theirishtimes--2020-04-17--Teen charged with murder of Dublin man to have mental health assessment

A teenager has been remanded in custody with a recommendation he receive a mental health assessment after he was charged with murder of a young man who was stabbed to death near his home in Dublin .
Father-to-be Glen Osborne , 20 , from Taafe Place , Ballybough , Dublin 3 , was stabbed in the upper body in a car park outside Ballybough House just before 10pm on Wednesday .
Paramedics treated him at the scene before he was rushed to the Mater Hospital where he died a short time later .
A 16-year-old boy from Dublin ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be named because he is a minor , appeared before a special late sitting of the Dublin Children ’ s Court on Friday accompanied by his mother , who was visibly upset .
His grandparents and an aunt were given permission by Judge Brendan Toale to sit in during the proceedings which the general public are not allowed to attend .
His mother sat closest to the boy , who was silent throughout the hearing .
Due to Covid-19 the courtroom has been partitioned with a glass barrier .
Detective Sergeant Kenneth Hoare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 4.38pm , following directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions ( DPP ) .
“ In response to the charge after caution , he had no response , made no reply at all , ” Detective Sergeant Hoare said .
The judge said given the nature of the charge and the boy ’ s age he was satisfied to grant legal aid .
The Children ’ s Court does not have jurisdiction to consider a bail application in a murder case .
Defence solicitor Brian Keenan indicated consent to a remand in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he wished to flag to the court that he had “ very significant concerns ” for the boy ’ s mental health .
He sought a recommendation from the court to the director of the Oberstown juvenile detention centre for a multi-disciplinary assessment of the boy in custody .
The judge said he had no difficulty in recommending the mental health assessment .
The boy was remanded in custody to appear again on April 24th .
At the end of the hearing the teen spoke briefly to his distraught family , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was escorted from the courtroom to await transfer to the Oberstown detention centre .
He has not yet indicated how he will plead .

A 16-year-old boy from Dublin’s north inner city, who cannot be named because he is a minor, appeared before a special late sitting of the Dublin Children’s Court on Friday.
A teenager has been remanded in custody with a recommendation he receive a mental health assessment after he was charged with murder of a young man who was stabbed to death near his home in Dublin.
Father-to-be Glen Osborne, 20, from Taafe Place, Ballybough, Dublin 3, was stabbed in the upper body in a car park outside Ballybough House just before 10pm on Wednesday.
Paramedics treated him at the scene before he was rushed to the Mater Hospital where he died a short time later.
A 16-year-old boy from Dublin’s north inner city, who cannot be named because he is a minor, appeared before a special late sitting of the Dublin Children’s Court on Friday accompanied by his mother, who was visibly upset.
READ MORE
His grandparents and an aunt were given permission by Judge Brendan Toale to sit in during the proceedings which the general public are not allowed to attend.
His mother sat closest to the boy, who was silent throughout the hearing. Due to Covid-19 the courtroom has been partitioned with a glass barrier.
Detective Sergeant Kenneth Hoare told the judge the teenager was arrested at 4.38pm, following directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
“In response to the charge after caution, he had no response, made no reply at all,” Detective Sergeant Hoare said.
The judge said given the nature of the charge and the boy’s age he was satisfied to grant legal aid.
The Children’s Court does not have jurisdiction to consider a bail application in a murder case.
Defence solicitor Brian Keenan indicated consent to a remand in custody for one week.
He also said he wished to flag to the court that he had “very significant concerns” for the boy’s mental health. He sought a recommendation from the court to the director of the Oberstown juvenile detention centre for a multi-disciplinary assessment of the boy in custody.
The judge said he had no difficulty in recommending the mental health assessment.
The boy was remanded in custody to appear again on April 24th. At the end of the hearing the teen spoke briefly to his distraught family, who hugged and kissed him, before he was escorted from the courtroom to await transfer to the Oberstown detention centre.
He has not yet indicated how he will plead.


theirishtimes--2020-04-17--Covid-19 response team: Modellers help conquer that steep cases curve

Prof Turlough Downes usually applies his mathematical modelling skills to distant star systems , but he is now helping disease experts to model the course of the Covid-19 pandemic .
As an astrophysicist based at DCU School of Mathematical Sciences , he researches star systems in far-flung regions of our galaxy .
He is the first to admit he knows little about epidemics but he has experience of working with challenging data .
“ Like many people , when this virus started to spread around the world , I was alarmed and I wanted to do something , ” says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ epidemiology , but I work on the formation of black holes and planets around distant stars , so I do know about building mathematical models from sparse data with gaps in and lots of noise in it .
I started to think about how to model the numbers and trends from the virus.
” Downes contacted infectious disease expert Prof Sam McConkey at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland , and they set up a collaboration to try to improve mathematical models of Covid-19 spread .
Mathematical models use numbers , equations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how many people the Sars-CoV-2 virus is likely to infect over the coming days and weeks , but there are several challenges involved , he notes .
“ There are many gaps and variations in the information .
This virus is spreading very rapidly , and not necessarily consistently from person to person , and the data we have do not include all infections – so you have to look at the models and their predictions as a guide.
” Working with McConkey and Prof Noel McCarthy from the University of Warwick and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exploring how to refine mathematical forecasts of the viral spread , factoring fast-changing elements into the equations .
“ When there is a change , like the schools closing or where we narrow the criteria for testing people , we have to take that into account , ” he adds .
He finds some comfort that numbers predicted by the mathematical models he works on are similar to the official projections produced by the disease experts .
But he finds little comfort in the nature of the growth curve .
Getting away from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The growth curve that we want to flatten , the one that heads up very quickly on the graph , that is an exponential function , ” he explains .
“ And when you have an exponential function , the numbers of cases rise extremely rapidly .
No healthcare system can cope with the rate of increase of cases on an exponential function .
That is why we want to flatten the curve .
If you have got exponential growth , you are in trouble very quickly.
” Physical distancing is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it consistently over time , that adds up to a powerful way to slow the spread of the virus and pull back from the exponential growth – as has now been achieved , Downes says .
However , there is no room for complacency , he adds .
“ Exponential growth is relentless , even if you have small numbers of cases , if we are on exponential growth the numbers can still grow extremely rapidly.
” Downes hopes the official figures will consistently overestimate the actual numbers of cases that arise .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see , ” he says .
“ If we have projections based on exponential growth , but then the actual numbers are lower , it means the virus is slowing and the health system has more of a chance to treat patients who are severely ill. ” He also hopes to be able to turn his attention back to outer space soon .
“ I had expected that in this time of working from home I would be modelling data from a molecular cloud near a star system about 7,500 light years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this work , ” he says .
“ And I am only able to use these skills on the pandemic data because I have been developing them doing fundamental research in a university over the past two decades .
It ’ s important to remember that universities are not only for education ; they are also repositories of knowledge and skills that can be called upon in times of need .
”

Prof Turlough Downes, astrophysicist based at DCU, admits he knows little about epidemics but he has experience of working with challenging data.
Prof Turlough Downes usually applies his mathematical modelling skills to distant star systems, but he is now helping disease experts to model the course of the Covid-19 pandemic.
As an astrophysicist based at DCU School of Mathematical Sciences, he researches star systems in far-flung regions of our galaxy. He is the first to admit he knows little about epidemics but he has experience of working with challenging data.
“Like many people, when this virus started to spread around the world, I was alarmed and I wanted to do something,” says Downes. “I know nothing about epidemiology, but I work on the formation of black holes and planets around distant stars, so I do know about building mathematical models from sparse data with gaps in and lots of noise in it. I started to think about how to model the numbers and trends from the virus.”
Downes contacted infectious disease expert Prof Sam McConkey at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, and they set up a collaboration to try to improve mathematical models of Covid-19 spread.
READ MORE
Mathematical models use numbers, equations and rules to describe the likelihood of how many people the Sars-CoV-2 virus is likely to infect over the coming days and weeks, but there are several challenges involved, he notes.
“There are many gaps and variations in the information. This virus is spreading very rapidly, and not necessarily consistently from person to person, and the data we have do not include all infections – so you have to look at the models and their predictions as a guide.”
Working with McConkey and Prof Noel McCarthy from the University of Warwick and Dr Sean Delaney, Downes has been exploring how to refine mathematical forecasts of the viral spread, factoring fast-changing elements into the equations.
“When there is a change, like the schools closing or where we narrow the criteria for testing people, we have to take that into account,” he adds.
Predicted projections
He finds some comfort that numbers predicted by the mathematical models he works on are similar to the official projections produced by the disease experts. But he finds little comfort in the nature of the growth curve.
Getting away from the exponential growth curve was critical. “The growth curve that we want to flatten, the one that heads up very quickly on the graph, that is an exponential function,” he explains.
“And when you have an exponential function, the numbers of cases rise extremely rapidly. No healthcare system can cope with the rate of increase of cases on an exponential function. That is why we want to flatten the curve. If you have got exponential growth, you are in trouble very quickly.”
Physical distancing is a small act, but if we do it consistently over time, that adds up to a powerful way to slow the spread of the virus and pull back from the exponential growth – as has now been achieved, Downes says. However, there is no room for complacency, he adds. “Exponential growth is relentless, even if you have small numbers of cases, if we are on exponential growth the numbers can still grow extremely rapidly.”
Downes hopes the official figures will consistently overestimate the actual numbers of cases that arise. “That is the pattern you want to see,” he says. “If we have projections based on exponential growth, but then the actual numbers are lower, it means the virus is slowing and the health system has more of a chance to treat patients who are severely ill.”
He also hopes to be able to turn his attention back to outer space soon. “I had expected that in this time of working from home I would be modelling data from a molecular cloud near a star system about 7,500 light years away, but then I started on this work,” he says.
“And I am only able to use these skills on the pandemic data because I have been developing them doing fundamental research in a university over the past two decades. It’s important to remember that universities are not only for education; they are also repositories of knowledge and skills that can be called upon in times of need.”


theirishtimes--2020-04-17--Up to 4,000 new babies’ to be registered electronically for first time

Arrangements have been put in place for the electronic registration of up to 4,000 new-born babies as a solution to challenges arising from the Covid-19 pandemic .
Changes have been introduced allowing babies to be registered online for the first time since records began in 1864 .
Up until now parents have had to visit the local registration office with their new baby .
Aaron Rafferty from Malahide , County Dublin , is the first baby to have his birth registered electronically with the General Register Office by his parents Nuala and Paul .
As a result of Covid-19 restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that there may be up to 4,000 births not yet registered .
And Child Benefit payments do not commence until after a birth is registered .
The new arrangements put in place by the General Register Office have taken into account the HSE and WHO guidelines on social distancing , the Department of Social Protection said .
Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty said many parents have “ consciously decided not to register the birth of their new arrival to their families during the pandemic because of the social distancing requirements ” .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ worked to put an alternative channel into place so that all families can register their new-borns easily and avail of their child benefit entitlements , ” she said , urging all parents of new babies to consider using the new arrangements .
Registrar General , TJ Fleming , said the social distancing requirements currently in place as a result of the pandemic “ highlight the usefulness of the electronic registration process ” .
The process will be kept under review to ensure it is as “ simple and straightforward as possible ” , @ @ @

As a result of Covid-19 restrictions, the Department of Social Protection estimates that there may be up to 4,000 births not yet registered. Photograph: iStock
Arrangements have been put in place for the electronic registration of up to 4,000 new-born babies as a solution to challenges arising from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Changes have been introduced allowing babies to be registered online for the first time since records began in 1864. Up until now parents have had to visit the local registration office with their new baby.
Aaron Rafferty from Malahide, County Dublin, is the first baby to have his birth registered electronically with the General Register Office by his parents Nuala and Paul.
As a result of Covid-19 restrictions, the Department of Social Protection estimates that there may be up to 4,000 births not yet registered. And Child Benefit payments do not commence until after a birth is registered.
READ MORE
The new arrangements put in place by the General Register Office have taken into account the HSE and WHO guidelines on social distancing, the Department of Social Protection said.
Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty said many parents have “consciously decided not to register the birth of their new arrival to their families during the pandemic because of the social distancing requirements”.
“That is why my department has worked to put an alternative channel into place so that all families can register their new-borns easily and avail of their child benefit entitlements,” she said, urging all parents of new babies to consider using the new arrangements.
Registrar General, TJ Fleming, said the social distancing requirements currently in place as a result of the pandemic “highlight the usefulness of the electronic registration process”.
The process will be kept under review to ensure it is as “simple and straightforward as possible”, he said.


theirishtimes--2020-04-17--Coronavirus: Birdsong seems louder and the ravens are more relaxed

Hits on the Birdwatch Ireland website are up 350 per cent as a society in shutdown takes more notice of the natural world .
The spike in interest comes at a time when not just birds but plants , marine life , insects and even our skies are all affected by the sudden reduction of human activity prompted by the fight against coronavirus .
“ I ’ ve noticed the ravens are more relaxed , ” says Matthew Jebb , director of the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin , which are closed as part of the Government ’ s containment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good day , [ there ] could be up to four or five thousand people , and the birds are never , ever , comfortable or settled .
But now it ’ s so quiet , they won ’ t see a person all day , and it just gives them that added confidence in going about their nesting.
” There is a lot of research going on , he says , about the effect of traffic noise on birds ’ efforts to lure a mate .
Birds sing early in the morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partners , but unfortunately this usually coincides with both the early morning rush hour and early morning flights .
“ Now the noise levels in Dublin have dropped by almost one-third and it has become very calm and quiet.
” The cleaner air we are experiencing will be good for plants , as newly emerging leaves will be subject to far less day-to-day pollution , says Jebb .
“ The delicate new leaves get a cleaner sweep , and a much better start in life.
” “ A lot of people are asking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the answer is no , ” says Niall Hatch of Birdwatch Ireland .
“ The number of birds is the same as it has always been .
It is just people are more aware of them than they have normally been.
” People are spending more time in their own gardens , if they have one , and the unusual quiet in cities means that birdsong is more noticeable .
It is also the case that because of the quiet , sound travels more .
The shutdown has also had an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , catches of marine life covered by the EU quota system .
Fishing for prawns , crabs and lobsters , as well as demersal , such as whiting , haddock and monkfish , is below what it would normally be for this time of year ( with 10 per cent , rather than 25 per cent , of quotas used ) .
However the fishing of blue whiting , mackerel and horse mackerel continues at normal levels .
The closure of markets for some product has hit the Irish fishing industry hard , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effect on marine population levels off our shores .
The drop in economic activity has also provided a type of enormous laboratory experiment for scientists involved in studying the related issues of cloud formation , dirty air and climate change .
Data from Eurocontrol show flights across Europe , as of earlier this week , were down by approximately 90 per cent , with the figure for Ireland , including overflights , being 92 per cent down .
In the immediate wake of the 9/11 attacks in the United States , all non-military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a number of days .
Scientists in Wisconsin were able to study the behaviour of contrail cirrus cloud – the cloud created by the vapour from jet engines – left by military flights travelling across otherwise empty skies .
“ They were able to track contrails associated with very specific military flights , ” says Rowan Fealy , who lectures on climate science in the geography department of Maynooth University .
“ They found that the contrails associated with just six military aircraft were able to fan out to cover a region of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ miles .
These can impact for a number of hours after they have formed.
” Climate scientists find this interesting because of the “ energy balance ” impact high-level clouds can have on global warming .
Contrail cirrus cloud can keep energy out during the day , and keep energy in at night when the earth is cooling down .
“ Now we have potentially a much , much bigger data sample beyond that of 9/11 , ” Fealy says .
“ In spite of the tragic circumstances of the global pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the sense that we have real-world conditions that we can now look at and analyse.
” Another big issue for climate scientists is “ global dimming ” , or the impact of air pollution on the ability of the sun ’ s light or energy to reach the earth ’ s surface .
Recent figures from Nasa , the US space agency , have shown huge drop-offs in air pollution over major cities .
Global dimming may have the effect of constraining the temperature increases caused by greenhouse gases .
Hannah Hamilton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says it is a bit early to speak about the effect of the shutdown on wildlife , though undoubtedly there will be less roadkill , and it is well known that noise pollution affects animals negatively .
“ The key thing is not the effect on wildlife so much as the extent to which we are noticing more .
We are living slower lives , limited in the places we are going , and we are noticing what is around us in a way that we don ’ t normally do.
” This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scientists and naturalists do all of the time .
A positive aspect of the shutdown is that more people are now having the opportunity to “ take pause and just look around.
” She is hoping that , once the awfulness of the pandemic has passed , people will have an increased “ natural literacy ” and that this increased engagement with the natural world will endure .

Hits on the Birdwatch Ireland website are up 350 per cent as a society in shutdown takes more notice of the natural world.
The spike in interest comes at a time when not just birds but plants, marine life, insects and even our skies are all affected by the sudden reduction of human activity prompted by the fight against coronavirus.
"I've noticed the ravens are more relaxed," says Matthew Jebb, director of the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin, which are closed as part of the Government's containment measures.
“At weekends on a good day, [there] could be up to four or five thousand people, and the birds are never, ever, comfortable or settled. But now it’s so quiet, they won’t see a person all day, and it just gives them that added confidence in going about their nesting.”
READ MORE
There is a lot of research going on, he says, about the effect of traffic noise on birds’ efforts to lure a mate. Birds sing early in the morning to mark their territory and to attract partners, but unfortunately this usually coincides with both the early morning rush hour and early morning flights.
“Now the noise levels in Dublin have dropped by almost one-third and it has become very calm and quiet.”
The unusual calm and quiet in cities means people are becoming more aware of the nature around them
Air quality
The cleaner air we are experiencing will be good for plants, as newly emerging leaves will be subject to far less day-to-day pollution, says Jebb. “The delicate new leaves get a cleaner sweep, and a much better start in life.”
"A lot of people are asking us has the lockdown produced more birds, and the answer is no," says Niall Hatch of Birdwatch Ireland. "The number of birds is the same as it has always been. It is just people are more aware of them than they have normally been."
People are spending more time in their own gardens, if they have one, and the unusual quiet in cities means that birdsong is more noticeable. It is also the case that because of the quiet, sound travels more.
The shutdown has also had an impact on some, though not all, catches of marine life covered by the EU quota system.
Fishing for prawns, crabs and lobsters, as well as demersal, such as whiting, haddock and monkfish, is below what it would normally be for this time of year (with 10 per cent, rather than 25 per cent, of quotas used). However the fishing of blue whiting, mackerel and horse mackerel continues at normal levels.
The closure of markets for some product has hit the Irish fishing industry hard, but scientists will be closely monitoring the effect on marine population levels off our shores.
Climate science
The drop in economic activity has also provided a type of enormous laboratory experiment for scientists involved in studying the related issues of cloud formation, dirty air and climate change.
Data from Eurocontrol show flights across Europe, as of earlier this week, were down by approximately 90 per cent, with the figure for Ireland, including overflights, being 92 per cent down.
In the immediate wake of the 9/11 attacks in the United States, all non-military flights over US airspace were grounded for a number of days. Scientists in Wisconsin were able to study the behaviour of contrail cirrus cloud – the cloud created by the vapour from jet engines – left by military flights travelling across otherwise empty skies.
"They were able to track contrails associated with very specific military flights," says Rowan Fealy, who lectures on climate science in the geography department of Maynooth University. "They found that the contrails associated with just six military aircraft were able to fan out to cover a region of about seven and a half thousand square miles. These can impact for a number of hours after they have formed."
Climate scientists find this interesting because of the “energy balance” impact high-level clouds can have on global warming. Contrail cirrus cloud can keep energy out during the day, and keep energy in at night when the earth is cooling down.
“Now we have potentially a much, much bigger data sample beyond that of 9/11,” Fealy says. “In spite of the tragic circumstances of the global pandemic, we do have some really interesting opportunities in the sense that we have real-world conditions that we can now look at and analyse.”
‘Global dimming’
Another big issue for climate scientists is “global dimming”, or the impact of air pollution on the ability of the sun’s light or energy to reach the earth’s surface. Recent figures from Nasa, the US space agency, have shown huge drop-offs in air pollution over major cities.
Global dimming may have the effect of constraining the temperature increases caused by greenhouse gases.
Hannah Hamilton, communications manager with Coillte Nature, says it is a bit early to speak about the effect of the shutdown on wildlife, though undoubtedly there will be less roadkill, and it is well known that noise pollution affects animals negatively.
“The key thing is not the effect on wildlife so much as the extent to which we are noticing more. We are living slower lives, limited in the places we are going, and we are noticing what is around us in a way that we don’t normally do.”
This, she says, is exactly what scientists and naturalists do all of the time. A positive aspect of the shutdown is that more people are now having the opportunity to “take pause and just look around.”
She is hoping that, once the awfulness of the pandemic has passed, people will have an increased “natural literacy” and that this increased engagement with the natural world will endure.


theirishtimes--2020-04-17--Lyra McKee anniversary: It has been the ‘most horrific and surreal year’

Bells will ring out in the Creggan in Derry on Saturday to mark the first anniversary of the murder of 29-year-old Belfast journalist Lyra McKee .
Ms McKee was shot dead on April 18th last year as she was observing rioting in the city .
The New IRA admitted the murder .
A special Mass is to be offered in St Mary ’ s Chapel in Creggan by the parish priest who anointed her , Fr Joe Gormley .
The Mass , which also will be in memory of Ms McKee ’ s mother , Joan Lawrie , who died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6.30pm while the bells will ring at 8.30pm .
The Mass can be viewed via the church ’ s webcam .
Bells also will be rung in her native city of Belfast on Saturday to mark the anniversary .
Fr Gormley said it was important that Ms McKee be remembered .
“ It is also important that Lyra does not become another statistic of the Troubles , ” he said .
“ The effects of every killing of the Troubles continue on and on , ” he said .
“ I am thinking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fact that people do carry pain to their graves , and it does hasten people going to their graves as well.
” Ms McKee ’ s partner , Sara Canning , said on Friday she still hoped there would be justice .
She described the past 12 months as the “ most horrific and surreal year ” .
“ I miss my life with her .
If I could go back to this time last year I ’ d do things differently , ” she told BBC Radio Foyle .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and just read books and talked nonsense to each other .
I really hope we get justice .
I don ’ t want to give up hope , ” Ms Canning added .
On Saturday at 11am , National Union of Journalist ( NUJ ) members will join “ in solidarity and remembrance ” to mark the first anniversary of the murder .
The NUJ is to celebrate Ms McKee ’ s life and legacy and has encouraged members and friends of Ms McKee to take part in a symbolic virtual commemoration .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be used “ to highlight the shared values which Lyra embraced under the banner # WeStandWithLyra ” .
The NUJ has also asked media workers to share examples of Ms McKee ’ s journalism , tributes , memories and pictures on Saturday morning .
This week , the PSNI detective leading the murder investigation wrote to residents in the Creggan asking for community help in convicting her killers .
Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy said : “ Lyra ’ s murder was not committed in isolation , nor did it involve only one person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lyra being shot , and the events afterwards , are equally important .
I am asking the community to reach into its conscience and tell us what it knows.
” Amnesty International ’ s Northern Ireland director Patrick Corrigan said Ms McKee ’ s murder was a “ reminder of the risks that reporters face every day around the world , including here in Northern Ireland ” .
He said : “ Northern Ireland continues to be the most dangerous part of the UK to be a journalist , threatening press freedom daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s death , reporters have continued to receive threats of violence and death on a regular basis.
” Ulster Unionist Party leader Steve Aiken in marking the anniversary said that a truly peaceful society can emerge in Northern Ireland only when all communities give total support to the police and help them to put criminal gangs out of business .
“ The people responsible for Lyra McKee ’ s murder – like their criminal counterparts elsewhere in Northern Ireland – seek to invoke a political cause to try to give a veneer of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .

Journalist and author Lyra McKee was shot dead during riots in the Creggan area of Derry. Photogrpah: Jess Lowe
Bells will ring out in the Creggan in Derry on Saturday to mark the first anniversary of the murder of 29-year-old Belfast journalist Lyra McKee.
Ms McKee was shot dead on April 18th last year as she was observing rioting in the city. The New IRA admitted the murder.
A special Mass is to be offered in St Mary's Chapel in Creggan by the parish priest who anointed her, Fr Joe Gormley.
The Mass, which also will be in memory of Ms McKee's mother, Joan Lawrie, who died last month, will be held at 6.30pm while the bells will ring at 8.30pm.
READ MORE
The Mass can be viewed via the church’s webcam. Bells also will be rung in her native city of Belfast on Saturday to mark the anniversary.
Fr Gormley said it was important that Ms McKee be remembered. “It is also important that Lyra does not become another statistic of the Troubles,” he said.
“The effects of every killing of the Troubles continue on and on,” he said. “I am thinking how the death of her mother highlights the fact that people do carry pain to their graves, and it does hasten people going to their graves as well.”
Ms McKee's partner, Sara Canning, said on Friday she still hoped there would be justice. She described the past 12 months as the "most horrific and surreal year".
“I miss my life with her. If I could go back to this time last year I’d do things differently,” she told BBC Radio Foyle.
“I wish we stayed in bed that night and just read books and talked nonsense to each other. I really hope we get justice. I don’t want to give up hope,” Ms Canning added.
On Saturday at 11am, National Union of Journalist (NUJ) members will join “in solidarity and remembrance” to mark the first anniversary of the murder. The NUJ is to celebrate Ms McKee’s life and legacy and has encouraged members and friends of Ms McKee to take part in a symbolic virtual commemoration.
The union has asked that social media be used “to highlight the shared values which Lyra embraced under the banner #WeStandWithLyra”.
The NUJ has also asked media workers to share examples of Ms McKee’s journalism, tributes, memories and pictures on Saturday morning.
Community help
This week, the PSNI detective leading the murder investigation wrote to residents in the Creggan asking for community help in convicting her killers.
Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy said: "Lyra's murder was not committed in isolation, nor did it involve only one person. The events that led up to Lyra being shot, and the events afterwards, are equally important. I am asking the community to reach into its conscience and tell us what it knows."
Amnesty International's Northern Ireland director Patrick Corrigan said Ms McKee's murder was a "reminder of the risks that reporters face every day around the world, including here in Northern Ireland".
He said: “Northern Ireland continues to be the most dangerous part of the UK to be a journalist, threatening press freedom daily. In the year since Lyra’s death, reporters have continued to receive threats of violence and death on a regular basis.”
Ulster Unionist Party leader Steve Aiken in marking the anniversary said that a truly peaceful society can emerge in Northern Ireland only when all communities give total support to the police and help them to put criminal gangs out of business.
“The people responsible for Lyra McKee’s murder – like their criminal counterparts elsewhere in Northern Ireland – seek to invoke a political cause to try to give a veneer of respectability to their criminal activities,” he said.


theirishtimes--2020-04-18--Coronavirus cases may be tens of times higher than previously thought, study says

A new study in California has found the number of people infected with coronavirus may be tens of times higher than previously thought .
The study from Stanford University , which was released on Friday and has yet to be peer reviewed , tested samples from 3,330 people in Santa Clara County and found the virus was 50 to 85 times more common than official figures indicated .
To ease the sprawling lockdowns currently in place to stop the spread of Covid-19 , health officials must first determine how many people have been infected .
Large studies of the prevalence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ play a key role , the researchers involved in the study say .
“ This has implications for learning how far we are in the course of the epidemic , ” said Eran Bendavid , associate professor of medicine at Stanford University , who led the study .
“ It has implications for epidemic models that are being used to design policies and estimate what it means for our healthcare system.
” The study marks the first large-scale study of its kind , researchers said .
The study was conducted by identifying antibodies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test , which indicated whether they had already contracted and recovered from the virus .
At the time of the study , Santa Clara County had 1,094 confirmed cases of Covid-19 , resulting in 50 deaths .
But based on the rate of people who have antibodies , the study found it is likely that between 48,000 and 81,000 people had been infected in Santa Clara County by early April – a number approximately 50 to 80 times higher .
That also means coronavirus is potentially much less deadly to the overall population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the US ’ s coronavirus death rate was 4.1 per cent , and the Stanford researchers said their findings show a death rate of just 0.12 per cent to 0.2 per cent .
The study has been interpreted by some to mean we are closer to herd immunity – the concept that if enough people in a population have developed antibodies to a disease that population becomes immune – than expected .
But the researchers behind the study said not to jump to conclusions or make policy choices in regard to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The study confirms the widely held belief that far more people than originally thought have been infected with coronavirus , said Arthur Reingold , an epidemiology professor at UC Berkeley who was not involved in the study .
However , it doesn ’ t mean shelter-in-place orders will be lifted any time soon .
“ The idea this would be a passport to going safely back to work and getting us up and running has two constraints : we do not know if antibodies protect you and for how long , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even has antibodies , ” he said .
Even with the adjusted rate of infection as found by the study , only 3 per cent of the population has had coronavirus – that means 97 per cent has not .
To reach herd immunity 50 per cent or more of the population would have to have been infected by and to have recovered from coronavirus .
It is also unclear if the study , conducted exclusively on residents of Santa Clara County , is representative of the rest of the US , researchers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that similar studies be done all around the country , ” said Jayanta Bhattacharya , a professor at Stanford and author on the study .
“ It ’ s very clear that the virus is more prevalent in some areas than in others , and understanding the prevalence of viruses in each region is a critical step forward to making some policy.
” Other large-scale sample studies are currently under way in the US .
The National Institutes of Health is testing 10,000 people .
UC Berkeley is going to test 5,000 healthy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or have ever had , the coronavirus .
– Guardian

A new study in California has found the number of people infected with coronavirus may be tens of times higher than previously thought. File photograph: Karen Ducey/Getty Images
A new study in California has found the number of people infected with coronavirus may be tens of times higher than previously thought.
The study from Stanford University, which was released on Friday and has yet to be peer reviewed, tested samples from 3,330 people in Santa Clara County and found the virus was 50 to 85 times more common than official figures indicated.
To ease the sprawling lockdowns currently in place to stop the spread of Covid-19, health officials must first determine how many people have been infected. Large studies of the prevalence of the virus within a region could play a key role, the researchers involved in the study say.
"This has implications for learning how far we are in the course of the epidemic," said Eran Bendavid, associate professor of medicine at Stanford University, who led the study. "It has implications for epidemic models that are being used to design policies and estimate what it means for our healthcare system."
READ MORE
The study marks the first large-scale study of its kind, researchers said. The study was conducted by identifying antibodies in healthy individuals through a finger prick test, which indicated whether they had already contracted and recovered from the virus.
At the time of the study, Santa Clara County had 1,094 confirmed cases of Covid-19, resulting in 50 deaths. But based on the rate of people who have antibodies, the study found it is likely that between 48,000 and 81,000 people had been infected in Santa Clara County by early April – a number approximately 50 to 80 times higher.
That also means coronavirus is potentially much less deadly to the overall population than initially thought. As of Tuesday, the US’s coronavirus death rate was 4.1 per cent, and the Stanford researchers said their findings show a death rate of just 0.12 per cent to 0.2 per cent.
Herd immunity
The study has been interpreted by some to mean we are closer to herd immunity – the concept that if enough people in a population have developed antibodies to a disease that population becomes immune – than expected. But the researchers behind the study said not to jump to conclusions or make policy choices in regard to the findings until more research has been done.
The study confirms the widely held belief that far more people than originally thought have been infected with coronavirus, said Arthur Reingold, an epidemiology professor at UC Berkeley who was not involved in the study. However, it doesn't mean shelter-in-place orders will be lifted any time soon.
“The idea this would be a passport to going safely back to work and getting us up and running has two constraints: we do not know if antibodies protect you and for how long, and a very small percentage of the population even has antibodies,” he said.
Even with the adjusted rate of infection as found by the study, only 3 per cent of the population has had coronavirus – that means 97 per cent has not. To reach herd immunity 50 per cent or more of the population would have to have been infected by and to have recovered from coronavirus.
Further studies
It is also unclear if the study, conducted exclusively on residents of Santa Clara County, is representative of the rest of the US, researchers said.
"It is absolutely critical that similar studies be done all around the country," said Jayanta Bhattacharya, a professor at Stanford and author on the study. "It's very clear that the virus is more prevalent in some areas than in others, and understanding the prevalence of viruses in each region is a critical step forward to making some policy."
Other large-scale sample studies are currently under way in the US. The National Institutes of Health is testing 10,000 people. UC Berkeley is going to test 5,000 healthy volunteers to see if they have, or have ever had, the coronavirus. – Guardian


theirishtimes--2020-04-18--Tributes paid to Lyra McKee on first anniversary of her murder

Tributes have been paid to Lyra McKee , the journalist who was murdered in Derry last year , on the first anniversary of her death .
Ms McKee was shot dead on April 18th , 2019 as she was observing rioting in the city .
The New IRA admitted the murder .
Dunja Mijatovic , the European Commissioner for Human Rights , called on Saturday for the authorities to “ bring the perpetrators to justice ” and to protect journalists , especially those covering organised crime , paramilitary activities and legacy issues , from “ threats in Northern Ireland ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation this week wrote to residents in the Creggan , the area of Derry in which Ms McKee was shot asking for community help in convicting her killers .
The National Union of Journalists ( NUJ ) held a virtual commemoration for the 29-year-old at 11am on Saturday , during which journalists , politicians and activists shared photos and memories of Ms McKee under the hashtag # WeStandWithLyra .
Séamus Dooley , Irish secretary of the NUJ , said Ms McKee had “ an unrivalled zest for life and for living ” .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ killing so cruel .
In her journalism she combined her passion for journalism with a deep commitment to social change , ” Mr Dooley said .
“ In her writings , in her approach to issues of poverty , equality and exclusion Lyra was not afraid to ask the difficult question , to challenge the conventional and accepted wisdoms and to look for new and imaginative solutions to problems .
That ’ s her legacy.
” He added that what marked Ms McKee apart was “ her optimism , her unfailing good humour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fearlessly questioning the status quo ” .
Here NI , a charity in Northern Ireland supporting lesbian and bisexual women , also paid tribute to the journalist , adding that its members were thinking of her partner Sara Canning , her family and friends .
“ We are also remembering our own relationships with Lyra .
We miss you , but we ’ re still hanging in , kid , ” a statement from Here NI said .
Ellen Murray , executive director of Transgender NI , said she could “ only imagine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Ms McKee about what is going on in the world today .
“ A year ago today , my dear friend Lyra McKee was murdered in her prime in the city she lived in and loved .
Not a day has passed where I haven ’ t thought about her .
I miss you so much , pal , ” she said .
Martin O ’ Brien , columnist with the Irish News and Northern Correspondent with the Irish Catholic , called on people to celebrate the life of Ms McKee .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ solidarity with her loved ones , support [ THE PSNI ] in bringing her killers to justice .
May Lyra always inspire journalists to dig for truth , ” he said .
A special Mass to commemorate Ms McKee is being offered in St Mary ’ s Chapel in Creggan by the parish priest who anointed her , Fr Joe Gormley .
The Mass , which also will be in memory of Ms McKee ’ s mother , Joan Lawrie , who died last month , will be held at 6.30pm while the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mass can be viewed via the church ’ s webcam .
Bells also will be rung in her native city of Belfast on Saturday to mark the anniversary .
Fr Gormley said it was important that Ms McKee be remembered .
“ It is also important that Lyra does not become another statistic of the Troubles , ” he said .

Ms McKee was shot dead on April 18th, 2019 as she was observing rioting in the city. The New IRA admitted the murder. File photograph: Jess Lowe/EPA.
Tributes have been paid to Lyra McKee, the journalist who was murdered in Derry last year, on the first anniversary of her death.
Ms McKee was shot dead on April 18th, 2019 as she was observing rioting in the city. The New IRA admitted the murder.
Dunja Mijatovic, the European Commissioner for Human Rights, called on Saturday for the authorities to "bring the perpetrators to justice" and to protect journalists, especially those covering organised crime, paramilitary activities and legacy issues, from "threats in Northern Ireland".
The PSNI detective leading the murder investigation this week wrote to residents in the Creggan, the area of Derry in which Ms McKee was shot asking for community help in convicting her killers.
READ MORE
The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) held a virtual commemoration for the 29-year-old at 11am on Saturday, during which journalists, politicians and activists shared photos and memories of Ms McKee under the hashtag #WeStandWithLyra.
Séamus Dooley, Irish secretary of the NUJ, said Ms McKee had “an unrivalled zest for life and for living”.
“ That is what makes her senseless killing so cruel. In her journalism she combined her passion for journalism with a deep commitment to social change,” Mr Dooley said.
“In her writings, in her approach to issues of poverty, equality and exclusion Lyra was not afraid to ask the difficult question, to challenge the conventional and accepted wisdoms and to look for new and imaginative solutions to problems. That’s her legacy.”
He added that what marked Ms McKee apart was “her optimism, her unfailing good humour and her refusal to become cynical while fearlessly questioning the status quo”.
Here NI, a charity in Northern Ireland supporting lesbian and bisexual women, also paid tribute to the journalist, adding that its members were thinking of her partner Sara Canning, her family and friends.
“We are also remembering our own relationships with Lyra. We miss you, but we’re still hanging in, kid,” a statement from Here NI said.
‘Admit the truth’
Ellen Murray, executive director of Transgender NI, said she could "only imagine" the conversations she would be having with Ms McKee about what is going on in the world today.
“A year ago today, my dear friend Lyra McKee was murdered in her prime in the city she lived in and loved. Not a day has passed where I haven’t thought about her. I miss you so much, pal,” she said.
Martin O’Brien, columnist with the Irish News and Northern Correspondent with the Irish Catholic, called on people to celebrate the life of Ms McKee.
“Express gratitude for her giftedness, solidarity with her loved ones, support
[The PSNI] in bringing her killers to justice. May Lyra always inspire journalists to dig for truth,” he said.
A special Mass to commemorate Ms McKee was offered on Saturday evening in St Mary's Chapel in Creggan by the parish priest who anointed her, Fr Joe Gormley.
The Mass, which was also in memory of Ms McKee's mother, Joan Lawrie, who died last month, was held at 6.30pm while the bells rang at 8.30pm.
Bells also rung in her native city of Belfast on Saturday to mark the anniversary.
Speaking at the Mass, Fr Gormley said he had not know Lyra personally. However, over the past year he had learned from her family and friends that if she had survived she would have wanted to meet the people behind her death. “This would not absolve them from their legal and moral responsibilities, rather it would be to help them to see that when they may have met these responsibilities their lives could be a source of mercy and healing,” he said.
“We must pray that those who killed Lyra will be touched by the mercy of God to admit the truth of what they have done,” he added.
The Mass was celebrated in a near empty church due to coronavirus restrictions. The readings were delivered by RTÉ’s Tommie Gorman.


theirishtimes--2020-04-18--Dublin woman (74) running equivalent of two marathons for charity

A 74-year-old woman is walking and running around her back garden for 4km everyday , with the aim of completing the equivalent of two marathons to raise funds for a cancer support charity .
Janet Smith , who lives in Dublin , said she wanted to do something that would give her a purpose since she can not leave her house .
“ Because I ’ m 74 , I ’ m cocooning .
I like walking and I miss going for a walk in my local Shanganagh Park , ” Ms Smith said .
“ I started just going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for something to do so I decided to challenge myself .
I wanted to see if I could do an average of 4km a day and in three weeks ’ time , I ’ ll probably have done the equivalent of two marathons.
” Ms Smith said it has been good for her , too .
“ I ’ ve a challenge now , I ’ ve a reason to get out and get moving .
Yesterday , I did 6.3km in my back garden , ” she said .
“ I walk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then I do a few steps , then I sit down .
Then I might run up and down the stairs a few times .
I did a bit of skipping too , but I ’ m not very good at it.
” She adds that she is grateful that she is in a position to still exercise .
“ I ’ m so happy that I ’ m healthy and I can get out .
Okay , I can ’ t go out the front and I do miss my friends , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to the shops .
I miss my grandkids so much , but at least I have this.
” Ms Smith is raising the funds for Purple House Cancer Support , because she believes it is important to “ give back ” .
“ My husband William did have cancer nearly 12 years ago so he availed of their services and found them excellent so he is also on their fundraising committee too .
It ’ s just to give back , ” she said .
“ And if we only raise €100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s €200 we wouldn ’ t have had.
” Conor O ’ Leary , general manager at Purple House , said Janet is “ such an inspiration ” and that fundraising during this difficult period is more important than ever .
“ Janet is showing that all you need is one person .
One person with a belief and one person with motivation .
In this case , her personal experience of cancer is what ’ s pushing her forward .
One to keep herself fit but also to inspire others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we had planned [ for fundraising ] has been postponed .
So really we ’ re in a very difficult position at the moment .
Our main mantra is to keep the doors open first of all and then worry about how we ’ ll pay for it afterwards.
” The charity provides practical , emotional and psychological support to individuals and families who are going through cancer .
People can donate to support Ms Smith ’ s efforts on www.idonate.ie/JanetSmith .
The Wheel , the national association of charities and community and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – called # CommunityResponseIRL – which focuses on the good work of organisations during Covid-19 .

Janet Smith in her back garden as she gets ready to run in aid of Purple House Cancer Support
A 74-year-old woman is walking and running around her back garden for 4km everyday, with the aim of completing the equivalent of two marathons to raise funds for a cancer support charity.
Janet Smith, who lives in Dublin, said she wanted to do something that would give her a purpose since she cannot leave her house.
"Because I'm 74, I'm cocooning. I like walking and I miss going for a walk in my local Shanganagh Park," Ms Smith said.
“I started just going around the garden because I was looking for something to do so I decided to challenge myself. I wanted to see if I could do an average of 4km a day and in three weeks’ time, I’ll probably have done the equivalent of two marathons.”
READ MORE
Ms Smith said it has been good for her, too.
“I’ve a challenge now, I’ve a reason to get out and get moving. Yesterday, I did 6.3km in my back garden,” she said. “I walk and I run around the garden, then I do a few steps, then I sit down. Then I might run up and down the stairs a few times. I did a bit of skipping too, but I’m not very good at it.”
She adds that she is grateful that she is in a position to still exercise.
“I’m so happy that I’m healthy and I can get out. Okay, I can’t go out the front and I do miss my friends, I miss not going to Mass, going to the shops. I miss my grandkids so much, but at least I have this.”
Ms Smith is raising the funds for Purple House Cancer Support, because she believes it is important to “give back”.
“My husband William did have cancer nearly 12 years ago so he availed of their services and found them excellent so he is also on their fundraising committee too. It’s just to give back,” she said. “And if we only raise €100 or €200, then so what. It’s €200 we wouldn’t have had.”
Conor O’Leary, general manager at Purple House, said Janet is “such an inspiration” and that fundraising during this difficult period is more important than ever.
“Janet is showing that all you need is one person. One person with a belief and one person with motivation. In this case, her personal experience of cancer is what’s pushing her forward. One to keep herself fit but also to inspire others,” he said.
“Everything we had planned [for fundraising] has been postponed. So really we’re in a very difficult position at the moment. Our main mantra is to keep the doors open first of all and then worry about how we’ll pay for it afterwards.”
The charity provides practical, emotional and psychological support to individuals and families who are going through cancer.
People can donate to support Ms Smith's efforts on www.idonate.ie/JanetSmith.
The Wheel, the national association of charities and community and voluntary groups, is running a campaign – called #CommunityResponseIRL – which focuses on the good work of organisations during Covid-19.


theirishtimes--2020-04-18--Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael: From Civil War enemies to modern-day partners

If Wednesday ’ s historic announcement between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael marked the end of Civil War politics , its beginnings can be traced to a vote on the Anglo-Irish Treaty almost 100 years ago .
On January 7th , 1922 , the Dáil voted narrowly by 64 votes to 57 to accept the Treaty as negotiated by the British and Irish delegations a month previously in London .
Its terms , as Michael Collins famously opined during that debate , gave the nascent state “ the freedom to achieve freedom ” .
To Éamon de Valera it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ independent Irish republic .
Following the vote , de Valera led his followers out of the Dáil and resigned as its president two days later to be replaced by Arthur Griffiths .
The provisional government took office on January 14th .
In March 1922 the anti-Treaty IRA held a meeting in the Mansion House in which it pledged its opposition to the new government .
In April it occupied the Four Courts as its headquarters .
There were now two rival armies and political camps , but even then civil war was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the pro-Treaty and anti-Treaty sides , held a pact election on June 16th 1922 in which they agreed to put up candidates according to their relative strengths in the Dáil .
The election result , though , was interpreted as a victory for those who supported the Treaty .
Pro-Treaty candidates outpolled anti-Treaty candidates by 60:40 ( 38.5/21.2 ) .
A hefty chunk of the electorate , 40 per cent in total , voted for Labour , the Farmers ’ Party and independents who were pro-Treaty .
Even then de Valera hoped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Collins , but events happened in the space of two weeks which made that impossible .
The assassination of Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson by two members of the IRA in London on June 22nd was blamed by the British government , erroneously as it turned out , on the anti-Treaty side and a warning was sent to the provisional government to deal with the rebels in the Four Courts or the British would sort them out .
The kidnapping of Free State general JJ Ginger O ’ Connell in response to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the final trigger .
The Civil War began on June 28th , 1922 when Free State forces shelled the Four Courts .
Nine months later the anti-Treaty side were defeated , but never surrendered and the Civil War , in effect , never ended .
Uniquely , the Free State government , which came into being in December 1922 was a government in search of a party not the other way around .
The pro-Treaty government broke with Sinn Féin during the Civil War and Cumann na nGaedheal was founded in April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cent of the vote in that month ’ s general election , but was able to govern because of the abstentionist policy of the anti-Treaty Sinn Féin side led by de Valera .
In 1926 de Valera too broke with Sinn Féin over the policy of abstentionism from Dáil Éireann , which was becoming increasingly untenable .
Fianna Fáil was founded in October 1926 , yet there was still still one outstanding barrier to its entry into democratic politics – the oath of allegiance taken by members of the Dáil to the British @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the Minister for Justice Kevin Higgins was assassinated on July 10th , 1927 demonstrating that the hatred and bitterness of the Civil War still existed for a long time afterwards .
Higgins was blamed for the extrajudicial killings carried out by Free State forces during and after the Civil War .
In response , the Free State government made it a condition of standing for election that a TD must take the oath .
Fianna Fáil came up with the “ empty formula ” of words to dismiss the oath and entered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nGaedheal government ruled until the general election of 1932 .
This general election saw the peaceful handing over of power from a pro-Treaty to an anti-Treaty government .
The often vicious election campaign that year demonstrated that both parties had divergent views of themselves and each other which went beyond their stance on the Treaty .
An element of class politics entered the election with Fianna Fáil relentlessly pillorying Cumann na nGaedheal as a party of privileged west Brits out-of-touch with the public .
Fianna Fáil ’ s slogan encapsulated this world view @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rich ” .
These tropes have endured to the present day with Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin accusing Fine Gael during the general election of being a party of privileged individuals .
This prompted indignation from many Fine Gael politicians , including ministers Simon Harris and Joe McHugh , who said their upbringings were anything but privileged .
Cumann na nGaedheal portrayed Fianna Fáil as being a crypto-communist party that would bankrupt the State and were in thrall to shadowy gunmen who were the real power base in the party .
After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1932 , the party merged with the National League Party and the Army Comrades Association ( ACA ) to found Fine Gael in September 1933 .
The National League Party ( NLP ) had grown out a group of like-minded independents and the Farmers ’ Party which had supported Cumann na nGaedhael during the 1920s .
The NLP won a respectable 11 seats in the 1932 general election .
The ACA was a group of ex-National Army personnel led by Eoin O ’ Duffy , who was sacked as Garda commissioner by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was better known by the blue shirts its members wore in conscious imitation of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini ’ s Blackshirts .
The Blueshirts were some 30,000 in number and were regarded by the de Valera government as a threat to the State .
This was somewhat ironic given their previous status as defenders of the State .
O ’ Duffy was the first president of Fine Gael , but he was not a success and resigned in 1934 .
During the 1930s the Fianna Fáil government dismantled the treaty .
It got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1933 , the office of the governor-general in 1936 and got back the Treaty ports in 1938 .
However , it was the Fine Gael government of John A Costello that provided the full coup de grace for the Anglo-Irish Treaty with the declaration of a republic in April 1949 .
This was much resented by de Valera who opposed it on the basis that it would make a united Ireland harder to achieve .
It was an affront to those who maintained that Fine Gael were a west Brit party .
With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the two behemoths of Irish politics had to find something else to differentiate themselves .
When asked what separated Fine Gael from Fianna Fáil in 1950 , Costello is alleged to have told a gathering of diplomats that there was “ really no essential differences between the two ” .
According to historian Dr Ciara Meehan , who is co-writing a history of Fine Gael with Irish Times columnist Stephen Collins , Costello “ dared to give expression to what many non-partisan voters already suspected ” .
She explained : “ Costello @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frustration at Fine Gael ’ s lack of interest in policy formulation , but there was also an element of truth to his remark .
“ Essentially the children of the Sinn Féin split in 1921/22 , Cumann na nGaedheal , later Fine Gael , and Fianna Fáil positioned themselves in relation to the Treaty and this remained the main marker in the decades that followed .
“ When other countries formed national governments during the second World War ( or the Emergency , in Irish terms ) , the two sides did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together .
“ Long after the Civil War ceased to be immediately relevant , the deep divide it caused still influenced the mindset of the staunchest grassroots supporters .
At the most basic level , Fine Gael was once seen as the political home of big business and large farmers ; Fianna Fáil was the party of the small farmer and the ordinary worker .
Fianna Fáil propaganda presented this as the wealthy versus the working class , and the dichotomy was the subject of a myriad of cartoons .
“ Cumann na @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the framework of the Commonwealth also provided Fianna Fáil with the material to dismiss its rival as West British , while at the same time priding itself on its own tag , ‘ the Republican Party ’ .
“ Aside from the Treaty split , I think the real difference between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael , for a long time , was a psychological one .
Fianna Fáil was Fianna Fáil , but Fine Gael was ‘ not Fianna Fáil ’ .
In other words , Fine Gael was concerned with defining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Fianna Fáil ’ s impressive electoral record after 1932 fuelled the party ’ s confidence , while prolonged periods in the political wilderness demoralised Fine Gael and left the party in its rival ’ s shadow .
Fine Gael ’ s achievements were in the past , with the creation of the new state .
Rather than articulating what it actually stood for , it dwelt on that phase of its history and , more particularly , became preoccupied with explaining that it wasn ’ t Fianna Fáil.
” Maynooth University educated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Party Politics in a New Democracy , the Irish Free State 1922-1937 , says the perception has grown up through the decades that Fine Gael is more to the right of the political spectrum than Fianna Fáil on economic matters , but even those distinctions have been blurred over the years .
“ Different leaders have put their own stamp on each of the two parties .
In 1965 conservative Fine Gael moved to the left of Fianna Fáil with the adoption of the Just Society manifesto while the party pursued liberal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says .
“ Until the later Charles Haughey years , Northern Ireland policy would have been another issue that clearly demarcated the two parties .
In 1985 Haughey vigorously opposed the Anglo-Irish Agreement but later came to work it on his return to power .
During the 1997 , 2002 and 2007 elections Fianna Fáil ’ s alliance with the Progressive Democrats probably kept Fianna Fáil slightly to the right of Fine Gael.
” He maintains Ireland is not the only country in Europe to have large parties that are similar in ideological @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Christian Democrat and Social Democrat parties , is another .
“ People tend to examine Irish politics with reference to British politics because we consume so much UK media .
The British system of first past the post has led to a system in which two clear blocs dominate .
Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are a product of an electoral system in which compromise and coalitions are fundamental.
” Endless academic treatises and comment pieces have been written over the last century about the differences between the two parties .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was still a Fianna Fáil stalwart , once cryptically said of such speculation .
“ Them that know don ’ t need to ask and them that ask will never know.
” The two O ’ Keeffes , Jim ( Fine Gael ) and Ned ( Fianna Fáil ) , who have spent more than half a century between them representing Cork in Dáil Éireann , believe there are clear distinctions between the two parties .
Ned says : “ I don ’ t have any problem with ( the ending of ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a more socially orientated , whereas Fine Gael would be the party of a different class in society.
” “ Fianna Fáil would be the party of the ordinary people in villages and towns and the ordinary farmer in rural areas.
” Jim disagrees : “ That image of Fine Gael being the party of the professional classes may have been true in the 1930s and the 1940s , but that all changed in the 1960s with Garret Fitzgerald and the Just Society .
“ Garrett was a completely new broom in Fine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with in Fine Gael would have been social issues – he would have been talking about divorce and contraception .
“ Because of his leadership , Fine Gael would have been seen as a party of change – of course the problem was that when we were in government , we inherited some profligate spending by Fianna Fáil under Haughey .
“ I don ’ t have any concern for Fine Gael going into government with Fianna Fáil on the issue of them working together – I ’ ve no doubt they can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a good job but they need a solid majority to do that .
”

If Wednesday's historic announcement between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael marked the end of Civil War politics, its beginnings can be traced to a vote on the Anglo-Irish Treaty almost 100 years ago.
On January 7th, 1922, the Dáil voted narrowly by 64 votes to 57 to accept the Treaty as negotiated by the British and Irish delegations a month previously in London.
Its terms, as Michael Collins famously opined during that debate, gave the nascent state "the freedom to achieve freedom". To Éamon de Valera it was a betrayal of the idea of an independent Irish republic.
Following the vote, de Valera led his followers out of the Dáil and resigned as its president two days later to be replaced by Arthur Griffiths. The provisional government took office on January 14th.
READ MORE
In March 1922 the anti-Treaty IRA held a meeting in the Mansion House in which it pledged its opposition to the new government. In April it occupied the Four Courts as its headquarters.
There were now two rival armies and political camps, but even then civil war was not inevitable. Both wings of Sinn Féin, the pro-Treaty and anti-Treaty sides, held a pact election on June 16th 1922 in which they agreed to put up candidates according to their relative strengths in the Dáil.
The election result, though, was interpreted as a victory for those who supported the Treaty. Pro-Treaty candidates outpolled anti-Treaty candidates by 60:40 (38.5/21.2). A hefty chunk of the electorate, 40 per cent in total, voted for Labour, the Farmers' Party and independents who were pro-Treaty.
Even then de Valera hoped to form a Sinn Féin pact government with Collins, but events happened in the space of two weeks which made that impossible. The assassination of Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson by two members of the IRA in London on June 22nd was blamed by the British government, erroneously as it turned out, on the anti-Treaty side and a warning was sent to the provisional government to deal with the rebels in the Four Courts or the British would sort them out.
The kidnapping of Free State general JJ Ginger O'Connell in response to the arrest of anti-Treaty officer Leo Henderson was the final trigger.
The Civil War began on June 28th, 1922 when Free State forces shelled the Four Courts. Nine months later the anti-Treaty side were defeated, but never surrendered and the Civil War, in effect, never ended.
Uniquely, the Free State government, which came into being in December 1922 was a government in search of a party not the other way around. The pro-Treaty government broke with Sinn Féin during the Civil War and Cumann na nGaedheal was founded in April 1923.
The party gained 40 per cent of the vote in that month’s general election, but was able to govern because of the abstentionist policy of the anti-Treaty Sinn Féin side led by de Valera.
In 1926 de Valera too broke with Sinn Féin over the policy of abstentionism from Dáil Éireann, which was becoming increasingly untenable. Fianna Fáil was founded in October 1926, yet there was still still one outstanding barrier to its entry into democratic politics – the oath of allegiance taken by members of the Dáil to the British monarch.
Matters came to a head when the Minister for Justice Kevin Higgins was assassinated on July 10th, 1927 demonstrating that the hatred and bitterness of the Civil War still existed for a long time afterwards. Higgins was blamed for the extrajudicial killings carried out by Free State forces during and after the Civil War.
In response, the Free State government made it a condition of standing for election that a TD must take the oath. Fianna Fáil came up with the “empty formula” of words to dismiss the oath and entered Dáil Éireann.
A minority Cumann na nGaedheal government ruled until the general election of 1932. This general election saw the peaceful handing over of power from a pro-Treaty to an anti-Treaty government.
The often vicious election campaign that year demonstrated that both parties had divergent views of themselves and each other which went beyond their stance on the Treaty.
Cumann na nGaedheal and Fianna Fáil posters from 1932 election
An element of class politics entered the election with Fianna Fáil relentlessly pillorying Cumann na nGaedheal as a party of privileged west Brits out-of-touch with the public. Fianna Fáil's slogan encapsulated this world view: "Government by the rich for the rich".
These tropes have endured to the present day with Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin accusing Fine Gael during the general election of being a party of privileged individuals. This prompted indignation from many Fine Gael politicians, including ministers Simon Harris and Joe McHugh, who said their upbringings were anything but privileged.
Cumann na nGaedheal portrayed Fianna Fáil as being a crypto-communist party that would bankrupt the State and were in thrall to shadowy gunmen who were the real power base in the party.
After Cumann na nGaedheal's defeat in 1932, the party merged with the National League Party and the Army Comrades Association (ACA) to found Fine Gael in September 1933.
The National League Party (NLP) had grown out a group of like-minded independents and the Farmers’ Party which had supported Cumann na nGaedhael during the 1920s. The NLP won a respectable 11 seats in the 1932 general election. The ACA was a group of ex-National Army personnel led by Eoin O’Duffy, who was sacked as Garda commissioner by the incoming de Valera government.
The ACA was better known by the blue shirts its members wore in conscious imitation of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini’s Blackshirts.
The Blueshirts were some 30,000 in number and were regarded by the de Valera government as a threat to the State. This was somewhat ironic given their previous status as defenders of the State.
O’Duffy was the first president of Fine Gael, but he was not a success and resigned in 1934.
During the 1930s the Fianna Fáil government dismantled the treaty. It got rid of the oath of allegiance in 1933, the office of the governor-general in 1936 and got back the Treaty ports in 1938.
However, it was the Fine Gael government of John A Costello that provided the full coup de grace for the Anglo-Irish Treaty with the declaration of a republic in April 1949.
This was much resented by de Valera who opposed it on the basis that it would make a united Ireland harder to achieve. It was an affront to those who maintained that Fine Gael were a west Brit party.
With the Treaty no longer the defining issue, the two behemoths of Irish politics had to find something else to differentiate themselves.
Front page Irish Times advertisement taken out by Cumann na nGaedheal on the morning of the election, February 16th, 1932
When asked what separated Fine Gael from Fianna Fáil in 1950, Costello is alleged to have told a gathering of diplomats that there was “really no essential differences between the two”.
According to historian Dr Ciara Meehan, who is co-writing a history of Fine Gael with Irish Times columnist Stephen Collins, Costello "dared to give expression to what many non-partisan voters already suspected".
She explained: “Costello’s comment was borne partially of frustration at Fine Gael’s lack of interest in policy formulation, but there was also an element of truth to his remark.
“Essentially the children of the Sinn Féin split in 1921/22, Cumann na nGaedheal, later Fine Gael, and Fianna Fáil positioned themselves in relation to the Treaty and this remained the main marker in the decades that followed.
“When other countries formed national governments during the second World War (or the Emergency, in Irish terms), the two sides did not – or could not – come together.
“Long after the Civil War ceased to be immediately relevant, the deep divide it caused still influenced the mindset of the staunchest grassroots supporters. At the most basic level, Fine Gael was once seen as the political home of big business and large farmers; Fianna Fáil was the party of the small farmer and the ordinary worker. Fianna Fáil propaganda presented this as the wealthy versus the working class, and the dichotomy was the subject of a myriad of cartoons.
“Cumann na nGaedheal’s willingness to work within the framework of the Commonwealth also provided Fianna Fáil with the material to dismiss its rival as West British, while at the same time priding itself on its own tag, ‘the Republican Party’.
“Aside from the Treaty split, I think the real difference between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, for a long time, was a psychological one. Fianna Fáil was Fianna Fáil, but Fine Gael was ‘not Fianna Fáil’. In other words, Fine Gael was concerned with defining itself in relation to its rival.
“Fianna Fáil’s impressive electoral record after 1932 fuelled the party’s confidence, while prolonged periods in the political wilderness demoralised Fine Gael and left the party in its rival’s shadow. Fine Gael’s achievements were in the past, with the creation of the new state. Rather than articulating what it actually stood for, it dwelt on that phase of its history and, more particularly, became preoccupied with explaining that it wasn’t Fianna Fáil.”
Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are a product of an electoral system in which compromise and coalitions are fundamental
Maynooth University educated historian Dr Mel Farrell, the author of Party Politics in a New Democracy, the Irish Free State 1922-1937, says the perception has grown up through the decades that Fine Gael is more to the right of the political spectrum than Fianna Fáil on economic matters, but even those distinctions have been blurred over the years.
"Different leaders have put their own stamp on each of the two parties. In 1965 conservative Fine Gael moved to the left of Fianna Fáil with the adoption of the Just Society manifesto while the party pursued liberal reform during the 1980s," he says.
"Until the later Charles Haughey years, Northern Ireland policy would have been another issue that clearly demarcated the two parties. In 1985 Haughey vigorously opposed the Anglo-Irish Agreement but later came to work it on his return to power. During the 1997, 2002 and 2007 elections Fianna Fáil's alliance with the Progressive Democrats probably kept Fianna Fáil slightly to the right of Fine Gael."
He maintains Ireland is not the only country in Europe to have large parties that are similar in ideological terms. Germany, with the dominance of the Christian Democrat and Social Democrat parties, is another.
“People tend to examine Irish politics with reference to British politics because we consume so much UK media. The British system of first past the post has led to a system in which two clear blocs dominate. Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are a product of an electoral system in which compromise and coalitions are fundamental.”
Endless academic treatises and comment pieces have been written over the last century about the differences between the two parties. The late Jackie Healy-Rae, when he was still a Fianna Fáil stalwart, once cryptically said of such speculation. “Them that know don’t need to ask and them that ask will never know.”
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin and Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar. Photograph: Getty
The two O’Keeffes, Jim (Fine Gael) and Ned (Fianna Fáil), who have spent more than half a century between them representing Cork in Dáil Éireann, believe there are clear distinctions between the two parties.
Ned says: “I don’t have any problem with (the ending of) Civil War politics but Fianna Fáil is a more socially orientated, whereas Fine Gael would be the party of a different class in society.”
“Fianna Fáil would be the party of the ordinary people in villages and towns and the ordinary farmer in rural areas.”
Jim disagrees: "That image of Fine Gael being the party of the professional classes may have been true in the 1930s and the 1940s, but that all changed in the 1960s with Garret Fitzgerald and the Just Society.
“Garrett was a completely new broom in Fine Gael and the issues he was dealing with in Fine Gael would have been social issues – he would have been talking about divorce and contraception.
“Because of his leadership, Fine Gael would have been seen as a party of change – of course the problem was that when we were in government, we inherited some profligate spending by Fianna Fáil under Haughey.
“I don’t have any concern for Fine Gael going into government with Fianna Fáil on the issue of them working together – I’ve no doubt they can and will work together and will do a good job but they need a solid majority to do that.”


theirishtimes--2020-04-18--Irish musician stuck on cruise ship in Sydney feels ‘forgotten’

An Irish musician has told of her struggle and feeling of being “ forgotten ” whilst stuck in her cabin aboard the Ruby Princess Cruise Ship in Sydney since the outbreak of Covid-19 .
Kate Heneghan ( 24 ) , from Castlebar in Co Mayo , has been stuck on the cruise ship just outside Sydney for the past 28 days .
There are five Irish people still on the ship , four members of the band Emerald Tide and an engineer .
The passengers of the cruise ship got word on March 16th that the prime minister of New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longer allowing ships to enter the country , which resulted in the ship making a three-day voyage back to Sydney , where 2,700 passengers disembarked on March 19th .
“ On March 20th , we got word that there were positive cases on board , so we were quarantined and isolated here then on March 21st , ” Ms Heneghan said on the Late Late Show on Friday night .
The Ruby Princess cruise ship , owned by Carnival Corp , has been docked at Port Kembla in New South Wales since and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 cases in Australia and about a third of the country ’ s reported deaths .
The violinist and harpist described her situation as a “ huge scandal ” .
Speaking to the talk show host Ryan Tubridy , Ms Heneghan said her contract as a musician aboard the cruise ship was due to finish on April 4th , but she remains unaware to date of when she and the other band members will be allowed to disembark from the ship .
“ It ’ s a big political game of chess at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Tubridy , regarding the police investigation into whether there was criminal negligence in the handling of the health issues on the cruise ship .
“ We ’ re just pawns in this big political game and kind of forgotten about until decisions are made and we get news that we can disembark and get repatriated home.
” “ We were told via intercom by the hotel general manager , who updates us daily , that there was a possibility of us going to Manila to let off the Filipino crew .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Philippines won ’ t let them port .
We also heard through the media that we might be going to the United States , which would be disastrous for us because we don ’ t have visas , ” she said .
Ms Heneghan told Mr Tubridy that her “ one wish ” for the four Irish in her band and the fifth Irish citizen on board is “ to get off this boat before it sails away ” .
Despite the situation , the young woman was in good spirits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been “ absolutely vital in maintaining a bit of sanity ” .
Ms Heneghan spends her days doing yoga , practicing her instruments , watching Netflix and staying in contact with friends and family .

An Irish musician has told of her struggle and feeling of being "forgotten" whilst stuck in her cabin aboard the Ruby Princess Cruise Ship in Sydney since the outbreak of Covid-19.
Kate Heneghan (24), from Castlebar in Co Mayo, has been stuck on the cruise ship just outside Sydney for the past 28 days. There are five Irish people still on the ship, four members of the band Emerald Tide and an engineer.
The passengers of the cruise ship got word on March 16th that the prime minister of New Zealand was closing the ports and no longer allowing ships to enter the country, which resulted in the ship making a three-day voyage back to Sydney, where 2,700 passengers disembarked on March 19th.
“On March 20th, we got word that there were positive cases on board, so we were quarantined and isolated here then on March 21st,” Ms Heneghan said on the Late Late Show on Friday night.
READ MORE
The Ruby Princess cruise ship, owned by Carnival Corp, has been docked at Port Kembla in New South Wales since and has been linked to hundreds of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Australia and about a third of the country's reported deaths.
The violinist and harpist described her situation as a "huge scandal". Speaking to the talk show host Ryan Tubridy, Ms Heneghan said her contract as a musician aboard the cruise ship was due to finish on April 4th, but she remains unaware to date of when she and the other band members will be allowed to disembark from the ship.
“It’s a big political game of chess at the moment,” Ms Heneghan told Mr Tubridy, regarding the police investigation into whether there was criminal negligence in the handling of the health issues on the cruise ship.
“We’re just pawns in this big political game and kind of forgotten about until decisions are made and we get news that we can disembark and get repatriated home.”
"We were told via intercom by the hotel general manager, who updates us daily, that there was a possibility of us going to Manila to let off the Filipino crew. One of our sister ships is outside Manila and the Philippines won't let them port. We also heard through the media that we might be going to the United States, which would be disastrous for us because we don't have visas," she said.
Ms Heneghan told Mr Tubridy that her “one wish” for the four Irish in her band and the fifth Irish citizen on board is “to get off this boat before it sails away”.
Despite the situation, the young woman was in good spirits and said "structure and routine" have been "absolutely vital in maintaining a bit of sanity". Ms Heneghan spends her days doing yoga, practicing her instruments, watching Netflix and staying in contact with friends and family.


theirishtimes--2020-04-18--Two men arrested over burglary of home of woman (83) in Cork

Gardaí have arrested two suspects for questioning about the theft of a sizeable sum of cash from an 83-year-old woman in a night time break-in at her home .
The woman , who lives alone , was awoken about 4am on Friday to discover two men at the foot of her bed in her house in the Capwell area of Cork city .
The men claimed to be gardaí investigating burglaries in the area and said they had come in to the house after finding the front door to her home open .
They said they were concerned that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her could she check to see if any cash she had in the house was safe .
When the woman told them where she kept her savings in her bedroom , they immediately stole the sizeable sum of cash and fled the scene .
The woman was uninjured but was badly shaken by the incident , which was one of a number of night time break-ins and burglaries in the Capwell area .
Gardaí were notified and began an investigation , with officers carrying out door-to-door inquiries in the Capwell and Evergreen areas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technical experts carried out a series of forensic examinations of the houses that were burgled in the area of the early hours of Friday morning .
And detectives also began harvesting CCTV footage from houses and commercial premises in the area in a bid to try and identify the two culprits .
Officers described the theft from the 83-year-old woman as “ a particularly mean crime ” , waking the woman from her sleep and then stealing from her .
Although the men didn ’ t present any fake Garda identification , one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jacket , leading the woman to believe they were gardaí .
Yesterday evening around 5pm , gardaí arrested two men – one in his late 20s and one in his late 40s – on Pope ’ s Quay in Cork city centre for questioning .
The two men were arrested and brought for questioning to Togher Garda Station where they are detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act .
The men , one of whom is originally from the Mayfield area of Cork city and the other who is originally from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held for 24 hours .
Gardaí have appealed to anyone who may have seen anyone acting suspiciously in the Capwell or Evergreen areas on Friday to contact them .
They are particularly anxious for any motorists with dash cam footage from the area to contact them at Anglesea St Garda Station on 021-4522000 .

Gardaí have arrested two suspects for questioning about the theft of a sizeable sum of cash from an 83-year-old woman in a night time break-in at her home.
The woman, who lives alone, was awoken about 4am on Friday to discover two men at the foot of her bed in her house in the Capwell area of Cork city.
The men claimed to be gardaí investigating burglaries in the area and said they had come in to the house after finding the front door to her home open.
They said they were concerned that the woman may have been burgled and asked her could she check to see if any cash she had in the house was safe.
READ MORE
When the woman told them where she kept her savings in her bedroom, they immediately stole the sizeable sum of cash and fled the scene.
The woman was uninjured but was badly shaken by the incident, which was one of a number of night time break-ins and burglaries in the Capwell area.
Gardaí were notified and began an investigation, with officers carrying out door-to-door inquiries in the Capwell and Evergreen areas of Cork’s southside.
Garda technical experts carried out a series of forensic examinations of the houses that were burgled in the area of the early hours of Friday morning.
And detectives also began harvesting CCTV footage from houses and commercial premises in the area in a bid to try and identify the two culprits.
Officers described the theft from the 83-year-old woman as “a particularly mean crime”, waking the woman from her sleep and then stealing from her.
Although the men didn’t present any fake Garda identification, one of the men was wearing a hi-vis jacket, leading the woman to believe they were gardaí.
Yesterday evening around 5pm, gardaí arrested two men – one in his late 20s and one in his late 40s – on Pope’s Quay in Cork city centre for questioning.
The two men were arrested and brought for questioning to Togher Garda Station where they are detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.
The men, one of whom is originally from the Mayfield area of Cork city and the other who is originally from Midleton in east Cork, can be held for 24 hours.
Gardaí have appealed to anyone who may have seen anyone acting suspiciously in the Capwell or Evergreen areas on Friday to contact them.
They are particularly anxious for any motorists with dash cam footage from the area to contact them at Anglesea St Garda Station on 021-4522000.