Winner of the 2024 John McGathern Award for Literature, Shane Tivenan from Drum, Roscommon, pictured with his parents, Batty and Mary, fiancée Bolorchimeg Dashdorj and sister Eadaoin Tivenan MacKessy. Photo Brian Farrell Brian FarrellLocal man wins John McGahern Award for emerging Irish fictionLocal writer Shane Tivenan has further cemented his reputation as an emerging Irish talent after securing the John McGahern Award at a Leitrim literature festival at the weekend. A native of Drum, Roscommon, Shane was announced as the winner of the award for emerging Irish writers of fiction at the Iron Mountain Literature Festival on Saturday, October 5. The John McGahern Award is part of the Iron Mountain Literature Festival, with the support of the McGahern EstateLeitrim County Council developed the award to encourage the development of emerging Irish writers and pay tribute to the exceptional contribution of John McGahern to both literature and Leitrim. Winner of the 2024 John McGahern Award for Literature, Shane Tivenan from Drum, Roscommon, presented by Cll.

The ‘Council of Nations and Regions’ met today in Edinburgh sans Sue, our new Envoy. Here’s John Denham:“Today Keir Starmer will chair the first meeting of the Council of Nations and Regions (CNR). But how much difference will it make to the way the United Kingdom and its nations are run? That’s certainly the case with the new Council.”He goes on:“Brown wanted the Council of Nations and Regions based in statute, with an independent secretariat. As Dr WE Bulmer puts it:“The ‘Council of Nations and Regions’ has one Scottish and one Welsh representative out of 18.

From Tommy Tiernan in Vicar Street, to a Taylor Swift-themed club night, to new Netflix crime documentaries, to ABBA Bottomless Brunch, there's something for everyone. With free entry, the event in Smithfield promises games, karaoke, and drink deals on the night inspired by the infamous festival. Gauche Market, a market for "eccentric and enthusiastic" small businesses, is back in Wigwam on Middle Abbey St on Sunday from noon until 5pm. If it's a night on the town you're after, Copper Face Jacks is free entry on Friday and Saturday before 10:30pm, and SEEK nightclub in Hyde Dublin is free entry on Saturday. Looking to other counties, in Sligo, Strandhill people’s market takes place from 11am to 4pm on Sunday.

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Ireland’s road fatalities jumped by 31pc – the biggest increase in road fatalities in the European Union – between 2019 and 2023, according to a new report by the European Commission. The figures illustrated how Ireland was one of just six countries within the bloc that saw an increase in their road fatalities, but most of those recorded a single-digit increase, far below Ireland’s 31pc jump. Last year, Ireland recorded 184 road fatalities, 19pc higher than in 2022. Alongside Ireland, the biggest jump in fatalities were seen across Luxembourg (18pc), Estonia and Latvia at 18pc and 13pc, respectively. In its annual report the European Commission calls on member states to take steps to reduce road deaths.

Tommy Hiliger with Athlone store staff earlier this weekTommy Hilfiger makes second stop on Athlone tripTommy Hilfiger made a second stop on his recent trip to Athlone earlier this week. The fashion designer and namesake for fashion brand Tommy Hilfiger took a visit to the Athlone store this week. Staff in the store were both shocked and delighted at the surprise visit, with team calling it a "pinch me moment". Tommy also paid a visit to local pub Sean's Bar on his quick trip the the town. He grabbed himself a t-shirt and a bottle of whiskey from Ireland's oldest pub on a pit stop made with his daughter Ally.

The sad thing is that if she uncolored her hair and dressed nicely she wouldn't even present as marginalized since at the end of the day she is a white middle-class female. She is simply wearing a costume and claiming DEI status, literally taking space from marginalized persons of color or someone truly disabled.

“It’s going to be a really good night, and hopefully we can cap it off with a result to make it a really special night,” Bradley said. Trai Hume was the captain for both fixtures in September, but O’Neill believes Bradley is now ready to get his turn. “I just like playing football and I just play the same football I’ve always played,” he said. Since naming his squad, O’Neill has already lost goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell and defender Daniel Ballard, two key members of the defensive unit. “That’s the challenge for the boys, I think, to understand where we are as a team and how we’re progressing.”

Called the Kamehameha Distillery, Ethan’s distillery will be based in Kula, a scenic rural area of Maui on the slopes of a dormant volcano called Haleakalā. “In the long term, I see Kamehameha Distillery expanding beyond Hawaii and introducing the world to unique, authentic Hawaiian flavours. Part of the university’s School of Engineering & Physical Sciences, the centre has an international reputation for learning and teaching in brewing and distilling. Its degrees prepare students to enter the malting, brewing or distilling industries and cover a broad range of subjects including brewing and distilling science, chemical engineering, business studies and production management. These are designed to help students achieve excellence in their craft and apply their knowledge to real-world businesses and innovations.

The report from the banking body shows mobile phones are starting to dominate how we pay for things. In the year to June, 670 million online and mobile banking payments were made to the value of almost €7.5tn. “Looking at domestic in-store card payments as a whole, we can see that the volume of contactless payments continues to rise with some 86.1pc of all domestic point-of-sale card payments now contactless,” Ms Byrne said. “Also of note is that the average spend per mobile wallet payment was €18.93, 25pc higher than the average contactless card payment,” she said. In contrast, mobile wallet payments were least common in Roscommon and Monaghan over the same period.

Vine sued Barton for libel and harassment over nine online posts, including where he falsely called the BBC Radio 2 presenter a “big bike nonce” on X, formerly Twitter. The pair settled the claim after Barton posted two apologies on the same social media platform and paid a total of £110,000 damages to Vine, as well as his legal costs. But Vine’s barrister later referenced a post recently made on X by Barton, where Vine can be seen dancing and walking about an office in a pair of high-heeled shoes. Alongside the video of Vine, posted approximately six hours before the hearing, Barton posted the caption “Perfectly normal. Enfys Jenkins, for Barton, said in the statement that the former football player “accepts everything said on the claimant’s behalf”.

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The charity has promised an immersive festival with ‘magnificent’ fire-play and acrobatics, as well as a cavalcade of other-world creatures to celebrate the ‘epic battle’ between summer and winter. Tickets for the event can be bought online and cost £8 for adults and £6 for under 18s, with gates opening at 6.45pm and ending 10pm. “This year’s reimagining of the battle between Summer and Winter is embodied in two Warrior Queens, drawn from Norse and Celtic mythology. As they move through the Festival they meet acrobats, musicians, fire-wielders, and more - building their forces for the explosive moments when they meet and challenge each other. It has been held in Edinburgh since 1995, with its summer counterpart, Beltane, taking place on Calton Hill on the last day of April each year.

Athlone poet reads at UK festivalPrevious Next Image 1 of 1 Amy, on stage. Athlone poet, Amy Abdullah Barry was honoured to read at Morecambe Poetry Festival, UK recently. I’ve only met him online… in zoom workshops.” Amy said. Chosen for the Poetry Ireland Introduction Series 2022,Amy has been awarded literature bursaries from the Arts Council & Words Ireland. Morecambe Poetry Festival was attended by an impressive line-up spread over two venues.