theirishtimes--2020-11-01--Higher Options: Prepare in advance and use your time wisely

The Higher Options conference is the starting point for many students as they begin to plan the next phase of their educational journey .
It brings together representatives of institutions and organisations offering students information on almost every conceivable educational progression opportunity available in Ireland and abroad .
Given the unique circumstances of this year , the event will take place solely online .
On the days of the live event ( November 4th and 5th from 1pm to 6pm ) each student with a valid ticket can log in from any device at home or at school .
Representatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , further education institutions and educational bodies will be available in the virtual exhibition hall , to speak with the students via group chat .
This is not a group activity and it is recommended that schools allocate students time to participate individually during class hours .
Alternatively , some schools may allow students to participate from home .
Talks will be delivered by specialist speakers over the course of the two-day event .
Students are encouraged to consult the timetable as they prepare for the event .
Each student will have their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ range of talks accordingly .
What is especially notable about Higher Options this year is that all talks and exhibitor material will be available on demand for 30 days after the event is over .
Only ticket holders will be able to access the platform post-event .
This will allow students to review the extensive material either in class with Guidance Counsellors or alternatively at home , and particularly to review the information they have gathered in their individual virtual backpack .
Information is available at irishtimes.com/higheroptions or higheroptions.vfairs.com .
The benefit to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on each student ’ s level of preparation prior to it .
This preparation will have been ongoing over the previous two years through career exploration activities undertaken in transition year and fifth year .
The Institute of Guidance Counsellors provides students attending the event , through their guidance counsellors in schools , a comprehensive preparation document to enable them to plan their engagements throughout the day .
By working through this document , students maximise the benefits of attending the conference .
Careful planning and an understanding of what they need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the long-term value of attending .
Guidance counsellors will provide students with details of various talks at the event , covering every conceivable topic relevant to progression to higher- or further-education .
Given the hundreds of exhibitors and the thousands of courses and other options on offer , attendees should draw up a list of colleges or other exhibitors they want to interact with online .
They should also compose a series of written questions they wish to tease out with the representatives on the online stands .
Each college will , of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible of the benefits of the various options their organisation offers .
All students can do is engage systematically with each one and after the event sift the information received to enable them to move their career-planning process on to the next stage .
Standholders will not expect students to make a final decision concerning their future career options based only on attending a talk online or following a visit to the online forum on offer at Higher Options .
But , for those who plan their activities in advance , these interactions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ student in the months and years ahead .
If they have done their homework , many students will have developed very clear course preferences by the time they log onto the Higher Options event .
Some might learn they are not likely to secure the high points required for their preferred course or are not taking the subjects necessary to meet the minimum requirements for entry .
This is where the Higher Options event can be of real value .
Rather than feeling downcast and abandoning dreams of their preferred career , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with other standholders , where they will learn about other options that might enable them to achieve their dream course by another route .
There are hundreds of high-points CAO programmes across all disciplines which are also accessible through further education ( FE ) one-year level 5 programmes .
Many of these FE colleges will be present electronically at Higher Options this year , so seek them out and find out which courses in the CAO their courses link to .
Alternatively , while CAO points requirements are very high for many programmes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very different admissions system .
They often simply require two H5 ’ s and four passes to gain entry to many courses which require more than 500 points in Ireland .
Again , these colleges will be electronically present at Higher Options from their institutions all over Europe .
The courses are taught through English and fees are modest to non-existent .
Once a student ’ s interest has been heightened by an interaction at Higher Options , consolidated and strengthened perhaps by a close reading of the literature published by the college @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find out when the college is planning its 2020-2021 virtual Open Day .
No Leaving Cert student should seriously consider making a decision at this stage without engaging with the institution in question and soaking in the atmosphere of the place – even if only online .
Remember : choosing a course commits you to far more than just a set of lectures and exams over several years .
Choosing a course or college is like committing to a long-term relationship and it commits you to a lifestyle and a range of social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in question .
Every student is different in both personality and interests .
Some will revel in the cut-and-thrust of very large colleges , while others may prefer smaller institutions where everyone gets to know each other very quickly .
Students who select their course choices based solely on the details of the course itself without considering the context within which it is delivered can often find very quickly that they have made a bad choice .
Having attended the physical Higher Options event for more than 20 years , it has become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without having given any serious thought to why they are there .
They drifted around the complex for a few hours , become bored and drifted up Anglesea Road with a plastic bag full of prospectuses , which is sometimes dumped as it becomes too heavy to carry .
They returned to their schools the following day having received absolutely no benefit from their attendance at the event .
Given that the event is a totally virtual event this year , such aimless attendance is not an option , so when you log @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make full use of the opportunities it offers .
Months of hard work have gone in to bringing together colleges electronically from the four corners of the world .
When you sit down at your PC in school or at home , this experience has the potential to be the most valuable six hours you will spend this year , in exploring your future options .
Use it wisely and build on it in the weeks and months ahead .

Months of hard work have gone in to bringing together colleges electronically from the four corners of the world. Photograph: Conor Mulhern
The Higher Options conference is the starting point for many students as they begin to plan the next phase of their educational journey.
It brings together representatives of institutions and organisations offering students information on almost every conceivable educational progression opportunity available in Ireland and abroad.
Given the unique circumstances of this year, the event will take place solely online. On the days of the live event (November 4th and 5th from 1pm to 6pm) each student with a valid ticket can log in from any device at home or at school.
Representatives from the CAO, universities, colleges, further education institutions and educational bodies will be available in the virtual exhibition hall, to speak with the students via group chat.
READ MORE
This is not a group activity and it is recommended that schools allocate students time to participate individually during class hours. Alternatively, some schools may allow students to participate from home.
Talks will be delivered by specialist speakers over the course of the two-day event. Students are encouraged to consult the timetable as they prepare for the event. Each student will have their own interests and can attend the wide range of talks accordingly.
What is especially notable about Higher Options this year is that all talks and exhibitor material will be available on demand for 30 days after the event is over. Only ticket holders will be able to access the platform post-event.
This will allow students to review the extensive material either in class with Guidance Counsellors or alternatively at home, and particularly to review the information they have gathered in their individual virtual backpack.
Information is available at irishtimes.com/higheroptions or higheroptions.vfairs.com.
Preparation for this unique event
The benefit to school-leavers of this unique event depends entirely on each student’s level of preparation prior to it.
This preparation will have been ongoing over the previous two years through career exploration activities undertaken in transition year and fifth year.
The Institute of Guidance Counsellors provides students attending the event, through their guidance counsellors in schools, a comprehensive preparation document to enable them to plan their engagements throughout the day.
By working through this document, students maximise the benefits of attending the conference. Careful planning and an understanding of what they need to accomplish at Higher Options will hugely enhance the long-term value of attending.
Guidance counsellors will provide students with details of various talks at the event, covering every conceivable topic relevant to progression to higher- or further-education.
Given the hundreds of exhibitors and the thousands of courses and other options on offer, attendees should draw up a list of colleges or other exhibitors they want to interact with online.
They should also compose a series of written questions they wish to tease out with the representatives on the online stands.
Each college will, of course, present the most positive picture possible of the benefits of the various options their organisation offers. All students can do is engage systematically with each one and after the event sift the information received to enable them to move their career-planning process on to the next stage.
Standholders will not expect students to make a final decision concerning their future career options based only on attending a talk online or following a visit to the online forum on offer at Higher Options.
But, for those who plan their activities in advance, these interactions will help set the agenda for each student in the months and years ahead.
Options
If they have done their homework, many students will have developed very clear course preferences by the time they log onto the Higher Options event.
Some might learn they are not likely to secure the high points required for their preferred course or are not taking the subjects necessary to meet the minimum requirements for entry.
This is where the Higher Options event can be of real value. Rather than feeling downcast and abandoning dreams of their preferred career, they will have the opportunity to interact online with other standholders, where they will learn about other options that might enable them to achieve their dream course by another route.
There are hundreds of high-points CAO programmes across all disciplines which are also accessible through further education (FE) one-year level 5 programmes. Many of these FE colleges will be present electronically at Higher Options this year, so seek them out and find out which courses in the CAO their courses link to.
Alternatively, while CAO points requirements are very high for many programmes in Ireland, European universities have a very different admissions system. They often simply require two H5’s and four passes to gain entry to many courses which require more than 500 points in Ireland.
Again, these colleges will be electronically present at Higher Options from their institutions all over Europe. The courses are taught through English and fees are modest to non-existent.
Open days
Once a student’s interest has been heightened by an interaction at Higher Options, consolidated and strengthened perhaps by a close reading of the literature published by the college, the next step should be to find out when the college is planning its 2020-2021 virtual Open Day.
No Leaving Cert student should seriously consider making a decision at this stage without engaging with the institution in question and soaking in the atmosphere of the place – even if only online.
Remember: choosing a course commits you to far more than just a set of lectures and exams over several years.
Choosing a course or college is like committing to a long-term relationship and it commits you to a lifestyle and a range of social and extracurricular activities offered by the institution in question.
Every student is different in both personality and interests. Some will revel in the cut-and-thrust of very large colleges, while others may prefer smaller institutions where everyone gets to know each other very quickly.
Students who select their course choices based solely on the details of the course itself without considering the context within which it is delivered can often find very quickly that they have made a bad choice.
Take your opportunity
Having attended the physical Higher Options event for more than 20 years, it has become clear to me that many students attended without having given any serious thought to why they are there.
They drifted around the complex for a few hours, become bored and drifted up Anglesea Road with a plastic bag full of prospectuses, which is sometimes dumped as it becomes too heavy to carry.
They returned to their schools the following day having received absolutely no benefit from their attendance at the event.
Given that the event is a totally virtual event this year, such aimless attendance is not an option, so when you log onto the event on either day, make full use of the opportunities it offers.
Months of hard work have gone in to bringing together colleges electronically from the four corners of the world.
When you sit down at your PC in school or at home, this experience has the potential to be the most valuable six hours you will spend this year, in exploring your future options. Use it wisely and build on it in the weeks and months ahead.


theirishtimes--2020-10-31--Sinn Féin MLA Catherine Kelly resigns over Covid-19 grants controversy

Sinn Féin MLA Catherine Kelly has become the fourth member of the party to resign over a delay in the repayment of mistakenly issued Covid-19 relief cash .
The West Tyrone MLA tendered her resignation to party leader Mary Lou McDonald on Saturday afternoon .
Ms McDonald acknowledge and apologised “ once again ” for the “ clear failure to immediately reimburse public money ” .
Ms Kelly ’ s resignation comes following three party activists including former Foyle MP Elisha McCallion and officials in Upper Bann and West Tyrone resigned .
Ms McDonald described Ms Kelly ’ s “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as “ unacceptable ” .
“ Catherine is a signatory to an account into which a small business grant of £10,000 was lodged in error , ” the Sinn Féin president said .
“ The grant was unsolicited and has been repaid in full .
The failure to return the grant immediately is unacceptable .
Catherine fully accepts that she did not discharge her duties as a public representative in this regard.
” Ms McDonald said the incorrect lodgement of small business grants into three Sinn Féin accounts had come to the attention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Monday and Tuesday .
“ The party ’ s examination of this matter is now complete , ” she said .
“ As leader , I once again acknowledge and apologise for the clear failure to immediately reimburse public money.
” In a statement , Ms Kelly apologised “ unreservedly ” to the party and to the public .
She said the party had “ correctly intervened ” in relation to “ the failure to immediately return money that had incorrectly been paid into a party account in West Tyrone ” .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that account for a number of years and as such had a responsibility to ensure it was operated to the highest standard .
That did not happen in this case , ” Ms Kelly added .
“ I believe that as a public representative this is not acceptable and therefore I have tendered my resignation as a member of the Assembly with immediate effect .
“ I apologise unreservedly to the party , to those who vote for us , and to the wider public.
” Asked about the matter at the Executive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minister Michelle O ’ Neill said that the decision not to return the Covid-19 relief funds was “ wrong ” and that it should not have happened .
The DUP is investigating whether a landlord it rents a constituency office from received the Covid relief cash meant for struggling businesses .
If so , this would breach the eligibility requirements for the Small Business Support Grant Scheme .
MP and MLA constituency offices can not apply for the scheme announced by Economy Minister Diane Dodds earlier this year .
First Minister Arlene Foster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the grant , adding the party made sure that none of the party offices received the grant .
She said the scheme was designed so that it would not benefit politicians .
The payments were reported on BBC Radio Ulster ’ s Stephen Nolan Show on Wednesday .
The report said that West Tyrone MLA Maoliosa McHugh ’ s office was one of the three Sinn Féin accounts which received the payment .
Mr McHugh told the programme that he had contacted party officials to make arrangements to pay the money back “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he received confirmation earlier this week that it had been repaid .
The Assembly ’ s Commissioner for Standards has been asked to investigate .
Under the scheme a £10,000 payment was automatically sent to any firm in receipt of Small Business Rate Relief .
The department said 24,700 grants were paid out under the scheme .
Of those , 2 per cent ( 452 ) may not have been eligible .
It has since recouped 70 of those payments and work is under way to recover all ineligible payments .
- @

Ms Kelly’s resignation comes following the departure of three party activists.
Sinn Féin MLA Catherine Kelly has become the fourth member of the party to resign over a delay in the repayment of mistakenly issued Covid-19 relief cash.
The West Tyrone MLA tendered her resignation to party leader Mary Lou McDonald on Saturday afternoon.
Ms McDonald acknowledge and apologised “once again” for the “clear failure to immediately reimburse public money”.
Ms Kelly’s resignation comes following three party activists including former Foyle MP Elisha McCallion and officials in Upper Bann and West Tyrone resigned.
READ MORE
Ms McDonald described Ms Kelly’s “failure” to return the Covid-19 grant as “unacceptable”.
“Catherine is a signatory to an account into which a small business grant of £10,000 was lodged in error,” the Sinn Féin president said.
“The grant was unsolicited and has been repaid in full. The failure to return the grant immediately is unacceptable. Catherine fully accepts that she did not discharge her duties as a public representative in this regard.”
Ms McDonald said the incorrect lodgement of small business grants into three Sinn Féin accounts had come to the attention of the party leadership over the course of Monday and Tuesday.
“The party’s examination of this matter is now complete,” she said.
“As leader, I once again acknowledge and apologise for the clear failure to immediately reimburse public money.”
In a statement, Ms Kelly apologised "unreservedly" to the party and to the public.
She said the party had “correctly intervened” in relation to “the failure to immediately return money that had incorrectly been paid into a party account in West Tyrone”.
“I have been a signatory to that account for a number of years and as such had a responsibility to ensure it was operated to the highest standard. That did not happen in this case,” Ms Kelly added.
“I believe that as a public representative this is not acceptable and therefore I have tendered my resignation as a member of the Assembly with immediate effect.
“I apologise unreservedly to the party, to those who vote for us, and to the wider public.”
Asked about the matter at the Executive press conference on Thursday, Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill said that the decision not to return the Covid-19 relief funds was “wrong” and that it should not have happened.
The DUP is investigating whether a landlord it rents a constituency office from received the Covid relief cash meant for struggling businesses.
If so, this would breach the eligibility requirements for the Small Business Support Grant Scheme.
MP and MLA constituency offices cannot apply for the scheme announced by Economy Minister Diane Dodds earlier this year.
First Minister Arlene Foster said that no DUP member has received the grant, adding the party made sure that none of the party offices received the grant.
She said the scheme was designed so that it would not benefit politicians.
The payments were reported on BBC Radio Ulster’s Stephen Nolan Show on Wednesday.
The report said that West Tyrone MLA Maoliosa McHugh’s office was one of the three Sinn Féin accounts which received the payment.
Mr McHugh told the programme that he had contacted party officials to make arrangements to pay the money back “quite a while ago”, adding that he received confirmation earlier this week that it had been repaid.
The Assembly’s Commissioner for Standards has been asked to investigate.
Under the scheme a £10,000 payment was automatically sent to any firm in receipt of Small Business Rate Relief.
The department said 24,700 grants were paid out under the scheme. Of those, 2 per cent (452) may not have been eligible.
It has since recouped 70 of those payments and work is under way to recover all ineligible payments. - PA


theirishtimes--2020-10-31--Explainer: The GP contract talks at the centre of Varadkar controversy

The controversy involving the Tánaiste Leo Varadkar this weekend originated in moves by the government to extend services in general practice and a long-running campaign by family doctors for the reversal of funding cuts applied over previous years .
A key priority of the government was to extend free GP care to additional cohorts of children and to have more types of care provided in the community to alleviate pressure on hospitals .
GPs on the other hand argued that they had experienced funding cuts of more than €120 million during the austerity years and were not in a position @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State investment .
The overall contract between the State and GPs was at that stage about 50 years old and there was a consensus that it needed to be updated .
However , negotiating a new deal with GPs is a legally tricky business.. Family doctors are not employed by the State or the HSE , but rather are independent contractors who under competition law are not supposed to negotiate collectively in relation to fees .
Following a High Court case on competition issues , a framework agreement had been reached between the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a roadmap for how such negotiations between GPs and the Department of Health/ HSE could be conducted .
The IMO , as the signatory to this framework agreement , was considered by government to be the party with which it would enter negotiations in relation to publicly-funded contracts for GPs .
At the time there was another organisation representing family doctors , the National Association of General Practitioners ( NAGP ) .
It was not a signatory to the framework agreement and nor was it affiliated to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Health had agreed in 2016 that it would consult with the NAGP about developments .
However , negotiations were with the IMO .
This initial process did not go anywhere and a revised engagement began in mid-2018 .
Sources who were close to this initiative said this weekend the IMO was solely involved .
On April 3rd , 2019 , The Irish Times reported that the Government was close to finalising a €200 million agreement with family doctors which would involve the introduction of new services for medical-card patients with chronic illnesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It would also involve the restoration of funding , cut from general practice during the austerity years , in return for co-operation with reforms .
The report said the proposed accord would see the IMO dropping its objection in principle to the Government ’ s plans to extend free GP care to further cohorts of children , potentially up to age 12 .
Two days later on April 5th the IMO issued a statement that it had reached a €210 million deal with the government for GP services .
The agreement between family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general practice in return for investment was negotiated between the Irish Medical Organisation ( IMO ) and the Department of Health/HSE .
However , when it was finalised the terms were offered by the HSE to all GPs operating the medical card scheme , irrespective of which organisation to which they belonged .
It said the agreement would see “ the long-sought reversal of the controversial financial emergency or FEMPI cuts of €120 million ( plus €10 million in pension contributions ) imposed on general practice at the height of the financial crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ €80 million which had been secured for the management of medical card patients with chronic disease in the community .
The following day on Saturday April 6th the then Taoiseach Leo Varadkar formally announced the agreement at an event in a general practice clinic in Cabra in Dublin at which he said it would lead to the phased introduction of free GP care for children up to age 12 .
Mr Varadkar in his statement this weekend said he provided a draft copy of the new GP agreement to the then president of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a date between 11th and 16th April 2019 .
He hoped to use Dr Ó Tuathail ’ s influence to encourage all GPs to accept it , including those represented by NAGP .
The full document agreed between the Government and the IMO had not been published at the time , rather just the main points .
Sources said a process continued for a number of weeks tidying up elements of the text .
It is understood there were no changes of substance to the agreement between the IMO ’ s announcement on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the document in the second week of May .
There were some additional references , for example , to doctors who prescribe medication .
However , it is understood that the value of the accord remained unchanged as did the requirements sought from doctors under the deal .
The IMO finalised the overall agreement with the Department of Health and the HSE on May 8th and put the document out to ballot .
It was then formally published by the HSE .

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said in a statement that he provided a draft copy of the new GP agreement to the then president of the NAGP as he hoped to use his influence to encourage all GPs to accept it. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw
The controversy involving Tánaiste Leo Varadkar originated in moves by the previous government to extend services in general practice and a long-running campaign by family doctors for the reversal of funding cuts applied over previous years.
A key priority of the government was to extend free GP care to additional cohorts of children and to have more types of care provided in the community to alleviate pressure on hospitals.
GPs, on the other hand, argued they had experienced funding cuts of more than €120 million during the austerity years and were not in a position to take on additional services without greater State investment.
The overall contract between the State and GPs was, at that stage, about 50 years old and there was a consensus that it needed to be updated.
READ MORE
However, negotiating a new deal with GPs is a legally tricky business.
Family doctors are not employed by the State or the HSE, but rather are independent contractors who, under competition law, are not supposed to negotiate collectively in relation to fees.
Following a High Court case on competition issues, a framework agreement had been reached between the IMO (Irish Medical Organisation) and the government which set out how such negotiations between GPs and the Department of Health/HSE could be conducted.
The IMO, as the signatory to this framework agreement, was considered by government to be the party with which it would enter negotiations in relation to publicly funded contracts for GPs.
At the time there was another organisation representing family doctors, the National Association of General Practitioners (NAGP).
It was not a signatory to the framework agreement, nor was it affiliated to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, unlike the IMO.
The Department of Health had agreed in 2016 that it would consult with the NAGP about developments. However, its negotiations were with the IMO.
This initial process did not go anywhere and a revised engagement began in mid-2018. Sources who were close to this initiative said this weekend the IMO was solely involved.
€200m agreement
On April 3rd, 2019, The Irish Times reported that the government was close to finalising a €200 million agreement with family doctors which would involve the introduction of new services for medical card patients with chronic illnesses such as diabetes or cardiovascular conditions.
It would also involve the restoration of funding in return for co-operation with reforms. The IMO would also drop its objection in principle to the government’s plans to extend free GP care to more children, potentially up to age 12.
On April 5th, the IMO confirmed it had reached a €210 million deal with the government.
It said the agreement would see “the long-sought reversal” of the controversial financial emergency or FEMPI cuts of €120 million (plus €10 million in pension contributions) imposed on general practice at the height of the financial crisis as well as an additional fund of €80 million which had been secured for the management of medical card patients with chronic disease in the community.
The following day Mr Varadkar, the then taoiseach, formally announced the agreement and said it would lead to the phased introduction of free GP care for children up to age 12.
Mr Varadkar in his statement on Saturday said he provided a draft copy of the new GP agreement to the then president of the NAGP, Dr Maitiú Ó Tuathail, on a date between April 11th and 16th.
He said he hoped to use Dr Ó Tuathail’s influence to encourage all GPs to accept it, including those represented by NAGP.
The full document agreed between the government and the IMO had not been published at the time, rather just the main points.
Sources said a process continued for a number of weeks tidying up elements of the text. It is understood there were no major changes of substance to the agreement between the IMO’s announcement on April 5th and the eventual finalisation of the deal with the IMO on May 8th and its publication by the Department of Health a week later.
Ironically, within weeks of receiving the document from Mr Varadkar, the NAGP itself had imploded amid concerns about governance and spending at the organisation.
Financial difficulties
While it is now known that the leadership of the NAGP had the agreement document, the organisation said in a statement on April 28th that many doctors were waiting to see the details before deciding to renew their membership and that this was creating financial difficulties.
On April 29th in a further statement it said: “It is now three weeks since the announcement of the new contract and to date there is no sign of any contract or contractual document. Until we see the contract document, it is impossible to advise members.”
The IMO did not comment over the weekend about the controversy. However, former IMO president Dr John Duddy said Mr Varadkar's actions undermined the concept of negotiating with licensed trade unions.
IMO council member Dr Anthony O’Connor also criticised Mr Varadkar for not respecting the negotiations but IMO GP committee member Dr Mait Ó Faoláin said on Twitter that at the time Mr Varadkar had provided the document to the NAGP, the details were already known to hundreds of family doctors.


theirishtimes--2020-10-31--Suspect arrested after big drugs and cash haul in Thurles

A suspect in his late 40s has been arrested in Tipperary after a substantial haul of narcotics and cash was @ @ @ @ @ by gardaí .
Shortly after 10pm last night officers from the Tipperary Divisional Drugs Unit @ @ @ @ @ armed gardaí from the southern region , searched a field in the Kilcommon area of @ @ @ @ @ investigating officers seized approximately €647,500 of suspected cocaine and approximately €370,000 in cash .
The @ @ @ @ @ scene and is being held at Templemore Garda station under section 2 of the Criminal @ @ @ @ @ Act , 1996 , and the suspected drugs will be sent to Forensic Science Ireland @ @ @ @ @ forms part of an ongoing operation that is targeting the sale and supply of drugs @ @ @ @

Gardaí have charged the man, aged in his 40s, who was arrested in connection with a seizure of more than €1 million in suspected drugs and cash in Thurles, Co Tipperary, on Friday.
He is due to appear before Limerick District Court on Monday at 10.30am.
The narcotics and cash were uncovered in a field in outside Thurles. During the search on Saturday night, gardaí seized suspected cocaine worth an estimated €650,000 cocaine and about €370,000 in cash.
The man was arrested at the scene and was being held at Templemore Garda station under section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996. The suspected drugs will be sent for analysis.
READ MORE
Dublin haul
Separately, crack cocaine and Diazepam tablets worth nearly €270,000 and more than €16,000 in cash were seized following a search of a house in Ballymun in Dublin on Friday.
Gardaí said during the search €14,000 worth of crack cocaine, approximately €255,000 worth of Diazepam tablets, €16,400 in cash and three mobile phones were seized in the Santry Cross area. A man in his late 30s was arrested and is being questioned at Ballymun Garda station.


theirishtimes--2020-10-31--Cork shootings: Mourners at Mark O’Sullivan’s funeral told of devoted and caring son

The young man killed by his father and brother in a dispute over land in north Cork was the greatest son that any mother could ever have , a close friend of the deceased told mourners at his funeral Mass this afternoon .
Several hundred mourners gathered to sympathise with Anne O ’ Sullivan ( 60 ) on the death of her son , Mark ( 26 ) in the murder suicide which also claimed the lives of her husband , Tadg ( 59 ) and younger son , Diarmuid ( 23 ) at their family farm at Raheen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small number of relatives and friends joined Ms O ’ Sullivan inside the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Kanturk this afternoon but up to 300 people gathered outside to hear Canon Toby Bluitt say the funeral Mass for the University of Limerick law graduate .
And they heard a friend of his from UL , Sharmilla Rahman , read a tribute in which she reflected on what a marvellous son Mark had been to his mother and a great friend he had been to her ever since they met at First Year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were best friends .
I would like to express my deepest condolences to Anne and the rest of the family .
Mark was the greatest son a mother could have and I know the bond between them was unbreakable .
He had such a big heart and so much love to give as a friend .
I know that but I can ’ t begin to imagine how much effort and love he put into being Anne ’ s son , ” she said .
Canon Toby Bluitt told mourners at the funeral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s mother , Anne O ’ Sullivan and her extended family , in their prayers as they attempted to comprehend his death and the death of his father , Tadg ( 59 ) and brother , Diarmuid ( 23 ) , who were buried on Friday .
Gardaí believe that Mark O ’ Sullivan ( 26 ) died after being shot by his father and younger brother early on Monday in a dispute over who would inherit their 115 acre farm at Raheen in Kanturk and that Mr O ’ Sullivan snr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ farm in a suicide pact .
On Saturday Canon Bluitt , who also said the funeral Mass for Mr O ’ Sullivan snr and Diarmuid at St Mary ’ s Church in Castlemagner , welcomed Ms O ’ Sullivan and a small group of relatives and friends to the Church of the Immaculate Conception , Kanturk .
“ Grief is never an easy burden to bear – and never more so when it comes to us in what can only be described as an untimely , shocking and tragic way .
We gather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ burden that not only seems to be , but in fact is overwhelming .
“ We gather to comfort and support each other in our common loss .
We gather to make sense of the senseless .
We join with Bishop William Crean [ of the Diocese of Cloyne ] in offering our deepest sympathies to Anne , relatives and extended family .
“ We ask you to keep them in your prayers as they endeavour to navigate this path of unexpected loss and anguish , ” said Canon Bluitt who was joined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fr John Magner who gave the last rites to all three men and ministered to Ms O ’ Sullivan after the shootings .
Canon Bluitt , who is parish priest of Kanturk , Lismire and Castlemagner , said he would reiterate the words of his homily at the funeral Mass of Tadg and Diarmuid O ’ Sullivan because “ the reality of this heart-breaking loss has not changed.
” “ The shock , the numbness , the devastation , was impossible to imagine and the unfolding news of the loss of three lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of you , I too am struggling to make sense of this.
” He told mourners all three men were created in God ’ s image and all three were loved equally by God who knows that human beings are not perfect and can see through the mistaken actions that people can sometimes make .
Canon Bluitt then spoke about Mark , reminding mourners that , like his younger brother , Diarmuid , he too had attended primary school in Ballyhass and secondary school in Kanturk and socialised in Castlemagner .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Limerick ( UL ) , graduating in 2017 .
He was a trainee solicitor preparing to complete his final exams .
UL paid tribute to him this week and underlined the shock felt within the UL community where Mark was highly thought of , ” he said .
Canon Bluitt said as people gathered in grief and sadness and struggled to cope with the enormity of the tragedy visited upon the O ’ Sullivan family , no one was seeking to minimise the loss of their three lives by trying to provide “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” .
Canon Bluitt said Anne O ’ Sullivan and the community of Castlemagner were not without hope and he reminded mourners that God ’ s first attribute was mercy and that “ the name of God is mercy ” .
After the funeral Mass , Ms O ’ Sullivan , who is seriously ill , was helped from the church as she followed Mark ’ s coffin before it was placed in a hearse to begin its final journey to St Patrick ’ s Cemetery in Castlemagner to be buried beside her @ @ @ @ @ @ @

The hearse carrying the coffin of Mark O’Sullivan leaves the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Kanturk, Co Cork, after his funeral Mass service. Photograph: Andy Gibson/PA Wire
The young man killed by his father and brother in a dispute over who would inherit their family farm in North Cork was described by a close friend at his funeral Mass as “the greatest son that any mother could ever have”.
Mark O'Sullivan (26) was described by his close friend from the University of Limerick, Sharmilia Rahman, as being devoted to his mother Anne whom he accompanied to Dublin last month when she underwent surgery for a serious medical condition. The tribute was read on Ms Rahman's behalf by Mark O' Sullivan's cousin, Barry Sherlock
“Mark was the greatest son a mother could have and I know the bond between Mark and Anne was unbreakable. He had such a big heart and so much love to give as a friend. I know that but I can’t begin to imagine how much effort and love he put into being Anne’s son,” Ms Rahman wrote in her eulogy.
Gardaí believe Mark O'Sullivan was shot dead by his father, Tadg (59) and younger brother, Diarmuid (23) early on Monday, October 26th in a dispute over who would inherit their 115 acre farm at Raheen in Kanturk. It is believed Mr O'Sullivan snr and Diarmuid then shot themselves in a suicide pact.
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Due to Covid restrictions, there were just 25 mourners inside the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Kanturk on Saturday while up to 300 others gathered outside the church.
Ms Rahman could not attend the funeral Mass so her tribute was read by Barry Sherlock. His voice shaked with emotion as he read how Ms Rahman recalled Mark’s great kindness to others, evident from when they first met as First Year Law Students in UL.
“Mark was the most caring and selfless person I ever met – so caring and selfless that he earned the nickname, Mother Mark – he could make you feel loved and wanted from the smallest gestures,” wrote Ms Rahman in her recollection of their time sharing a house and holidaying together.
“I struggle to put into words . . . how amazing Mark was. To say he was amazing seems like an injustice to who he really was; he was charming, funny, caring, selfless, bright, hard-working, honest, intelligent but also so much more – words can’t describe Mark for who he was.”
Earlier, Canon Toby Bluitt told mourners that he wanted them to keep Mark's mother, Anne O'Sullivan, and her extended family in their prayers as they attempted to comprehend Mark's death and those of his father and brother whose funeral mass he celebrated a day earlier in Castlemagner.
“Grief is never an easy burden to bear – and never more so when it comes to us in what can only be described as an untimely, shocking and tragic way. We gather in such grief today, carrying a burden that not only seems to be, but in fact is overwhelming.
“The shock, the numbness, the devastation, was impossible to imagine and the unfolding news of the loss of three lives was incomprehensible . . . just like all of you, I too am struggling to make sense of this life changing tragedy,” said Canon Bluitt who also prayed for Tadg and Diarmuid.
Gardaí believe that Mark O’Sullivan (26) died after being shot by his father and younger brother early on Monday.
Canon Bluitt then spoke about Mark, reminding mourners that, like his younger brother, he too had attended primary school in Ballyhass and secondary school in Kanturk before studying law at UL where he graduated in 2017.
“One would imagine that life was full of possibilities for him. One could also say that Mark touched many people’s lives along the way as he journeyed through life. His life and death have changed you all and you will never be the same again.”
After the funeral Mass, Ms O’Sullivan, who is seriously ill, was helped from the church as she followed her son’s coffin before it was placed in a hearse.
Mr O'Sullivan's body was taken St Patrick's Cemetery in Castlemagner to be buried beside his mother's parents, Timothy and Mary Cronin.


theirishtimes--2020-10-31--Covid crisis: 416 new infections bring October total to almost 25,000

A further 416 cases has brought the number of Covid-19 cases in October to almost 25,000 for the month .
The total of 24,866 surpasses that of the previous record month of April when there were 17,377 recorded cases .
Five more deaths were reported on Saturday bringing the final number for the month to 112 .
There were 1,141 deaths in the month of April .
The number of people in hospital this month went from 130 at the beginning to 322 at the end of the month peaking on October 27th when there were 354 people in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The new cases and deaths notified by the National Public Health Emergency Team on Saturday brings to 61,456 the total number of infections in the Republic , and the number of coronavirus-related deaths to 1,913 .
The numbers in intensive care units increased by one to 42 .
Of the new cases confirmed as of midnight on Friday , 64 per cent were among people under 45 years of age , with 34 the median age ; 186 were men and 230 were women .
Some 87 cases were located in Dublin , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Mayo , and 37 in Galway .
The remaining 189 cases were spread across 20 other counties .
There were 320 coronavirus patients in hospitals as of 2pm on Saturday , 41 of whom were in intensive care .
There has been 19 hospital admissions in the last 24 hours .
Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohansaid nationally the R-number , which is the reproductive rate of the virus , has dropped to about 1 .
This means for every person who contracts the disease they will pass it on to an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spread of the virus has slowed following the national lockdown .
“ We are making progress in suppressing the current rise of Covid-19 .
Ireland is currently one of only four countries in the EU with a reduction in its seven-day incidence , ” said Dr Holohan .
“ We are working collectively to achieve suppression , but it is too early to ease our efforts .
The incidence is decreasing in young adults but it continues to rise in those aged over 75 .
We have more to do but we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
Cavan still has the highest incidence rate of the disease at 645.9 per 100,000 people , with 492 cases in the last 14 days .
Meath has the second highest incidence at 500.9 , followed by Westmeath , Sligo , Cork , Galway , then Donegal .
Dublin has the 15th highest incidence rate in the country , at 237.7 per 100,000 people , and 3,203 cases in the last 14 days .
Meanwhile , young people have reduced their contacts by half in recent weeks leading to a significant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the National Public Health Emergency Team ’ s Dr Mary Favier .
Dr Favier said there has been a notable change of behaviour among the youth and that the public at large had reduced their close contacts .
Moreover , the ban on visiting other households is already having a beneficial effect , she added .
She said the number of contacts that the average teenager who tested positive has had dropped from 20 six weeks ago to 12 a fortnight ago and now to six .
“ Young people have been vilified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of very negative messages .
We have made much more progress .
They have lost a lot and they have the most to lose , ” she said .
Dr Favier , who is Covid-19 adviser to the Irish College of General Practitioners told The Irish Times that close contacts in the general population has dropped from six to three , meaning that most close contacts now are people in the same household .
“ We are in the best part of nine days into the restrictions .
We are now seeing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s levels of contacts , ” she said .
“ We know from previous experience in March that is what really makes the difference.
” However , she cautioned that while numbers of Covid-19 infections in young are declining , they are increasing in the over-65s which are most affected by the disease .

Some 87 cases were located in Dublin, followed by 62 in Cork, 41 in Mayo, and 37 in Galway. File photograph: The Irish Times
A further 416 cases of coronavirus reported on Saturday brought the number of infections in October to almost 25,000 for the month.
The total of 24,866 surpasses that of the previous record in April when there were 17,377 recorded cases.
Five more deaths were reported on Saturday bringing the final number for the month to 112. There were 1,141 deaths in the month of April.
We are making progress on #COVID19 - we are following public health advice. Young people especially. Best country in EU in most recent 7-day rates. But- too early to stop. Rates still rising in >65s and have not dropped in Dublin. We need to keep it up. @HSELive @roinnslainte — Dr Tony Holohan (@CMOIreland) October 31, 2020
The number of people in hospital this month went from 130 at the beginning to 322 at the end of the month peaking on October 27th when there were 354 people in the State’s hospitals with Covid-19.
READ MORE
The new cases and deaths notified by the National Public Health Emergency Team on Saturday brings to 61,456 the total number of infections in the Republic, and the number of coronavirus-related deaths to 1,913.
The numbers in intensive care units increased by one to 42. Of the new cases confirmed as of midnight on Friday, 64 per cent were among people under 45 years of age, with 34 the median age; 186 were men and 230 were women.
Some 87 cases were located in Dublin, followed by 62 in Cork, 41 in Mayo, and 37 in Galway. The remaining 189 cases were spread across 20 other counties.
There were 320 coronavirus patients in hospitals as of 2pm on Saturday, 41 of whom were in intensive care. There has been 19 hospital admissions in the last 24 hours.
Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohansaid nationally the R-number, which is the reproductive rate of the virus, has dropped to about 1.
This means for every person who contracts the disease they will pass it on to an average of one other individual, suggesting the spread of the virus has slowed following the national lockdown.
"We are making progress in suppressing the current rise of Covid-19. Ireland is currently one of only four countries in the EU with a reduction in its seven-day incidence," said Dr Holohan.
“We are working collectively to achieve suppression, but it is too early to ease our efforts. The incidence is decreasing in young adults but it continues to rise in those aged over 75. We have more to do but we are on the right track,” he said.
Dr Holohan later said the Republic was the best country in the EU in terms of the most recent seven-day rates, but added that rates were still rising in the over-65 age group and have not dropped in Dublin. “We need to keep it up,” he tweeted.
Reduced contacts
Cavan still has the highest incidence rate of the disease at 645.9 per 100,000 people, with 492 cases in the last 14 days. Meath has the second highest incidence at 500.9, followed by Westmeath, Sligo, Cork, Galway, then Donegal.
Dublin has the 15th highest incidence rate in the country, at 237.7 per 100,000 people, and 3,203 cases in the last 14 days.
Meanwhile, young people have reduced their contacts by half in recent weeks leading to a significant fall in Covid-19 infections, according to the National Public Health Emergency Team 's Dr Mary Favier.
Dr Favier said there has been a notable change of behaviour among the youth and that the public at large had reduced their close contacts. Moreover, the ban on visiting other households is already having a beneficial effect, she added.
She said the number of contacts that the average teenager who tested positive has had dropped from 20 six weeks ago to 12 a fortnight ago and now to six.
“Young people have been vilified and they have subject to a lot of very negative messages. We have made much more progress. They have lost a lot and they have the most to lose,” she said.
Dr Favier, who is Covid-19 adviser to the Irish College of General Practitioners told The Irish Times that close contacts in the general population has dropped from six to three, meaning that most close contacts now are people in the same household.
“We are in the best part of nine days into the restrictions. We are now seeing a real tightening in terms of people’s levels of contacts,” she said. “We know from previous experience in March that is what really makes the difference.”
However, she cautioned that while numbers of Covid-19 infections in young are declining, they are increasing in the over-65s which are most affected by the disease.


theirishtimes--2020-10-31--Kite surfer dies after getting into difficulty off north Dublin beach

A man in his 30s has died while kite surfing at Dollymount Strand , north Dublin , on Saturday morning @ @ @ @ @ to an incident at the beach shortly after 9am .
The man is believed to @ @ @ @ @ the water and drowned .
He was removed from the water and pronounced dead at @ @ @ @ @ His body has been removed to the Mater Hospital , where a post-mortem examination is @ @ @ @ @ later date .
The beach , which is located near Clontarf , is a popular @ @ @ @ @ also been busy in recent weeks with large numbers of people out walking during the @ @ @

A man in his 30s has died while kite surfing at Dollymount Strand, north Dublin, on Saturday morning.
Emergency services were called to an incident at the beach shortly after 9am. The man is believed to have gotten into trouble in the water and drowned.
He was removed from the water and pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
His body has been removed to the Mater Hospital, where a post-mortem examination is to take place at a later date.
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The beach, which is located near Clontarf, is a popular kite-surfing spot.
It has also been busy in recent weeks with large numbers of people out walking during the nationwide lockdown.


theirishtimes--2020-10-31--Power restored to most homes in wake of Storm Aiden cuts

Power has now been restored to the majority of homes that suffered interruption in supply following high winds from Storm Aiden on Saturday .
A weather warning in place for Donegal , Galway , and Mayo has been extended until 6am on Sunday , with winds to reach gust speeds of up to 100km/h .
The status yellow weather warning said winds will be strongest along coastal areas .
Met Éireann previously had a more severe status orange warning along the western seaboard , and a nationwide status yellow warning , in place until 4pm .
During the height of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ severe and damaging ” wind gusts of 100-130km/h , adding there was a risk of coastal flooding caused by high seas and onshore winds .
There were less than 1,000 ESB customers without power at 5pm on Saturday , down from 8,000 who had lost power as a result of the high winds .
The majority of homes still without power were located in Co Donegal , with crews expected to fix these remaining faults by Saturday evening .
While power cuts were reported in varying numbers countrywide , the northwest was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesman for ESB Networks told The Irish Times that two areas in Co Donegal – the Gweedore area and Donegal town – had accounted for the majority of the faults , with 2,332 and 2,022 customers affected in those areas respectively .
The majority of those faults had been repaired by ESB crews , with only small numbers still without power by 4pm on Saturday , the spokesman said .
“ Overall the damage has been relatively limited and we expect to have all customers back this evening , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported across the country , including in Longford , Galway , Clare , Wicklow and Mayo .
The number of power cuts is comparable to a busy autumn day , the ESB spokesman said , adding that Saturday ’ s damage fell short of being an “ emergency ” situation .
Meanwhile , Cork City Council had issued a warning that there may be tidal surges in low lying city centre areas , with motorists advised not to leave their cars parked around Morrison ’ s Island and Fr Mathew Quay locales .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ surrounding the south channel of the Lee , escaped flooding overnight .
Cork County Council issued a warning to people living in coastal areas to stay away from shorelines while they also confirmed that the Dursey Cable Car linking Dursey Island to the Beara Peninsula would not operate due to high winds associated with Storm Aiden .
AA Roadwatch has advised motorists to expect wind-blown debris on roads on Saturday .
“ Give extra space to vulnerable road users - pedestrians , cyclists and motorcyclists – who are more likely to be blown @ @ @ @ @ @

There is a risk of coastal flooding, according to Met Éireann. File photograph: Nick Bradshaw
Power has now been restored to the majority of homes that suffered interruption in supply following high winds from Storm Aiden on Saturday.
A weather warning in place for Donegal, Galway, and Mayo has been extended until 6am on Sunday, with winds to reach gust speeds of up to 100km/h. The status yellow weather warning said winds will be strongest along coastal areas.
Met Éireann previously had a more severe status orange warning along the western seaboard, and a nationwide status yellow warning, in place until 4pm.
During the height of Storm Aiden Met Éireann had warned of “severe and damaging” wind gusts of 100-130km/h, adding there was a risk of coastal flooding caused by high seas and onshore winds.
READ MORE
There were less than 1,000 ESB customers without power at 5pm on Saturday, down from 8,000 who had lost power as a result of the high winds.
The majority of homes still without power were located in Co Donegal, with crews expected to fix these remaining faults by Saturday evening.
While power cuts were reported in varying numbers countrywide, the northwest was worst hit by the storm.
A spokesman for ESB Networks told The Irish Times that two areas in Co Donegal – the Gweedore area and Donegal town – had accounted for the majority of the faults, with 2,332 and 2,022 customers affected in those areas respectively.
The majority of those faults had been repaired by ESB crews, with only small numbers still without power by 4pm on Saturday, the spokesman said.
“Overall the damage has been relatively limited and we expect to have all customers back this evening,” he said.
Several other clusters of faults have been reported across the country, including in Longford, Galway, Clare, Wicklow and Mayo.
The number of power cuts is comparable to a busy autumn day, the ESB spokesman said, adding that Saturday’s damage fell short of being an “emergency” situation.
Meanwhile, Cork City Council had issued a warning that there may be tidal surges in low lying city centre areas, with motorists advised not to leave their cars parked around Morrison’s Island and Fr Mathew Quay locales.
But both areas, along with others surrounding the south channel of the Lee, escaped flooding overnight.
Cork County Council issued a warning to people living in coastal areas to stay away from shorelines while they also confirmed that the Dursey Cable Car linking Dursey Island to the Beara Peninsula would not operate due to high winds associated with Storm Aiden.
AA Roadwatch has advised motorists to expect wind-blown debris on roads on Saturday. “Give extra space to vulnerable road users - pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists – who are more likely to be blown off-course,” it advised.


theirishtimes--2020-11-01--New dictionary not the last word on Irish lexicography

Living languages are shaped by their environment and as the lives of speakers change the way they communicate and express themselves evolves .
The impact of this can be seen in the 12 year-project culminating with the publication last week of the print version of new Concise English-Irish Dictionary , the first major English-Irish dictionary since Tomás de Bhaldraithe ’ s seminal English-Irish Dictionary in 1959 .
In the intervening 60-odd years , new Irish words have been introduced to account for the impact of technology and reflect the changing social , economic , political and cultural forces that influence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , entries in the new dictionary include burqa - búrca , pandemic - paindéim and the incorporation of phrases such as “ to Google something - rud a ghúgláil ” .
Some might scoff at the introduction of words such as gúgláil but it is not a new phenomenon : the verb `` hoover '' which has been in use for decades to describe the act of using a vacuum cleaner of course comes from the name of the company Hoover .
While this process of iterative change is not unique to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world where the systematic dominance of one language , English , over another , Irish , has been as conspicuous .
Indeed , the influence of English on Irish has become even more marked in recent decades and this is reflected in the new dictionary .
“ In the case of Irish the direct influence of English is becoming more pronounced in the vernacular not just in terms of individual words but also in terms of the structure and syntax of the language , ” says Pádraig Ó Mianáin , chief editor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ example , the phrase ‘ to throw in the towel ’ has been translated as ‘ an tuáille a chaitheamh isteach ’ and ‘ éirí as/géilleadh ’ in the new dictionary .
The first example here is a direct translation of the English phrase whereas the second example could be seen as more traditional Irish .
“ Of course , a language that ’ s as globally dominant as English is constantly generating new terms and concepts and it ’ s important for Irish and for Irish dictionaries to respond and maintain relevance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he says .
But it is not all one-way traffic .
Words such as garda , café , croissant , entrepreneur , rucksack , galore , macho , tsunami , sliotar , brogue and puck are commonly used in English but are loanwords , borrowed from other languages , not least among which is Irish .
One challenge faced by lexicographers is determining a word ’ s primary meaning at a given moment .
“ The prevailing practice in modern dictionaries is to present word meanings in order of frequency of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the evolution of those meanings from the original root form , ” says Ó Mianáin .
“ For instance , Ó Dónaill ’ s Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla ( 1977 ) gives ‘ knot ( in timber ) ’ as the first meaning under ‘ fadhb ’ whereas a modern dictionary would certainly give ‘ problem , difficulty , issue ’ as the first meaning , ” he adds .
The new dictionary also tries to reflect the extent to which technology has transformed our society .
It has revolutionised how people interact and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once had a specific meaning but which have come to mean something different over a relatively short period of time .
“ It ’ s not so much that a word ’ s meaning changes but more so that a word might gather additional meanings along the way , ” explains Ó Mianáin .
“ For example , when de Bhaldraithe ’ s English-Irish Dictionary was published in 1959 the prevailing meaning of the word ‘ text ’ was that which you ’ d find in a book or manuscript .
This word @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new meanings and even becoming a verb , especially in the realm of social media and communications.
” And as new words emerge , old words disappear and words are borrowed from other languages and incorporated .
So when it comes to compiling a dictionary , what factors determine what words are included or left out ?
“ Priority in the first instance is given to word frequency in a language corpus , ” says Ó Mianáin .
“ From there certain sets of words - such as colours , months , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and ultimately the keen judgement of editors and translators is relied on to make the final decision , ” he adds .
Some 9,000 copies of the new Concise English-Irish Dictionary have been printed and copies will make their way into schools , libraries and private homes around the country and beyond .
An earlier online version of the dictionary ( foclóir.ie ) was published in 2013 .
Up until then students depended on a dictionary that was over 50 years old and which didn ’ t include commonly used words such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' and `` supermarket '' .
“ Since 2013 , the New English-Irish Dictionary has been online and now attracts nearly 2.5 million users worldwide per annum , ” says Ó Mianáin .
“ This is a comprehensive contemporary dictionary that is suitable for users of all levels of Irish , and is particularly useful to those learning Irish in the education system .
“ The printed version Concise English-Irish Dictionary makes the language even more accessible especially for those who are not as technically proficient or indeed those without internet coverage.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the English-Irish dictionary has ended , the focus will now shift to the compilation of an Irish-English dictionary and an Irish-only dictionary .
At 1,800 pages and with more than 30,000 entries , 85,000 word senses and 1.8 million words , the Concise English-Irish dictionary is an historical document too as it marks a moment in time in the ongoing relationship between Ireland ’ s two official languages ; Irish and English .

Niamh and Sarah Kidd from Kinvara, Co Galway, with the new Concise English-Irish Dictionary, the first of its kind in over sixty years. Photograph:Andrew Downes
Living languages are shaped by their environment and as the lives of speakers change the way they communicate and express themselves evolves.
The impact of this can be seen in the 12 year-project culminating with the publication last week of the print version of new Concise English-Irish Dictionary, the first major English-Irish dictionary since Tomás de Bhaldraithe’s seminal English-Irish Dictionary in 1959.
In the intervening 60-odd years, new Irish words have been introduced to account for the impact of technology and reflect the changing social, economic, political and cultural forces that influence the words we use.
The new Concise English-Irish Dictionary. Photograph:Andrew Downes
For example, entries in the new dictionary include burqa - búrca, pandemic - paindéim and the incorporation of phrases such as “to Google something - rud a ghúgláil”.
READ MORE
Some might scoff at the introduction of words such as gúgláil but it is not a new phenomenon: the verb "hoover" which has been in use for decades to describe the act of using a vacuum cleaner of course comes from the name of the company Hoover.
While this process of iterative change is not unique to the Irish language there are few places in the world where the systematic dominance of one language, English, over another, Irish, has been as conspicuous.
And in terms of syntax and language structure, the influence of English on Irish has become even more marked in recent decades - something which is reflected in the new dictionary.
Influence of English
“In the case of Irish the direct influence of English is becoming more pronounced in the vernacular not just in terms of individual words but also in terms of the structure and syntax of the language,” says Pádraig Ó Mianáin, chief editor of the new dictionary.
“For example, the phrase ‘to throw in the towel’ has been translated as ‘an tuáille a chaitheamh isteach’ and ‘éirí as/géilleadh’ in the new dictionary. The first example here is a direct translation of the English phrase whereas the second example could be seen as more traditional Irish.
“Of course, a language that’s as globally dominant as English is constantly generating new terms and concepts and it’s important for Irish and for Irish dictionaries to respond and maintain relevance in adequately covering current affairs and trends,” he says.
But it is not all one-way traffic.
Words such as garda, café, croissant, entrepreneur, rucksack, galore, macho, tsunami, sliotar, brogue and puck are commonly used in English but are loanwords, borrowed from other languages, not least among which is Irish.
One challenge faced by lexicographers is determining a word’s primary meaning at a given moment.
Frequency
“The prevailing practice in modern dictionaries is to present word meanings in order of frequency of use rather than presenting them according to the evolution of those meanings from the original root form,” says Ó Mianáin.
“For instance, Ó Dónaill’s Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla (1977) gives ‘knot (in timber)’ as the first meaning under ‘fadhb’ whereas a modern dictionary would certainly give ‘problem, difficulty, issue’ as the first meaning,” he adds.
The new dictionary also tries to reflect the extent to which technology has transformed our society.
It has revolutionised how people interact and the dictionary now offers examples of words that once had a specific meaning but which have come to mean something different over a relatively short period of time.
“It’s not so much that a word’s meaning changes but more so that a word might gather additional meanings along the way,” explains Ó Mianáin.
“For example, when de Bhaldraithe’s English-Irish Dictionary was published in 1959 the prevailing meaning of the word ‘text’ was that which you’d find in a book or manuscript. This word has evolved since then, taking on new meanings and even becoming a verb, especially in the realm of social media and communications.”
And as new words emerge, old words disappear and words are borrowed from other languages and incorporated.
So when it comes to compiling a dictionary, what factors determine what words are included or left out?
“Priority in the first instance is given to word frequency in a language corpus,” says Ó Mianáin.
“From there certain sets of words - such as colours, months, and countries - are included regardless of frequency, and ultimately the keen judgement of editors and translators is relied on to make the final decision,” he adds.
Contemporary
Some 9,000 copies of the new Concise English-Irish Dictionary have been printed and copies will make their way into schools, libraries and private homes around the country and beyond.
An earlier online version of the dictionary (foclóir.ie) was published in 2013.
Up until then students depended on a dictionary that was over 50 years old and which didn’t include commonly used words such as "computer", "internet" and "supermarket".
“Since 2013, the New English-Irish Dictionary has been online and now attracts nearly 2.5 million users worldwide per annum,” says Ó Mianáin.
“This is a comprehensive contemporary dictionary that is suitable for users of all levels of Irish, and is particularly useful to those learning Irish in the education system.
“The printed version Concise English-Irish Dictionary makes the language even more accessible especially for those who are not as technically proficient or indeed those without internet coverage.”
While work on this print version of the English-Irish dictionary has ended, the focus will now shift to the compilation of an Irish-English dictionary and an Irish-only dictionary.
At 1,800 pages and with more than 30,000 entries, 85,000 word senses and 1.8 million words, the Concise English-Irish dictionary is an historical document too as it marks a moment in time in the ongoing relationship between Ireland’s two official languages; Irish and English.


theirishtimes--2020-11-01--Met Éireann issues two new weather alerts for wind and rain

Two new weather warnings have been issued a day after strong winds brought by Storm Aiden caused power outages nationwide .
Met Éireann on Sunday morning issued two new alerts .
A status yellow rainfall warning is in place for counties Cork , Kerry , Limerick and Tipperary , and is valid until 2am on Monday .
A yellow wind warning is in place for counties Wexford , Cork and Waterford until 2am on Monday .
The national forecaster previously warned of “ very unsettled weather ” this weekend , with spells of heavy and strong winds .
The rainfall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rain ” and localised flooding , with highest rainfall accumulations in mountainous regions and the southwest .
Southwest winds will reach mean speeds of 50-65km/h on Sunday , with gusts of up to 90km/h .
Early sunny spells and scattered showers will be followed by widespread rain spreading from the southwest in the afternoon .
Rain will be heaviest in Munster , where there may be some spot flooding , according to Met Éireann .
Highest temperatures will be 10 to 15 degrees .
Sunday night will see outbreaks of rain in all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Lowest temperatures will be 5 to 7 degrees .
AA Roadwatch has advised motorists to slow down and increase breaking distance on wet roads .
“ Watch out for spot flooding and only drive through water if you ’ re sure it ’ s not too deep for your vehicle , ” it said .
The forecast marks an improvement on Saturday ’ s conditions , which saw strong winds , severe gusts and multiple status weather alerts issued by Met Éireann .
Thousands of homes and businesses were left without power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with Co Donegal being one of the worst-hit areas .
About 8,000 ESB customers were affected nationwide at one stage on Saturday , according to a spokesman for ESB Networks , but the majority of the faults were fixed by the late afternoon .
The damage was typical of a busy autumn day , and fell short of being an “ emergency ” situation , the spokesman said .

Met Éireann has issued new alerts for wind and rain affecting some counties in the south and southwest of the country. File Photograph: Alan Betson
Two new weather warnings have been issued a day after strong winds brought by Storm Aiden caused power outages nationwide.
Met Éireann on Sunday morning issued two new alerts. A status yellow rainfall warning is in place for counties Cork, Kerry, Limerick and Tipperary, and is valid until 2am on Monday. A yellow wind warning is in place for counties Wexford, Cork and Waterford until 2am on Monday.
The national forecaster previously warned of “very unsettled weather” this weekend, with spells of heavy and strong winds.
The rainfall alert for Sunday warns of “persistent rain” and localised flooding, with highest rainfall accumulations in mountainous regions and the southwest. Southwest winds will reach mean speeds of 50-65km/h on Sunday, with gusts of up to 90km/h.
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Early sunny spells and scattered showers will be followed by widespread rain spreading from the southwest in the afternoon. Rain will be heaviest in Munster, where there may be some spot flooding, according to Met Éireann. Highest temperatures will be 10 to 15 degrees.
Sunday night will see outbreaks of rain in all areas, clearing to heavy showers overnight. Lowest temperatures will be 5 to 7 degrees.
AA Roadwatch has advised motorists to slow down and increase breaking distance on wet roads. “Watch out for spot flooding and only drive through water if you’re sure it’s not too deep for your vehicle,” it said.
The forecast marks an improvement on Saturday’s conditions, which saw strong winds, severe gusts and multiple status weather alerts issued by Met Éireann.
Thousands of homes and businesses were left without power as Storm Aiden passed over the country, with Co Donegal being one of the worst-hit areas.
About 8,000 ESB customers were affected nationwide at one stage on Saturday, according to a spokesman for ESB Networks, but the majority of the faults were fixed by the late afternoon.
The damage was typical of a busy autumn day, and fell short of being an “emergency” situation, the spokesman said.


theirishtimes--2020-11-01--Garda van attacked at scene of Halloween fires in Dublin

A man was arrested on Halloween night after an object was thrown at a Garda vehicle attending the scene of illegal fires in north Dublin .
The man , aged in his 30s , was arrested shortly after midnight in the Belcamp area after the windscreen of a Garda patrol van was damaged , according to a Garda spokesman .
“ Gardaí from the National Public Order Unit were on proactive patrol in the Belcamp area at the time responding to reports of a disturbances involving a group of youths and illegal fires when the incident occurred , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quickly arrested and no Garda members were injured.
” Dublin Fire Brigade said firefighters from Kilbarrack station were called to extinguish four cars set alight in Belcamp .
“ We ’ re working closely with gardaí at the scene , ” it tweeted in the early hours of Sunday .
It is understood the cars that were end-of-life cars that had been left in the area .
It was a “ busy Halloween ” for Dublin Fire Brigade , which said there were no reported injuries among its paramedics or firefighters when night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were called to a number of fires and firework incidents on Saturday night , though few with anti-social behaviour .
“ So far tonight most fires have required no intervention and our crews have experienced very little anti-social behaviour , ” it tweeted shortly after 10.30pm on Saturday .
Firefighters attended bonfires in Phibsborough , where video showed a large amount of fireworks being set off .
Earlier in the evening , trains were stopped temporarily on the north side of Dublin after vegetation adjoining property was set alight by fireworks at Harmonstown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concern had been raised about a rise in the use of fireworks , prompting gardaí to roll out Operation Tombolo - its Halloween policing initiative - earlier than normal .
By 8.30pm , firefighters and paramedics had treated four people for hand , eye and facial injuries resulting from fireworks .
“ Fireworks are genuinely dangerous and sadly we always see injuries from them on Halloween night , ” tweeted Dublin Fire Brigade .
Meanwhile in Northern Ireland fire crews were attacked with fireworks and missiles during two separate incidents on Halloween night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a more than 20 per cent increase in emergency calls and responses on Saturday night despite strict Covid-19 public health measures being in place across the region .
Crews dealt with hostile members of the public throwing missiles , including fireworks , as they responded to two calls .
Crew members were forced to withdraw for “ safety reasons ” at one of the incidents .
Nobody was injured .
A spokesman for the service said it received 83 emergency calls and responded to a total of 62 incidents between 6pm on Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a 22 per cent increase on the same period last year .
Eighteen of these incidents were bonfire-related .
- Additional reporting PA

Bonfires and fireworks were set off across Dublin as communities celebrated halloween. Video: Enda O'Dowd
A man was arrested on Halloween night after an object was thrown at a Garda vehicle attending the scene of illegal fires in north Dublin.
The man, aged in his 30s, was arrested shortly after midnight in the Belcamp area after the windscreen of a Garda patrol van was damaged, according to a Garda spokesman.
“Gardaí from the National Public Order Unit were on proactive patrol in the Belcamp area at the time responding to reports of a disturbances involving a group of youths and illegal fires when the incident occurred,” said the spokesman.
“The man wan quickly arrested and no Garda members were injured.”
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Dublin Fire Brigade said firefighters from Kilbarrack station were called to extinguish four cars set alight in Belcamp.
“We’re working closely with gardaí at the scene,” it tweeted in the early hours of Sunday. It is understood the cars that were end-of-life cars that had been left in the area.
It was a “busy Halloween” for Dublin Fire Brigade, which said there were no reported injuries among its paramedics or firefighters when night duty finished on Sunday morning.
Firefighters were called to a number of fires and firework incidents on Saturday night, though few with anti-social behaviour.
“So far tonight most fires have required no intervention and our crews have experienced very little anti-social behaviour,” it tweeted shortly after 10.30pm on Saturday.
Firefighters attended bonfires in Phibsborough, where video showed a large amount of fireworks being set off.
Earlier in the evening, trains were stopped temporarily on the north side of Dublin after vegetation adjoining property was set alight by fireworks at Harmonstown.
Ahead of Halloween this year, concern had been raised about a rise in the use of fireworks, prompting gardaí to roll out Operation Tombolo - its Halloween policing initiative - earlier than normal.
By 8.30pm, firefighters and paramedics had treated four people for hand, eye and facial injuries resulting from fireworks.
“Fireworks are genuinely dangerous and sadly we always see injuries from them on Halloween night,” tweeted Dublin Fire Brigade.
Northern Ireland
Meanwhile in Northern Ireland fire crews were attacked with fireworks and missiles during two separate incidents on Halloween night.
Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue reported a more than 20 per cent increase in emergency calls and responses on Saturday night despite strict Covid-19 public health measures being in place across the region.
Crews dealt with hostile members of the public throwing missiles, including fireworks, as they responded to two calls.
Crew members were forced to withdraw for “safety reasons” at one of the incidents. Nobody was injured.
A spokesman for the service said it received 83 emergency calls and responded to a total of 62 incidents between 6pm on Saturday and 1am on Sunday.
This equates to a 22 per cent increase on the same period last year. Eighteen of these incidents were bonfire-related. - Additional reporting PA