In June 2024, security guards at Thornton Hall in north Dublin found two pigs with stab and slash wounds, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on Tuesday. After his arrest, Jackson told gardaí his actions “had nothing to do with god or colour” and that “it’s not the people’s fault”, meaning immigrants, the court heard. The court heard it’s believed the footage is of Jackson driving the pigs from Cavan. The court heard he has made a payment of €1,000 to an animal welfare trust. Counsel said Jackson told them that “he did not want anything to do with these people”.

A new study suggests that going on longer walks may have more health benefits than taking the same number of steps a day over multiple short walks. Photograph: Nicholas Sansone/New York TimesA new study suggests that going on longer walks may have more health benefits than taking the same number of steps a day over multiple short walks. The analysis looked at people who took fewer than 8,000 steps per day; most participants took fewer than 5,000. This data shows only a correlation; it does not prove that taking longer walks is healthier than spacing your steps out over the day. “Some is better than none; more is better than some,” said Hannah Arem, a public health researcher at MedStar Health Research Institute in Washington.

The sex doll controversy comes a day before Shein is due to open its first permanent store in Paris. French authorities opened an investigation into Shein and three other ecommerce platforms on Monday after receiving alerts about sex dolls resembling children being sold by multiple third party sellers on their sites. Shein said it had suspended its “adult products” category on its marketplace and imposed a global ban on sex doll sales. The furore around the sex dolls adds to a lengthy list of controversies involving Shein. AliExpress, Temu and Wish are also being investigated by French authorities for selling sex dolls with a childlike appearance.

Mild, wet and blustery weather is expected to continue for the rest of the week. Photograph: Andy GibsonA status yellow rain warning has been issued for six counties by Met Éireann. Since midnight, counties Carlow, Cork, Kilkenny, Waterford, Wexford and Wicklow have been subject to the weather warning, which will remain in place until midday today. Rain will spread northwards across the country this morning and afternoon, while it will clear northeastwards and turn to scattered showers in the evening. Unsettled conditions are expected to continue for the rest of the week, with wet and blustery weather.

Other “compromised” exam papers were alleged to have been shared with apprentices hoping to qualify as electricians in advance of assessments. QQI confirmed it had in March commenced an independent review of Solas assessments of the electrical apprenticeship programme. The report, finalised in October, recommends Solas improve “the governance of the craft electrical apprenticeship programme”. One Government source described how “there were rumours flying that you could buy an exam paper for €50 the night before an exam”. Mr Lawless asked the Attorney General if the issue should be reported to An Garda Síochána.

On the wall behind him hang a red Nottingham Forest football scarf, his wedding photo and more family photographs. On Saturday night, the 61-year-old fended off a man wielding a large kitchen knife on a busy train from northern England towards the UK capital. Walking down the carriage, the attacker ultimately hospitalised 11 people – including Mr Crean himself. He somehow remains mellow and composed when telling The Irish Times about the traumatic event, which he not only witnessed but intervened in. Because Mr Crean placed himself directly in front of the attacker, his fellow passengers were able to run down the carriage to relative safety.

The Criminal Assets Bureau was created in 1996, after the gun murder of journalist Veronica Guerin by members of the John Gilligan drugs gang. Photograph: Colin Keega/CollinsThe Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab) is selling properties seized from criminals, mostly drug dealers, at a faster rate than any time since its inception almost 30 years ago. The Irish Times understands Cab sold 20 seized properties last year, fetching a combined €5 million, compared to 12 sales the previous year, which was a new record at the time. Of the 20 properties sold, seven sales were in Dublin, two were in Kildare and one was in Lazarote. The bureau was created in 1996, after the gun murder of journalist Veronica Guerin by members of the John Gilligan drugs gang.

A shot of Rathmines village in Dublin 6, which is the most expensive Eircode in the State, according to latest house price data from Geowox. Eoin Burke-Kennedy has the details of the latest study of house prices by property firm Geowox. In Me & My Money, singer and actor Susan McFadden says “life is too short not to spend your money. So it’s share price slump last week is sure to have set alarm bells ringing at the IDA, writes Cantillon. A new study shows share prices often drift slowly after bad earnings announcements, writes Stocktake.

Housing demand is not expected to peak until the early 2030s, the Department of Finance has said. Photograph: Alan BetsonIreland’s housing crisis is likely to persist for at least another 15 years, according to the Department of Finance. Housing demand is not expected to peak until the early 2030s, it said, with “pent-up demand” not fully eliminated until at least 2040. There are currently 116 people in the labour force for every 100 not working. If net migration were zero, the labour force would start to contract by 2035 with major repercussions for the economy.

Palestinian Action Éire said it opposes the insurance company’s relationship with an Israeli weapon manufacturer. Screenshot: Palestine Action Éire/XThe Irish headquarters of the insurance company Allianz was vandalised in Dublin overnight. A number of windows were broken and red graffiti sprayed at the office buildings at Elm Park in Dublin 4. A pro-Palestinian group, Palestinian Action Éire, has claimed responsibility. The group said it opposes the insurance company’s alleged relationship with an Israeli weapon manufacturer.

Left-wing Opposition leaders have made renewed criticisms of Tánaiste Simon Harris, over remarks he made about migration numbers in Ireland being too high. During Leaders’ Questions, Ms Cairns said Mr Harris spoke about migration numbers being too high just days after anti-immigrant rioting at Citywest. She said it was wrong of the Tánaiste to say Ireland’s migration numbers are too high. Mr Harris said recent data from the Economic and Social Research Institute shows the population is growing “way faster than baseline projections”. So let’s actually have a rational, calm, informed debate that doesn’t seek to label people, shout them down, box them into certain positions.”

Some years ago here, I wrote about a visit to the “remote” (my description) Tipperary outpost of Rearcross. The column was mostly about the village’s pretty tin church which, as I said, looked like a little piece of New England dropped among the Slieve Felim Mountains. But reading it in retrospect, I might have been inclined to apologise for calling the place “remote” – a bad habit of Dublin journalists – on the grounds that nowhere is remote if you live there. It was written by a garda newly stationed in Rearcross in 1940. But, remote as the place may have seemed, it hadn’t been remote enough for the IRA’s purposes.

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'Joanne and Vogue’s podcast kept me company, their familiar laughter carrying a part of home far away from home.' One year ago, I arrived in Vancouver with no familiar faces, no clear path, and a head full of dreams that felt just beyond reach. It’s a story that might feel familiar to anyone who has ever packed their life into a suitcase and stepped into the unknown, hoping the ground would appear beneath their feet. Every moment of discomfort was planting something that would one day bloom into the life I’m living today. I know I won’t stay in Vancouver forever.

Fianna Fáil TD Niall Collins: 'It’s not really any of Fine Gael’s business what media consultants or media trainers Fianna Fáil use.' Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish TimesA Fianna Fáil TD has accused Fine Gael of trying to “undermine” his party by raising concerns over training provided to some of its senior figures by Ivan Yates. Six senior Fianna Fáil politicians, including Taoiseach Micheál Martin, were also given media training by Mr Yates. The revelations that Mr Yates had provided services to Fianna Fáil was “not new news”, the Limerick County TD said. It’s a matter for Fianna Fáil, who Fianna Fáil engages as a media coach or indeed as a consultant.