Win a luxury stay at Townhouse on the Green and dinner in Cellar 22 on St Stephen’s Green.
Eat Spain Drink Spain has returned this month, taking place across the country and bringing together Ireland’s finest restaurants, retailers, and hospitality venues to present the best of traditional and modern Spanish fare. As part of the celebrations, Cellar 22 will be highlighting Spanish produce with a month-long special offer, a plate of 36 months cured Iberico ham and bruschetta with a glass of Marques del Silvo Reserva, Rioja during October. Make your way upstairs and enjoy staying in one of the stylish guest rooms overlooking St Stephen’s Green with breakfast the following morning. Standing tall at 22 St. Stephen’s Green, one of Dublin’s most prestigious addresses, Townhouse on the Green is a luxe, boutique townhouse hotel with elegant, contemporary and luxurious bedrooms over two floors at the top of this handsome 18th century house. To find out more visit foodswinesfromspain.com | Townhouseonthegreen.ie | cellar22.ieFor your chance to win, simply fill in the form below.
Source:The Irish Times
October 10, 2025 16:28 UTC
Nobel Prize in Literature 2025: Hungarian author László Krasznahorkai wins
Hungarian author László Krasznahorkai (71) has been awarded this year’s Nobel Prize in Literature “for his compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art”. What to read The Melancholy of Resistance (1998) A feverish horror fantasy played out in a small Hungarian town. Herscht 07769 (2024) A small town in Germany is afflicted by social anarchy, murder and arson. The novel won the German Bestenliste Prize for the best literary work of the year in 1993 and the author also won Hungary’s highest literary award – the Kossuth Prize. The Nobel Prize, considered the most prestigious literary prize in the world, is worth 11 million Swedish krona (€967,470).
Source:The Irish Times
October 09, 2025 20:16 UTC
Garda boost in central Dublin leads to increase in detection of street crimes
The volume of public-order offending, drunkenness and drug-related crime detected in central Dublin increased significantly after extra Garda resources were put in place six months ago. The high-visibility operation, run from Store Street and Pearse Street Garda stations, has now been reviewed after six months. At the same time, the increased Garda presence in Dublin city centre appears to have deterred some people from engaging in other types of crime. Ms Richardson said Garda numbers are now growing generally and as this continues, more gardaí will be available for street policing. This would allow An Garda Síochána to extend the high-visibility policing initiative to other parts of Dublin and to urban centres across the State.
Source:The Irish Times
October 09, 2025 20:11 UTC
Raw and untreated sewage flowing into waterways amid delays to upgrade works
The situation is “simply not good enough”, the agency said as it threatened to prosecute Uisce Éireann if it is not urgently addressed. An EPA report found that 59 per cent of treatment plants raised concerns, with pollution posing risks to public health and the environment. The agency identified 78 towns, villages and cities that must be prioritised for upgrades and improvements. “The main causes [of failures] are inadequate infrastructure and poor operation and management of treatment plants,” the EPA said. “Too many wastewater treatment plants are failing to meet licence standards due to poor management and maintenance practices.
Source:The Irish Times
October 09, 2025 20:04 UTC
Catherine Connolly spent €3,700 from taxpayer-funded allowance on ‘Syria’
Independent presidential candidate Catherine Connolly in July said she funded her trip to Syria. Photograph: Dan DennisonPresidential candidate Catherine Connolly used a taxpayer-funded allowance for €3,691 in spending described as related to “Syria” in her statement to the Standards in Public Office Commission (Sipo) for the year 2018. Ms Connolly has previously said it was a “fact-finding” trip. When she was asked in July who funded the visit to Syria, Ms Connolly replied: “I funded that trip.”The PAA is a taxpayer-funded allowance available to political party leaders and Independent TDs in relation to expenses arising from parliamentary activities, including research. The sum on offer to all Independent TDs in 2018 was just over €37,000.
Source:The Irish Times
October 09, 2025 20:01 UTC
Sandycove home of late sculptor Imogen Stuart for €1.575m
Address : 28 Sandycove Avenue West, Sandycove, Co Dublin Price : €1,575,000 Agent : Crawford'sView this property on MyHome.ieImogen Stuart believed that the secret to a long life was having a leisurely breakfast. She moved there in 1966, first to a house on the seafront and from the early 1970s to a house around the corner, on Sandycove Avenue West. Now number 28 Sandycove Avenue West, a 128sq m (1,378sq ft) 1870s house on the corner of Sandycove Avenue West and Rocks Yard Lane, is for sale through Crawford’s, seeking €1.575 million. [ Architect-designed three-bed townhouse in Portobello for €850,000Opens in new window ]Imogen Stuart in her Sandycove studio in 2021. Since Covid, parking has been an issue in Sandycove: Stuart used to park her car on Rocks Yard Lane, a private laneway with a surprising number of houses.
Source:The Irish Times
October 09, 2025 20:01 UTC
Apple brings Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’s Babel fish to life, sort of
The babel fish idea of Douglas Adams in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (above) in real life. All of which is to say that the real-time audio translation that Apple is rolling out comes with some challenges. The concept isn’t entirely new, Google’s Pixel Buds already have a version of this feature, only not with audio translation. It’s no accident that one of the first translation services to take off in the internet age was called Babel Fish (it’s since been absorbed into Microsoft’s translation function). The true test of real-time translation won’t be when it converts Greek into English in your ears.
Source:The Irish Times
October 09, 2025 20:00 UTC
If Ireland fail to gather three points against Portugal and Armenia, Hallgrímsson should go
Ruthless steps will be needed to stop the downward spiral under Heimir Hallgrímsson if Ireland suffer a heavy defeat in Portugal and fail to soundly beat Armenia at the Aviva on Tuesday. Let John O’Shea see out the campaign. There was no evidence that Ireland were the better team. Clearly, the players need a sports psychologist. I imagine that’s why John O’Shea pushed for the return of Séamus.
Source:The Irish Times
October 09, 2025 19:58 UTC
Irish inflation jumps to highest level in 18 months as food prices surge
Photograph: iStockInflation in the Irish economy jumped to its highest level in 18 months in September, amid another surge in food prices. However, the annual rate of food price inflation softened somewhat from 5.3 per cent in August, the CSO said. Thomas Pugh, chief economist at accountancy firm RSM Ireland, said the fall-off in annual food price inflation from August was “good news” for households, which “should provide some respite”. The acceleration in food prices over the past year is largely related to higher agricultural output prices. “There are several factors now weighing on inflation; global commodity prices suggest the recent surge in food price inflation is near its peak, and lower energy prices will help drag the headline rate down.
Source:The Irish Times
October 09, 2025 19:50 UTC
Songs and jokes for Catherine Connolly at presidential fundraiser
On Wednesday night there’s a bit of a hooley for Catherine Connolly at the Button Factory in Dublin. Higgins goes on to tell us that Connolly can’t make the event herself before playing a campaign video in which Connolly thanks the audience. The audience really go for it. Healy tells The Irish Times why they support Connolly: “More than anything she’s invested in the people. Before the night ends, Higgins tells the audience they have raised €8,000 for Connolly’s campaign.
Source:The Irish Times
October 09, 2025 19:45 UTC
DPP to appeal High Court drink-drive ruling that could affect thousands of prosecutions
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has indicated it will appeal a significant High Court decision with potentially adverse implications for thousands of drink-driving prosecutions. David Staunton, for the DPP, told Ms Justice Phelan on Thursday that based on her judgment the Director of Public Prosecutions has indicated an intention to appeal the decision. Ms Justice Phelan made final orders in the case, noting there was no application for a stay from the DPP. In her judgment, delivered in late July, Ms Justice Phelan acknowledged her decision would likely have implications beyond the subject case of the proceedings. The prosecution of the man was based on a blood specimen taken on August 21st, 2022.
Source:The Irish Times
October 09, 2025 19:43 UTC
Europeans risk cold showers in EU red tape error
An apparent oversight by the EU may make it harder to manufacture hot water tanks. Photograph: iStockEuropeans are at risk of cold showers after materials critical to hot water tanks were not included on an EU list of authorised substances, which was revised as part of the bloc’s sprawling environmental legislation. “[Hafnium] is absolutely safe to use,” said Paolo Falcioni, director-general of Applia, stressing that the element had been used for more than 100 years in enamelled hot water tanks. If hafnium or zirconium are not mixed with the enamel, he explained, the glazing “cracks and the hot water is not hot”. Italy’s Ariston, another major manufacturer of hot water tanks, raised similar concerns.
Source:The Irish Times
October 09, 2025 19:43 UTC
Beaumont Hospital integrated payroll and HR system will cost about €3m more than projected
A new integrated payroll and human resources system at Beaumont Hospital will cost close to €3 million more than originally projected while the project was never put out to tender, the Dáil Public Accounts Committee has heard. The committee was told on Thursday that initially it had been estimated that the new system would cost €1.9 million. He criticised hospital management for not alerting the Public Accounts Committee in advance about the issue before a scheduled hearing on Thursday. He said he had raised the issue internally with hospital management. Mr Hanlon said there had been “a significant overrun in cost”.
Source:The Irish Times
October 09, 2025 19:33 UTC
Rising food, labour costs eat into profits at Michelin-recognised Ashford Castle
In a report attached to the accounts, the directors of Ashford Castle Hotel said the overall results were driven by “improved market conditions” and the “continued strength of international travel. Ashford Castle, the five-star Co Mayo that was recognised at Michelin’s prestigious Key Hotels awards on Wednesday, has seen an uplift in trade this year after rising costs took a chunk out of its bottom line in 2024. However, accounts filed this week by Ashford Castle Hotel reveal revenues at the luxury property in Cong increased by 1.8 per cent last year to more than €32 million. Ashford Castle Hotel employed some 327 people last year, down from 342 in 2023, however, the company’s wages and salaries bill increased from €9.5 million to more than €10 million in the year. Meanwhile, at a ceremony in Paris on Wednesday night, Ashford Castle was awarded two keys at Michelin’s Key Hotels awards 2025.
Source:The Irish Times
October 09, 2025 19:30 UTC