Dr Máire McCafferty

The people on hunger strike in England in protest at the British state's complicity in apartheid Israel's genocide of Palestinians and at their own grossly unfair treatment in prison are in danger. None of them has been convicted of a crime, they should be released. #FreeThemAll

Text from a display at the imperial war museum. "British soldiers were trained to fight conventional wars on a battlefield. They were not prepared for the challenging task of patrolling British streets. The enemy was unseen, little different from the people they knew in their home towns. These are the voices of some of the soldiers who faced this difficult challenge, trying to keep the peace and strike a balance between the two fiercely divided communities of Northern Ireland."

Lol. I mean I know it's the imperial war museum, but come on. Have some respect for yourselves if nothing else.

I am not sorry. This is simply true. Academics should be able to write fluently and express themselves clearly and academics should do their own work. It’s literally our job. It’s what we trained until 22nd grade to do. This is a simple observation that should require no explanation or defense.

NSW to effectively ban protests for up to three months as premier links Gaza rallies to Bondi terror attack Chris Minns says state ‘can’t risk another mass demonstration on that scale in NSW [because] the implications can be seen, in my view, on Sunday’

Absolutely ridiculous. So we are just to accept the #GazaGenocide is happening and say nothing. Peaceful protests in support of people being slaughtered daily didn't lead to the Bondi tragedy. Are all those who oppose the #GazaGenocide being labelled anti-Semitic now? #auspol

I think all my old mates emigrating because there were no jobs between 2008-2014, and then most of my new mates emigrating between 2018-2025 because there are no gaffs, has had a greater effect on social cohesion than migrants

The biggest threat to social cohesion is the lack of affordable housing NOT immigration. Immigrants are not paying 1M€ plus for a mediocre end of terrace 3 bed in Rathfarnham. They’re not buying fancy apartments around Dublin.

We need to invest in social/affordable housing or we are fucked.

Liam Herrick: Why has Ireland abruptly decided the European Convention on Human Rights goes too far? Precedent could have far-reaching consequences. Who is to say the rights of gay citizens won’t be the next target by a coalition of hostile states?

O'Callaghan and Fianna Fáil are aligning themselves with the absolute worst people and politics in Europe, and journalists need to start asking them about it.
To date, I have seen little evidence that Irish media is prepared to meet this moment, and I fear the worst.

Siobhra Aiken (QUB) leads off the afternoon session on the cultural and memory resonances of partition and the boundary commission

Delighted to say I was a contributor to this fantastic book, with a short account of the first Irish summer college for children! Look forward to the launch on Monday 1st Dec in @ria.ie

#history #childhood #coláistígaeilge #irishhistory

Michael D Student card

Michael D, Sabina on a March

Michael D turning first sod on TG4

Loved seeing these fab pictures of Michael D Higgins outside Galway Museum recently. What an amazing life, how lucky we have been to have him as a leader! GRMMA, Michael D! #speirgorm #speirghorm

I think part of Catherine Connolly's success that isn't really being covered is that she is firmly, at every turn, very proud to be Irish.
She learned Irish as an adult, she actively enjoys our cultural heritage, her campaign embraced our traditional art forms and trad music.

Some people on this island are voting to elect their head of state
Others are digesting the fact that their state deployed paratroopers as peacekeepers - an oxymoron in itself, who killed children in broad daylight & then frustrated justice to the point that it was impossible. Such a stark contrast

Title: "Ní Shionnáin served her sentence - surely she is allowed to rebuild her life?" I want to clarify something – is it the view of the Taoiseach, and of commentators, that former prisoners should be denied opportunities to rebuild their lives away from violence or criminality, even after they have served their sentence? Given her qualifications, Ursula Ní Shionnáin was perfectly suited for the role of administrative support for a TD working on the Oireachtas Committee for the Irish language, and Catherine Connolly was in the right to give her a chance. I think it is much more concerning if our Government thinks that prisoners such as Ní Shionnáin should not be given the opportunity to rehabilitate when they demonstrate a willingness to do so. As a former employee of the Irish Prison Service, that seems to go against everything that I was told during my training. Tomás M Creamer, Ballinamore, Co Leitrim Published 4th October, 2025, on the letter section of the Irish Indepedent.

My earlier tweet about Catherine Connolly hiring a former prisoner, in the form of a letter to the Indo.

m.independent.ie/opinion/lett...

Landlord Jim Gavin never refunded 6 months' rent to a former tenant who accidentally kept paying rent after he moved out. The tenancy was not registered with the RTB. Gavin really is the perfect Fianna Fáil candidate.
Archive link: archive.is/4ts0L #spéirgorm #presidentialelection

Unlawful election ballot gives FG, FF undue advantage Why weren't small, legally required efforts made with the presidential election ballot?

www.ontheditch.com/presidential...

How the mantle cloak set fashion trends in Medieval Ireland A highly valued item of durable clothing at home, the cloak was what made the notion of 'Irishness' visible and distinct in Europe

How the mantle cloak set fashion trends in Medieval Ireland. A highly valued item of durable clothing at home, the cloak was what made the notion of 'Irishness' visible and distinct in Europe, writes @maireadfinnegan.bsky.social @maynoothuniversity.ie www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...

On October 8, we will host a panel on Irish Women Writers!

Chaired by Marjorie Howes (BC), this event has a book launch for Paige Reynolds' (Holy Cross) new book & a panel discussion, including Claire Bracken (Union College), and Kate Costello-Sullivan (Le Moyne College)

The Irish title should be 'Gníomhach'

😂😂😂😂😂😂 Éirigh as 😂😂😂😂

Humphries was shockingly poor and not at the races. FG will be very worried. Gavin showed his inexperience. #TonightVMTV #Aras25

Big time!

This is the face! Catherine Connolly speaking for us all when Heather Humphries is speaking about 3D printing of houses.

The little smiles were so jarring and hilarious! It was like she didn't even want to be there...

Some good news

Absolutely no idea whatsoever, charismafree as you say, has he no media training whatsoever? Genuinely a baffling, needlessly aggressive, experience, very hard to understand...
Oh absolutely!! I'd say Billy Kelleher is laughing away now after that shit show, & him a fluent Gaeilgeoir to boot...

Dar ndóigh a chara! Of course I agree and Heather's past promise to learn Irish to serve the people she represented in Gaeltacht areas speaks for itself.....

Last point on Gavin but it's utterly reprehensible that he is exDefence Forces and couldn't even bring himself to ADMIT the reality of the complete LACK of investment and support for #Defence by gov. Disgusting betrayal for serving members. Agus dar ndóigh níl Gaeilge aige #aras25 #oglaighnaheireann

Totally agree! She is the only informed candidate who is truly engaging in this debate and has a real grasp of issues. Heather doesn't even seem like she wants to be there and Jim is just on another planet....

Also the aggressive pointing and mystifiable quick anger on points he can't even explain is utterly embarrassing!!!! Who let him on?????? Cannot believe he is a government party nominated candidate. Náireach amach is amach!!!!!!!! #irishpresidency #aras25