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August 12 – August 25, 2016
Affairs of the Nation
GARDAI INVESTIGATE MICHAEL NOONAN
THE GARDA investigation into Michael Noonan’s conduct as health minister 20 years ago – in the case of an abused, seriously challenged girl – could hasten the finance minister’s departure... Read more »
IAN BAILEY’S DOUBLE JEOPARDY
IAN BAILEY’S request that the Director of Public Prosecution reconsider its decision not to prosecute him for the alleged murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier 20 years ago must be... Read more »
Sindo on Halawa
FOLLOWING Eoghan Harris’s recent attack on Ibrahim Halawa – jailed for three years and facing a possible death penalty in Egypt – Sindo writer Rachel Lavin gave Egyptian Ambassador Soha... Read more »
Sponsored Content
Gold’s accelerationbrings the metal back to the front pages
Gold’s acceleration through the $3,000 barrier has brought the yellow metal back to the front pages of financial newspapers and magazines in recent weeks. While there was an initial... Read more »
Isolated?
DIARMUID MARTIN has been isolated from his 25 episcopal colleagues in alleging the existence of a gay culture in Maynooth. But he has the backing of the most powerful leader... Read more »
LEO SHERLOCK’S LIBERAL AGENDA
WHAT AN interesting family the Sherlock clan from Louth are. Cora Sherlock is one of the most strident spokespersons for the pro-life movement, but her brothers, Leo and Enda, are... Read more »
DUBLIN MAYOR IN HIGH COURT ROW
DUBLIN Lord Mayor Brendan Carr expressed unalloyed “joy” at his recent elevation as well as much gratitude to not only his own Labour Party but also Sinn Féin and the... Read more »
BORELAND SHOT IN LOYALIST FEUD
John Boreland Raymond McCord LAST SUNDAY night a notorious UDA gangster John Boreland (47) was shot dead. It was a botched murder attempt on Boreland and his fellow extortionist Andre... Read more »
Fraser rules OK
THE strangled diplomatic language coming out of the Taoiseach’s office about the sudden transfer back to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) of second secretary Rory Montgomery marks yet another... Read more »
€40,000 HIT AGAINST JAMES CAHILL
DEAR me, what a stern judgment was delivered recently by Mr Justice Michael Moriarty (he of the tribunal of the same name) in an embarrassing action taken by a solicitor... Read more »
Indo hacks Shane Ross
AS Irish Independent readers can probably tell, Fine Gael ministers are very cross with their one time party colleague, Shane Ross. Last month, Indo editor Fionnan Sheahan wrote an angry... Read more »
Pillars of Society
Morgan O’Sullivan
ONE OF the country’s most successful film and television companies, Octagon Films, is set to be wound up by its principals and majority shareholders,... Read more »
The Young Bloods
Renua’s John Leahy
OFFALY County Councillor John Leahy (38) is odds-on favourite to become leader of a decimated Renua at the party’s September AGM. Since its electoral... Read more »
Forestry as a Smart Investment for 2025 and Beyond
As global markets continue to face uncertainty, many investors are seeking stable and reliable options that offer strong returns and long-term growth potential. In 2025, Green Belt Ltd is... Read more »
Fit to Print?
LET HACKS EAT CAKE
IRISH TIMES Ltd MD Liam Kavanagh was mistaken if he thought his recent message to staff would temper the hacks’ displeasure about yet another round of cuts. Saying that the... Read more »
Deirdre Foley’s PR
CONGRATS to FleishmanHillard which is making herculean efforts to rehabilitate the battered public image of new Clerys’ owner Deirdre Foley, who had been presenting as a modern, female version of... Read more »
ALISON O’REILLY’S GUARDIAN ANGEL
A COPY of the Irish Mail on Sunday’s (IMS) inquiry into that “interview” given to its reporter, Alison O’Reilly, by Louise James(James’s partner, two young sons, mother and sister died... Read more »
Last Refuge
WILL ROSS OUTFOX O’CALLAGHAN?
FIANNA FÁIL has laid a cunning trap for Independent Alliance leader Shane Ross with Jim O’Callaghan’s Judicial Appointments Commission Bill that Ross may or may not find hard to oppose.... Read more »
FF targets Varadkar
FIANNA FÁIL’S demand for the government to increase the pension by “at least” €5 a week, five times that proposed by social protection minister Leo Varadkar – Vlad foolishly floated... Read more »
‘IRONMAN’ MURPHY TO SUCCEED MCGUINNESS?
HEAVILY TIPPED to succeed Martin McGuinness as deputy first minister in the northern executive is Conor Murphy as part of Sinn Féin’s transitional leadership changes, which will also see Mary... Read more »
Bog Cuttings
‘Are you for real?’ A MAN who allegedly crashed into a Robertstown pub and then punched two Naas gardai in the face was refused bail and remanded in custody. Anthony... Read more »
Foreign Frolics
THE PROPAGANDA WAR WITH PUTIN
Hilary Clinton Vladimir Putin by Renee Parsons IF IT HAD NOT already been apparent, the net effect of the Democratic National convention (DNC) email hack has been to kick open... Read more »
Beyond the Pale
HEALY-RAE’S CLIMATE CLOWNING
WHEN HISTORIANS come to document the climate meltdown, what will they make of the fact that the biggest climate story of 2016 was ignored by Ireland’s print media? And that... Read more »
The Hot Air Brigade
“I absolutely love and adore children. Sometimes when I see a child, I go up to them and say ‘I’m your Minister’.” Katherine ‘Zapper’ Zappone, Irish Daily Star “Fringe is... Read more »
High Society
THE HEALY philanthropy
ONE FINALIST in the EY Entrepreneur of the Year competition is Maurice Healy, the multi-millionaire businessman, described by The Irish Times as one of... Read more »
MICHAEL SMURFIT AT 80
IF ONE is to believe even a fraction of Niamh Horan’s gushing account in the Sindo of Michael Smurfit’s 80th birthday bash aboard the... Read more »
WHAT NOW FOR THE KNIGHTS OF GLIN?
WHAT GOOD news that the FitzGeralds are “staying on” in Glin Castle as announced by Dominic West the husband of Catherine FitzGerald, eldest daughter of Desmond who died in 2011.... Read more »
Dublin Unites to Promote Foreign Investment and Economic Growth
Dublin has long been a hub for global business. But now, a new campaign, “Invested in Dublin: Local Ambition, Global Success”, is showing the world exactly why Dublin is... Read more »
Behind the Scenes
HUMPHREYS’S ARTS COUNCIL ADVERT
THE MINISTER for Arts, Heather Humphreys, has finally got around to filling those empty seats at the Arts Council, although Goldhawk hopes the unfortunate timing of the advert doesn’t cause... Read more »
Sport of Kings
LUKE COMER MAKES HIS COMEBACK
IT LOOKS like Luke Comer is planning a return to racing in a big way. The multimillionaire developer come horse trainer is well known for having hoovered up a swathe... Read more »
DERMOT WELD DETHRONED
THE ANNUAL jamboree that is the Galway races is over for another year and despite the new manager Michael Moloney’s best efforts attendances could not match those of last year,... Read more »
ANOTHER RECORD IN SIGHT FOR O’BRIEN
AIDAN O’BRIEN’S achievements have been well documented over the years but the Ballydoyle trainer is on target for another major milestone this year. Not only is he well out in... Read more »
Reviews
BOBBY SANDS: 66 DAYS
Directed by Brendan J O’Byrne BOBBY SANDS’S story has already been given the cinematic treatment in Steve McQueen’s acclaimed Hunger, though Brendan J O’Byrne’s powerful documentary differs significantly in approach.... Read more »
GALWAY ARTS FESTIVAL – ARLINGTON
WHAT’S UP with Enda Walsh? The widely fêted playwright has been riding a wave of notable productions and awards, but now seems caught up in an awkward artistic transition. This... Read more »
Books
THE LONELY SEA AND SKY – DERMOT BOLGER
NEW ISLAND In December 1943, one of the most extraordinary events in Irish naval history occurred when a small ship en route from Portugal to Ireland, rescued 168 stranded German... Read more »
Moneybags
What’s next for Doyle hotels?
PV Doyle’s legacy is a pale image of its past. Instead of dominating the Dublin hotel market as it did 20 years ago with... Read more »
Shareholders hit by Aminex dilution
THE €25m placing confirmed on August 2 last at an EGM was a real shock for Aminex shareholders. Unlike the desperate position Providence was... Read more »
Irish National Opera Placing Irish culture On The World Stage
Irish National Opera continues to expand its impact by showcasing outstanding performances across Ireland and internationally. Since its inception in 2018, INO has presented 184 live performances in 35... Read more »
Brief Cases
Some good news for the Foys
CONGRATULATIONS to Blackrock businessman Aiden Foy and his son, Philip, who both had a good day in the High Court before the summer recess before Judge Anthony Barr. At the... Read more »
Mixed results for chef Nolan
THERE was some bad news for creditors in Galway last month as Green Leaf Restaurant Ltd, trading as the Green Leaf Restaurant in Liosban, appointed a liquidator. It’s the fifth... Read more »
Publicans feeling the pressure
ONCE again, the owners of Galhoy Inns Ltd have had a receiver appointed on foot of two AIB mortgages secured against pubs in Kildare and Longford. The company is owned... Read more »
Andreucetti’s Annus Horribilis
SPARE a thought for Dublin hotel operator Theresa Andreucetti who lost her court battle to extend the deadline for the handing over of Lynam’s Hotel to a receiver on August... Read more »
Bob Lanigan’s legal saga
AN INTERESTING judgment was handed down last month relating to Goldhawk’s old friend, former general manager of Coolmore Stud Bob Lanigan. In 2008, the High Court granted Lanigan and his... Read more »
Gold’s $3,000 Breakthrough: A Financial Call to Arms
GOLD’S EXPLOSIVE surge past $3,000 per ounce last week is more than just a price milestone – it’s a wake-up call. We are entering the centre of an economic... Read more »
Popular Stories
LOTTIE RYAN’S RADIO SILENCE
RADIO STATION 2FM unveiled yet another new schedule (yawn) to a largely ...
CHARLES NOELL III SELLS UP
THE SQUIRE of Ardbraccan House in Co Meath, US moneybags Charles E ...
PRESENCE PAY DAY
PR QUEENS Joanne Byrne and Sinéad Ryan are winding up their successful ...
ART ATTACK
COVERAGE OF the arts took a bit of a hit this week ...
MARY CANNON’S JOINT
AN IMPRESSIVE looking timber-clad pile on the salubrious Claremont Road in Howth ...
CATHERINE FULVIO’S HIDDEN RECIPE
SO-CALLED celebrity chef Catherine Fulvio’s latest dish was an undercooked offering served ...
CHELTENHAM CHALLENGES
THERE WERE plenty of interesting match-ups at Cheltenham last week, notably reigning ...
POOR PATRICK MULLINS
AMATEUR RIDER Patrick Mullins has had a few recent setbacks in his ...
NIALL DOYLE’S NEXT GIG?
AS GOLDHAWK revealed (see The Phoenix 7/3/25), Niall Doyle, the long-time head ...
MORE ARTS COUNCIL CONSULTANTS
AS THE Arts Council prepares for an eventual outing before the Public ...