I’m 26 years old and I can’t drive.  I have applied for a Public Services Card, attended an appointment with all my documents in tow, waited for the card to arrive in the post, applied for the driver theory test, waited weeks for a slot, studied for the test, and passed. I have paid to get an eye […]

8 years ago

Ireland got a fierce battering from Storm Eleanor today and yesterday, and Galway is still struggling to deal with major flooding.  Take a look what the city centre was like last night…  Flooding ‘back the West’ in Galway City. #stormeleanor pic.twitter.com/4OBBF7Cb2e — Enda Cunningham (@endacunningham) January 2, 2018 Well, all the chaos didn’t stop punters at […]

8 years ago

We all know the scéal – it’s 7pm, we’ve just got home from work and we’ve forgotten to defrost the mince meat for dinner.  Rather than heading all the way to the shops, we usually just stick the packet in the microwave and turn on the “defrost” setting.  But according to Professor Costas Stathopoulos from Abertay University in Dundee, we could be putting […]

8 years ago

Christmas is barely cold in its grave but Easter eggs have already been spotted on the shelves in Tesco.  The humble Creme Egg has made a return too – but this time it’s different.  Cadbury’s has released a limited edition white chocolate version, disguised as the regular Creme Eggs we know and love.  If you’re lucky enough to […]

8 years ago

Storm Eleanor may have been at its worst last night, but we’re not out of the woods yet.  Met Eireann has extended its status orange wind warning for Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo, Clare, Cork, Kerry and Limerick until 2pm today.  With fallen trees blocking paths, major flooding and coastal damage, lots of people on […]

8 years ago

A man was stabbed to death in Dundalk, Co Louth shortly before 9am this morning.  He was pronounced dead at the scene.  A number of other people were also hurt in the incident but the extent of their injuries is unknown.  There are currently three scenes preserved for technical examination, at Avenue Road, Inner Relief Road and […]

8 years ago

A Ryanair passenger was arrested on Monday after forcing his way out of the emergency exit of a plane and sitting on the wing.  The man, a 57-year-old Polish national, reportedly got annoyed after his flight departure was delayed by almost an hour at Stansted Airport.  When the plane arrived in Malaga, passengers were left […]

8 years ago

Storm Eleanor is here and she is creating chaos across the country, but it’s especially bad in Galway, as these videos show.  Some streets in the city are completely flooded with The Lough Atalia Road, Dock Road, Eglington Street, Dominick Street and Flood Street all impassable.  Flooding ‘back the West’ in Galway City. #stormeleanor pic.twitter.com/4OBBF7Cb2e — Enda […]

8 years ago

Ok, so we just started back at work today, but that doesn’t mean we can’t already be daydreaming about our next holiday, right? We just spotted this adorbable thatched cottage on Airbnb, and we’re totally in love. Opposite the Kings River in the village of Kells, Co Kilkenny, the lovingly restored home boasts a cosy […]

8 years ago

Storm Eleanor is raging across the country and causing flooding in various areas including Galway and Cork.  The heavy rainfall and high wind speeds have also led to power outages, and the ESB has warned customers to charge their phones and tablets in case of an emergency.  Power supply has been interrupted in Donegal, Mayo […]

8 years ago

January is here and we’re not feeling too proud of the amount we ate and drank over the past few weeks.  Thankfully there is a solution if you don’t fancy going on a diet or temporarily giving up drink – healthy wine!  Scientists at the National University of Singapore have produced a new tofu-based wine packed […]

8 years ago

Storm Eleanor has arrived in Ireland and is set to reach its peak between 4pm and 9pm today.  Met Eireann has already issued several weather warnings, but its latest one focuses on Galway, Mayo, Clare, Cork and Kerry.  Sent out at 2pm, the level orange alert warns of “westerly winds of mean speeds of 65 […]

8 years ago

We’re right in the middle of that weird stretch between St. Stephen’s Day and New Year’s Eve, and your family is probably starting to get on your nerves.  If you fancy a retreat from the madness, might we suggest this lovely Airbnb in the Galtee mountains.  The quirky yurt has a wood-burning stove to keep […]

8 years ago

Choosing a name for your new baby is a pretty huge and nerve-racking decision.  If you’re looking for something unique, you might want to avoid the names below, because Mother & Baby has predicted they’re going to be very popular next year.  Top names for girls 1. Amelia 2. Emily 3. Olivia 4. Ella 5. Ava 6. […]

8 years ago

Saoirse Ronan and Daniel Day-Lewis are both hotly tipped to be nominated for Academy Awards in 2018.  Variety magazine has predicted Ronan will be given the nod for her role in Lady Bird and Day-Lewis for his part in Phantom Thread. The Hollywood mag thinks Ronan’s name will appear in the Best Actress category alongside Margot Robbie, Meryl […]

8 years ago

Christmas is just a few short days away and Irish people all over the world are heading home to be with their families.  Sadly for flight attendant Molly Blennerhassett, that won’t be possible, so her mam did the sweetest thing ever.  She made her daughter an entire Christmas dinner to bring on her flight back […]

8 years ago

Ah, Stephen’s night. The one time a year when pretty much everyone is home in the town where they grew up, and they’ve nothing else to do but get absolutely banjoed. You might be tempted to stay in, but there’s no way you’re missing the social event of the year – and all the awkward […]

8 years ago

Three deer from a kids’ Santa experience are believed to have been shot and stolen by poachers in Wicklow.  The deer were part of the Santa’s Journey event at Djouce Golf Club in Roundwood.  Last weekend a member of staff from the golf club went to the enclosed pen the deer were kept in to discover they […]

8 years ago

A man’s body was found in a public toilet in Cork city centre early this morning.  He was discovered in the facility on the Grand Parade during routine cleaning inspections.  Emergency services were called and he was pronounced dead at the scene.  Gardai sealed off the area for forensic examination and a post mortem will be […]

8 years ago

It’s the same every year. There’s a huge build-up to Christmas, it lasts a single day and then people fly out the door to go shopping first thing on Stephen’s Day.  Sure, there are some great bargains out there, but is nabbing a half-price handbag really more important than spending time with your family? I feel for retail workers, who […]

8 years ago

Have you ever noticed that there are a lot of birthdays at the end of summer and start of autumn?  That’s because so many babies get conceived around Christmas, and there are a host of reasons for that.  First of all, people have more free time and are drinking more, which can lead to friskiness and […]

8 years ago

Christmas Day Mass is a special event.  Everyone from the town is there, dressed to impress, and ready to gossip.  Here are 9 things that happen every time… 1. The style is on point Everyone is excited to show off their fancy Christmas outfits, and going up for communion is like taking part in a […]

8 years ago

After a tough day at work, going to the gym is usually the last thing on our minds.  All we want to do when we get home is run a hot bath, light some candles and relax.  Well guess what? Now we can do just that without feeling guilty, because a new study has revealed that […]

8 years ago

Mulled wine is probably the ultimate festive drink, but it’s so often a disappointment.  We’ve been served everything from lukewarm to (*gasp*) non-alcoholic tipples over the years – so we compared mulled wine recipes from across the internet and chose our favourite.  GBBO presenter Mary Berry seems like a pretty trustworthy source, so we recommend checking out […]

8 years ago

Picture the scene. It’s St Stephen’s Day and time to make some turkey and stuffing sandwiches…But everyone wants a different kind of bread.  Enter the Brennan’s Bread Selection Box, which features everything from the traditional white batch to chia wholegrain.  The Dublin-based bread company posted about their new product on Facebook a few days ago, and […]

8 years ago

The worst passwords of 2017 have been revealed, and there are some real humdingers on the list.  Using data from up to 5 million leaked passwords in the USA and Europe, password management provider SplashData published these results yesterday.  Unsurprisingly, “123456” and “Password” are in first and second place, with “12345678” coming in third.  People’s […]

8 years ago

The number of homeless people in Ireland has reached an all-time high, shooting up by 350 people in the month of November.  The latest figures show that as of last month, 3,333 children are now without homes with 1,530 families staying in hotels and over 5,500 adults in emergency accommodation.  That means that more than […]

8 years ago

Last year RTE released a miniseries called Rebellion to mark the centenary of the 1916 Rising.  It was widely watched here and got sold on to Netflix, where it is apparently available almost everywhere in the world – apart from Ireland.  You can no longer watch episodes on the RTE Player, either.  Discussion is ongoing about this […]

8 years ago

Christmas is just a week away and we’re in the midst of prime party season, but sometimes we’re just not in the mood – and we’re not alone.  According to a recent survey by Deliveroo, more than 70% of people prefer a quiet night in to going on the tear.  Having to spend money, see […]

8 years ago

Great news for anyone travelling home for Christmas – Ryanair pilots have suspended their upcoming strike.  Industrial action had been due to take place on Wednesday, affecting flights to and from Dublin, Cork and Shannon.  The announcement about the strike was made last night by the Impact trade union, which said it had called it […]

8 years ago

A Status Orange weather warning was issued for the whole country last night, applying from this morning until midnight tonight.  “Dense fog may linger in some parts of the country through much of Monday giving rise to poor visibility and hazardous driving conditions,” said Met Eireann. Munster, Connaught and the midlands are the worst affected […]

8 years ago

Christmas is quickly creeping up and some of us are worrying about squeezing into our party outfits.  But according to a new study carried out by Forza Supplements, a lack of shut-eye could be getting in the way of our diets. In a survey of 1,000 people, three-quarters of dieters with regular sleep patterns found it easier […]

8 years ago

Galway is set to get four brand new hotels and six hotel extensions over the next few years.  If everything goes according to plan, more than 600 new hotel rooms will be coming to the city from 2020 onwards, increasing supply by 20%.  Most of the development will be in central locations, according to a […]

8 years ago

The most common jobs in Ireland have been revealed, and sales and retail workers are miles ahead of the pack.  According to the latest report from the Central Statistics Office on the 2016 Census, there are 90,746 sales and retail assistants, cashiers and checkout operators in the country.  The second most common occupation here is farming, […]

8 years ago

A few months ago, a YouTuber called Korean Billy made headlines after he shared a video teaching his followers how to speak Dublinese.  Now he’s released a Belfast version and people are loving it.  He covers everything from “What about ye?” to “scundered”, and makes a stab at the accent too.  Some people in the comments are […]

8 years ago

Carroll’s pub in Galway were left scratching their heads this week when a bollard was stolen from outside the venue.  On reviewing the CCTV footage, they saw that it had been wrenched from the ground by a super-strong woman.  They posted the video on Facebook in a bid to find the “Iron Lady”.  “Can someone please […]

8 years ago

Having a cup of tea at work is great. It warms you up when it’s chilly outside, and it’s the perfect excuse to grab a sneaky break away from your desk.  Sadly, your afternoon cuppa might never be the same again after you read these disgusting revelations.  Scientists have discovered that office teabags can carry […]

8 years ago

Brussels sprouts get a bad rap. They only really get an outing once a year, but even then they don’t get given much of a chance.  The poor veggies are often rejected, pushed to the side of the plate on Christmas Day while everything else is devoured.  But why do people hate sprouts so much?  Cosmo UK decided […]

8 years ago

References to alcohol are hard to avoid in Ireland, but we really think this Garda could have made more of an effort.  On Claire Byrne Live last night, a Garda was spotted writing out a drink-driving summons – with a Guinness pen.  #RTEInvestigates programme tonight re drink driving shows An Garda Siochana doing breath test using […]

8 years ago

Christmas is less than two weeks away, and many of us will have already put up and decorated our trees.  For one Cork grandmother, yesterday was decorating day – but there was just a slight problem.  What she had thought were pretty purple baubles from Dunnes Stores were actually glittery G-strings in a plastic shell.  The […]

8 years ago

Met Eireann has issued yet another warning as wintry weather looks set to continue across the country. A Status Yellow snow-ice warning for all of Ireland will come into effect tomorrow morning at 11am and last until Thursday at 8pm.  “Widespread heavy and thundery showers during Wednesday and Thursday will produce hail, sleet and snow at […]

8 years ago

Christmas is just around the corner, and many of us have someone in mind for a sneaky shift under the mistletoe.  Not everyone’s fantasies are all that realistic, though – 13% of us dream of lobbing the gob at Bressie, while 11% see ourselves smooching Sharon Ní Bheoláin.  Other top picks include Saoirse Ronan (10%), […]

8 years ago

2017 is almost over and it’s time to turn over a brand new (kale) leaf.  Based on what we’re clicking and viewing, Pinterest has put together a list of predictions for the biggest food trends next year.  Looks like avocados are set to lose their place at the top and be replaced by some unusual […]

8 years ago

Not everyone is a fan of hard-boiled eggs, but did you know they could actually be dangerous?  Scientists decided to carry out a series of experiments after a man in the US allegedly suffered severe burns and hearing damage when an microwaved egg exploded in his mouth.  For the experiments, hard-boiled eggs were heated in a […]

8 years ago

If you’ve been on social media over the past few days, you’ve probably seen Sky News presenter Adam Boulton’s viral interview with Tánaiste Simon Coveney.  The reporter has been receiving harsh criticism for his rude and condescending tone after asking Coveney whether he felt “guilty” about Ireland’s approach to Brexit negotiations.  He’s not the first British public figure […]

8 years ago

Sky News presenter Adam Boulton has said that Irish people need to “get over themselves” after an interview he carried out with Tánaiste Simon Coveney was met with widespread criticism.  Boulton was slated for his rude and condescending tone after he asked Coveney whether he felt “guilty” about Ireland’s approach to Brexit negotiations.  “Do you think that this week’s […]

8 years ago

Met Eireann has issued two more weather warnings as snow continues to fall across Ireland.  A Status Orange snow-ice warning is now in place for the entire country.  “Extremely low temperatures tonight with severe frost, ice and lying snow,” said the forecaster.  “Lowest temperatures of -2 to -8 degrees, coldest in east Connacht, Leinster and Ulster.  “Slippery […]

8 years ago

Parts of Ireland woke up to a thick blanket of snow this morning, and it’s still falling in several places including Mayo and Galway. Many people have taken to social media to post pictures of the winter wonderland around them.  Check out the snaps below.  Snow is widespread all over Ireland #jamesjoyce #mayo pic.twitter.com/Xi2aEAHf3Y — […]

8 years ago

The English language can be tricky. It’s full of really weird phrases you’ve never seen written down but may have heard – or misheard, as the case may be. Sometimes it’s just too awkward to correct someone who thinks they have a ‘tongue and cheek’ sense of humour and everyone is on ‘tender hooks’ whenever […]

8 years ago

When it comes to Christmas drinks, Prosecco is at the top of our list.  It’s not as expensive as champagne but it still feels fancy, and it’s absolutely delish.  But have you ever noticed that supermarket shelves are often horrifyingly empty when you go to buy some over the festive season? Sainsbury’s in the UK have […]

8 years ago