagne - as well as containers of prescription drugs with a quantity of tablets in each container. Toxiclocology tests showed only “therapeutic” amounts of medica-

tion in O’Riordan’s blood, but showed up 330mg of alcohol per 100mls of blood - meaning she was more than four times the legal limit for driving.

The coroner said it would seem that

WILD WEATHER

GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS

Eileen O’Riordan (left) leaving Westminster Coroner’s Court after an inquest into the death of her daughter, Dolores O’Riordan (right).

O’Riordan - who was wearing a longsleeved vest and pyjama bottoms - became unconscious in the bath, adding: “There’s no evidence that this was anything other than an accident.”

The inquest, which was attended by O’Riordan’s mother, brother and sisterin-law, heard that the singer checked into the hotel on January 14.

She was in touch with room service at around midnight and phoned her mother at around 3am. She was later found unresponsive in the bathroom and confirmed dead at 9.16am.

The inquest heard that O’Riordan had bipolar disorder but responded well to treatment. The hearing was also told that she went through periods of abstention and periods of excessive drinking. The inquest heard that he had spoken to psychiatrist Dr Seamus O Ceallaigh on January 9 and was in “good spirits”.

O’Riordan, who would have turned 47 on the day of the inquest, was renowned for her distinctive singing voice. In a statement issued after the hearing, the band said: “On January 15th 2018 we lost our dear friend and band mate Dolores O’Riordan.

“Today we continue to struggle to come to terms with what happened.

“Our heartfelt condolences go out to Dolores’ children and her family and our thoughts are with them today.

“Dolores will live on eternally in her music. To see how much of a positive impact she had on people’s lives has been a source of great comfort to us.

“We’d like to say thank you to all of our fans for the outpouring of messages and their continued support during this very difficult time.

“We request, please, for our privacy to be respected at this time.”

The band enjoyed huge success in the 1990s with tracks including Zombie and Linger. O’Riordan - who was also a member of alternative rock group DARK - had been working on a new studio album with The Cranberries in the months before her death.

In 2014, O’Riordan split from her husband of 20 years, former Duran Duran tour manager Don Burton.

The destroyed caravan at Clifden.

Woman dies after caravan blown off cliff-edge Michael McHugh and Cate McCurry

A SWISS WOMAN who died after the caravan she was in was blown off a cliff during a major storm has been named as Elvira Ferraii.

The holidaymaker was staying at the Clifden ecoBeach Camping and Caravan Park in Co Galway when a severe gust took her caravan over the side and down onto a beach.

Emergency services were called to the scene but the victim, aged in her 50s, was pronounced dead at the scene after a brief search. She was reported to have been staying at the remote beauty spot for several weeks.

Ireland was battered by some of the worst winds recorded at this time of year, the conditions wreaking havoc on power supplies and roads - and costing two lives.

Irish President Michael D Higgins was among those who expressed condolences following the Republic’s tragedy.

He said: “I would also take this opportunity to pay tribute to all those, in statutory and voluntary organisations around the country, who are helping and stand ready to assist their fellow citizens, and who are working to maintain essential services around the country.”

Ireland’s Minister for Employment Regina Doherty also offered her condolences to the dead woman’s family.

Footage of the scene shows the caravan broken up into several pieces as the tide threatens to wash it out to sea.

Speedy butcher Barry John Crowe, 28, from Co Cavan, made 78 sausages in a minute ro stake his claim in the latest edition of Guinness World Records.

Picture: Paul Michael Hughes/Guinness World Records/PA Wire

TAOISEACH SLAMS ‘SEXIST AND BACKWARD’ IRISH CONSTITUTION

Women’s ‘role within the home’ clause under scrutiny Cate McCurry THE Taoiseach has described parts of the Irish constitution as “sexist and backward”.

Referring to the controversial clause which prioritises a women’s domestic role, Leo Varadkar slammed it as “insulting and outdated” and called for it to be removed from the constitution.

Article 41.2 of the Constitution says the State “recognises that by her life within the home, woman gives to the State a support without which the common good cannot be achieved”.

“The State shall, therefore, endeavour to ensure that mothers shall not be obliged by economic necessity to engage in labour to the neglect of their duties in the home.”

Mr Varadkar also told the first

International Congress of Parliamentary Women’s Caucuses that women are underrepresented in decision-making structures across private and public sectors. Speaking at Dublin Castle about the clause, Mr Varadkar said: “Despite some of the changes we have made to the Irish constitution in recent months, many aspects of the Irish constitution are still sexist and still backward. I know there are some people who are opposed to changing this, to taking this language out of our constitution, saying it’s only symbolic.

“But I think symbols and gestures matter. A women’s place is where she wants it to be and our constitution should say no different.

“So as a government we support a referendum on the role of women at home, (to) remove this outdated and

insulting language from our constitution, without diminishing the good work that carers do in our society.”

The global gathering included parliamentarians and diplomats representing more than 40 countries, including Australia, as well as activists, writers, artists and academics.

In his address, Mr Varadkar said that 19 women have held ministerial roles in the Irish government.

“But it’s still far too few and something has to change,” he added.

“Barriers that women face when it comes to full and equal participation in political process are many.

“A lack of encouragement can sometimes lead to a lack of confidence.

“We need a change in our culture as well as a change in our policies.”

He also said that job sharing roles in

government is becoming more popular.

“I’m absolutely certain we get better decisions and outcomes when there is a diversity of views and backgrounds around the table,” he added.

“Part of the solution has to be reducing the barriers facing many mothers working outside of the home.

“Women are still very much underrepresented in the decision making structures and across all sectors.”

Earlier this year the Republic of Ireland backed a referendum to liberalise its abortion laws.

Mr Varadkar said: “In the battle for women’s rights and women’s freedoms, in Ireland over 100 years ago many windows were smashed and women’s right for freedom was won.

“Now we have to decide what type of society we want to see through.”

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A U S TRA L IA’S IRIS H N EWS PAPER

ireland US PRESIDENT WILL NOT NOW VISIT IRELAND IN NOVEMBER

Proposed Trump visit postponed Cate McCurry

LEO Varadkar has confirmed that US President Donald Trump has postponed his proposed visit to Ireland.

The White House announced that Mr Trump will travel to Paris for a commemoration of the centenary of the First World War Armistice. Mr Trump was then due to make a two-day visit to Ireland during which he was expected to visit his golf course in Doonbeg, Co Clare, on the west coast and Dublin around the weekend of November 10 and 11.

However, speaking at an economic conference at the American Embassy in Dublin, the Taoiseach said the contentious visit was off.

“This week US President Donald Trump had to postpone his proposed trip to Ireland, however whenever it takes place we look for ward to the opportunity to renew the deep, historic ties that exist between our two countries,” he said. “Ties that of course are cultural, economic and are in our families as well. So many of us, including me, having US relations.

“We can all agree the future USIreland economic relationship is of profound importance to all of us here.”

The Fine Gael leader was addressing an audience of Irish and American business leaders and White House representatives, including Kevin Hassett, chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisors.

It comes after a spokesman for the Irish Government said Mr Trump’s visit was postponed over “scheduling reasons” by the US. Speaking at the US-Irish economic

conference, Mr Varadkar said that as the UK prepares to leave the European Union in a few months, the Irish-US relationship is “going to become all the more important with Ireland acting as a bridge to the EU for the US”.

After recent repor ts described Ireland as a tax haven, Mr Varadkar said the country is “fully compliant” with international standards.

“Ireland is not a tax haven, we do not wish to be a haven, nor we wish to be seen as one. We are only one of 23 countries in the world that is fully compliant with the new international best practice as judged by the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information. And we’ll continue to crack down on avoidance on the years ahead,” he said. “At a time when others in Europe are looking to close their doors, Ireland is a country that is open and tolerant and diverse.”

He said one in six Irish residents were born abroad, including his father who was born in India. “(This) makes us one of the most international countries in Europe. I believe the relationship that exists between our two countries goes both ways,” he said.

Mr Hassett, chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisors, predicted that the strong partnership between Ireland and the US will be strengthened in the future.

“For so long the UK and Ireland were often the voices of reason when the more left-wing countries in the EU were deciding to swashbuckle and go after the US and other companies.

There’s a globally important responsibility for Ireland in the future.”

Taoisecah Leo Varadkar addresses an economic conference at the US Embassy in Dublin.

Apple’s €13bn Irish tax bill ‘has been paid’ APPLE’S €13bn Irish tax bill has been paid, the country’s finance minister said. In 2016 the European Commission found that the multinational had received unfair tax incentives from the Republic and ordered Apple to pay back revenue it said was owed to the state. Minister Paschal Donohoe said the €14.3bn, once EU interest was included, would be held in a special escrow fund pending the outcome of an appeal before the European courts.

He added: “The full recovery of the alleged state aid is a significant milestone and is in line with the commitment given earlier in the year that the alleged state aid would be recovered by end quarter three 2018.

“Notwithstanding the fact that the Government does

not accept the commission’s analysis in the Apple state aid decision and have lodged an appeal with the European courts, the collection of the alleged state aid from Apple demonstrates that it was always the Government’s intention to comply with its legal obligations.”

The commission found that Ireland gave the technology giant illegal state aid by allowing it to pay an effective one per cent corporation tax. Apple and the Irish government are appealing against the commission’s ruling on the grounds that the tax treatment did not break Irish or EU law.

The proceeds cannot be released until there has been a final determination in the European courts over the validity of the commission’s decision.

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Film explores impact of Pope’s visit on Troubles Aoife Moore

A NEW documentary highlights the ef fect Pope John Paul ll’s visit to Ireland in 1979 had on the Northern Ireland peace process.

A Plea For Peace, directed by David Naglieri and narrated by The Passion Of The Christ star Jim Caviezel, features interviews with Seamus Mallon, Martin Mansergh, Rev Harold Good, Lord David Alton and former IRA bomber Shane Paul O’Doherty.

O’Doherty’s letter-bomb campaign caused explosions at the London Stock Exchange, the Bank of England, and a government building, injuring secretaries and security guards.

O’Doherty, who joined the IRA in Derr y at 15, found religion while serving a life sentence, and famously wrote to his victims from prison, crediting the Catholic Church for sparking a major tur ning point in peace negotiations.

“When I first turned away from the IRA and apologised to my victims, I was not taken seriously, everyone thought I wanted early release. I was in prison in England when suddenly the Pope arrives in Ireland and speaks to these men, asking them to turn away from violence and make a new life.

“Suddenly I was taken seriously.

Weeks after his visit, I had been visited by senior Labour MPs and Fr Edward Daly. I was the first IRA man to publicly turn away from the IRA in 1977, and after the Pope’s visit, scores of other prisoners left.

“To put the Pope’s visit in context,

Former bomber Shane Paul O’Doherty left the IRA.

28 days before the visit, Mountbatten was killed along with 18 soldiers. I believe that was the closest Northern Ireland had ever come to civil war.”

The film focuses on the Pope’s famous appeal in Drogheda.

“On my knees I beg you to turn away from the paths of violence and return to the ways of peace,” in front of a quarter a million people, and argues this sowed the earliest seeds of peace.

Mr Naglieri said the film-makers discovered handwritten letters from Fr Alec Reid to John Hume, which directly quoted the papal message.

“Through researching, at first we found a lot of cynicism - people said the violence continued for two decades after the visit, and superficially it didn’t have much effect - but for us it was a lot of peeling the onion,” he said.

“The thesis is not that the Good Friday Agreement wouldn’t have happened if he didn’t come, but we’re tracing the ripple effects of the Pope’s visit.”

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AUST R ALIA’S IR ISH NE WSPAP E R

ireland FIRST DRIVERLESS BUS ARRIVES IN DUBLIN

Electric 15-seater bus has it all, except a driver Cate McCurry IRELAND’S first driverless shuttle bus has made its debut on the streets of Dublin recently. The electric EZ10 bus can carry up to 15 people and will be trialled along a one-kilometre route in the city’s Docklands.

Reaching a top speed of 25kph, the unmanned bus is designed to make it easier and quicker for people getting around the city. Developed in 2014, the EasyMile showcases autonomous vehicle technology and operates in countries around the world including the US, the Netherlands, China and Estonia. It features a built-in access ramp for passengers with reduced mobility as well as cameras, processors and sensors, and integrates with existing traffic. Using GPS and artificial intelligence to operate, the bus can ‘read’ road signs and sense cars and cyclists on the road.

Neil Cunningham, chief executive of Civic Group, said: “We wanted to show the public what’s coming down the line and where we are going to be in five to 10 years’ time. There is currently no legislation in Ireland that will allow fully

Dublin Airport tipped to boost economy A new report has said that ongoing

development of Dublin Airport could add €18.6bn to Ireland’s economy.

The report also suggests investment in the airport could bring an additional 33,950 jobs over the next 15 years. Dublin Airport is expected to handle five million passengers by 2033. It is understood the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) is considering proposing infrastructure development within the Capital Investment Programme for the next regulatory period 2020-2024.

Irish troops prepare for Syrian mission TROOPS from the Irish Defence

forces have entered the final phase of training for their upcoming deployment to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in Syria. The 138 troops, who fly out this week, will be deployed for six months, and the group contains soldiers of varied experience. For 41 troops in the group, this will be their first tour of duty overseas, the youngest of the group is just 21. Their mission is to maintain the ceasefire between Israel and the Syrian Arab Republic. to any request made by the force commander within 15 minutes.

FF leader in merger talks with SDLP MICHEAL Martin has said talks of a Fianna Fail merger with the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) to contest elections in Northern Ireland are a work in progress. Mr Martin said no formal decision was made at this point.

“We’ve made no decision in relation to the north, it is a work in progress, but we are engaged and we do accept the constitution of settlement of the Good Friday Agreement. That settlement is of the three relationships, the north-south relationship, the British and Irish relationship and the relationship between the communities.”

autonomous vehicles on the roads so that law needs to change and it will.

“We are looking at setting up some test beds with University College Dublin (UCD) and other campuses in order to prove the technology, and once it’s proven, which will take three to five years, and legislation is passed, then we will be able to put them on the roads and integrate them.”

“At the moment people who can’t get to their workplace using public transport bring their car, so the idea is it will pick people up in certain areas and bring them to bus terminals, and a larger bus will bring them into the city and then the EasyMile will then take them on their last mile. People don’t have to bring their car because they have transport right to the door.”

Jamie Cudden, Smarts programme manager at Dublin City Council, said it will help cities run more effectively.

“We see this playing a real role in cities like Dublin as we are trying to move away from cars in cities,” he said.

“This is happening around the world, the technology is real and ready to go.

We just need to figure out how to adapt it to Dublin.”

The driverless bus, the EZ10, makes its first appearance on Dublin’s streets. Picture: Andres Poveda

MOTHER OF MURDER VICTIM WELCOMES TAOISEACH’S CONTRITION

Apology over diplomatic error Rebecca Black

THE mother of an Irish woman who was raped and murdered in India has commended Taoiseach Leo Varadkar for apologising to her personally for an error made by his department over her initial request to meet him.

Andrea Brannigan met the Irish Premier in Derry last month.

She commended him for spending almost two hours with her and her daughter Jolene, but warned “actions speak louder than words”.

Danielle McLaughlin, 28, from Buncrana in Co Donegal, was found dead in a secluded spot in Canacona, an area of Goa popular with holidaymakers, in March last year.

Her mother requested a meeting with Mr Varadkar to discuss how families could be better supported when a loved one dies abroad.

But the Taoiseach’s department initially redirected her to the British Foreign Of fice because Ms McLaughlin had been travelling on a

UK passport. The department has since apologised for what it termed an error. Mr Varadkar apologised to her personally.

“That was the first thing he did, apologise for what happened (the error by his department,” she said.

“He shook my hand. He listened which was the main thing, and even stayed with us over the time. The meeting lasted nearly two hours.”

A representative from the Irish Foreign Office was also present during the meeting.

“The Irish Foreign Office have an embassy in Delhi so they are going to send someone every few months to observe the trial,” she said.

The trial over Danielle’s murder started in India in April, and is still running. Ms Brannigan welcomed the meeting, but warned “actions speak louder than words”.

“We are ver y hopeful that our Taoiseach will keep his promises so we can finally say our government have helped us,” she said. “We are glad

Danielle McLaughlin was raped and murdered in India last year.

Leo has agreed to help us so we now hope he actually does.

“The meeting was very constructive and we felt so welcomed. Leo Varadkar made sure we had his complete undivided attention throughout our meeting which we are very thankful for.”

Ms Brannigan said her family want legislation passed so that in future Irish families who lose a loved one abroad will be supported.

“We hope that ‘Danielle’s amendment’ may be passed so that no family who have had a loved one killed abroad will ever have to feel like we have or be treated the way we have,” she said. “We do not want any family in a similar situation to us to feel isolated and alone.”

In a statement, Mr Varadkar described the meeting as “constructive”.

“I had a very helpful and constructive meeting with Ms Brannigan and her daughter Jolene,” Mr Varadkar said.

“I offered my condolences to them on Danielle’s tragic death. I also apologised for the error my department made with respect to her citizenship.

Ms Brannigan gave me several examples of how the Government could better assist her and other families in similarly difficult circumstances, including the appointment of family liaison officers, an amendment to the Victims’ Charter, more written information, counselling ser vices and monitoring of overseas trials by our diplomatic staff.”

IRELAND’S PRESIDENT SIGNS LAW REPEALING CONSTITUTIONAL BAN ON ABORTION

Doctors concern about lack of training for procedure

Aoife Moore and Rebecca Black

THE bill r epealing the Eighth Amendment, amending Ireland’s abortion laws has been signed by the President of Ireland.

The Irish electorate voted to repeal the Eighth Amendment in May’s referendum, with just under 67 per cent voting in favour of repeal.

Donegal was the only constituency to vote against the proposal. A delay was caused on the result formally being enacted into law by a number of legal cases seeking to challenge the result of the referendum.

The last of these appeals was dismissed by the Supreme Court earlier this month. By voting to repeal the

Eighth, the country voted to introduce the 36th Amendment Of The Constitution. In accordance with Article 46 of the Constitution, President Michael D Higgins signed the Bill, and it has become law.

Abortion was previously a criminal offence in Ireland under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.

Minister for Health Simon Harris has indicated the government will aim to introduce legislation providing for abortion by the beginning of 2019 at the latest. Draft measures would allow relatively free access to abortions, subject to consultation with a medical professional and after a short waiting period, up to 12 weeks after gestation and up to 24 weeks with restrictions.

If, after 12 weeks, a woman’s life is threatened or there could be serious harm to her health, two doctors will consider whether to allow the procedure. Terminations will not be carried out after the foetus becomes viable, following 24 weeks of pregnancy.

Meanwhile, doctors have voiced concern over whether the Irish Health Service will be ready to start carrying out abortions by January 2019.

The Oireachtas Health Committee heard warnings from doctors that more investment is needed to adapt to the “new reality” ahead. With guidelines still being drawn up, abortion services are set to start being offered in Ireland for the first time from January 1, 2019.

Dr Mar y Favier from the Irish

College of General Practitioners, said very few doctors in Ireland are trained to carry out abortions.

“The result of this referendum has created a new reality,” she told the committee. “There are actually very few clinicians who are trained to deliver this care pathway.”

Dr Peter Boylan, chairman of the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, described the proposed timescale as “challenging”.

He also warned of “infrastructural deficits in access to ultrasound in pregnancy”.

“Introduction of a termination service without adequate scanning facilities is fraught with risk,” he told the health committee.

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ireland COUNCIL VOTES TO SAVE LAST MAGDALENE LAUNDRY IN STATE OWNERSHIP

Last laundry will not be sold Rebecca Black

The former Magdalene Laundry on Sean MacDermott Street in Dublin which will remain in public hands.

DUBLIN City Council has voted to retain ownership of the last remaining former Magdalene Laundry in state ownership.

Thousands of women from troubled backgrounds were effectively incarcerated and forced to work under harsh conditions in the notorious laundry institutions run by Catholic religious orders. The last laundry to close was the institution at Sean McDermott Street in Dublin in 1996.

The building was then transferred to the ownership of Dublin City Council. The council had been considering selling the property on a two-acre site to a Japanese hotel chain. At a special meeting, 37 councillors voted to retain ownership, with just eight voting against and two abstaining.

Sur vivors of the Magdalene Laundries applauded from the public gallery as the result of the vote was read out. A number of protesters had gathered outside Dublin Castle ahead of the debate.

Some held signs saying “no sale”, others held aloft posters which read “our land is not yours to sell”.

Dublin Social Democrat Gary Gannon proposed the motion to block the sale.

“It is the only laundry of its type in the possession of the State, which is why it is so important,” he told the council. “We acquired that building in 1996 during a transfer sale with a religious order who previously owned it. In doing so we became custodians not only of its bricks and mortar but its terrible legacy of torture, incarceration and abuse.

“That building and the memorial that is scheduled to be placed there was going to be transferred, outsourced to a private hotel firm. It simply cannot be done, we will not be outsourcing our memorials,” he said.

“When I think of conversations I have had with survivors, every single one had a simple request, to be remembered. These are people who had their names removed, we still don’t have burial records where some were placed. There is a simple request and responsibility on us as a council custodians of that building, to provide a place where people can be remembered in an honourable way.”

The council will now consider the future of the site. Survivors have called for a museum and interpretive centre on the site. The plight of the women who served in Magdalene laundries was documented in the 2002 film The Magdalene Sisters.

FIRST UNMANNED SAILBOAT TO CROSS ATLANTIC CELEBRATES SUCCESS

Solar powered Sailbuoy makes maritime history Michael McHugh

THE first unmanned sailboat to traverse the Atlantic has crossed the finish line.

The SB Met Sailbuoy travelled 80 days at sea and 3,000 kilometres from Newfoundland in Canada to Ireland. The Sailbuoy navigates the oceans autonomously - transmitting back data at regular intervals.

A social media post from the company behind it, Offshore Sensing AS, said: “The Sailbuoy made it and we are very proud of her. It is the first ever unmanned vehicle to complete an Atlantic crossing.”

The Sailbuoy is designed to use very little power.

The internal autopilot battery pack holds enough energy to navigate for six months without charging.

Batteries are recharged using solar panels.

The Sailbuoy was originally designed and tested

to withstand the environmental stresses of the North Sea - cold, severe weather and little sunlight.

Its manufacturers said: “Our extensive testing in these conditions has shown us that robustness is vital for a surface vessel to withstand months at sea.”

The Sailbuoy sails much like a traditional sailing boat, tacking to make headway against the wind. Data is transmitted to and from shore via satellite. It is controlled and monitored via a website.

HOSPITAL DELAYS

Waiting lists reach new record levels Aoife Moore

NATIONAL hospital waiting lists hit a record high in August, with more than 718,000 people waiting to be seen or treated by a doctor.

The increase comes despite an intensive validation process by the HSE, which was heavily criticised by GPs. Figures from the National Treatment Purchase Fund show August’s waiting list included 11,718 patients “suspended” from the overall list for a variety of reasons, including not being clinically fit for treatment.

Health Minister Simon Har ris blamed the suspensions on poor data, including letters being sent to old addresses, but critics have pointed out that people could have died during the period they were on a waiting list.

More than 48,000 children were on waiting lists to be treated or seen by a doctor at the end of August.

More than 16,000 have been waiting more than a year for an appointment.

Total inpatient and day case treatment lists are down, but the waiting list of people waiting to be seen by a consultant for the first time for assessment is up by nearly 3,000. Outpatient waiting list numbers reached 514,585 last month, while 74,189 were waiting for inpatient or day case procedures.

The statistics show Galway University Hospital has the biggest waiting lists in the country, with more than 50,000 patients waiting.

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AUST R ALIA’S IR ISH NE WSPAP E R

ireland :: brexit DUP LEADER PRAISES BRITISH PM FOR ‘STANDING FIRM’ AGAINST EU

May ramps up rhetoric after EU’s ‘disrespect’ Rebecca Black ARLENE Foster has praised the British Prime Minister for “standing firm” against the European Union (EU).

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader also warned the EU to “stop misusing the Northern Ireland peace process as some form of leverage”.

Theresa May issued a tough statement to the EU following the summit in Salzburg where European leaders rejected her Chequers deal.

Speaking from Downing Street, Mrs May said the EU’s dismissal of her Chequers plan without an explanation was “not acceptable” and demanded “respect” for the UK from Brussels.

Mrs May insisted that Brussels’s “backstop” proposal to keep Northern Ireland in the EU customs area unless a better solution can be found was “unacceptable” to Britain because it would create a customs border down the Irish Sea. Her new alternative would “preserve the integrity of the UK” while delivering on a commitment not to establish new regulatory barriers with the rest of the UK without the agreement of the Executive and Assembly in Belfast.

Derry girls bring campaign to Dublin CAMPAIGN group Derry Girls Against

Borders have taken their message to Dublin to encourage those in the Irish Republic who are against a hard border post-Brexit to join their fight.

Co-founder Sarah Wallace, who now lives and works and Dublin, says people from both north and south of the border must come together to protest against checkpoints and visas to travel across the border.

“Thousands of people cross the border every day, most people don’t even notice they’re crossing it - and that’s how it should stay,” she said.

Cross-border cancer hospital impacted A FLAGSHIP cross-border cancer

hospital could be impacted by post-Brexit restrictions, a health forum has heard. Services at the North West Cancer Centre in Derry, which also treats patients from the Republic, might also be hit if a hard Brexit results in restrictions on the mobility of staff and patients across the border, the director of the Centre for Cross Border Studies said. Ruth Taillon, who heads up the think tank, said:. “This hospital has been one of the flagship crossborder facilities for radiotherapy,” she said. “It’s an agreement between the two governments - so the service will be there (post Brexit). Where things might get a bit dicey is if there are problems transposing radioactive isotopes across borders.”

No-deal to hit trade, NI civil service chief THE senior civil servant running Northern Ireland’s public services since Stormont collapsed has expressed his deep concern for the region if there is no Brexit deal.

David Sterling, the head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, told an event in Brussels that many local firms might find it “impossible” to continue to trade normally if they are faced with Irish border tariffs.

Mrs Foster, whose DUP Westminster MP’s are holding up the Tories narrow parliamentary majority, said Mrs May is right to “stand firm in the face of disrespectful, intransigent and disgraceful behaviour by the European Union”.

“The United Kingdom will not be treated in such a manner,” she said.

“I welcome the clear statement by the Prime Minister and in particular that Her Majesty’s Government will not countenance any new regulatory or customs barriers between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.” Mrs Foster also repeated her warning that her party will veto any “attempt to undermine the economic or constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom”.

“Our red line from day one of these negotiations has been that there can be no border between Northern Ireland and Great Britain,” she said.

“The focus by the EU on the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland is misplaced. A currency, VAT and excise border already exists and is easily managed. The European Union needs to stop misusing the Northern Ireland peace process as some form of leverage.”

British Prime Minister Theresa May in Salzburg at the EU leaders’ summit. Picture: Kerstin Joensson

BREXIT TALKS ENTERING ROCKY PATCH, SAYS VARADKAR

No-deal Brexit crisis looms Michelle Devane

TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar has said Brexit negotiations are entering a “rocky patch” over the coming weeks but he believes a deal between the UK and the EU can be reached.

Mr Varadkar said he was determined to keep working to secure an agreement and avoid a cliff-edge scenario next March. The Taoiseach made the comments following a twoday summit of European leaders in Austria to discuss the withdrawal of the UK from the EU. Mr Varadkar held a meeting with Theresa May at the summit in Salzburg where the British Prime Minister said the UK would be coming forward with new proposals on the so-called backstop arrangements on the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland in a bid to break the deadlock.

Speaking from the National Ploughing Championships in Screggan, Co Offaly, Mr Varadkar said he was still optimistic.

“I think we can have a deal,” he said.

“I think we’re entering into a rocky patch ... but I’m determined to keep working and to secure that deal that we need before the end of the year... ideally in October or November.”

He denied there was any division among the European Union leaders about the matter.

“There is a sense created perhaps in the UK press that there was division around the table among the European Union, among the 27,” Mr Varadkar said. “There was not.”

Mr Varadkar said the EU was “totally united”, not just behind Ireland but behind protecting the integrity of the single market.

“Perhaps a sense was created that Prime Minister May would come away

Leo Varadkar in Salzburg.

with something more positive than occurred but I don’t think anyone in the European Union or Ireland is to blame for that. Ultimately the problems that are being created by Britain and the British Government are being created as a consequence of Brexit.”

Mr Varadkar added that Mrs May’s Chequers proposal could form a useful “input” into the talks but there were “obvious problems” “I think the Chequers proposal which Prime Minister May has put forward can input into the talks on the future relationship but there are obvious problems with it.”

He said it proposes two customs schedules which could not work. “It also proposes in some ways to divide the four freedoms, to disrupt the integrity of the European single market by having free trade and goods, but not services or capital or movement of people,” Mr Varadkar said.

The Taoiseach added: “In the same way as the UK wants to retain control over its money, its borders and its laws, so does the European Union so there will have to be compromise if we’re going to have agreement but I think it is possible.”

FARAGE SLAMS EU ‘BULLY-BOYS’ AS IREXIT PARTY IS LAUNCHED IN DUBLIN

Prospect of second Brexit referendum dismissed

Jennifer McKiernan

EU “GANGSTERS and bullyboys” will never be satisfied, Nigel Farage has said - urging Theresa May to pursue a “simple free trade deal”.

His Leave Means Leave battle bus took a tour of central London to drive home his message that only a hard Brexit will satisfy his followers.

Mr Farage was gleeful about the Prime Minister’s failure to win EU backing for her softer Chequers deal in Salzburg, and said nothing would ever be good enough for the “bully boys in Brussels”.

Speaking just after the summit finished, he said: “I’m afraid Mrs May is in a real pickle. “It doesn’t matter what concessions you make to these gang-

sters, they will always come back for more. Maybe this is a big opportunity to chuck Chequers and go back to them with a very simple trade deal, and say ‘you have got two months to sign up to this’.”

He added he believed pressure from German industr y meant “it’s something they would bite our arm off for”.

Mr Farage claimed the Northern Irish border would be “no problem at all” with a free trade deal, adding different currencies and tax regimes were already tricky.

“It’s very problematic today, right now,” he said. “Very problematic - but, do you know what, we manage. If we didn’t have a free trade deal, there would be one more factor in what’s already a very complicated situation.

“If we have a proper free trade deal, there will not be a problem at all.”

Mr Farage bemoaned a “constant diet of negativity” from journalists and politicians and claimed he was reinvigorating the referendum campaign to remind politicians “the people have made their decision”.

“We don’t need to persuade anyone.

All we need to do is say to our politicians ‘keep your promises’.”

Mr Farage denied he was running scared of the possibility of a second vote on Brexit, saying the UK had already voted once in the 2016 referendum and claiming victory in last year’s general election, where the Conservatives lost their majority.

“There is no growing appetite for a second referendum or for more de-

lays,” he said. “We voted to leave in a referendum. We confirmed it in a general election. How many votes do you want? It’s ludicrous.”

Meanwhile in Dublin, a new singleissue political party has been launched advocating an Irish withdrawal from the European Union.

Irexit Freedom to Prosper will field candidates in next year’s European elections, its founder Herman Kelly has said. Speaking ahead of the founding agm of the party, he said he wanted to see Ireland leave the EU “so we can take back control over trade policy, money and borders, and be a free country once again. We were a free country for a short period after we left the last political union we were in, which was the British Empire.”

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AUST R ALIA’S IR ISH NE WSPAP E R

brexit :: ireland BORDER REMAINS CRUCIALLY UNRESOLVED BREXIT ISSUE

Stand-off at the border THE land border between EU member state Ireland and soon-to-be non-EU Northern Ireland is proving to be a major stumbling block in Brexit talks. While everyone agrees that the return of a so-called hard border would be a bad outcome, the British government and the EU leaders - shoulder to shoulder with the Irish government - have very different views on how to avoid it.

free trade area for goods, which aims to allow businesses on both sides to continue operating through current supply chains and avoid the need for customs and regulatory checks at the border. The EU and UK would have common rules on agriculture products to help movement at the border.

What is the current situation?

Ireland’s position is being fully supported by the other 26 EU member states. Ireland argues a backstop is necessary not just to ensure frictionless trade but to protect a fragile peace. It argues that the “normalisation” of life on the border is a byproduct of the cross-border cooperation in trade, schools, healthcare and agriculture that has flourished since the Good Friday agreement..

There are almost 300 crossings between the north and south. The 310-mile frontier was heavily militarised during the Troubles. The once-heavily policed checkpoints are either gone or lying derelict as traffic passes freely across the border.

Why is there an impasse?

The UK and the EU agreed at the end of the first phase of Brexit negotiations in December that there would be regulatory alignment between both parts of the island of Ireland in the event of no deal. That December deal was struck and then undone after objections by the Democratic Unionist party, which had not been consulted. To placate their concerns that Northern Ireland would, post-Brexit, be treated

ACADEMIC VIEW

‘A profound constitutional moment’ for island

What is Ireland’s position?

differently, Theresa May also agreed there would be “no regulatory barriers” in the Irish sea. This immediately sowed the seeds for an insoluble problem unless the UK struck a deal which involved remaining in the single market and the customs union, both red lines for the prime minister.

What is the Westminster government’s preferred approach?

The British Tory Government wants to leave the single market and customs union while also avoiding “friction” at the border. Its Chequers plan outlines a

Why has a “backstop” been proposed?

Such a position would act almost as a safety net to avoid a hard border. This would give Northern Ireland continued access to the single market, with EU rules applying in many circumstances. The UK believes it should only be temporary even if a broader agreement fails to materialise, something the EU has rejected.

‘REAL AND SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES’, PREDICTS RYANAIR CHIEF

Rebecca Black BREXIT will cause more division in Northern Ireland and hamper relations with the Republic of Ireland, a new study has warned.

The research by the Queen’s University, Belfast, Ulster University, and the Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) contends the UK’s departure from the EU will have detrimental consequences for the peace process and also weaken human rights and equality protections.

BrexitLawNI is led by Professor Colin Harvey from the School of Law at Queen’s. He described Brexit as a “profound constitutional moment for ... the island of Ireland”.

He added: “Brexit will threaten the peace process and weaken protections for human rights and equality. It risks disrupting North-South cooperation, increasing racist immigration enforcement and dividing British and Irish citizens. It could also reduce international oversight of human rights and introduce a new focus for conflict between divided communities.

“Many of these matters have simply been neglected in the discussions thus far, and that must change.”

The report comes following 18 months of research involving interviews, consultations and town hall-style events. Researchers also met with politicians and officials in Belfast, London, Dublin and Brussels as well as with business representatives, trade unions and community activists. The academics say they detect “widespread anxiety” about the long-term impact of Brexit across Ireland.

They have called for a “bespoke solution for this region”.

Recommendations from the study include that the region remains within the customs union and single market.

It also warns against a hard border, arguing that would “further undermine political relations” and become a target for dissident republicans.

COMMON LAW

Legal win a silver lining for Ireland after Brexit Cate McCurry IRELAND’S top judge said the country could become a safe haven for international disputes after Brexit. The Chief Justice of Ireland, Justice Frank Clarke, said that Ireland will become the only full common law country in the European Union after Brexit, which could be a “significant advantage”.

Mr Justice Clarke however warned that the problems arising from Brexit span “many areas”.

He described the re-emergence of a hard border between the Republic and Northern Ireland as “potentially a critical issue”.

Speaking at a seminar in Fordham University in New York, the top judge addressed the effects of Brexit on the law and Ireland’s future role.

He said that a no-deal Brexit would give rise to “very great difficulties” in relation to legal issues involving the UK and other EU member states as well as issues involving third parties such as US corporations.

He said that the Irish legal system is “very well placed” as Ireland will remain a common law country.

He said: “The ordinary language of the Irish courts will continue to be English. But importantly Ireland will remain a member of the European Union and the decisions of Irish courts will continue to be easily enforceable throughout the European Union.

“Those are advantages which we have and which are not shared by any other jurisdiction.

“Ireland can provide, not least for those outside the EU in the common law world, a safe haven. In a time of great uncertainty I would like to think that safe haven may prove to be a significant advantage.”

POLICING

Terror threat will increase, PSNI chief Cate McCurry Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary at the company’s AGM last month in Ireland.

No deal Brexit will be chaos, O’Leary Michael McHugh RYANAIR chief executive Michael O’Leary has warned of a rising risk of a no-deal Brexit and claimed the Irish border backstop was “undeliverable”.

Mr O’Leary predicted potential political “chaos” in Britain and said if the UK crashed out, flights would need to be cancelled a month in advance of next March’s withdrawal.

He said: “We are selling tickets between the UK and Europe ... on flights that may not take place.”

Ireland believes last December’s agreement in principle between the UK and EU will keep Northern Ireland within the EU’s regulatory arrangements if negotiations fail.

Mr O’Leary focused his comments on Britain’s role in the negotiations, rather than Ireland’s.

The outspoken Ryanair chief has been strongly critical of Brexit. He thought a deal would be done eventually but reiterated that there was a real danger of no-deal by omission.

Risk factors included if Theresa May was replaced as Prime Minister, or a general election was called.

“There is a rising risk, if the deal is not done by about November then, frankly, it will not get done at all. Doing a deal is going to be very difficult.”

Mr O’Leary expressed concern about the Irish border.

“The backstop agreement is undeliverable, there is no way you can deliver a frictionless border if you are leaving a common market - it is not deliverable.”

He added: “There are going to be real and serious consequences, both in the UK economy and in the European economy. From my narrow perspec-

tive all I want to see is a continuation of open skies and free flights, cheap flights.”

The British cannot deliver what they have proposed unless they have a border down the Irish Sea, he said.

“It is not Leo (Varadkar), it is not the Irish Government’s challenge to come up with a resolution, it is the British Government’s.”

Mr O’Leary addressed other challenges ahead for the airline - including increased costs.

“Oil is still going to be the most significant cost for every airline,” he said. “but I would like to see oil prices go higher this winter because I think it would speed up the inevitable bankruptcy of a number of other European airlines.

“It would create more opportunity for us to grow.”

NORTHERN Ireland’s top cop has accused the British government of failing to understand the impact of Brexit and the dangers of terrorism in the region.

George Hamilton, Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, warned that government officials have failed to prepare on issues surrounding peace and security.

He said that he has made a number of “urgent pleas” for resources, but he is not getting the information or clarity from Westminster.

“There’s a feeling that as regards the Troubles and the conflict, Northern Ireland is sorted and we don’t need to worry about it, when actually we’re working flat out 24/7 to keep a lid on it,” he said.

He also criticised the lack of local political stability after the Stormont Executive collapsed 20 months ago.

“That’s not a good thing. We would much prefer the government to be up and running, making people feel the benefits of peace and normality instead of this tension and nervousness,” he added.

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Crime debutants impress

IT is always interesting to meet a new Irish writer, and Catherine Ryan Howard is a good example. Born in Cork, she has worked in France and in Florida and is now, in her mid-thirties, back in Dublin studying at Trinity College.

The location for this, her second book, is the fictional St John’s College, close to the Grand Canal in Dublin; if I tell you that it has an entrance on Haddington Road, you will have an idea that it is in the inner south of the city. It is a modern university, based on a US model, with on-campus residences and things like Freshers’ Week. But when young female students end up in the canal, it is a place of fear and night curfews.

The central character is Alison Smith from Cork. After her boyfriend Will Hurley is convicted as the serial killer, she leaves the country for Holland and a new life.

The story moves forward ten years when girls from St John’s are again being murdered. The Gardai bring Alison back to Dublin to speak to Will, who is in a mental institution rather than a jail. It is obvious to the reader that he is innocent and it is to be expected that she will have a role in proving this.

What follows is much more than a police procedural. One of the detectives with whom Alison meets is the man who ten years earlier forced a confession from Will and

is still convinced of his guilt. The other, younger detective, is not so sure but unable to go against his older colleague. The story unfolds in a series of small steps over half a dozen days and the reader is seamlessly drawn in to the action.

There are some red herrings and the ending will surprise the reader.

Although there is much violence in the story, it is not emphasised.

We get to know the serial killer, but only as if looking through a swirling mist. He appears to be quite normal and his evil is not stressed. Indeed, the way things are these days, you might feel that a good psychologist would be as valuable to him as a good barrister.

Alison, however, is badly scarred by the events of ten years earlier; she is not an entirely attractive character, though it is easy to imagine that her behaviour is typical of a young woman of her age.

This is an entirely satisfactory crime story that will keep you transfixed right up to its conclusion.

Part crime fiction, part whodunit, part psychological thriller, it will have the reader wishing for more from this author.

BOOKS THE LIAR’S GIRL

By Catherine Ryan Howard Corvus 326 pp $29.99

CCCC THE WOMAN IN THE WOODS

By John Connolly Hodder & Stoughton 467 pp $32.99

CCC TOO CLOSE TO BREATHE

By Olivia Kiernan Riverrun 328 pp $29.99

CCCC Frank O’Shea

DUBLINER John Connolly has won admirers all over the world for his Charlie Parker novels, most of which are set in Maine, near the Canadian

border. Parker is unconventional in many ways, not least of which is what can be called a spiritual or ethereal element in his thinking.

Some books ago, his daughter was killed, but she still speaks with him when he is down or in some difficulty.

In this book, that element of otherworldliness is taken further.

The bad guys are chasing after some older underground deity and in particular a map of that person’s domain. They hire an Englishman to find a book which is reputed to be a guide to that region – it is called an atlas. His name is Quayle and he is accompanied in his lethal travels by a woman named Mors, a name

which is not coincidentally the Latin word for death.

The missing book is supposed to be in the possession of a woman who is running from her violent husband; after she dies in childbirth, her son is taken in by another woman and raised as her own.

During the course of the story, this boy communicates with his dead mother and also with Parker’s daughter. It is only the lively prose that keeps a reader continuing with such nonsense.

Quayle and probably Mors survive the final showdown to return to London, but Parker still holds part of the famous atlas.

And to impress upon us that there is another book in this story, we find our killer completing a Times cryptic crossword which has two clues that mesh to give the message CharlieParker as the answer to an Across clue and HuntsQuayle as a Down answer with the letter H common to both.

The book ends, “He no longer felt alone and unwatched. He folded the newspaper, and left the Jamaica to lose himself in crowds.”

Connolly’s books seem to be getting longer, perhaps a hint that he is enjoying himself and in truth if you are a fan, you will enjoy them too. The mayhem is there of course – characters are carefully introduced and some pages later, they are dead: in this book, the body count, even by gun-happy American standards, is high.

IF all you can reasonably ask of a book is that it keeps you reading long past a time when you should be doing something else, Olivia Kiernan’s first book passes with flying colours. The story is a police procedural, set in Dublin. The central character and first person narrator is Chief Superintendent Frankie Sheehan.

I am not sure whether the story would be classified as an example of Irish noir. Certainly, there are dead bodies in some numbers, many with multiple injuries and there is a kind of ghoulish curiosity

A Strumpet City down under EILEEN Battersby wrote this in The Irish Times as a way of describing James Plunkett’s novel Strumpet City (successfully adapted for the small screen by Hugh Leonard in the 1970s) but it could have been written about Ruth Parks’ The Harp In The South.

Different city and a slightly different time but its epic scale, its large cast of characters and its essential Irishness are common threads. Actor and playwright Kate Mulvany, whose resume is already bulging with fine stage work, has adapted Parks’ three novels about the Darcy family - Missus, Harp In The South and Poor Man’s Orange – for the Sydney Theatre Company.

The resultant mammoth production, directed by Kip Williams, is both impressive and captivating.

The ‘harp’ of the title is Ireland and we watch the Darcy family’s journey from

the rural NSW town which they first call home in the new land to the Surry Hills slums to which they move in search of a better life.

The streets of Sydney are not paved with gold and their lives become a daily battle of survival against the forces of poverty, violence, illness, crime, alcoholism and prejudice.

For all that, there’s warmth and humour galore interwoven into the script along with a number of well performed Irish songs.

While this is a new play, it is immediately familiar to Irish eyes with shades of Sean O’Casey, John B Keane and even Brian Friel.

Emigration is a common theme for Irish playwriting but few are written from the perspective of those who have left, looking back over their shoulder, wondering if the grass beneath their feet is indeed greener.

The opening words of Siúil A Rún, which is used to

great dramatic effect in Part 1, spell it out: “I wish I were on yonder hill, ’tis there I’d sit an cry my fill”.

Harp In The South is steeped in that immigrant world and for the Darcys, Australia does not ultimately deliver a better life for them or their descendants even if the play (six and half hours of theatre delivered over two performances) ends on an optimistic note.

In the #metoo era, Harp In The South resonates with feminist themes as we see three generations of women battle to keep their families together as their own dreams - and indeed their very lives - are sacrificed and abandoned.

As a consequence, the female characters get all the best lines, whether its Anita Hegh’s relentlessly-aproned Margaret Darcy or local brothel madam Delie Stock, beautifully played by Helen Thompson. The Irish-born

matriarch Eny Kilker, played by Heather Mitchell chastises her Australianborn son-in-law Hughie Darcy at one point “Irish?

You’re about as Irish as a feckin’ wombat!”.

Sadly, the male actors are not given as much to work with as their characters are either lazy drunks, sexual predators or gormless fools.

Part 1 is a significantly more satisfying theatrical event than Part 2 and one wonders whether the adaptation could have been more comprehensively edited into a single production. But this is a very important addition to the Australian theatrical canon and one definitely worth seeing. For all of its Irishness, it is an Australian story. We see the seeds of Sydney’s multicultural, secular, hedonistic present through the eyes of these spirited women and the flawed men who take their loyalty and love for granted.

about what it would be like to experience near-death. This is combined with BDSM and the way that those with inclinations in that direction can be facilitated by the dark web. Inevitably, the participants make mistakes or the killer uses the victim’s interest in the subject to take their life.

All of this is happening in modern Dublin where a specialist group of detectives set up to deal with murder is quickly on the case. What follows is similar to the kind of slow and methodical investigation that Tana French does so well in her books. Some of the action is set in University College Dublin and there is some satisfaction in the fact that – without giving away the plot - the killer belongs to an area of endeavour that does not deserve either the title of academic discipline nor credit for the rubbish that its practitioners are wont to prattle.

Frankie Sheehan is a very human character. The author is careful to avoid giving her the kind of inspired intuition that many writers give their main detective; she is unmarried and there is no indication that she has a love life. She is so badly injured at the end that it seems unlikely that she can appear in any further stories. And that would be a pity.

Olivia Kiernan grew up in Co Meath, but now lives in Britain.

THEATRE HARP IN THE SOUTH PARTS 1 AND 2 Adapted for the stage

by Kate Mulvany Sydney Theatre Company Until October 6

CCCC Billy Cantwell

Scenes from The STC’s production of Harp In The South

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Saturday, 1st December 2018 6:30pm to 11:30pm Shangri-­La Hotel, Sydney Ticket price: $185 (including booking fee) Includes 3 course meal and 5 hour drinks package Entertainment: Strawberries and Cabbage Dress code: Formal

Huge raffle prize -­Flights for 2 to Australia + $500 spending money For bookings contact: secretary@sydneystpatricksday.com.au

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

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O’MALLEY’S, BRISBANE IRISH MURPHY’S, BRISBANE FINN MCCOOL’S, FORTITUDE VALLEY PADDY’S, PORT DOUGLAS GILHOOLEYS, BRISBANE THE DARCY ARMS, SURFERS PARADISE DUBLIN DOCKS TAVERN, BIGGERA WATERS IRISH CLUB HOTEL, TOOWOOMBA WAXY’S IRISH PUB, SURFERS PARADISE MCGINITY’S BAR AND THAI TAM, CAIRNS

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J B O’REILLY’S, LEEDERVILLE DURTY NELLY’S, PERTH FIBBER MCGEES, LEEDERVILLE MURPHY’S IRISH PUB, MANDURAH CROWN PERTH PADDY MALONES, JOONDALUP WOODBRIDGE HOTEL, GUILDFORD FRIAR TUCKS, WANNANUP DROP INN, WARNBRO PADDY MAGUIRES, SUBIACO

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NEW SYDNEY HOTEL, HOBART COCK AND BULL HOTEL, LAUNCESTON REPUBLIC BAR & CAFE, NORTH HOBART IRISH MURPHY’S, HOBART PADDY WAGON’S HOTEL, GLENORCHY

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

P.J. O’BRIEN’S, SOUTHBANK THE IRISH TIMES, MELBOURNE THE DRUNKEN POET, WEST MELBOURNE THE QUIET MAN IRISH PUB, FLEMINGTON THE 5TH PROVINCE, ST KILDA THE BROTHERS PUBLIC HOUSE, FITZROY MITRE TAVERN, MELBOURNE JIMMY O’NEILLS, ST KILDA IRISH MURPHY’S GEELONG THE SHERLOCK HOLMES, MELBOURNE

SHENANNIGANS, DARWIN FOX AND FIRKIN, TEA TREE GULLY KINGSFORD HOTEL, GAWLER NORWOOD HOTEL, NORWOOD MICK O’SHEA’S IRISH PUB, HACKHAM

Find your closest pint. guinnesspubfinder.com.au

THE BLACKLIST RANKS PUBS BY THEIR VOLUME SALES OF DRAUGHT GUINNESS. THE RANKING IS SUPPLIED BY LION. THE GUINNESS WORD AND HARP DEVICE AND ASSOCIATED LOGOS ARE TRADE MARKS. GUINNESS & CO. 2018.

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Saturday, August 18 – Monday, October 8

Thursday, 27 September SYDNEY, NSW Lansdowne Club “Pat Chats”,

SYDNEY, NSW The Harp in the South – Sydney Theatre Company

Sydney Theatre Company presents THE HARP IN THE SOUTH PART ONE AND PART TWO By Ruth Park. An adaptation for the stage

by Kate Mulvany. This major new work is one of the most ambitious productions STC has ever created.

Celebrated playwright Kate Mulvany has adapted novelist Ruth Park’s revered Australian trilogy – Missus, The Harp in the South and Poor Man’s Orange – and spread these beloved stories across two equally ambitious plays. The two parts stand alone, but together they offer over five hours of monumental, exuberant theatre.

It’s a moving family saga and a celebration of Sydney in all its funny, gritty glory.

Tickets available from www.sydneytheatre.com.au

Wednesday, 3 - Saturday, 6 October MELBOURNE, VIC Australasian Gaelic Games A

bumper crop of over 20 teams will contest the four disciplines at this year’s Australasian Games. Gaelic Park in Melbourne will be hosting the men’s and ladies’ football, hurling and camogie.

For more information visit www.australasiangaelicgames.com

Teresa Keating has been at the beginning of many, and involved in all things Irish since she arrived in the Land of Oz more than 35 years ago. She knows almost everyone and even more people know her, but most of all Teresa is a doer. She has represented the Irish Government on trade, as the Manager of Corás Trachtála in all its incarnations (today Enterprise Ireland), and investments, as Manager of IDA Ireland and also Executive Director of the Ireland Funds, since 1991. From 2000 based in the Irish Consulate, Teresa devoted her time between the IDA Ireland and the Ireland Funds. From 7.15 am in Martin Place. lansdowneclub.com.au

Saturday, 29 September PENRITH, NSW Trivia, Music, Comedy Fundraiser, NSW

A documentary fundraising event for: The Australian Battle of Vinegar Hill. Please join us at Penrith Gaels for a fun Irish themed evening of trivia, music, silent auctions and comedy, raising funds for the continued development of the Australian Battle of Vinegar Hill documentary.

Entertainment will be provided by Irish comedian Martin Henchion

October, 2018 I www.irishecho.com.au

and vocal ensemble sensation Eklektia. You will also will also have the opportunity to view special preview interview footage with Australian novelist, Thomas Keneally AO, and Hills District Historian, Pam Wilson, which will be presented by the awardwinning producer/director Sandra Pires. Light refreshments will be provided, with food and drinks available for purchase from the venue. Tables are tables of 8.

Bookings through www.eventbrite.com.au

Thursday, 4 October ADELAIDE, SA IACC “SA Chapter” Launch,

After getting underway with their first event in February this year, the SA Chapter of the Irish Australian Chamber of Commerce is having its official launch event.

This is an opportunity for members and prospective members to meet the local team, national representatives and great South Australian businesses contending for this year’s Irish Australian Business Awards. Irish and Irish Australian professionals and business people are welcome to come along and hear about the benefits of being part of the IACC community in SA. Members with available networking passes can receive free entry.

At the Gallery in Adelaide from 5.30 – 7.30pm www.irishchamber.com.au

Friday, 5 – Sunday, 7 October MELBOURNE, VIC 65th Tesselaar Tulip Festival Irish Weekend

Enjoy an adventure in a wonderland of spring flowers at the 2018 Tesselaar Tulip Festival held in Melbourne’s magical Dandenong Ranges from September 15 – October 14, 2018. Visitors will be grinning like Cheshire cats whilst they wander through the brilliant display of five acres of tulips. There is fun for all ages, including live entertainment, children’s activities, delicious local and international food and market stalls daily, all set to the stunning backdrop of a rainbow of 900,000 tulips in flower. Come for the craic and enjoy all day entertainment during Irish weekend (5 – 7 October). There will be Irish pipers and dancers, Celtic arts, Irish coffee and beers and a few lovable Leprechauns! www.tulipfestival.com.au

Friday, 12 October SYDNEY, NSW 2018 Irish Australia Business Awards

CHECK OUT OUR NEW WEBSITE

irishecho.com.au

Monday, 22 October SYDNEY, NSW Irish Support Agency AGM,

Notice of 23rd Annual General Meeting. The Annual General Meeting of the Irish Support Agency NSW Inc. will be held on Monday 22nd October 2018 at the ISA Centre, 2 Wellington Street Bondi NSW 2026, commencing at 6.30pm. www.irishsupportagency.org.au

Friday, 26 October

Sunday, 28 October WILLIAMSTOWN, VIC International Commemoration of the Great Irish Famine

The International Commemoration of the Great Irish Famine will take place at 2.30pm at the Williamstown Famine Rock, Burgoyne Reserve, The Strand.

Everyone is welcome. Minister of State and Limerick TD Patrick O’Donovan will represent the Irish Government at the event and will be the guest speaker. At 5pm that day there will be a roundtable discussion at Williamstown Town Hall on the ‘Famine and Irish Australia’. A panel of academics - Professor Elizabeth Malcolm, Associate Professor Dianne Hall, Dr Fidelma Breen and Dr Val Noone - will discuss questions such as what impact did the Famine have on Irish Australia. Tea and coffee from 4.30pm. For more details search Facebook for ‘Irish Famine Orphan Girls Commemoration’.

MELBOURNE, VIC The Internationals Lunch

Join us to celebrate the best and brightest in Irish Australian Business in 2018 at the 4th Annual Irish Australian Business Awards Gala in the prestigious surrounds of Sofitel Sydney.

• Recognise Irish Australian

what’s on

business achievement • Network with the best and brightest in our community • Celebrate with the National Finalists and Winners • Find out what it takes to make it onto the honour roll next year! Don’t miss out on this exclusive networking opportunity to rub shoulders with leading lights in the Irish Australian business community in Australia.

Sofitel Sydney from 7.00pm www.irishchamber.com.au/events

The Irish Australian Chamber of Commerce (IACC) annual Spring Racing corporate lunch in Melbourne, on the eve of the Cox Plate. Featuring industry experts, tipsters and representatives from the international stables taking part in Melbourne’s Spring Racing Carnival. www.irishchamber.com.au

SAVE THE DATE •M agners Sydney Irish Festival

November 10 – 11 in Sydney with Damian Dempsey

•S ydney St Patrick’s Day Christmas Ball

December 1 at at the Shangri La Hotel

stay up to date with what’s on at

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

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

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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.

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legacies of the Tories are starting to bear fruit here and making people think it is their own fault is a wonderful victory for neo-liberal thinking,” she said. “(If I were president) we would cut all taxation and social welfare which would see a decrease in population after a period of feral living, then we would burn the bodies of the dead as fossil fuel.”

The campaign will be poorer for the absense of these Irish women.

Presidential poll the candidates who didn’t quite make it SO, Ireland goes to the polls next month to elect a new president.

Don’t worry. You’re not involved.

Your decision to leave Ireland has renedered you ineligible to have a say despite your alleged citizenship.

But sure they all love the diaspora.

No, really!

The final field of candidates has been confirmed and includes the incumbent, Michael D Higgins, who is in the unique position of being able to boast the support of Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Labour. What could possibly go wrong?

Three of the other candidates are bizarrely connected by the same TV show, Dragon’s Den. Businessmen Peter Casey, Sean Gallagher (yes, he’s re-emerged to run again) and Gavin Duffy are all running and have all appeared on the RTE show in which entrepreneurs pitch business ideas to the ‘dragons’ who can opt to invest in the business. In Australia, the show is called Shark Tank and one wonders what these three sharks might do with the presidency.

The other two candidates, who also have Buckley’s chance, are Sinn Féin’s Liadh Ní Ríada and Pieta House founder Joan Freeman.

What a shame some of the other presidential hopefuls didn’t get a run.

Take Sarah Louise Mulligan, a Dublin based pro-life, pro-Trump, Marilyn Monroe impersonator who has appeared nude in a number of TV shows and lesser-known movies.

In an interview with The Irish Sun (yeh, I know, I know) she declared: “I have a huge interest in politics and was on Sky News. It is time we have a pro-life President.”

She insisted she “wanted people to take me seriously. My performance art background will stand to me as I am a people’s person.

“I am a burlesque dancer and a Marilyn Monroe impersonator, but I am no stripper — there is a big difference. I have been an actress and done loads of things in my 20s.

My body is beautiful and I wasn’t

Quiz 1. Of the nine counties which line the Republic / Northern Ireland, only two don’t belong to the province of Ulster. Which two?

2. Fred Noonan was the co-pilot.

Who was the female pilot?

3. Neil Hannon wrote the theme music for Father Ted. Which band did he front?

4. How many Irish-born cardinals are there currently — 2,3,4, or 5?

5. What was the name of the first ship to come to the aid of the Titanic?

6. Born in Ireland, he appeared with Flanagan and Allen in the 1934 movie Wild Boy, but it was badly received by critics. He died aged 13 in England, without appearing in any other films. Who was he?

7. Large White Ulsters are what?

8. Bull McCabe is the central character in which novel / film?

9. In which city was union leader Jim Larkin born?

10. Who is the current manager of the Northern Ireland soccer team?

Hubris Higgins afraid to show it off,” she said.

Another candidate who didn’t quite make the grade was PR manager Bunty Twuntingdon-McFuff who refreshingly, unlike Mulligan, was a satirical creation of comedy writer Norma Burke.

Twuntingdon-McFuff presented her vision for the presidency to bemused Dublin city councillors.

She said she envisioned a “neo-liberal dream” that would turn the Áras into a boutique spa hotel, leasing out Phoenix Park for deer hunters, and her own reality show ‘In Your Áras’.

“I love Ireland as a country. Each year it becomes more like my home country of Britain, with food banks and homelessness. All the best

THAT august journal Waterford Whispers has, eh, reported that Michael D Higgins has eased off the gas on the campaign trail, and has stated that he’ll probably spend the next four weeks just posting pics of himself and his two massive dogs on social media “and still coast this f***ing thing”.

“The 77-year-old sitting president isn’t going to go ‘liathroidi amách’ between now and the election, and will instead just rock out with Bród and Shadow, his two massive Bernese mountain dogs,” Whispers reported. “I don’t even need to leave me gaff,” chuckled Higgins.

“I’ll just walk the dogs down to the fence, throw them a ball, give them a pat, and passers-by will have that shit viral before tea-time.”

May be satirical, although...

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“The Irish government have an opportunity shine the light on the murder of Palestinians by boycotting the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest in Israel.”

Sinéad Ennis MLA (Sinn Féin) calling for a boycott of the Eurovision, which is now official party policy.

“At the inter-governmental level, relations are worse than at any time in at least the last 30 years. The Taoiseach and [British] prime minister appear to have no substantive working relationship and go long periods without talking to each other.”

Micheál Martin, leader of Fianna Fáil.

“We will always be firm friends of the American people, but Ireland will not welcome a man with Trump’s record of discrimination, sexism and lies.”

Brendan Howlin, on President Trump’s proposed visit to Ireland.

The trip has been postponed, with no new date given.

“Brexit is a meteor that is hurtling towards this island. It is quite frightening”.

Josepha Madigan TD, Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht “Brexit is going to bring change and Ireland will be ready for that change.

And the most crucial and reassuring aspect to our contingency planning remains that, after Brexit, Ireland will continue to enjoy all the benefits of being a full and valued member of the European Union.”

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Mr. Simon Coveney TD “The Northern Ireland border issue is not as complex as it is being made out to be”, adding that if there were political will on both sides, a solution could be found.”

Former Brexit minister David Davies “I don’t think my visiting the border is really going to give me a fundamental insight into the border beyond what one can get by studying it.”

Jacob Rees-Mogg, MP for North-East Somerset, at a public meeting in his constituency. Eschewing a suggestion that he might go to Ireland to see the complexity of the problem at first hand.

“She seems to suggest that democrats, having made a decision, should not ever change their minds. In fact, democracy is all about creating mechanisms whereby voters CAN change their minds.”

Former Taoiseach John Bruton criticising Theresa May’s description of another Brexit referendum as a “gross betrayal of democracy” “We fully acknowledge that this process will be difficult for some customers and communities but the end result will be a strengthened, viable post office network serving the needs of our country for the future.’’

Debbie Byrne, Managing Director of An Post Retail, speaking about the closure of 159 rural post-offices which have been ruled to be no longer viable.

Bunty Twuntingdon-McFuff and Sarah Louise Mulligan have sadly failed to win council endorsement to run for President.

“To everyone out there who’s bought my album, a big thank-you for all your support and getting it straight into the Top 20! It’s been 44 years since a studio album of mine charted, and it feels great! Time to celebrate...”

Gilbert O’Sullivan, on the release of his 19th album

Crossword Clues across 1. Who had the confused ability to find this east coast promontory (5,4) 6. Irish canal or British family? (5) 8. July’s sessions reveal novel (7) 9. Former court performer conjuring an asset (6) 11. Nonsense with nothing removed becomes Irish family (4) 13. Patrick, an actor, is no haphazard binger (6) 14.Transgression in Drumsinnot (3) 15. Swift brute concealed in only a hood (5) 17. Short illness recorded in Corflugh (3) 18. Remove insect, we hear, from European capital to reveal Lough (4) 22. Yes, it’s a contract (9) 23. Overseas currency is right also (4) 25. Square in Irish town, Jane (4) 30. 500 sheets, perhaps (4) 31. A rival Don’s on a journey to Clare (12) 33. Noel a confused film star (5) 35. English lord’s warning on receiver (9) 36. Orkney’s confused for part of US city (7) Clues down 1. Hey! Hug a mystified Taoiseach (7) 2. Confused north-east thoroughfare finds Mr Rooney (5) 3. Not the kind of money that talks (4) 4 & 6 down: Erin rages. Its confused

people stage showdown (6,6) 5. Completed festivity almost in part of Ireland (7)(7) 6. see 4 down 7. Oh aye, at stanzas and the like he was good but hidden (5) 10. Me in a Fermanagh lough finds a speedy delivery man (4) 12. Nothing infiltrates Middle East country to find English small landholder (6) 16. Glaciers a surprising basis for Spanish town written about by Yeats (9) 17. An article in the middle of iron produces Monaghan river (4) 19. Venture needs French person to show up (5) 20. A politician’s device for increasing volume (3) 21. Whimsically humorous grass by the sound of it (3) 24. Solar range hides Scottish island (5) 26. Southerly distances produce grins (6) 27. Yo men! You look confused in Tipperary (5) 28. Jessica, or town in Clare (5) 29. Potassium and Kildare town produce Wuthering Heights (5) 32. Nitrogen twice, separated by oxygen twice, equals 12 o’clock (4) 34. Second person sounding like one likely to be fleeced (3)

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LAST EDITION’S ANSWERS: Clues across 1. Dungeon. 5. Cahill. 8 across and 9 down: Ava Gardiner.

10. Roses. 11. Setanta. 12. Lam. 13. Iseult. 15. Canon. 16. Céilí. 20. Ache. 21.

Cue. 22. Barnacle. 24. Esteem. 25. O’Farrell. 27. Madden. 28. Lenaghan.

Clues down 1 & 5 down: Dunluce Castle. 2. Normans. 3. Erskine (Childers). 4. Nascent.

5. see 1 down 6. Hats. 7. Line. 9. see 8 across 14. See. 17, 19 & 21 down: The Iceman Cometh. 18. Indeed. 19. see 16 down 20. Aero. 21. see 16 down 22. Bream. 23. Orna. 26. Fee.

Answers: 1. Leitrim (Connacht), Louth (Leinster); 2. Amelia Earhart; 3. The Divine Comedy; 4. Two – Cardinal Seán Brady, and Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell; 5. The RMS Carpathia; 6. The greyhound Mick the Miller; 7. Pigs; 8. The Field: 9. Liverpool; 10. Michael O’Neill

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AUST R ALIA’S IR ISH NE WSPAP E R

sports ALL IRELAND SENIOR FOOTBALL FINAL

Dubs make it four-in-a-row

Successful Dublin senior football manager Jim Gavin

DUBLIN senior football manager Jim Gavin hailed the ‘mental resolve’ of his decorated players following their fourth All Ireland title victory in a row and their sixth title in eight years at Croke Park a fortnight ago.

Trailing by four points to Tyrone early on, Dublin responded before the break to lead by seven at half-time which pleased Gavin.

Though Dublin had squandered some chances initially Gavin was satisfied with how they recovered to dictate the agenda in the second quarter.

“The GAA should be very proud of both teams, of both counties, the spectacle that they put on today with some great scores,” Gavin reflected.

“The attacking phases were quite equal, we were probably just a bit ahead of them on the efficiency rate and that is a credit to the Dublin players.

“We go after the skills of the game, we have worked hard at that in the last

number of years and we probably got due reward. In the opening 10 or 15 minutes a little bit wayward, the Tyrone boys put them under pressure, but the mental resolve in that Dublin team is just a pleasure to witness.

“The collective ethos they have, they see the prize serving the county not the self. You have players there that didn’t get game time, they didn’t show it, but they must be disappointed not to play in an All Ireland Final.

“They just want the team to do well.

It is team, team, team and I think they have demonstrated that again.”

Gavin also praised Tyrone, who started and finished the match strongly.

“In a contest and in a final as we have experienced the last number of years when it comes down to the last two teams they are going to give everything,” Gavin remarked.

“No surprise there from Tyrone.

They are an outstanding team. My admiration for them went up tenfold

after the game the way to a man, unprompted, they stayed on the pitch to see the Dublin guys come down from the Hogan Stand and the respect that they showed to the opposition it is very humbling to see that.

“Going into the game we knew it was going to be a very tough battle, they go 0-5 to 0-1 up, they have the momentum, but our guys don’t blink which is a great characteristic to have.”

How Dublin remained cool under pressure was significant according to the all-conquering manager.

“We just keep going through the phases to get ourselves back in the game. They [Tyrone] were going to come back, you see the subs they brought on, they finished with a really strong, offensive, attacking team.

I’m just really happy for [Dublin] that they have come out the right side of it. Possibly it could have went the other way in the closing stages, but we did enough to see it out.”

INTERNAL FIGHTING LEAVES REPUBLIC OF IRELAND SOCCER IN DISARRAY

O’Donovan brothers on top of the world IRELAND’S president has hailed

the rowing O’Donovan brothers as inspirational after their world championship victory in Bulgaria.

Gary and Paul O’Donovan won gold in the men’s lightweight double sculls in the World Rowing Championships in Plovdiv last week. The brothers, from Skibbereen, Co Cork, shot to prominence in 2016 when they won silver at the Olympics, securing a place in the nation’s heart with their straight talking attitude and comic one-liners. President Michael D Higgins said: “Gary and Paul O’Donovan ...continue to inspire us, not only with this win at the World Rowing Championships but also with their mental and physical strength.” Cork-based Sanita Puspure produced Ireland’s second gold at the championships, winning the single sculls. The Latvian-born rower, 36, finished 5.81 seconds ahead of Switzerland’s Jeannine Gmelin. Puspure won World Under-23 and World Student Games medals for her native Latvia before moving to Ireland in 2006.

Veteran striker Aine O’Gorman retires REPUBLIC of Ireland Women striker Aine O’Gorman has announced her retirement from international football after 100 appearances for her country. The 29-year-old Peamount United forward made her senior debut for Ireland at the age of 16 and completed her century in a 1-0 defeat by Norway in June. O’Gorman, who scored 13 international goals, will continue to play for her club and hopes to study for her UEFA B coaching licence.

Blues for Munster after Cardiff defeat CARDIFF Blues picked up their first win of the season as a superb display earned them a 37-13 win over Munster at the Arms Park.

Blues scored four tries with Gareth Anscombe converting all four and adding three penalties. Andrew Conway scored two tries for Munster, with new signing Joey Carbery kicking a penalty.

Leinster back on top after bonus point win LEINSTER returned to the top of

Aiden O’Brien scores on debut for Ireland against Poland in Wroclaw.

Debutant’s goal distracts from football malaise Damian Spellman MARTIN O’Neill was full of praise for Republic of Ireland striker Aiden O’Brien after watching him mark his debut in Poland with a first senior international goal. Ireland boss O’Neill was without a host of senior players in Wroclaw, but was delighted as a new-look side came within three minutes of a morale-boosting friendly victory which went some of the way towards tempering the pain of a 4-1 Nations League defeat in Wales and the latest controversy surrounding assistant manager Roy Keane.

O’Brien was handed a start in the absence of Shane Long and Jonathan Walters and rewarded his manager with a 53rd-minute header, although his goal was ultimately enough to claim only a 1-1 draw at the Stadion Miejski.

O’Neill said: “I thought Aiden O’Brien was terrific for a debut. We knew what we’d get in terms of effort from him. He doesn’t always play for Millwall, but when he does, he gives you everything.

“He hasn’t played centre-forward for a long time he plays left midfield. But he attempted to hold it up for us and gave us strength and brought others in.”

Substitute Mateusz Klich eventually rescued Poland, who drew 1-1 in Italy during their Nations League opener 24 hours after the Republic’s horror show in Cardiff, with an 87th-minute equaliser and it was a measure of Ireland’s performance that they headed for home disappointed.

O’Neill said: “We played exceptionally well and should have won the game. We defended very strongly. We needed that. We are judged on performances and results. The players responded brilliantly.”

Meanwhile, O’Neill has not given up hope of having Declan Rice, Harry Arter and Seamus Coleman back for what he admits may be a must-win Nations League double-header next month.

The Republic of Ireland boss had to do without all three for the 1-1 friendly draw in Poland, with Rice considering overtures from England, Arter having made himself unavailable after a training ground row with assistant boss Roy Keane and Coleman out with a stress fracture to his foot.

However, he is hoping to have some of that trio at his disposal as Denmark and Wales head for Dublin in October, with injured duo Robbie Brady and James McCarthy also making progress.

Having revealed after the game in Wroclaw that he was keeping his fingers crossed over Coleman, O’Neill said when asked about a possible reconciliation between Arter and Keane: “I think there is every possibility of a reconciliation and I’m just hoping that will materialise.”

On Rice, who has three caps to his name, but is yet to make a competitive appearance for Ireland, O’Neill was circumspect with England counterpart Gareth Southgate having also made his interest known.

He said: “I don’t know any more than you do at this particular juncture. Honestly, genuinely don’t. There’s no point in me commenting here positively or negatively until I get to talk to the people again.”

On the Dublin fixtures, O’Neill said: “Considering the situation and there are only four games in the group, I think you’d have to try and win both games if we could. It won’t be easy, but if we have couple of players back, that again will give us an added boost.

“But the players in there are delighted, they’re buzzing. They’re disappointed, naturally, with the concession of the goal late on. “It would have been nice to have come here and actually won the game in Poland regardless of it being a friendly game.”

the Guinness PRO14’s Conference B after a 31-7 bonus-point victory over 14-man Edinburgh at the RDS. Wingers Fergus McFadden and James Lowe both touched down as Leo Cullen’s men led 12-0 following a very physical first half, the Irish province absorbing a long period of Edinburgh pressure in between those tries. Magnus Bradbury’s lone seven-pointer for the Scottish club was followed by scores from Jordan Larmour and Jonathan Sexton, the latter securing the bonus point on his 150th Leinster appearance. Edinburgh’s woes were compounded by replacement prop Pierre Schoeman’s red card for ‘leading with the elbow’ into a 70th-minute tackle from Dan Leavy, and Garry Ringrose’s late breakaway try wrapped up the scoring.

Double Leger champ a Melbourne bolter FLAG Of Honour made it a Leger

double for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore with an all-the-way win in the Comer Group International Irish St Leger at the Curragh. O’Brien said: “He’s a tough, hardy horse who ...stays very well. He has an entry in the Melbourne Cup, but I’ll have to talk to the lads.”

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A U S TRA L IA’S IRIS H N EWS PAPER

sports HAWTHORN’S DASHING RECRUIT REWARDED WITH NEW CONTRACT

Irish Hawk flying high after first AFL season David Hennessy

HAWTHORN’S Conor Nash has announced himself in the AFL with some fine performances and goals that have earned him another contract that will keep him in Melbourne for at least two more years.

After making his debut for Hawthorn in an eleven point win against Geelong in Round 21, the 20-year-old former Meath minor held on to his place in the team for the remainder of the season that ended in semi-final defeat to Melbourne. He scored his first AFL goal in his second game – a victory over St Kilda – and goaled again in the preliminary final defeat to champions Richmond. Nash is the third Irishman to debut in the AFL this year with Darragh Joyce and Colin O’Riordan making the breakthrough at St Kilda and Sydney Swans respectively.

Nash said he was keen to develop a career in his adopted code.

“This is a long term thing in my eyes so to get the two years and that bit of security is brilliant,” he said.

His elevation to the AFL first team came as “a bit of a surprise”, he said, but “I’ve been playing good football at Box Hill (Hawthorn’s VFL-affiliate) and developing well. But it was coming towards the business end of the season and a big game against Geelong as well. It was certainly very special when I found out. I had the family over here at the same time which made it even more so.”

He described his AFL debut as a “baptism of fire”.

“Hawthorn and Geelong have a serious rivalry down through the years

Conor Nash in training for Hawthorn. The 20-year-old Meathman has earned a contract extension after playing five AFL matches this year. and then for it to be a close game like it always is in front of the big crowd, it gripped me from the very start.”

He said he was delighted to hold onto his spot in the team for the remainder of the year.

“It was brilliant to hang on, to have a bit of consistency and just time at that level to become comfortable, I suppose. That’s the nature of the job I’m in.

That’s where we want to be playing all the time, in the first team and anything less is a bit of a disappointment.”

Many of the Irish men who turn their hand to AFL do so to play profession-

ally as it is an opportunity GAA can not offer but Nash is different in this aspect as he had an opportunity to join the Leinster rugby academy, a chance he turned down to move to Australia.

“It was a big decision at the time and I mulled over it a fair bit. It certainly wasn’t one I made lightly.

“In the end it was probably just the new attraction and new adventure really that got me over the line this way I knew there was a potentially a promising career back home.

“I haven’t looked back since. I knew whatever decision I made, I would go at

COLLINGWOOD SIGN STAR MAYO PLAYER FOR AFLW

Magpies swoop for Rowe David Hennessy

MAYO forward Sarah Rowe has signed a deal that will see her join Collingwood in the forthcoming AFLW season.

The 23-year-old follows long term Mayo team mate Cora Staunton (Greater Western Sydnºey Giants) and Laura Corrigan Duryea of Cavan who played with Melbourne Demons for the AFLW’s first two seasons before being delisted recently.

Rowe has represented Republic of Ireland at soccer and has declared her intention to return to Mayo after her five months in Australia to help her county in their bid for the All-Ireland.

Rowe travelled to Australia in April, meeting with several clubs before choosing the Magpies.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” she told the Irish Echo. “I don’t know exactly what to expect. It’s a complete new challenge for me, a new sport, a lot to learn but really looking forward to that aspect of it as well and putting myself out of my comfort zone.

“Football is what I grew up doing so instinct tells me what to do next and I would be able to help people around me whereas now I’m going to need a lot of help off other girls on the team

Mayo’s Sarah Rowe will play for Collingwood in the AFLW

and going to the manager with a lot of questions and stuff. It’s going to be a different role for me completely. You want to try prove yourself in one way but you need to learn all the skills first.

It’s just gonna take time.”

Sarah had never been to Australia before she also visited the clubs Carlton, Western Bulldogs, Melbourne, Geelong and North Melbourne.

“Collingwood was the first club I saw. I was extremely impressed, I thought they were so professional with

their presentation. They made me feel very much at home very quickly.”

Rowe and Mayo were defeated by Dublin in last year’s All-Ireland Ladies final. This campaign saw them exit to Galway at the quarter-final stage: “Hopefully I learn stuff that I can bring back to Mayo. It’s always been my dream to win an All-Ireland so I would never turn my back on that but it’s great that I get to do both. Going professional is hopefully going to stand to me big time. I’m really looking forward to it. It’s very appealing for Irish girls at the minute.”

Sarah herself has spoken about the inequalities between men’s and women’s sport in Ireland. She was encouraged by what she saw in Australia in this aspect: “The girls get as much of an opportunity as the boys to be in an environment where they can excel so I really liked that side of it. In Ireland at the minute it’s improving an awful lot, things are looking up but it’s still not there yet.”

Sarah will arrive in Australia ahead of pre-season training with Collingwood on November 1.

Eighteen other Irish women have arrived in Melbourne to try their luck at the Australian game.

it one hundred per cent and not regret it in any way. I haven’t. I’m enjoying it thoroughly so far.”

Nash says while homesickness has not been a problem, he has struggled with having to start at the bottom of the ladder in a new game.

“You are starting from the bottom again and that’s probably the biggest thing I struggled with. Not being that leader or star player really, the go-to player that I would have always been back home. It’s hard but you have got to be realistic about where you are at, just focus on the little positives

because starting a new career, a new sport,” he said.

Nash was not the only Irishman on the field when he made his AFL bow as both Zach Tuohy and Mark O’Connor lined out for Geelong.

A commentator even remarked that Meath had beaten Kerry when Nash beat O’Connor to one ball: “We just said, ‘how good is this? Playing in MCG, thousands of people here, the highest level of this sport and three Irish lads are right there on the pitch’. It’s massive for us and that’s exactly what we’re fighting for each week.”

BREAKTHROUGH SEASON

Irish footy kicks into gear David Hennessy

IRISH footy is kicking on with three expats debuting this season and others cementing their places in their respective clubs.

Darragh Joyce from Kilkenny made his debut for St Kilda on 1 July in his team’s 119-117 win over Melbourne.

He was to be followed only two weeks later by Colin O’Riordan who played his first AFL game in a six-point victory for his Sydney Swans over Nor th Melbourne. Finally, Conor Nash took his AFL bow in Hawthor n’s over Geelong in Round 21 to complete a great year for Irish in the sport.

Conor Glass, who broke into the Hawthorn team late last year, made four more appearances this campaign.

Both Conors started against St Kilda, an 80-76 victory for the Hawks.

Zach Tuohy kicked ten goals in his 23 games for Geelong in 2018, including an incredible winner after the siren against Melbour ne in Round 18.

Tuohy is now Ireland’s most experienced man playing in the AFL with 168 games under his belt, including 138 consecutive games.

Geelong’s other Irishman Mark O’Connor has been elevated to the senior list at the Cats. The Kerryman

played five games for Geelong this year but has also performed well in the VFL. Pearce Hanley endured another troubled season with injury, his second season to be hampered since his move to the Gold Coast Suns. The 29-year-old made his return in the Round 20 match against Melbourne to finish his season with three appearances for the Suns.

Conor McKenna followed his breakout season for Essendon last year by kicking seven goals in his 18 matches.

He would also be the subject of controversy when he was suspended for three weeks for biting Tor y Dickson of Western Bulldogs.

Ciaran Byrne had another injur y interrupted campaign. A quad injury kept him out for three months but Byrne would feature seven times for the Blues. Also at Carlton, Galway man Cillian McDaid has yet to make his AFL debut but kicked his first goal for Northern Blues in the VFL in a win over Sandringham. McDaid, 20, was injured for much of the season.

Westmeath man Ray Connellan did not have the same successful campaign as Darragh Joyce at St Kilda and has been delisted. Known for his blistering pace, Connellan finished with 19 goals in the VFL and is understood to be looking for a new club.

A U S TRA L IA’S IRIS H N EW S PAPER

October, 2018 I www.irishecho.com.au

TICKETS ON SALE www.hermitagegreen.com

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