‘When you take someone’s money, you’re working for them’: Irish entrepreneur who spurned investors
Dublin-based WineSpark founder Eamon FitzGerald is far from the first person to believe he can revolutionise the wine industry. He began running a blog under that name, charting the journey “from the corporate world through to following my dream in the wine industry”. Just four months later he was working at the company and, soon after, took on the mantle of managing director. Coming back to Ireland, FitzGerald had a dream to create something new, a business which would deliver for customers and winemakers alike. “It is a niche in the wine industry which is growing, and we are targeting that niche.”
Source:The Irish Times
December 15, 2025 06:45 UTC
Three dead following ‘weekend of carnage’ on Co Tipperary roads
There have been expressions of shock and sympathy in Co Tipperary after three men died in two separate crashes in the county over the weekend. They have been asked to contact Clonmel Garda station. The county board said Tipperary GAA wished “to extend its heartfelt and sincere sympathies to the families of those who lost their lives in Tipperary this weekend”. Anyone with information is asked to contact Thurles Garda station on 0504 25100, the Garda confidential line on 1800 666 111 or any station. Clonmel Garda station can be reached at 052 617 7640.
Source:The Irish Times
December 15, 2025 06:40 UTC
Fourteen fishermen rescued from boat driven onto rocks near Dingle Harbour
14 fishermen rescued from boat driven onto rocks near Dingle Harbour. Video: Kevin FlanneryFourteen fishermen are recovering after being airlifted to safety by the Irish Coast Guard after their fishing boat went ashore on rocks in storm conditions near Dingle, Co Kerry on Sunday morning. After landing its catch, the French registered FV Fastnet lost power as she was leaving Dingle Harbour and began drifting on to the rocks at Bínn Bán near the mouth of the harbour. The Dingle Coast Guard Unit was also mobilised but the lifeboat was unable to get a tow aboard the fishing boat due to a combination of rough seas and shallow water. There are now concerns it will break up on the rocks at Bínn Bán.
Source:The Irish Times
December 15, 2025 06:40 UTC
Sinn Féin investigates property portfolio as greater transparency set by new accounting rules
The four act as trustees of the local Sinn Féin organisation, according to Tully. “We discuss everything with Pearse Doherty.”Doherty, the Donegal TD and Sinn Féin spokesman on finance, is the party’s joint national treasurer along with Senator Conor Murphy. “It was bought as a Sinn Féin hall.”McGonigle was elected as a Sinn Féin councillor in the 1980s, but is now honorary vice-president of Republican Sinn Féin. In 2023, the Sinn Féin press office told The Irish Times that the hall in Gulladuff was not owned by Sinn Féin. For many years the Sinn Féin accounts were audited by Kinsella Mitchell and Associates, of Prussia Street in Dublin 7.
Source:The Irish Times
December 15, 2025 06:11 UTC
Defence Forces made significant contribution to refugee crisis response, figures show
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy inspects the Irish Defence Forces guard of honour during his visit to Dublin earlier this month. The response is called Operation Fáilte and forms part of the Defence Forces’ “aid to the civil authority” duties. The Defence Forces’ contribution to the government response to the refugee crisis was greatest in 2022 at the start of the war in Ukraine when 3,429 workdays were required. In addition to work from members of the Permanent Defence Forces, 378 workdays were required from the Reserve Defence Forces since Operation Fáilte began three years ago. The Defence Forces also provided storage containers and 500 sleeping bags to the Department of Integration in response to the crisis.
Source:The Irish Times
December 15, 2025 06:11 UTC
First phase of Ireland’s Pro-League campaign ends in two 2-1 defeats
The first phase of Ireland’s FIH Pro League debut ended in two 2-1 defeats over the weekend, Belgium the victors at Abbotstown on Saturday before England won at the same venue on Sunday afternoon on the occasion of Katie Mullan’s 250th cap. Having trailed by two goals at half-time against Belgium, Sarah Torrans got Ireland back in to the game in the third quarter when she finished off fine work by Sarah Hawkshaw. But Belgium, ranked third in the world, held on to make it four wins out of four in Dublin, a repeat of their 2-1 win over their hosts last Wednesday. Ireland finish this phase of the competition on two points, earned from their 1-1 draw against England and subsequent victory in the penalty shoot-out. They will travel to Tasmania in February where they will play Australia and Argentina twice.
Source:The Irish Times
December 15, 2025 05:27 UTC
Forget Utopia – paralysis reigns in this, the most populous place on Earth
In it he outlines a world where everyone works according to their abilities and consumes according to their needs. “Utopia” was derived from the Greek for “nonsense”, which More invented for a perfect world in an ideal state. Both ignored that much more prevalent entity, state even, without which no map of the world has ever been complete. In every age it has been far and away the most populous place on Earth, as today. Its numbers, of course, exceed the 480 million in South America and the 347 million in the United States.
Source:The Irish Times
December 15, 2025 04:31 UTC
Zelenskiy ready to give up Nato membership demands in exchange for security guarantees
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukraine still required security guarantees from the US and Europe, similar to Nato’s Article 5 clause of mutual protection for any member under attackUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said he is ready to give up on demands for Nato membership in exchange for security guarantees from the United States and Europe, in a move aimed at advancing peace talks in Berlin. But Zelenskiy told reporters on Sunday that Ukraine still requires security guarantees from the US and Europe, similar to Nato’s Article 5 clause of mutual protection for any member under attack. “We are talking about bilateral security guarantees between Ukraine and the United States – namely, Article 5-like guarantees ... as well as security guarantees for us from our European partners and from other countries such as Canada, Japan and others,” Zelenskiy told journalist. German chancellor Friedrich Merz is hosting talks with Zelenskiy, Witkoff and Kushner at the federal chancellery on Sunday. Europe is pushing to regain influence over the Ukraine talks, from which the bloc has largely been sidelined despite their far-reaching consequences for the continent.
Source:The Irish Times
December 15, 2025 03:36 UTC
It was like watching the housing crisis covered by a future Reeling in the Years – The Irish Times
In itself, the advice given in the video is fairly uncontroversial, and even, in a narrow sense, helpful. Rory Hearne, the Social Democrats housing spokesperson, described the video as “incredibly insensitive and tone deaf”, as well as “cringe and embarrassing”. His Labour counterpart, Conor Sheehan called it “incredibly distasteful” and “the most patronising thing I’ve ever seen”, as well as a “very blatant admission of failure” by the Government in its dealings with the housing crisis. The Department of Housing quickly took the video down from social media. “It’s a big decision,” the estate agent replies, “how one prefers to die.”The Department of Housing could hardly have spun it better themselves.
Source:The Irish Times
December 15, 2025 01:45 UTC
Ireland claim 10 medals at Under-17 European Boxing Championships
Ten Irish boxers will return with medals from the Under-17 European Boxing Championships, held in Kienbaum in Germany. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/InphoTen Irish boxers will return with medals from the Under-17 European Boxing Championships, held in Kienbaum in Germany. Meanwhile, Westmeath is represented by two Mullingar boxers, Pat Stokes (46kg) from the Mullingar Shuffler Boxing Club, and Jason Donoghue (60kg), from the Olympic Boxing Club, which produced multiple European title-winner Joe Ward. This is the biggest medal haul that Ireland have brought home from the four underage European boxing tournaments held this year under the new global amateur governing body, World Boxing. Irish boxers also brought home three medals from their inaugural World Boxing Championships this year, including gold for Aoife O’Rourke.
Source:The Irish Times
December 15, 2025 01:44 UTC
Irish-born mayor of a German town: ‘People are a lot stiffer here. I’m a bit starchy after all this time’
Clontarf native Michelle Wittler has been told she is the first Irish-born mayor to be elected in Germany. “Some people did not like me being mayor, as I’m not German or from the town originally,” she says. She was studying Irish and German in Trinity in 1984 and was told her skills weren’t good. They are a lot stiffer here ... I’m a bit starchy after all this time.”Wittler married a man from the spa town of Bad Ems, the next village to Dasenau. Michelle Wittler and Irish Ambassador in Germany Maeve CollinsPartly because she wasn’t able to vote in elections either in Ireland or Germany, Wittler took dual German-Irish citizenship.
Source:The Irish Times
December 15, 2025 01:30 UTC
Irish athletes end medal-laden year on a high at European Cross-Country Championships
It’s class.”Ireland won gold with just 19 points, ahead of France (33) and Spain (43). “People just kept shouting ‘medal, medal’, but I think this is long overdue. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/InphoEverard also ran smart to come through to finish 10th in the senior women’s race, won by Italy’s Nadia Battocletti. Mixed Relay Race (Team sixth): Eimear Maher (Dundrum South Dublin AC), Cian McPhillips (UCD AC), Laura Nicholson (Bandon AC), Andrew Coscoran (Star of the Sea AC). Griggs becomes the first Irish men’s individual gold medal winner at any level in the event
Source:The Irish Times
December 15, 2025 01:04 UTC
Gardaí to increase presence at Jewish events following Bondi Beach shooting
Emergency vehicles at the scene of a shooting at Bondi Beach, in Sydney. Following the attack, An Garda Síochána said there would be “increased Garda patrols” at centres and events associated with the Irish Jewish community. Health workers put a patient into an ambulance after a shooting incident at Bondi Beach in Sydney. “In fact, I spoke to him many months ago about ensuring that such protection was in place for the Jewish community. The commissioner has assured me and the Chief Rabbi of his commitment to the safety of the Jewish community,” he said.
Source:The Irish Times
December 15, 2025 00:54 UTC