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See Frank Dunlop got 2 years with 6 months suspended - Is this the first time a public figure has been jailed in the Republic for bribery/corruption or Did George Redmond do some time as well?

Wonder will his Cork developer friend visit him inside??

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=1397858

Hope his wife won't see the ad or maybe she comes with the car...

Fascinating talk on creativity
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html

Unfortunately Collie Moran has been forced to retire from all forms of football due to a long standing hip injury.Very sorry to hear it. A really fine player and particularly one of the best underage players I ever saw. Brilliant first couple of years for the Dubs -before I think the burn out effect of playing multiple games in a couple of days contributed to his injury problems. A gentleman and a really fine player. Maybe suffered from being too versatile. Best of luck for the future Collie

Brother of GAA star critically injured in assault
20/04/2009 - 10:48:36

The brother of a Derry GAA star is fighting for his life in hospital after being assaulted in Cookstown, Co Tyrone, over the weekend.

Connor McCusker, the 31-year-old brother of Derry vice-captain Niall McCusker, is critically ill in hospital following the incident yesterday morning.

A man in his 20s is being questioned in connection with the assault.

Jesus - saw this story on the news last night and thought not another row gone bad. hope he pulls through

Folks

Any help appreciated. Anyone recommend a Corporate Hospitality company?
Been asked to investigate the U2 gigs in Croker and only came across these http://www.absoluteevents.ie/event_detail.asp?E_ID=1554. Anyone use them or have any other contacts?

Taxi driver convicted of carrying passengers in boot
GEORGE JACKSON
A thirty-three years old taxi driver who was caught driving with two passengers in the boot of her taxi, withdrew her appeal against her conviction for the offence. Last October Ciara McLaughlin from Altcar Park in Derry was fined £400 and disqualified from driving for twelve months when she was convicted of dangerous driving arising out of the incident, which occurred in October 2007 as she drove mourners home from a funeral.
Two police officers who were on mobile patrol in the area around Steelstown Church at the time said they saw the crowded Vauxhall Cavalier taxi stopping along the roadside and picking up a man who got into the boot.
The police witnesses said another man was already in the boot and when the taxi drove off one of the men pulled down the boot cover. The police followed the taxi for a short distance with their car siren on but Ms McLaughlin did not respond and she continued to the funeral house. Because there was a large crowd of people outside the house, the police decided not to speak to Ms McLaughlin then but they questioned her about the incident, which she denied, five months later.
The dangerous driving charge was unsuccessfully contested by Ms McLaughlin at the Magistrate's Court in Derry last October and today Judge Patrick Lynch affirmed the fine and disqualification when Ms McLaughlin withdrew her appeal.

Cowen's ex-running mate admits 'secret profits'
 
National News Home

Friday February 20 2009

A former running mate of the Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, and his business partner, former Offaly GAA football manager Richard Connor, have admitted making "secret profits" to the tune of €3.5m from a number of land deals.

Mr Justice Peter Kelly has deferred making a judgment until Monday against Gerard Killally and Richard Connor, but has directed that they not reduce their assets to below €8m.

Three businessmen - Adrian Daly, Tullamore; Declan Guing, Edenderry; and Frank Lawlor, Edenderry - took the action over partnerships formed between various combinations of the sides to carry out land deals.

It was claimed that Killally, who has since resigned as a councillor, and Connor acted as negotiators and agents for the partnerships and made secret profits from deals not disclosed to the relevant partners.

The two men had denied all the claims against them in what Mr Justice Kelly described as a "stalling type defence", but today they informed the court that they had behaved dishonestly and engaged in secret profit-making in at least two transactions to the tune of €3.5m.

The judge said they had behaved in an unconscionable manner.

He said it was extraordinary that Mr Killally maintained he was legally advised to conceal the secret profits from other partners and he took into account that Connor had been more straightforward in his admissions, saying he concealed the profits.

He has ordered them not to reduce the value of their assets below €8m and will make judgment against them on Monday.

Folks - Would ye recommend the Ramada for a weekend break?

With the current economic climate and talk of PAYE tax increases, Property tax etc what are people's feeling on taking pay cuts? If there is a real need to cut operating costs within a business in order to keep afloat would you do it? Is there a more imaginative way to approach the subject - One suggestion I've heard bandied about was that if people in certain sectors worked an hour longer a week for the same pay then this would be the equivalent of a 7% pay cut but psychologically maybe more acceptable.
These questions have been prompted by the recent debate around RTE/Kenny etc and the demand on them by the Oireachtas to take a pay cut and the declaration by Dunphy, O'Callaghan etc to say that they would take a cut. The cynic in me says they are opportunistic attention seeking whores but are they really showing solidarity with the less well off?
Incidentally the first round of public service reforms I'd make is to cull at least 50% of our sitting TD's and get rid off all of the junior ministers and restructure the Seanad and local government administrations but that's for another day.
I'm in the lucky position of not having to make this particular decision just yet but was wondering what people thought?

Car dealership directors admit price fixing
24/11/2008 - 20:32:33

A car dealership and its two directors are to be sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in relation to price fixing in the selling of Citroen vehicles in Leinster over a period of six years.

Gowan Motors (Parkgate) Ltd, Parkgate Street, Dublin, pleaded guilty through solicitor Mr Anthony Lang, that on dates between July 1996 and May 2002 within Leinster it entered an agreement with other undertakings to attempt to prevent, restrict or distort competition in the motor vehicle trade by directly or indirectly fixing the selling prices of Citroen vehicles.

The company directors, Brian Smyth, of Castlelands, Balbriggan, and Michael Patrick Gibbs, of Upper Carrickhill Road, Portmarnock, pleaded guilty to authorising or consenting to the same offence.

Judge Katherine Delahunt remanded Smyth and Gibbs on continuing bail until the sentence date next year when full facts will be heard in the case.

How many more stories about this game? Between clocking price fixing etc - Absolutelly hate dealing with them

Thought this was an interesting piece in the Guardian. Be careful.

http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2008/09/17/the-price-of-free-speech/

Folks - Has anyone else tried to log onto the main GAA website today? Still loading 10 mins in

Folks - looks like I could be heading to Oz for a 6 month stint so anyone down there give me recommendations of places to live- Myself missus and 2 kids- needs to be near secondary school and ideally wouldn't want a huge commute to CBD.

Well interesting times ahead in the caribbean now that Fidel has resigned. Any chance it will continue as is??

Meath GAA strongly backs anti-pylons campaign

Media Release / Press Invitation

30th January 2008

Meath GAA strongly backs anti-pylons campaign

Meath County Board of the GAA has strongly backed the North East Pylon Pressure campaign against EirGrid's proposal to string high power electric cables on pylons across the North East.

At least nineteen GAA clubs in county Meath have playing facilities directly under one of the proposed pylon routes, as well as the new Meath County Centre of Development at Dunganny, between Trim and Navan.

Meath County Board has formed a special sub-committee to consider how best to oppose Eirgrid's proposals.

Eirgrid are proposing to run high power 400 Kv electricity lines from Kingscourt, in county Cavan, to Batterstown, in county Meath (home of the famous Blackhall Gaels club).   From Kingscourt, a line will run to the border to link up with similar proposed cabling in counties Armagh and Tyrone.    More than 45,000 people in the North East are supporting a campaign to have the lines put underground, because it safer, cheaper and less damaging to the environment.
As a first step in their campaign, Meath GAA are organising a 'blitz' of ten under age teams at Dunganny, on Sunday morning, 4th February, at 11 o'clock.   Children from all the clubs threatened will gather on the all weather pitch at Dunganny to protest.   


Photographers and Reporters are invited to attend. 

For further information contact:

Aimeé Treacy         087 855 0363

Gus Martyn            086 857 1627

http://voshy.com/videos/view.php?id=t6pnxn4k

Anyone recommend a decent pub in London to watch the Rugger buggers tonight? Preferably central enough.

http://www.tomrafteryit.net/intern-caught-in-fairy-outfit/

Anyone else see this?

http://www.digital-forums.com/showthread.php?t=321103

Some amount of money - £85K per week nett