Macroom lacks a proper music venue at the moment. Now more than ever we need to encourage visitors to our town and a proper music venue could help us become a desirable destination. Churches make wonderful arts venues - look at Live at St. Luke's, St. Canice's in Kilkenny, or how the Other Voices festival has revitalised Dingle town through using the old church there for intimate concerts. Local music fans would get to see touring musicians on their doorstep and local musicians would finally have a place to perform. It could also be used as an art gallery for local and other artists.

Every year in Ireland 200,000 mink are caged, mistreated, gassed and skinned to service the fashion industry. Please sign this petition to show your support for the Solidarity Bill to ban this cruel and unnecessary practice. The Prohibition of Fur Farming Bill 2018 was introduced to the Dail on October 2nd 2018 by Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger. Sadly the Minister failed to attend the presentation. Mink are solitary, undomesticated animals terrified of humans (for good reason). They are semi aquatic and certainly do not choose to live their short lives in wire cages. Please sign our petition to show the minister that the people of Ireland are compassionate and do not support this unnecessary cruelty. Image (c) Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals

Over 250,000 people attend GAA matches in the north every season with countless more wanting to watch or listen to coverage on TV, radio and online. GAA is the largest spectator sport in the north yet the BBC have still made no progress or new investment to ensure equal access to Gaelic games for northern viewers and licence payers. This historic neglect of Gaelic games both at club and county level must end.

Cork City Council will soon call for public submissions for a name for the new footbridge connecting MacCurtain street to the city centre, which is scheduled for completion in April 2019. Rory Gallagher grew up in Cork City and he bought his first electric guitar from the iconic Crowley's music shop on MacCurtain street. HIs legion of fans is growing even to this day as his music is timeless and spans across the generations, inspiring young guitarists to play. Cork is a vibrant city renowned for its music and due to the significance of MacCurtain street in Rory's life and musical career, it would be very approprate to name the new bridge after Rory.

Carton Avenue is of National and International interest because of its connection to the Geraldines Its 18th Century aesthetic has remained intact since it was designed It was aesthetically designed to link Carton estate and parklands to the Town of Maynooth and 13th century Geraldine Castle

An International Boycott campaign aims to put pressure on Israel because of its racist occupation of Palestinian land and brutal treatment of the Palestinian people. This Boycott includes sport. UEFA has a commitment to anti-Racism and a tradition of promoting Fair Play. There is overwhelming evidence that the system instituted by the Israeli government against the Palestinian people meets the UN definition of Apartheid. (1) Israel doesn't do 'fair play' when it comes to soccer and Palestine. There are legitimate concerns that Israeli State Forces target Palestinian soccer players as shootings and maiming of youth players/ club players form a pattern going back over a number of years. Israel has bombed Palestinian football stadiums.(3) Lack of freedom to travel also severely restricts Palestinian soccer teams from being able to participate in the sport locally and internationally. This has even interfered with World Cup qualification.(4) The Israeli Football Association plays a role in supporting the illegal settlements which are a war crime under international law. (5) Some examples of what has happened already this year: *The Argentinean soccer team cancelled a friendly fixture with Israel. (6) *In March 2 youngsters were shot by the Israeli army in the West Bank One died. The other boy, aged 14 who was returning from football practice fortunately survived after being shot in the thigh. (8) *30th March 23-year-old football player Mohammad Khalil Obeid was shot in both knees as he filmed himself. The video, published on social media, shows the moment he was shot: standing in an isolated area, not posing any threat. He needs a knee replacement to be able to walk again. As a soccer player his life has been destroyed.(2) *This summer a Gaza children’s soccer team was unable to play in a kid’s tournament in Ireland because of travel restrictions. (7) *Large demonstrations met the Israeli soccer team in Belfast this September. (9) *Adidas withdrew its sponsorship of the Israel Football Association (10) Please, show your support for Palestinian rights and call on the FAI to stand up against apartheid and for fair play, equality and justice. thank-you, Knocknacarra Palestine Network ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (1) http://www.un.org/depts/dpa/qpal/docs/2012%20Geneva/P3%20mutaz%20qafisheh%20E.pdf (2) https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/israel-deliberate-attempts-military-kill-and-maim-gaza-protesters-continues (3) https://www.thenational.ae/opinion/a-footballing-test-for-israel-1.132370 (4) https://edition.cnn.com/2015/01/11/football/palestine-asian-cup-japan-football/index.html (5) https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/oct/13/fifa-ban-israel-settlement-football-teams (6) https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2018/0606/968505-argentina-cancel-israel-visit-for-world-cup-warm-up-tie/ (7) http://imemc.org/article/solidarity-cup-to-commence-despite-cancellation-of-gaza-kids-to-ireland-trip/ (8) http://imemc.org/article/israeli-soldiers-kill-a-young-palestinian-man-in-nablus/ (9) https://www.irishnews.com/news/2018/09/12/news/hundreds-turn-out-to-protest-at-northern-ireland-game-against-israel-1430702/ (10) https://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/BDS-Win-Adidas-No-Longer-Sponsoring-Israel-Football-Association-20180801-0009.html

Music and art are integral parts of the Irish identity and an extremely important part of our hertitage. The reputation of how we treat the land and environment will pass on to the next generation so it is important that we hold the companies who profit from these events responsible and ensure they put further measures in place.

Páirc Uí Chaoimh was built with €30m of funds from pubic money. This is a very special tribute match for the late Liam Miller - someone who represented everything thats great about sport.

Since opening in 2011 Ormston House has been the cultural heart of Limerick City. Hosting exhibitions from local and international artists, gigs, community events and more, it has provided a vital and much needed cultural space for the people of Limerick. Culture has been at the heart of Limerick City in recent years and was named City of Culture in 2014. It’s the spark that kept the city alive and bright during the bleak years of the recession. As more and more beautiful buildings became derelict, they were handed over to artists and creatives who gave what would have otherwise been an empty shell a new lease of life. But the good times are back and with that, one by one, these spaces have disappeared. Lets not let that happen to Ormston House! Since the announcement of the possible closure of Ormston House, due to the building being put up for sale by a Vulture Fund, there has been a huge outpouring of support. The Rubberbandits called on Limerick City and County Council to "Please do the right thing here" and said "Placing art and culture in a prominent position of pride, in a decent location, isn’t just good for tourism. It collectively benefits our sense of identify, self esteem and mental health." If we come together to show our support and put pressure on Limerick City and County Council and those involved in this sale, we can save Ormston House and ensure it's preserved as the amazing cultural space it currently is for years to come. Find out more about Ormston House here: http://ormstonhouse.com/

Because everyone should have a suited big name festival yet metal heads/rockers are the only people that don’t.

Dublin City Council have demanded the return of the building following an unanimous vote by elected Representatives to have the building returned to community control. Cllr Tina MacVeigh got the support of the community and all the public representatives to return this iconic building to Community Control ! This has so far not happened despite a deadline imposed on Martin Keane to return the keys by 31st Jan 2018. The businessman has held the building for over 20 years and has not delivered on his promises. The building needs to be returned to Dublin City Council so that the council and the community it serves can decide together on the future of this iconic Dublin building and how best it can serve its community! The latest that Cllr Tina MacVeigh has done is to ask the council for a public consultation to deliver a simple message to our council why we the community needs this building in community control ! This June we need to give them a simple message take the building back and let the community have a community space !

(English translation below) Tá easpa áiseanna ann do chainteoirí Gaeilge sa chathair agus in Éirinn. Ba bhréa lár-ionad a bheith ann chun an Ghaeilge, na healaíona agus ár gcultúr a chur chun cinn ar mhaithe le muintir na hÉireann agus na mílte cuairteoirí a thagann anseo de bharr ár n-oidhreachta. Is beag deis atá ag lucht labhartha na Gaeilge an teanga a úsáid tar éis dóibh an córas oideachais a fhágáil. Thabharfadh lár-ionad le café, amharclann agus seomra comhdhála, deiseanna do dhaoine Gaeilge a labhairt gan bac. Tá lár-ionaid bhreátha ag lucht na Fraince, na Gearmáine agus na Spáinne i mBaile Átha Cliath ach níl áit ar bith lárnach inar féidir le Gaeilgeoirí de chuile aois teacht le chéile. Mhaígh an rialtas go mbunófaí ionad Gaeilge agus cultúrtha i lár chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath sa Phlean Forbartha Náisiúnta 2018-2027. Seo Bliain na Gaeilge. Tacaigh linn agus iarr ar an Aire Madigan Cultúrlann a bhunú, ní i gceann deich mbliana, ach anois! There is a lack of facilities for Irish speakers in the city and in Ireland. It would be great to have a centre that would promote Irish, the arts and our culture for the people of Ireland as well as the thousands of visitors who come here because of our heritage. Irish speakers have few opportunities to use the language after they leave the education system. A Cultúrlann which would have a café, a theatre and a conference room would provide people with opportunities to speak Irish without any hindrance. The French, Germans and Spanish have lovely centres in Dublin. There is no central place where Irish speakers of all ages can come together. The government stated that a language and cultural hub in Dublin city centre would be established in the National Development Plan 2018-2027. This is Bliain na Gaeilge – the Year of the Irish Language. Support us and ask that Minister Madigan establishes an Irish language centre, not in ten years time, but now!