‘Mabuhay!’— Tagalog for ‘Welcome’— echoed through North Earl Street as Dublin’s Filipino community crowded around the city’s Portal, waving the Filipino flags at the glowing circular screen. “That’s my sister waving — the one wearing the maroon shirt,” Mara says, smiling. Her sister works just “one street away” from the newly opened Portal in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Manila. “It feels good to see a part of the Philippines in Dublin,” Mara says. While her sister has often seen Dublin through video calls, the Portal now allows her to witness the city live, in real time.

My Cultural LifeRob Doyle is the Dublin-born author of four acclaimed books, one of which, Here Are the Young Men, has been adapted for film. His new novel, Cameo, is published by W&N and out now. BOOK: A Blue Fire A great writer I’ve discovered recently is the late American depth psychologist, James Hillman. A Blue Fire is a “best of” collection. Everyone interested in self-understanding should read it.

A NEW year brings a new intercounty season and while we can’t yet know what the various teams will do in 2026, we do at least know how they’ll look while they’re doing it. With the pre-season competitions reaching a climax last weekend, 2025 All-Ireland football finalists Kerry and Donegal were both stepping out in new home jerseys, as are Derry, Dublin, Fermanagh, Longford, Louth, Monaghan, Offaly, Tyrone, Westmeath and Wexford.

Jameela Jamil branded Blake Lively a 'suicide bomber' and a 'villain' in explosive messages as the actress became embroiled in a legal battle with Justin Baldoni. Baldoni has denied all of Blake's claims against him, and Justin's counter-lawsuit against Lively was dismissed. The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Jameela Jamil, Jennifer Abel and Blake Lively for comment. In December of 2024, Lively named Baldoni in a lawsuit accusing him of sexual harassment, retaliatory conduct, and intentional infliction of emotional stress. In the suit, Baldoni named Lively, her spouse Ryan Reynolds and her publicist Leslie Sloane, citing the aforementioned report in legal documents.

At least €3.7m in the client funds of an Athlone investment firm are unaccounted for, in what appears to be serious misappropriation, the High Court has been told. It has appointed provisional liquidators to Strand Investments & Finance Ltd, based at 15 Castlemaine Street in Athlone, following an application by the Central Bank of Ireland. One client has told the Central Bank his planned investment of €333,000 was never made. The Central Bank then began a review of the firm. On December 15, Central Bank officers seized documents and devices in the company's Athlone officesThe Central Bank.

Ms Donohoe has been supported by family members during long days at Belfast Coroner’s Court this week as final preparations were made. Preliminary hearings for the inquest started in July 2020 and saw enormous crowds of supported dubbed “Noah’s Army” gather outside the court wearing blue and white striped T-shirts and holding placards. Ms Donohoe became visibly upset as the emergency call she made to report Noah missing was played to the court. Appearing emotional, but again determined, in the recording, Ms Donohoe described her “beautiful magical bond” with her only child, their love of long walks together discussing philosophy, and her intense pride in his achievements as well as his empathy for people. Ms Donohoe remained in court as the second half of her statement, outlining the questions around his death which have haunted her for the last six years, were played.

And, as well as the “unknown knowns” – such as what will happen to share prices – there are hidden corners where risk is lurking. And silver prices have also gone on an extraordinary run, trebling over the past year to about $95 an ounce. Photograph: Fabrice Coffrini/Getty Images)Share pricesShare prices are, of course, the traditional indicator we all watch. Links back to more traditional finance are worth watching, too, including the fortunes of stablecoin, the crypto currency backed by convertibility back to traditional assets, usually the US dollar. Here, too, regulators worry about risks building up through leverage and possible liquidity mismatches – companies facing demands from investors but unable to unwind longer-term investments to pay them.

Ms Sainsbury was left unconscious for several minutes after the incident and was subsequently taken to the hospital. She said her concerns were not taken seriously by staff, adding that despite her daughter’s condition deteriorating, no updates were sent to Beaumont Hospital. Ms Sainsbury was subsequently transferred to Beaumont Hospital, where her parents were soon after informed that she was brain dead. Although she received the apology from the hospital, Ms Sainbury’s mother noted it was years after her death. Apologising on Tuesday for the failures, the hospital told the High Court that all recommendations arising from a review have been implemented.

Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen (left) has said Europe would have no choice but to respond if a trade war started following US president Donald Trump's tariffs threat. Nobody was leaning back too comfortably, particularly not Denmark’s prime minister Mette Frederiksen. Politicians and diplomats had been stunned by Trump’s willingness to threaten military force, or crippling trade tariffs, to wrest control of Greenland from the kingdom of Denmark. In doing so, the former Dutch prime minister bolstered his reputation as a “Trump whisperer” able to get through to the US president. The Danish prime minister said those discussions would only be a runner while territorial integrity was respected.

At the season launch in Staycity Aparthotels Mark Street was Niamh Crowley. Staycity Aparthotels is proud sponsor of Dublin GAA across all four codes of the game. Get up to 25% off Staycity Aparthotel locations across Europe when you book before February 1st. Picture Credit: ©INPHO/James Crombie

On Wednesday, in a rapid action response, two and a half hours were set aside in the Dáil for “Statements on International Developments”. Say what you like about Helen, but she’s no Donald Trump. There was no aimless meandering in search of muddled tangents, she hasn’t lost the plot and the speech only lasted for about five minutes. It was wonderful to see because they had to sit there and say nothing and they couldn’t even sack anyone afterwards. Trump gestures as he leaves the congress centre during the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos on Wednesday.

Email karleigh.smith@dailymail.comA PhD student accused of plotting an Australia Day terror attack was a wannabe actor who once landed a role in a Hungry Jack's television commercial. He is accused of targeting a Gold Coast event, allegedly posting online that he would be leading Australia Day 'riots' on the popular tourist strip. 'He states, "I'll be leading the Gold Coast riots on January 26",' she said. Saryazdi allegedly said he expected to die during the Gold Coast attack unless he was killed or lobotomised by Australia's spy agency ASIO. 'Contrary to admissions he made that he intended to throw a Molotov cocktail in a public place on Australia Day and overthrow the government?'

Donald Trump’s ‘Peace Board’ has been met with scathing criticism from Tánaiste and Fine Gael leader, Simon Harris. Making it clear that the Government would have nothing to do with it, Mr Harris said: “There are very serious red flags.

A man has died after he was struck by a train on the rail line between Cork city and Mallow. All train services between Cork and Mallow have been suspended as a result. They are to be transferred from the scene on another train, Irish Rail confirmed. Bus transfers are being made between Kent rail station in Cork city and Mallow, where passengers can connect with their onward train service. The scene will be sealed for a garda investigation and is unlikely to reopen for a number of hours.

Divorced, I shared custody of our four children – now aged 24, 23, 19 and 13 – as they grew up. Only the youngest now lives with me, on alternate weeks, but the 19-year-old is at university, where accommodation charges don’t come cheap. The first thing I came to understand was that, as in dating, the most popular profiles get all the matches. And even the senior job vacancies seem to function in the same way – as a frantic, ill-considered rush. Real jobs, working for good employers.