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martin-mcguinness

FIANNA FÁIL INVADES THE NORTH

Date: December 1, 2016 - Bird's Eye View

LAST WEEK Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness issued a joint statement listing all the aspects of administration where they were forging ahead. It was greeted with a raspberry by commentators and ignored by the public at large. The statement revealed to all that Martin and Arlene, Marlene to irreverent bloggers in the north, couldn’t agree… Read more »

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marcella-corcoran-kennedy

BLUESHIRT BAR LOBBY(ISTS)

Date: December 1, 2016 - Last Refuge

THERE is more than one Fine Gael faction working against the Alcohol Bill being steered through the Oireachtas by junior health minster Marcella Corcoran Kennedy. Forces within and without the House are organising to neuter the bill and Corcoran Kennedy will be hoping senior cabinet members stand up to it. Media reports speak of a… Read more »

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Tom Curran IFA

TOM CURRAN STAYS PUT

Date: December 1, 2016 - Last Refuge

TWO recently announced employment decisions of great import – one agricultural, the other political – have caused no little apprehension at Fine Gaels Mount Street HQ. On the one hand, the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) announced the appointment of its new director general, Damian McDonald. The IFA also let it be known that the new… Read more »

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On the button

Date: December 1, 2016 - Last Refuge

OUTRIGHT opposition to the recent Dublin City Council budget from People Before Profit’s three councillors as well as a blood and thunder speech from their leader, John Lyons, did not prevent next year’s budget being passed last month. But despite their trenchant opposition, the PBP revolutionaries unwittingly assisted their opponents – the ‘sell-out’ Sinn Féin… Read more »

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Mark Garrett

LABOUR HANDLERS FLEE TO PRIVATE SECTOR

Date: December 1, 2016 - Last Refuge

LABOUR’S 30 or so defeated TDs as well as the 80-plus councillors who lost their seats in 2014 have spent much time venting their outrage on Eamon Gilmore, Joan Burton and other ministers for leading them to political and personal disaster. Their ire will hardly be assuaged by the subsequent good fortune of those unelected… Read more »

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conor-brady

CONOR BRADY SPILLS THE BEANS

Date: December 1, 2016 - Fit to Print?

A CLASSIC, obfuscating Irish Times editorial last week condemned Sinn Féin’s bill to insert neutrality into the constitution as “tilting at windmills”. The newspaper that has published more articles criticising Irish neutrality than any other media in recent years dismissed recent moves towards an EU army as mere discussions about “peace keeping and humanitarian missions”…. Read more »

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dee-forbes

Forbes no fool

Date: December 1, 2016 - Fit to Print?

IS RTÉ director general Dee Forbes’s outsourcing of kiddies’ programmes really as cack-handed and insensitive as most seem to believe? Or is Forbes deliberately provoking communications minister Denis Naughten and the government because of their refusal to deliver the station a licence fee increase? Many RTÉ staffers believe the exodus from the station of public-service-conscious… Read more »

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brendan-howlin

Brendan Howlin

Date: December 1, 2016 - Pillars of Society

LEADER of the smallest Labour Party in its century long existence, Brendan Howlin must now have a keen understanding of the phrase, Be careful what you wish for. At 3% in the latest poll (which way does the 3% margin of error work here?) and with just seven TDs the party is eclipsed by more… Read more »

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donald-trump

POST TRUMP CLIMATE

Date: December 1, 2016 - Fowl Emissions

THE VICTORY of Donald Trump in the US election is bad news on many fronts with the Republican Party scrambling to make America great again for billionaires, bigots and xenophobes. But one aspect of the legacy of a Trump presidency is likely to be measured in millennia: not years, namely, its ongoing war on science,… Read more »

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Bog Cuttings

Bog Cuttings

Date: December 1, 2016 - Bog Cuttings

Navan Man’s Holiday Habits EARN A CURFEW A NAVAN man has been ordered by a judge to stay off the streets on bank holidays for the next 12 months after pleading guilty to being drunk and breaching the peace. Stephen O’Leary, Abbeygrove, Navan, committed the offences on St Stephen’s Day and St Patrick’s Day last,… Read more »

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donald-trump

Niall Breslin

Date: December 1, 2016 - The Young Bloods

The Irish media is involved in a love affair with Niall Breslin (36) and his music, personal life and television gigs have helped the Mullingar Renaissance man build a high profile over the best part of a decade. Latterly, though, Bressie has grabbed the spotlight through his reinvention as a mental health advocate, becoming the… Read more »

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lee-kruger

GREG BRODERICK’S GIFT HORSE

Date: December 1, 2016 - High Society

HAVING BEEN the subject of much negative comment when he headed off to Rio to compete (unsuccessfully) in the Olympics on board wonder horse MHS Going Global, showjumper Greg Broderick is smiling now, following the horse’s sale for a reported U12m. The real winner is majority owner Lee Kruger but Greg can now stick another… Read more »

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shane-ryan

Shane Ryan’s moolah

Date: December 1, 2016 - High Society

THERE HAS been much focus in recent months on the high flying activities of Declan Ryan whose airline investments have been generating soaring returns. Meanwhile, younger brother Shane is keeping the head down but also turning a profit. Declan Ryan was in the news last week when it emerged that he had purchased the palatial… Read more »

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pippa-o-connor

PIPPA O’CONNOR’S PROFITS

Date: December 1, 2016 - High Society

IN THE goldfish bowl that is Ireland, celebrity couples are the big thing now with the likes of Rosanna Davison and Wesley Quirke (Wesanna) and Brian O’Driscoll and Amy Huberman (HuberBod) generating oodles of copy for the social pages. Right near the top of this list is model-turned-blogger-turned-designer Pippa O’Connor and TV presenter Brian Ormond… Read more »

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hell-at-the-gates

HELL AT THE GATES – JOHN LEE AND DANIEL MCDONNELL (MERCIER)

Date: December 1, 2016 - BooksReviews

THIS BOOK is yet another addition to the painfully long list of inside stories on the financial crisis and the near collapse of the banking system. It would have been more of a must-read back in 2012 or 2013. The book’s principal focus is the politics and relationships between key Fianna Fáil players at the… Read more »

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THE WONDER - EMMA DONOGHUE (PICADOR)

THE WONDER – EMMA DONOGHUE (PICADOR)

Date: December 1, 2016 - BooksReviews

ALTHOUGH she has mainly written historical fiction, Emma Donoghue is best known for her 2010 novel Room, which sold over a million copies. Donoghue has developed something of a specialty in writing about people held in traumatic confinement and this latest book too is inspired by events from the past. Set in the Irish midlands… Read more »

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history

THE IRELAND TRILOGY – PEACOCK THEATRE

Date: December 1, 2016 - ReviewsTheatre

IN THE last few years, a changing of the guard has accelerated in Irish theatre. New troupes working away for the last decade are graduating from low-budget shows to main stages, supplanting our best-known independent companies.The exciting transition shows depth and talent. But not all the up-and-comers are ready for that graduation just yet. THEATREclub,… Read more »

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jacqueline-hall

NEW NGI FACES

Date: December 1, 2016 - Behind the Scenes

AFTER A predictable delay, arts minister Heather Humphreys finally got around to appointing new directors of the National Gallery of Ireland (NGI). There have been vacancies at the NGI stretching back nine months to when the term of then chairman, Michael Cush SC, came to an end. Other vacancies arose around this time and, as… Read more »

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article-default

LIAM COLLINS TAKING LIBERTIES

Date: December 1, 2016 - Behind the Scenes

IN THE Sindo last weekend, hack Liam Collins used his Zozimus column to put the boot into “the high-minded literati” who criticised publisher Sean O’Keeffe of Liberties Press, highlighting poor Sean’s lack of support from the Arts Council and pointing out that O’Keeffe “intends to trade out of his troubles and eventually pay what is… Read more »

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Morgan O'Sullivan

Date: December 1, 2016 - Behind the Scenes

THE LEGAL action by Winfried Hannemacher’s W2 Filmproduktion action against Octagon Films’ Morgan O’Sullivan and James Flynn (see The Phoenix 1/7/16) is due back in the Four Goldmines next week. This case features one of the five companies that made it into a scheme that provided access to the public coffers as well as backing… Read more »

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peter-brant

WILDENSTEIN SAVES THE DAY

Date: December 1, 2016 - Sport of Kings

A LOT of Irish breeders are taking a bit of a hammering at the moment. This was evident at Goffs foal and breeding stock sale when the first few days of trade made for uncomfortable viewing. Less than half the foals offered over the first three days found a new home, with things only picking… Read more »

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jim-bolger

BOLGER’S STRANGE STRATEGY

Date: December 1, 2016 - Sport of Kings

JIM BOLGER has generally tended to put his money where his mouth is. His early belief and investment in the stallion prowess of Galileo is the major reason why his breeding and training business surged in the last 10 years. Bolger, however, has adopted an unusual strategy this year by sending around 40 of his… Read more »

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Dermot-Desmond

NO BRAINER FOR DESMOND

Date: December 1, 2016 - Sport of Kings

DERMOT DESMOND has never been a prolific owner of racehorses despite his staggering wealth but he seems to be dipping his toe in slightly more these days. Desmond enjoyed some success a number of years ago with the Ted Walsh-trained Commanche Court, who won a Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham and an Irish Grand National. Desmond… Read more »

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Meta Osborne

TURF CLUB TASK FORCE DISBANDED

Date: December 1, 2016 - Sport of Kings

THE TURF Club’s anti-doping task force is no more, having been disbanded following the latest meeting of its 16-strong squad. The task force was chaired by Meta Osborne and the panel included Denis Egan and Brian Kavanagh – chief executives of the Turf Club and Horse Racing Ireland respectively. It now appears that any further… Read more »

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Eimear-Mulhern-e1480548948873 (1)

Bloodstock blues for Goffs

Date: December 1, 2016 - Moneybags

THIS YEAR is the 150th anniversary of Robert J Goff & Co, the Irish bloodstock auctioneer founded in 1866 by the Myerscough family. Having weathered the economic storm, bloodstock sales rings have been buzzing again in recent times, but there has been a sudden reverse this year and Goffs, after a disappointing previous 12 months,… Read more »

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liam-kavanagh

Deadline approaching for ‘The Irish Times’

Date: December 1, 2016 - Moneybags

GIVEN THAT the publisher of The Irish Times – The Irish Times Ltd (ITL) – is owned by a trust, it is not allowed to pay out dividends but rather should reinvest any surplus funds to make the company self-sustaining. In the past, management’s investment decisions have proved uninspiring verging on disastrous. Now chief executive… Read more »

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ganley-declan

Declan Ganley’s month to forget

Date: December 1, 2016 - The Hot Water Brigade

DECLAN Ganley has had a bad month. In early November, his Rivada Networks technology company was knocked out of the tendering process to build a $7bn mobile network in Mexico after the company’s bid was deemed “non-solvent”. Closer to home, his Libertas Institute Ltd has just filed annual accounts that make for bleak reading. The… Read more »

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grand-hotel-wicklow

Revenue moves to wind up Grand Hotel

Date: December 1, 2016 - The Hot Water Brigade

THE taxman is petitioning the High Court to wind up the company behind the famous Grand Hotel in Wicklow Town. Doonane Ltd – owned by Dubai resident John Connellan, and Madeleine Delaney – has had its fair share of run-ins with the Revenue in recent years and a look at its accounts revealed some troubling… Read more »

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Tom and Antoinette Darcy’s small victory

Tom and Antoinette Darcy’s small victory

Date: December 1, 2016 - The Hot Water Brigade

COLOURFUL property developer Tom Darcy and his wife Antoinette had a mixed day in the Supreme Court last month. The couple were denied leave to appeal a judgment from the Court of Appeal, relating to a €17.5m judgement granted against them. Separately, they managed to successfully appeal a ruling of the High Court relating to… Read more »

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Philip Smyth

Philip Smyth’s huge losses

Date: December 1, 2016 - The Hot Water Brigade

SPARE a thought for Goldhawk’s old pal, Foxrock businessman Philip Smyth, whose hotel company Genport Ltd has had a rough time of it. Genport – which trades as the “boutique” Hampton hotel in Donnybrook – has recently filed accounts and they make for bleak reading, with stomach-churning accumulated losses having built up there. It will… Read more »

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Tiernan-Francie

Paula Tiernan’s colourful father

Date: December 1, 2016 - The Hot Water Brigade

CONGRATULATIONS are in order to solicitor Paula Tiernan who had a very positive result recently when the Supreme Court discharged a summary judgment for €1.7m, which had been granted against her by the High Court in 2011. In that case, Tiernan denied she had received a loan – which, among other things, was used to… Read more »

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Denis English beats back the vultures

Denis English beats back the vultures

Date: December 1, 2016 - The Hot Water Brigade

GOLDHAWK spotted an interesting High Court judgment recently, relating to Dalkey businessman Denis English who managed to give US vulture fund Cerberus a bloody nose in court. English bought the 80-acre Knocklofty House estate in Co Tipperary – which was once owned by the former Earl of Donoughmore, Richard Hely Hutchinson – in 1994 and… Read more »

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Denis O’Brien award

Date: November 30, 2016 - Fit to Print?

Sir, For the record, your statement that I wrote the citation for Peter Murtagh’s winning entry in the recent NewsBrands journalism competition is untrue. Yours etc, John Horgan THE PHOENIX is happy to publish this correction from Professor John Horgan, judging panel chairman of the NewsBrands Ireland Journalism Awards 2016. Our article (Annual, 2016) had… Read more »

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2016 Phoenix Annual

Vol.34 Annual 2016

Date: November 25, 2016 -

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zappone katherine

FINE GAEL CABINET PUTSCH

Date: November 16, 2016 - Affairs of the Nation

IS Fine Gael about to pull off a cabinet coup by recruiting two of the three Independent non-FG members in cabinet? After months of tortuous political wrangling Enda Kenny produced a coalition government last May composed of 12 FG ministers and three ostensibly Independent ones. If backstage discussions and stratagems conclude satisfactorily, that equation will… Read more »

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kevin-thornton-showjumper

KEVIN THORNTON’S ROUGH RIDE

Date: November 16, 2016 - Affairs of the Nation

SPARE A thought for Swiss-based Irish showjumper Kevin Thornton who has become the target of a lot of nasty online comment following the death of showjumping horse Flogas Sunset Cruise at an event in the south of France last month. It was claimed he had whipped the animal to death leading to the inevitable online… Read more »

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