Greetings from the Features Department. It’s been quite an extraordinary week hasn’t it? There’s been a whole host of captivating stories. Over in the Middle East, Israel surprised Hizbullah and Lebanon when they launched an attack via pagers and walkie talkies. Back home in the States, the ripple effects from an attempted hit on Trump for a second time continued to shake up American politics. And within our borders, approval ratings for Prime Minister Simon Harris have been skyrocketing, while the rating of Opposition leader Mary Lou McDonald has nose-dived. It is also worth noting the peculiar coexistence of the Ploughing Championships in sunny Ratheniska, Co Laois, and the annual conference of Fianna Fail in the sophisticated confines of Killiney, south Co Dublin, all in the same week.
I trust you’d enjoy my curated stories from this week.
1. The week kicked off with a chilling revelation about a childcare facility in south Dublin. Kitty Holland, our Social Affairs Correspondent reported that a staff member had voiced concerns about the conduct of fellow employees–alleging instances of children being slapped, hit, manhandled onto high-chairs, being force-fed until they were sick, designated degrading names, and being knocked over during aggressive nose wiping. The whistleblowing employee also claimed that derogatory comments were made about parents in the presence of their children, and that the accused staff generally behaved in an unkind fashion towards the children.
2. On Tuesday, it was revealed there are some bizarre behaviours among motorists. “During rush hour, you’ll find people in their vehicles watching matches on a tablet or laptop, eating their morning cereal, applying makeup or even shaving,” a Police Inspector informed our Security and Crime Editor, Conor Lally. Mimicking an initiative from Belgian law enforcement, the Dublin Roads Policing Unit has now deployed unmarked trucks to peer into vehicles in order to apprehend rule-breaking drivers. This initiative, initially launched in Dublin, has been broadened to include parts of Kildare and Louth is set to be next.
This week, my reading material included some juicy titbits about Murdoch and the groundbreaking work of an Irish cinematic pioneer. Every Wednesday, the ‘New to the Parish’ column paints a vivid picture of the trials of relocating to Ireland and trying to fit into its societal fabric. The narrative captures Wilson Silva, a man of Brazilian descent, whose positivity leaves readers smitten. Despite wrangling with challenges like the overpriced rents, a steep cost of living, house-sharing, grappling with a foreign language, and being back in the study hall, he maintains an optimistic outlook. His humorous account of a language mix-up between the terms for ‘condom’ and ‘sticking plaster’ is certain to make readers chuckle.
Then, on Thursday, I found myself laughing out loud at a column by Patrick Freyne, an eccentric take on ‘The Grand Tour: One for the Road’. The show features known faces from BBC’s Top Gear: James May, Richard Hammond, and Jeremy Clarkson. The column recalls some close brushes with the limits set by the UK’s primary broadcasting platform, inducing laughter through absurdity. It then revisits an infamous incident in 2015 involving Clarkson, ham, and an Irishman. This hilarious recounting of the quarrel is a fresh retelling of the well-known scandal.
Seanín Graham, a northern correspondent, perfectly encapsulates the buoyant and optimistic ambiance of Fresher’s week from Botanic Avenue in Belfast. The narrative carries an intriguing element, featuring a burgeoning interest among the youths from the Republic choosing the North for their academia. While the affordable living costs factor in, few undisclosed appealing facets were unveiled by the students. The correspondent traced students from varied locations – Kildare, Mayo or even Youghal of County Cork, a town quite familiar to me and a lengthy eight-hour journey to Belfast via public transit. We wish these new learners all the best for an enjoyable first year. They’ll soon discover the friendly demeanour of us Northerners!
It’s really hard to overlook Rory McIlroy’s often frustrating game, leaving a bitter testimony of missed opportunities. Mary Hannigan, sports writer’s observations from Monday was also somewhat hard to digest, especially the American caddies performing their topless celebrations on the course after Megan Khang’s eagle at the Solheim Cup.
There’s a buzz around about the upcoming election. However, I find it hard to resonate. The Leinster House, confined within its walls, is buzzing with politics-dependent careers. During my time, I too was bitten by the politics-bug and it still hovers within me, despite the successful recovery. I still remain intrigued by The Inside Politics Podcast, a show which serves a rich platter of acute political insights and humorous exchanges between Political Editor Pat Leahy and presenter Hugh Linehan, specifically addressing the recent Ipsos B&A opinion poll.
With the increasing momentum, Fine Gael seems to be outshining while Sinn Féin’s popularity seems to be waning – according to the poll.
Highlighting some other notable news.
The BBC carried out an intensive investigation this week, unearthing claims that Mohamed Al Fayed, the previous owner of Harrods, had raped five women during their tenure at the upscale department store in London. In addition to these claims, testimonies from over 20 women who were formerly employed at Harrods painted a picture of Al Fayed, a billionaire who passed away last year at 94, as someone who sexually violated or raped them. The existing proprietors of Harrods voiced their absolute revulsion at these allegations, expressing their regret that the victims were not better protected and offering their sincere apologies.
Other popular news items include an account of nursing home life framed as a ‘posh prison’ for a 46 year-old man, accusations of inappropriate behaviour directed at a childcare worker in South Dublin, a fully upgraded city-centre dwelling available for €435,000, and a refurnished terraced house with a vibrant and fresh interior, priced at €550,000.
An uplifting narrative that struck a chord with the public this week was Connacht and Ireland rugby player, Bundee Aki obtaining Irish citizenship. At one of several ceremonies held at the Dublin Convention Centre, which officiated 3,600 people as Ireland’s newest citizens, Bundee, residing in County Galway, expressed his gratitude at being an Irish citizen. This emotional event touched not only the new citizens but also their family members. Anyone who has witnessed one of these ceremonies would attest to their remarkable nature. Our journalists plan to reconnect with some people they interviewed at the ceremony earlier and explore what being an Irish citizen means to them.