Win a family pass to the Irish première screening of Avatar: Fire and Ash.
Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third film in the phenomenally successful “Avatar” franchise, opens exclusively in cinemas worldwide December 19th, 2025. James Cameron takes audiences back to Pandora in an immersive new adventure with Marine turned Na’vi leader Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), Na’vi warrior Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), and the Sully family. AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH opens in Irish cinemas - Friday, December 19th. For your chance to win, simply fill in the form below. Terms & Condition
Source:The Irish Times
December 03, 2025 08:54 UTC
Quite the yarn: From weekly knitting club to Traveller-women-led craft business
Shuttleknit: Anne Berry and her mother Kathleen Berry producing knitwear at the Ceart Centre, Crinion Park, Wicklow. Photograph: Alan BetsonA weekly knitting club that started in a nun’s kitchen almost 30 years ago has grown into an enterprise that looks set to be Ireland’s first Traveller-women-led craft business. They believe their success could be a blueprint for Traveller women interested in entrepreneurship everywhere. Kathleen recalls how, in the mid-1990s local nun Sr Catriona Geraghty invited Traveller women, many living by the roadside, into her home “for knitting and a chat”. It now has funding from the Irish Heritage Council, which will imminently publish its first Traveller heritage strategy, to further develop its brand.
Source:The Irish Times
December 03, 2025 08:27 UTC
Dental nurse who broke red light and knocked down student given suspended sentence
Ruth Kavanagh pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of careless driving causing serious bodily harm. Photograph: iStockA dental nurse who broke a red light and knocked down a Leaving Cert student who was walking to school has been given a suspended sentence. The court heard the student missed two weeks of school as a result of her injury. She has worked as a dental nurse for the last nine years, the court heard. The court heard that Kavanagh now had €5,000 in court as a token of her remorse.
Source:The Irish Times
December 03, 2025 05:13 UTC
Spain’s exiled former monarch annoys royal household with video
Spain’s self-exiled former king, Juan Carlos, has angered the country’s royal household with a video message released just as his highly awaited memoirs go on sale in the country. Juan Carlos (87), abdicated in 2014 and has been living abroad since 2020, due to a series of scandals. Juan Carlos took the throne days after Gen Franco’s death and was seen as instrumental in the introduction of parliamentary democracy, making him a highly popular figure. Despite his praise for the democratic transition, Juan Carlos seems to have recorded his video message, which is only 94 seconds long, primarily as a promotional tool for his memoirs. In the book, Juan Carlos acknowledges mistakes in his private life, including “slip-ups” regarding his relationship with his wife, Queen Sofía, and he speaks fondly at times of Gen Franco.
Source:The Irish Times
December 03, 2025 01:38 UTC
What’s the Monarchy for? on BBC1: You can’t help but think, better them than us – The Irish Times
Ultimately, there can be only one takeaway: thank goodness they are saddled with this arcane institution while we are not. There is a significant Irish component in this first of three episodes, as former president Mary McAleese recalls Queen Elizabeth’s May 2011 visit to Ireland. McAleese talks about the historical significance of the trip – and about the allure of monarchy, which continues to fascinate people globally. Similarly, the long-defunct Continental monarchy – all those French counts and Prussian junkers – are as romanticised as their British equivalents. As these ridiculous figures flap and fawn over the British royal family, you can’t help but think, better them than us.
Source:The Irish Times
December 03, 2025 01:28 UTC
Deel CEO challenges High Court jurisdiction in industrial spying case taken by rival Rippling
The CEO HR giant Deel says he should not be a defendant in lawsuit taken by rival, Rippling, arising from an alleged corporate spying conspiracy. Former Dublin-based Rippling employee, Keith O’Brien, earlier this year admitted to spying on his then-employer for Deel, allegedly on the instruction of Mr Bouaziz. Rippling brought High Court proceedings against Mr O’Brien following the uncovering of his spying activity, but later entered into a settlement agreement with the Dubliner. Mr Dowling argued that on Deel’s own pleaded case, it is accepted Mr Bouaziz, Mr Mieli and Mr Malik are agents of the company, and Deel appears to take responsibility for their actions. Mr McGrath submitted that while Rippling’s claims against Mr Bouaziz, Mr Mieli and Mr Malik arise out of the same “factual matrix” as the claims against Mr O’Brien, this was not sufficient to give the court jurisdiction to join Mr Bouaziz, Mr Mieli and Mr Malik.
Source:The Irish Times
December 02, 2025 23:42 UTC
Zelenskiy tells Oireachtas it cannot be ‘business as usual, not appeasement of killers’
He told the Oireachtas “today Ukraine is closer to peace than ever before, and there is a real, real chance. But, stressing the need for global involvement, he said “one strong country can start a war, another strong country can help to stop the war. He said it was time for Russian assets to be used to “help defend and rebuild Ukraine”. Ms Murphy told the Ukrainian president: “As a militarily neutral country, Ireland is not – and will never be – morally neutral in the face of atrocity. “Your people enrich our communities and share their culture, even though their hearts remain with Ukraine.”
Source:The Irish Times
December 02, 2025 23:40 UTC
Zelenskiy appeals for support from ‘community of nations’ during Irish visit
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy during a visit to Government Buildings for a bilateral meeting with Taoiseach Micheál Martin. The Taoiseach reiterated Irish support for Ukraine’s accession to the EU, which Mr Zelenskiy said he hoped would happen in the next five years. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy sits next to Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy in the Dáil Chamber on Tuesday. Mr Zelenskiy appealed for support from the “community of nations”, including Ireland, which he said understands “the price of freedom ... better than many”. Discussions between Ms Connolly and Mr Zelenskiy focused on securing enduring peace in Ukraine and Ireland’s role as a neutral country.
Source:The Irish Times
December 02, 2025 23:34 UTC
Aer Lingus pilot feared ‘retribution’ from senior airline personnel, WRC hears
An Aer Lingus pilot has told the Workplace Relations Commission that he feared ‘retribution’ from senior airline personnel. Photograph: Evan Treacy/PA WireAn Aer Lingus pilot stripped of command duties after his aircraft failed to pick up a navigation beacon on approach to Dublin Airport in 2023 wrote that he delayed reporting the incident because he feared “retribution” from senior personnel, a tribunal has been told. After passing the expected beacon line, he turned the plane back to intercept the beacon, got the signal, and landed safely, he said. “What I did on the day was what I was supposed to do, and that’s written in the manual,” he said. Mr McCabe agreed when questioned by his barrister, David Byrnes, who appeared instructed by Setanta Solicitors, that there was “no love lost” between himself and Capt Wynne.
Source:The Irish Times
December 02, 2025 22:25 UTC
Peace in Ukraine no closer as talks between US and Russian officials end without compromise
Photograph: Sergei Ilnitsky/APRussia and the United States did not clinch a compromise over peace in Ukraine, and peace is no closer to but also no further away, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said on Wednesday. The comments came after Russian president Vladimir Putin held a meeting in the Kremlin with US president Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Mr Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Earlier on Tuesday, Mr Putin warned that his country was ready to fight Europe “right now” if necessary and accusing it of blocking peace efforts. They have no peace agenda – they are on the side of war,” Mr Putin said. Mr Putin said Russia could take “countermeasures against countries that help Ukraine” or “cut Ukraine off from the sea” to stop what he called acts of “piracy”.
Source:The Irish Times
December 02, 2025 21:17 UTC
Irish band Florence Road among artists on BBC’s Sound of 2026
Florence Road are set to play at Belfast’s Oh Yeah Music Centre on December 7thIrish rock band Florence Road have been named on the BBC’s Sound of 2026 longlist. The UK broadcaster’s annual list showcases the “exciting” artists to watch out for in the year ahead. Florence Road performed a sell-out show in the Academy in Dublin on Sunday night and are set to play at Belfast’s Oh Yeah Music Centre on December 7th. Previous Sound of artists include Stormzy, Adele, Lady Gaga, Raye, The Weeknd, Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish and Lewis Capaldi. Last year, US singer Chappell Roan was named winner of the BBC’s Sound of 2025.
Source:The Irish Times
December 02, 2025 21:02 UTC
Oireachtas committee recommends opting out of ‘majority’ of EU migration and asylum pact
Photograph: Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty ImagesThe Government should reconsider “opting out of the majority” of the controversial EU migration and asylum pact, an Oireachtas committee has recommended. The committee published its pre-legislative scrutiny of the International Protection Bill 2025 – the legislation to give effect to the pact – on Monday. Speaking in Dublin last week EU migration commissioner Magnus Brunner said Ireland is “very well” placed to adopt the pact. The report says Tusla “emphasised ... it is outside of its statutory remit to undertake age assessments” of unaccompanied asylum seeker children. The agency wanted “sight of the full statutory process” that would set out “how immigration authorities will undertake age assessments prior” to children being referred to it for care or accommodation.
Source:The Irish Times
December 02, 2025 20:47 UTC
Ukraine’s fate hangs in the balance as Zelenskiy receives warm welcome in Dublin
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy in the Dáil chamber after delivering his speech in a joint sitting of the Dáil and Seanad in Dublin on Tuesday. Photograph: Tony Maxwells/Pool/AFP via GettyAt a crucial moment for his country, Volodymyr Zelenskiy chose to come to Dublin. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy with President Catherine Connolly and his wife, Ukraine’s first lady Olena Zelenska, at Áras an Uachtaráin on Tuesday. “Ukraine,” Zelenskiy told the Dáil, “is closer to peace than ever before ... This threatening vista, with the fate of his country in the balance, was the background to warm scenes that greeted Zelenskiy in Dublin.
Source:The Irish Times
December 02, 2025 20:31 UTC
TikTok and LinkedIn under investigation by Coimisiún na Meán
A further question is whether illegal content reporting mechanisms implemented by TikTok and LinkedIn are easy to access and user-friendly. Another is whether the platforms’ illegal content reporting mechanisms deceive people from reporting content as illegal. The regulator said concerns arose in relation to potential “dark patterns” in the illegal content reporting mechanisms, which it described as deceptive interface designs. “If this is correct, this might mean that the illegal content reporting mechanisms are not effective in preventing the dissemination of illegal content and the rights of people under the DSA might be undermined,” Coimisiún na Meán said. “This review has resulted in several actions which we can announced today, including the opening of an investigation into two online platforms – TikTok and LinkedIn,” Mr Evans said.
Source:The Irish Times
December 02, 2025 19:53 UTC
Uniformed gardaí could be armed with Taser stun guns by Christmas
Photograph: iStockFrontline uniformed gardaí could be using Taser stun guns almost immediately under a proposal being brought to Government by Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan. The stun guns could be used in policing on the streets of Dublin, Waterford and Kilkenny over the Christmas period, if approved by Cabinet on Tuesday. It would be the first time that uniformed gardaí would be armed with Tasers and would mark a significant step for An Garda Síochána, whose frontline personnel are not armed. However, informed sources stressed there is no consideration being given to arming uniformed gardaí with firearms, like other police forces in Europe. Until now, the stun guns have only been used by the Garda’s specialist units, including the Emergency Response Unit and Armed Support Unit.
Source:The Irish Times
December 02, 2025 19:31 UTC