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Fionnán Sheahan

DAMN LIES AND STATISTICS

Date: March 7, 2019 - Fit to Print?

TRIUMPHANT BOASTS and victory cries over the competition always accompany the Irish Independent’s reporting of the circulation figures and the latest ABC results are no different. But the most recent stats reveal a remarkable turn around between the Indo and the Irish Times. Indo editor Fionnán Sheahan told readers last month that his title remained… Read more »

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FINTAN’S FOE

Date: March 7, 2019 - Fit to Print?

IRISH TIMES opinion enforcer Fintan O’Toole, expressed his distaste last year that New York Times columnist Ross Douthat should welcome the notion of prosecuting women who have abortions “the way we prosecute other forms of homicide”. IT readers would perhaps not have been surprised then to learn that Douthat last month described abortion laws passed… Read more »

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Conor O'Donnell

‘MAIL’ MANAGEMENT MASSACRE HACKS

Date: March 7, 2019 - Fit to Print?

THE PRE-CHRISTMAS hack-cleansing at the Irish Daily Mail (see The Phoenix, 30/11/18) has been followed by another onslaught against staff at the newspaper exceeding even the scale of the INM purge, as the crisis of print media approaches ground zero. Managing director Paul Henderson’s bland, public statement about the newspaper group being “future proofed” was… Read more »

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Bríd Smith

MANNERLY VARADKAR

Date: March 7, 2019 - Fowl Emissions

We may be in for another torrid year – meteorologically and politically. The UK’s all-time record for the warmest winter’s day was broken several times last week. On this side of the Irish Sea, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar seems to be feeling the heat over his… Read more »

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GARRETT SIMONS’S RULING

Date: March 7, 2019 - Fowl Emissions

Where the government is pally with big oil, the courts continue to be friends of the planet. The beleaguered Shannon LNG project was given yet another kicking last month, this time by High Court judge Garrett Simons. He referred to the European Court of Justice an appeal by Friends of the Irish Environment against An… Read more »

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Bog Cuttings

BOG CUTTINGS

Date: March 7, 2019 - Bog Cuttings

Complaint to POLICE ABOUT ‘DRUG’ DEALER A DISGRUNTLED would-be drug user has left police incredulous after calling to complain that she paid £200 for “brown sugar” instead of cocaine. Officers in Craigavon, Co Armagh, described the exchange on their Facebook page and called for people who have been “scammed by your dealer and would like… Read more »

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Chitra Stern

LOSSES AT LISS ARD

Date: March 7, 2019 - High Society

HAVING FIRST gone on the market over two-and-a-half years ago, it is probably not surprising that the asking price for the sprawling Liss Ard estate near Skibereen has finally had the asking price cut. However, the scale of the 33% reduction has raised eyebrows and suggests that the owner, Swiss moneybags Roman Stern, is finally… Read more »

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Jamie Myerscough

MYERSCOUGH’S WORKOUT

Date: March 7, 2019 - High Society

WITH THE campaign against the imposition of the top rate of VAT on health food supplements, it is not surprising that Jamie Myerscough has been busy tweeting against the government’s proposal. His Educogym fitness operation is linked to Tony Quinn’s Educohealth business, which shifts truckloads of supplements every year via its own platform and through… Read more »

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Paddy McKillen

McKILLEN’S ART WORK

Date: March 7, 2019 - High Society

MULTI-MILLIONAIRE Paddy McKillen knows a bit about art and likes to spend some of his loose change acquiring works. He also has a stake in Dublin’s Kerlin Gallery, which managed to record a significant loss last year. The ownership of the Kerlin Gallery is split between McKillen, John Kennedy, David Fitzgerald and Darragh Hogan. McKillen… Read more »

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Susan Bergin Marlowe Mullingar Film Studio RTÉ Self-Employment

BISI BLOCKED

Date: March 7, 2019 - Behind the Scenes

SPARE A thought for playwright Bisi Adigun. The Supreme Court has found that the long-running litigation against his former legal eagles failed to reach the standard of general public importance. The original case goes back to 2009, when Adigun and his company, Arambe Productions Ltd, lodged proceeding against his solicitor, Linda McEvoy, after having sued… Read more »

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Seána Kerslake

CONOR BARRY’S ‘HOLE IN THE GROUND’

Date: March 7, 2019 - Behind the Scenes

IRISH HORROR films and psychological thrillers have not fared well at the box office. Recent excursions The Lodgers and The Cellar Door hardly registered with Irish punters, so a lot is riding on Lee Cronin’s The Hole in the Ground. Starring Seána Kerslake and produced by Conor Barry at Savage Productions, the film is being… Read more »

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Rachael Blackmore

BLACKMORE’S CHELTENHAM CHALLENGE

Date: March 7, 2019 - Sport of Kings

OVER THE past couple of national hunt seasons, the big sporting story has been provided by the rivalry between Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott, characterised by Elliot’s exasperation as his great rival eroded the lead at the top of the table at the end of each season. With Mullins in the saddle since the start… Read more »

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Jessica Harrington

JESSICA HARRINGTON’S FIRST CHOICE

Date: March 7, 2019 - Sport of Kings

AFTER SUCH a successful beginning to their association, it was a surprise when Jessica Harrington announced recently that she had appointed Shane Foley as her stable jockey for this season at the expense of Colm O’Donoghue. O’Donoghue and Harrington enjoyed Classic success last year with Alpha Centauri, who proved one of the best milers in… Read more »

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Brendan Duke Adrian Murray Mick Bailey

HUMBLE PIE FOR HAYES

Date: March 7, 2019 - Sport of Kings

FORMER BETTING industry executive Noel Hayes had to endure an awkward moment recently when offering his punditry insight as a guest in the Racing TV studio. It was a tough night for the entrepreneur. The panel, which was chaired by Rishi Persad, was previewing the live Friday night action from Dundalk and members were focusing… Read more »

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Tom Taaffe

TOM TAAFFE’S TRIBULATIONS

Date: March 7, 2019 - Sport of Kings

TOM TAAFFE’S form-filling skills – or lack thereof – have been put under the spotlight recently. The trainer brought one of his horses, Walking Fame, to Gowran in January to make its debut but, when inspected by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) veterinary officer, as every newcomer is, it could not be identified as… Read more »

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Brendan McAtamney

QUESTIONS OVER UDG’S DISASTROUS SELL-OFF

Date: March 7, 2019 - Moneybags

LAST YEAR it was almost impossible to decipher the results for UDG Healthcare (previously United Drug) and, this year, the damage done to the group by a disastrous sell-off has again been well disguised. There are serious questions to be asked about the sale of UDG’s Aquilant subsidiary, which resulted in a loss of $100m…. Read more »

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Jeremy Masding

VARADKAR KEY TO OVERDUE PTSB-ULSTER BANK MERGER

Date: March 7, 2019 - Moneybags

IN A recent review of British bank RBS, Davy analysts Stephen Lyons and Jack O’Halloran included a small section on its Irish subsidiary, Ulster Bank. They noted it has only 88 branches compared with over 300 for each of the two pillar banks, Bank of Ireland and AIB. This means Ulster Bank doesn’t have the… Read more »

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Hot Water Brigade default

THE KELLYS’ EXAM RESULTS

Date: March 7, 2019 - Briefcases

THERE WERE some interesting claims in the Four Goldmines last month in a case that could cost the taxpayer a few bob. Interestingly, the plaintiff, a Ballinasloe-based firm that sued a Department of Education agency on grounds of bias, is understood to be currently pursuing a potentially lucrative tender from the same agency. KPW Print… Read more »

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Jed Dowling

JED DOWLING’S WRONG PRESCRIPTION

Date: March 7, 2019 - Briefcases

INTERESTING to see Jed Dowling popping up recently in relation Donal MacNally Opticians Ltd (DMO), the company behind some of the entities that trade under the Donal McNally name (in the likes of Sutton, Swords and Malahide), which has just gone into examinership. The news… Read more »

Rolling Donut kiosk

CAFOLLA FAMILY’S HOTEL KERFUFFLE

Date: March 7, 2019 - Briefcases

DUBLIN City Council has pulled the brakes on the proposed development of a Dublin city centre property with some interesting names attached to it. The council says that it has “serious reservations” about plans to convert the upper floors of the former Broadway Café at number 8 O’Connell Street Lower and has requested more information… Read more »

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Pat O'Sullivan

PAT O’SULLIVAN’S RECOVERY

Date: March 7, 2019 - Briefcases

CONGRATULATIONS are in order to former Kingspan suit turned management consultant Pat O’Sullivan. His company, Denis Moriarty The Kerries Ltd (DMTK), returned a profit of just over E8.5m in 2018, dragging the civil engineering outfit back into the black after a rocky patch. Fans of Goldhawk will recall that DMTK – then owned by brothers… Read more »

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Hot Water Brigade default

BREEGE O’CONNOR GROUNDED

Date: March 7, 2019 - Briefcases

FANS of Goldhawk will recall the adventures of Galway builder and used car salesman Donal O’Connor, who was declared bankrupt in the north in 2012 after getting his fingers burned in the crash (see The Phoenix, 4/5/12). Now the banks have caught up with his wife, Breege O’Connor, who just had two judgments totalling €3m… Read more »

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Avril Stanley

AVRIL STANLEY’S PLANNING WOE

Date: March 7, 2019 - Briefcases

HIPPY capitalist Avril Stanley is having some planning trouble. The event organiser behind the Body & Soul music and “wellbeing” festival is looking for retention permission for an extension to her Rathmines home, but Dublin City Council has had some issues with her application. Readers… Read more »

Roderick Smyth

RODERICK SMYTH’S MATCHMAKER

Date: March 7, 2019 - Briefcases

SPARE a thought for Roderick Smyth, the founder of the award-winning TempBuddy app and a senior suit at recruitment agency Erecuit. His company, Matchmaker Software Limited (MSL), has fallen foul of the dreaded taxman. A self-described “experienced entrepreneur”, Smyth was once praised by MEP Mairead McGuinness after winning best social category at the StartUp Europe… Read more »

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Hampton Hotel

OFFSHORE AT THE HAMPTON HOTEL

Date: March 7, 2019 - Briefcases

SOME interesting developments at Crofter Properties Ltd, the property vehicle behind the Hampton Hotel on Morehampton Road in D4. Classiebawn Castle owner Hugh Tunney controlled Crofter until his death in 2011. Subsequently, the trustees of his estate – legal eagles Brian Baily, Jacqueline Coen and Michael Lavelle of Lavelle Coleman solicitors (which has now rebranded… Read more »

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CATHERINE ARNOLD’S SETBACK

Date: March 6, 2019 - Affairs of the Nation

THE COUPLE behind the super successful Nurse On Call (NOC) agency, Dan and Catherine Arnold, have had their latest plans for a new nightspot slap in Harcourt Street shot down by the planners. The Arnolds have been coining it in through their nursing agency for decades, although it is impossible to guess how much the… Read more »

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Fred Barry

WHAM BAM THANK YOU KERRY

Date: February 21, 2019 - Affairs of the Nation

WHAT an interesting story Kerry’s Eye sleuth Aidan O’Connor had recently about BAM, the construction firm at the centre of the National Children’s Hospital contract increase from €983m to €1.7bn. According to the newspaper, BAM upped the cost of two by-pass roads in Kerry from… Read more »

Dearbhail McDonald

TROUBLE AT INM SHOCK!

Date: February 21, 2019 - Affairs of the Nation

AS IF there were not enough industrial relations problems at the Irish Independent and other INM titles (slashed budgets, compulsory redundancies etc), a serious clash has occurred between the Indo’s editor, Fionnan Sheahan, and its group business editor, Dearbhail McDonald. McDonald has lodged a bullying claim against Sheahan and has compiled a catalogue of alleged… Read more »

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Helen McEntee

PROFILE – FG’S HELEN MCENTEE

Date: February 21, 2019 - Pillars of Society

THE PRESENTABLE and quietly assured woman seen accompanying Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at almost every meeting with EU power brokers is minister for Europe Helen McEntee. She is also trotted out for second-tier media interviews to explain the government’s Brexit strategy, but has more recently graduated to defending Ireland against British media jibes about the impertinent… Read more »

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Rob Lipsett

YOUNG BLOOD: ROB LIPSETT

Date: February 21, 2019 - The Young Bloods

FITNESS FREAK Rob Lipsett (27) is one of the beautiful people. In the era of Instagram models and unrealistic body standards, the lantern-jawed former bodybuilder and internet entrepreneur has amassed an impressive cross-platform audience for his training guides, diet tips and assorted titbits of lifestyle advice. With his new book, The Rob Lipsett Game Plan,… Read more »

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Michael O'Leary

TIME FOR O’LEARY TO DISEMBARK AT RYANAIR

Date: February 21, 2019 - Moneybags

RYANAIR INVESTORS can’t be happy with the company tailspinning into pre-tax losses of U84m for its quarterly three-month trading to the end of December 2018 compared with a pre-tax profit of €113m in the corresponding period in 2017. At the same time, Ryanair achieved the unenviable status of being voted the worst airline in Europe…. Read more »

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Claire Loftus

CLAIRE LOFTUS’S CRITICS

Date: February 21, 2019 - Affairs of the Nation

SPARE A thought for poor Claire Loftus, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who has had a bruising couple of weeks. Criticism of the DPP by judges is rare enough, although the DPP’s office did get something of a pasting over the trial of former Anglo Irish Bank boss Seán Fitzpatrick – an issue back… Read more »

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Ruthie Heatherington

RUTHIE H’S SKINNY TEA

Date: February 21, 2019 - High Society

SPARE A thought for super fit entrepreneur Ruth Hetherington, whose health and fitness brand of teas and coffees has fallen foul of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI). She is in the process of winding up her Miss Fit Enterprises company, but Goldhawk suspects it won’t be long before ‘Ruthie H’ bounces back. Earlier… Read more »

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Susan Bergin Marlowe Mullingar Film Studio RTÉ Self-Employment

NEIL MURRAY’S TACTICS

Date: February 21, 2019 - Behind the Scenes

ALMOST A month after the Abbey Theatre found itself the star of yet another offstage drama, courtesy of a critical letter signed by hundreds of disgruntled luvvies, progress has proved very slow and patience is wearing thin. After the meeting that took place on February 1 between 14 of the signatories and Abbey co-director Neil… Read more »

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Rachel Weisz

THE OIRISH FAVOURITE

Date: February 21, 2019 - Affairs of the Nation

SUNDAY’S OSCARS look certain to feature The Favourite heavily and the green jersey has been very much in evidence in recent weeks, especially given the estimated $76m (and counting) at the global box office. After this month’s Baftas, the Irish Times ran a piece headlined “Irish production wins seven awards”, despite one of them being… Read more »

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Sheila Pratschke

REGIME CHANGE ON MERRION SQUARE

Date: February 21, 2019 - Behind the Scenes

WATCH OUT for an advert seeking to fill vacancies in the Arts Council. Given that the most important seat to be filled on Merrion Square is that of chair Sheila Pratschke, whose term ends next week, culture minister Josepha Madigan is leaving it late in the day if she intends to throw the net wide…. Read more »

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