What greater act of solidarity would it be than for Cork to twin with Gaza City? Gaza was a beautiful and vibrant city before the repeated, violent Israeli attacks. Both Cork City and Gaza City have suffered from acts of vengeance. “The people of Cork have been on the streets ever since October. The solidarity has been heartwarming for me as someone who was born in Gaza and who has many friends and family still there suffering unimaginable hardship. It would be the greatest honor for them if our two great cities were to be connected by ‘twinning’. ” Nasser Al Swirki. A son of Gaza living in Cork UCC links: Gaza is a University City. All of Gaza’s universities now lie in ruins. The Gaza City university has developed partnerships with 142 higher education institutions around the world. Let’s make UCC one of those partners! CUH links? Al-Shifa Hospital was the largest medical complex and central hospital in the Gaza. We will need medical partners. Environmental Links? Now destroyed. Wadi Gaza: In 2023 the Gaza Strip’s only wetland was slowly coming back to life.

Cén fáth a bhfuil sé seo tábhachtach? Tá easpa áiseanna sa cheantar do dhaoine óga, agus tá an tigh seo fíorthábachtach chun na healaíona dúchasacha a chothú agus a fhorbairt i gCorca Dhuibhne. Má dhíoltar ar an margadh oscailte é, beidh sé i seilbh duine príobháideach, agus imithe ón bpobal. Ba mhaith linn Teach Siamsa a choimeád in úinéireacht an phobail agus go ndéanfaí athbheochan ar na himeachtaí a bhíodh ann. Má tá tú sásta tacú leis an bhfeachtas Teach Siamsa a choimeád i seilbh an phobail, cuir isteach d’ainm sna boscaí ar dheis. Míle buíochas ó Choiste Teach Siamsa.

It celebrates and commemorates the man who really put irish football on the map and made it possible for a nation to dare to dream of success on the international football stage. In our irish eye he is an icon in our footballing history and he really should be celebrated with a statue in his honor for future generations crossing the doors of the aviva to behold the Great man we once had the privilege to witness in his glory.

At this stage in the genocide it is unbelievable that Ireland has a powerful bill, that could help the people of Palestine, waiting in the wings to be enacted since 2018. It took immense effort from many political, academic and legal minds to get it passed through our legislature. There is no legal excuse for stalling it any longer. To quote Sen. Frances Black “... it’s not a legal issue, it’s a question of political will. The weight of legal advice makes it clear that we can pursue this if we’re willing to be brave about it – we need to stand up and show leadership”. (Irish times, 13 Jun 2020.) Something has to begin the process of turning the tide on the genocide in Palestine, especially Gaza. The OTB has been identified by multiple organisations nationally and internationally as the single most important and effective action that Ireland as a nation can take, at this time in April 2024. Enacting the OTB can without doubt have a ripple effect throughout the world. Let's throw the pebble in the ocean of support for Palestine and see it do the work it was always intended to achieve.

The Brian Boru Pub has been situated on the banks of the Royal Canal and has traded as a public house for over a decade. Such is its place in the collective consciousness of Dubliners, it has featured in the prominent works of James Joyce (Ulysses) and James Plunkett (Strumpet City). The pub is to be replaced with a station on Metro North and we believe that the calls, heretofore, for the new Metro Station to be named in accordance with the pub are entirely apt. Please sign so that we can afford our built heritage the respect it duly deserves.

Whilst many stations around the country are named after leaders of the revolutionary period, none are named after female revolutionaries. This is a sad reflection on the historical lack of importance attached the gender equality in the public realm. Constance Markievicz was a trailblazer in many ways: she was the first women to be elected to Westminster, the first female cabinet minister in Europe in the first Dáil, a suffragette, socialist and feminist. It is time we began to recognise the contribution of such women to our nation, and this would be a fine way to recognise her.

Norma Foley's assistance is crucial because she is responsible for education in Ireland. Here's why her help is important: 1. Promised Improvement: The school has been promised a new building for 17 years. As the current Minister of Education, Ms Foley can fulfill this promise, ensuring that the school finally gets the improvements it desperately needs. 2. Safety and Health: The current conditions pose safety and health hazards to students and staff. Minister Foley can allocate resources to address these issues, ensuring that the school environment is safe and conducive to learning. She can issue the letter the school needs for the new building to start. 3. Financial Support: Ms Foley can provide financial support to address the costly heating bills associated with the poorly insulated buildings. By investing in energy-efficient upgrades, she can help reduce expenses for both the school and the community. 4. Educational Environment: A safe and healthy environment is essential for effective learning. Minister Foley's assistance in upgrading the school facilities will create a better educational environment for students, enabling them to thrive academically and socially. 5. Community Well-being: Improving the school facilities will benefit the entire community. Foley's support will demonstrate a commitment to the well-being of disadvantaged communities and provide them with access to quality education resources. Overall, Norma Foley's help is vital in ensuring that the school receives the necessary support and resources to address its longstanding issues and provide a better future for its pupils and the community.

Gambling addiction has the highest suicide rate of any addiction and problem gambling is on a sharp rise in Ireland. With gambling corporations constantly advertising their products and hiring data scientists and psychology experts to make their apps more addictive, we are in desperate need of proper regulation. Currently, the gambling industry in Ireland self-regulates. The Programme for Government in 2020 promised to establish an official gambling regulator but it still hasn't happened.

We cannot allow a country that is deliberately killing aid workers and journalists, slaughtering tens of thousands of civilians, destroying hospitals, starving people, to sing alongside us. Allowing Israel to take part in the Eurovision would send an implicit message to the world that breaking international humanitarian law over and over again is acceptable.

Last year, Chris-Heaton Harris promised that “we'll sit down round a table and the money will get sorted out." Reports say that the GAA have a written guarantee from Heaton-Harris that the stadium will be ready in time for Euro 2028 - the first time a major international tournament has been held in NI. Everyone else has been sitting around the table and working together to provide funding for Casement. The Irish government, GAA and NI executive have recommitted to funding the rebuild over the past few weeks. Stop backtracking on your promises and fund Casement Park now!

Having a large mural of US president Joe Biden in Ballina reflects very badly on the people of Ballina, Mayo and Ireland who hold very different views to Joe regarding the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

On February 8th 2024, the UK government blocked a British Phonographic Industry (BIP) funding award that would help Belfast rap trio Kneecap to expand their music in global markets. Their application was approved and signed off by an independent selection board, but he UK government overruled this decision. A spokesperson for Kemi Badenoch cited that the UK government "didn't want to hand out UK tax money to people that oppose the United Kingdom itself." The British government blocking arts funding for a group because they aren't pro-union goes against the very essence of the Good Friday Agreement, artistic freedom and free speech. No government should be removing funding due to an artist’s position on constitutional the future of the north.