Woman who bought €3,000 emerald and diamond ring from bankrupt Dublin jeweller discovers it is a fake
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Irish Independent
16 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Woman who bought €3,000 emerald and diamond ring from bankrupt Dublin jeweller discovers it is a fake
A customer of a Dublin-based jeweller who has filed for bankruptcy is 'disappointed but not surprised' to learn that a €3,000 emerald and diamond ring she purchased contains fake gemstones.
Irish Examiner
21 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
'Warner Brothers and Disney reach out to us': Meet the man who recreates famous Hollywood props
From the gun that killed Batman's mum and dad to the talking car in Knight Rider, Matt Hodge has dedicated his life to recreating some of Hollywood's most famous props. But the man behind Dublin-based group Reel Icons knows that with great power comes great responsibility. Since founding the organisation in 2018, he has travelled with his costumes and props to hospitals, hospices and charity events nationwide. Sara and Matt Hodge in the Reel Icons Ireland workshop. Since founding the organisation in 2018, Matt has travelled with his costumes and props to hospitals, hospices and charity events nationwide. Photo: Moya Nolan He does so free of charge and often under the radar. The idea is to replicate, not just the costumes and props of their favourite superheroes, but their propensity to help others as well. The team's approach, Matt tells the Irish Examiner, differs from cosplay in that costumes are almost indistinguishable from the original pieces used in the referenced films and television programmes. Reel Icons came about as a division of the 501st legion Ireland which creates and showcases screen-accurate Star Wars costumes. It now operates independently and has 25 members, six of whom are children. The group impersonates superheroes as well as other film and television favourites with the exception of Star Wars characters. Matt has gone to epic lengths to bring movies to life, even conjuring up mobile film sets to showcase at events. After his equipment and tools crept into his kitchen and living room, he relocated operations to a workshop in Rathcoole. The rented space is a cornucopia for artists with an array of tools and equipment including 3D printers, laser engravers as well as the traditional saws and hammers. Matt and Sara Hodge with their children. 'Sara wasn't sure about the costume thing at first but now she dresses up as Supergirl. The reaction she gets from little girls, who up to now, only met with princesses, is always lovely.' Photo: Moya Nolan 'We were able to recreate the whole Gotham Police Department from scratch right down to the mini television next to Commissioner Gordon's desk that plays Gotham news in the background," he said. "If you listen closely you will hear all about the stock market as well as crime news about The Joker. Reel icon members helped to make this as accurate as possible. "Holly even created suspect files, and scrutinised every part of what was written in them so that it's completely true to the movies. They work hard to make sure that whatever they have on display is exactly what people see on screen. "There's a replica of the gun that The Joker used in the bank robbery in the Dark Knight. We have Kryptonite being held as evidence in a bag. There's a cell where you can go and have your mug shot taken. "Movie fans can also see the string of pearls that came off Batman's mother's neck when she was killed and the gun that was used to shoot both parents.' Attention to detail has always been paramount for Matt. Matt Hodge: 'There is a difference between cosplay and professional costuming. With cosplay you can change it up and do whatever makes you happy.' Photo: Moya Nolan 'There is a difference between cosplay and professional costuming. With cosplay you can change it up and do whatever makes you happy. We get invited to attend events because of our professionalism and accuracy. "The club has a system that scrutinises the costumes. If someone makes a costume that is not up to a certain standard we will support them in pushing it to the next level and making it as accurate as possible." He says if people want to come and use their costume for good then the troupe has a lot of platforms they can operate on. "Sometimes the people who are responsible for the intellectual property such as the likes of Warner Brothers and Disney reach out to us because we are good at what we do. They will ask us to do the red carpets with them. "Last year we did Alien: Romulus and that was a great experience. We don't get paid for these events because the films are not our intellectual property but we are always very happy to do them.' The most rewarding aspect of Matt's volunteering is his visits to seriously ill children. 'We don't do birthday parties unless they are for Little Blue Heroes or LauraLynn, Ireland's Children's Hospice," he said. "Dressing up for Halloween is one thing but doing it to help a child is another. Parents often ask Spiderman to come in to visit their child who won't see the end of the week. When you enter the room and a child sits up who hasn't sat up in a week, then our work is complete. "Other children might not have spoken a word in days but are able to gather the strength to talk to their favourite superhero.' Modified cars also form part of Matt's coveted collection. 'I don't want to say how much I spent creating the car from Knight Rider but it was a lot. By trade I'm an auto electrician for cars and I've created sound systems for them in the past. "The car has everything down to the voice. Unfortunately, it's off the road at the moment but I'm hoping to get this sorted soon. "I also have the Jurassic Park jeep and the SHIELD SUV similar to the ones we see used in Marvel's Agents of SHIELD. When you are driving these vehicles on Irish roads everyone stops to look.' Matt's talent was evident from an early age. Matt and Sara Hodge with their children Matthew, Leroy, and Laila. 'Parents often ask Spiderman to come in to visit their child who won't see the end of the week. When you enter the room and a child sits up who hasn't sat up in a week, then our work is complete.' Photo: Moya Nolan 'Looking back, I was a sucker for watching cartoons. We had the best cartoons you have ever seen when I was a child. There were no agendas. These were old-fashioned cartoons with stories to tell and with a sense of adventure. "Like any young boy growing up I wanted to be a teenage mutant ninja turtle. I was always crafting and making my own toys. If something needed repairing, I never saw it as broken. Instead, I viewed it as an opportunity to be modified." He says "back then" they played with toys properly. Laila Hodge in the Reel Icons Ireland workshop. Photo: Moya Nolan "We made sure we all had different toys because this made more sense for us when we were playing together," he said. "When I got into costume on a grander scale I would repurpose things around the house. "I could be in the kitchen or the garage and spot something with the potential to be repurposed. As I got older I might be in Woodies and see something that would make a great plasma cannon.' Matt shares three children with his wife Sara, Laila (7), Leroy (10) and Matthew (13) 'They've all got on board for it,' he told the Irish Examiner. 'Sara wasn't sure about the costume thing at first but now she dresses up as Supergirl. The reaction she gets from little girls, who up to now, only met with princesses, is always lovely. Supergirl is a beacon of hope for any little girl.' Read More Watch: Tipperary taxidermist wants to save art form in danger of dying
Sunday World
a day ago
- Sunday World
Sacked car wash worker stabbed his ex-employer while attempting to break into his home
George Toma (47) pleads guilty to stabbing Mircea Maties and and his nephew Darius Maties in Co. Roscommon. A sacked car wash worker stabbed his former employer and his nephew after attempting to enter their home through an upstairs window, Roscommon Circuit Court has heard. George Toma of no fixed abode pleaded guilty to trespassing with a knife, burglary, production of an article capable of inflicting serious injury, and assault causing harm to Mircea Maties and Darius Maties. The court heard that Toma was having financial issues in his native Romania when he was hired by Mircea Maties to work at his car wash business in Brackernagh, Ballinasloe, Co Galway. He was initially housed in an apartment with another employee and began working at Crystal Clean Car Wash. He received a €1,000 loan to help his financial situation, which he paid back in €100 deductions from his weekly wages. On December 10, 2024, Mercia Maties terminated Toma's employment after becoming suspicious that Toma was stealing from the business while he was away. Mr Maties said that the number of cars being washed did not correspond with the records kept on the premises and that the CCTV had been turned off. Later that day at 7.20pm Toma broke the lock and gained access to the premises and slept the night there. Toma charged his phone overnight before leaving at 7am the following morning with a knife he took from the premises. Roscommon Courthouse Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 5th On December 15, Toma gained access to 9 Gleann Ard, Ballaghaderreen - a property maintained and managed by Mr Mercia Maties for a Dublin-based company - and took a two-metre ladder from the premises. At approximately 4am that morning, the 47-year-old used the ladder to climb up to an upstairs window of Mercia Maties' home at 7 Gleann Ard, Ballaghaderreen. Darius Maties, a nephew of Mercia Maties, woke to the sound of Toma attempting to pry open the window. Mercia Maties, his wife and seven-year-old daughter were also in the house at the time. Recognising Toma, Darius Maties screamed and told his uncle that Toma was outside his bedroom window. Mercia Maties went downstairs and retrieved a baseball bat as Toma attempted to enter through the window. Upon seeing Toma, Mercia Maties shouted at Toma, who fell off the ladder and landed on the ground in front of the patio window. Mercia Maties went downstairs and saw Toma moaning on the ground and went to check on him. Toma then drove a knife at Mercia Maties, stabbing him in the chest through his t-shirt. He told his nephew to get back into the house before Toma attempted to enter the house via the patio door. Toma managed to get part of his body inside the patio door and began swinging the knife. Darius Maties was stabbed in the shoulder during the exchange before they forced Toma out of the room. Toma then left the scene. Merica Maties' wife called the emergency services and both men were conveyed to hospital via ambulance. Merica Maties required stitches for his wounds while Darius Maties was left with a minor scar at the top of his arm. They were released from hospital the following day. When cautioned before being arrested at Pound Street, Ballaghaderreen, at approximately 8pm that evening, Toma said: 'Problem with boss, no money for me.' He was conveyed to Castlerea Garda Station where he was interviewed twice. He cooperated fully with gardaí. During his interview, Toma claimed he had gone to the house to retrieve €10 of stolen jewellery and cash he claimed he was owed by Mercia Maties. He maintained that Mercia Maties had exploited him during his employment and that he stabbed him accidentally on the night he attempted to enter his house. Toma later pleaded guilty to all charges on June 18, 2025. He has no previous convictions and had been living in Ireland for approximately six months at the time of his offences. The court heard that Toma has a wife and child living in Romania and had been sending money to them while employed by Mercia Maties. In a victim impact statement read to the court, Mercia Maties said he lived in constant fear that his attacker would return to the house since the event. A separate victim impact statement from his wife heard that she had been diagnosed with post traumatic stressed disorder since the incident. Darius Maties said he had experienced persistent fear anxiety and difficulty sleeping since the incident. He has been prescribed diazepam to treat his stress and has experienced memory lapses and had difficulty concentrating. Defending barrister Mr Rob Lowe, BL, said his client was the father of an eight-year-old child with a good work ethic and said he intended to return to Romania. Judge Kenneth Connolly remanded Toma in custody to appear before Longford District Court on July 30 for sentencing.
