Latest news with #Aoife
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Olympian Aoife O'Rourke: ‘Representing Ireland in the boxing with my sister is incredible'
Aoife (28) and her sister Lisa (23) – who is also a boxer and the 2022 World Championship light middleweight gold medallist – recently came back from the IBA Women's World Boxing Championships in Serbia, both with silver medals. 'Doing it with Lisa was incredible,' Aoife said. 'It was definitely one of the highlights of my career so far, getting to bring home two silver medals to Castlerea and the community in Roscommon.' 'It was an amazing trip overall, with all the tough fights from the very start of the championship. That's to be expected at that level; there's no easy fights.' Aoife – a four-time European champion and two-time Olympian – said it was great to have her sibling by her side. 'We're getting to see the world together. We're getting to represent our community, our town, county and Ireland on the biggest stages in boxing, and to be doing that with a sister is absolutely incredible,' she said. 'There's not too many people that can say that they've done that. We're there for each other. We're roommates when we're away. We support each other.' The boxer is proud of her performance in the Olympics, and of her European titles. 'They're all highlights ... getting the opportunity to go to these places, different countries, and experience all that I have. 'I don't think there's a standout moment, but winning that silver medal [in Serbia] was definitely up there – one of my proudest moments. And doing it with Lisa made that trip extra special. 'Getting the opportunity to [be a full-time athlete] is incredible. I'm very, very honoured and grateful to get to do what I do.' It's not all about boxing for the O'Rourke sisters though. Last month, they secured a world doubles title in Hyrox, the fitness competition. Aoife said winning a world title in a sport other than boxing 'wasn't a plan at all'. 'We went out there to have fun... and next thing we knew, we were the first double back to the wall balls [the final segment of the contest], and ran up the ramp,' she said. 'And then, a few moments later, we found out that we're the fastest and that we're a champion. So that was really special.' She said they got the opportunity to compete at the Hyrox World Championships in Chicago last month because of 'their local support at home'. 'It's an expensive trip, and we're just so grateful that we had people at home that sponsored us and looked after us. Only for them, we probably wouldn't have made the trip,' she said. 'It all comes back to your community and the people that you have surrounding you, supporting you on your journey and trying to make your dreams come true.'
The Irish Sun
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
‘Insanely beautiful', gush fans as Una Healy shares glam snaps after jetting over to Nashville
UNA Healy has left fans gushing after she shared a series of glam snaps from her latest holiday. The Tipperary beauty has jetted off to Nashville for a well-deserved break away. 2 Una has jetted off to Nashville Credit: Instagram 2 The Irish star posed for a 'stunning' snap Credit: unahealy/Instagram The mum-of-two looked fabulous as she posed for a quick mirror selfie wearing a black strappy dress that had a puffed skirt. The singer wore her hair in a slicked-back style and accessorised with a standout blue necklace. She completed her look with a black handbag and wore a pair of black sandals. read more on una healy Una also looked glam as ever as she posed for a picture while wandering the streets of Nashville. Fans and friends flocked to the comment section to share their love for her post. One fan wrote: "Still to this day, you are absolutely beautiful." Adam said: "Stunning as ever Una." Most read in The Irish Sun Gary commented: "So insanely beautiful." Another added: "Looking gorgeous." Una Healy opens up on Saturdays reunion Una recently shared a The former Saturday's singer is mum to her two kids Aoife Belle and Tadhg, who she shares with her ex The Tipperary native and her 13-year-old daughter, Aoife, joined the crowds at 'TWINS' The 43-year-old and her lookalike daughter posed for a quick selfie in the car on their way to the gig. The duo looked the part in their white graphic tees with purple details, which is Olivia's signature colour. Una opted for a natural makeup look while Aoife styled her hair with decorative embellishments and completed her outfit with face gems. The mum-of-two captioned her post: "Great day out @oliviarodrigo." Fans and friends were all left saying the same thing as they flocked to the comment section to share their love.
Metro
12-07-2025
- General
- Metro
'I watched my classmate tear down my Pride poster - so I made an LGBTQ+ club'
Last September, Aoife watched as one of her fellow pupils tore down LGBTQ+ Pride poster she had designed. As an 11-year-old in south east London, Aoife has, thankfully, never had any encounters with homophobia. Yet, as a Year Seven student at the Addey and Stanhope School in Lewisham, Aoife had heard her classmates use 'gay' and 'lesbian' as insults. But rather than let it put her off – she became defiant. 'I thought,' Aoife told Metro, 'if you're pulling that one down, I'll put 10 more up.' Her time at school isn't unique – or new – in the UK. More than nine in 10 LGBTQ+ youngsters have overheard negative language about their identities, according to the queer young people charity, Just Like Us. Such language, and whether the school openly supports queer students, can make a big difference on their mental health. While 74% of queer pupils have contemplated suicide, 65% have done so in schools that provide strong, supportive messaging about being LGBTQ+. With thousands of members from all over the world, our vibrant LGBTQ+ WhatsApp channel is a hub for all the latest news and important issues that face the LGBTQ+ community. Simply click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! Don't forget to turn on notifications! Aoife, who enrolled in September, knew what she had to do to prevent further incidents in the future: she made an LGBTQ+ after-school club. Since launching it in January, the club now boasts 15 members who meet at 3pm each week to do queer quizzes, arts and crafts, run activities using Just Like Us' Pride Groups resources or just sit back and chat with people who understand what it means to be young and queer. 'If you fight fire with fire, the world goes up in flames,' Aoife said. 'This club means so much to me.' She said the group is like a 'little family' to her now and her mum, who asked not to be named, said how proud she was of her. 'It's a big thing to do yourself, and mostly kids don't run the groups, the adults do,' her mother told Metro. 'But we talked about it more, and that wouldn't be the same. She wanted something peer-led; she wanted it to be her peer group. 'She didn't just want a teacher telling them, she wanted it to come from the pupils.' Jan Shapiro, headteacher at Addey and Stanhope School, said that Aoife wrote to her about setting up the group in October. 'Can you think of a plan?' Jan replied. 'Here's the strategy,' Aoife replied. She then spent months building interest and speaking at assemblies about the club. 'She's really… I want to say brave, but it's not that, it's completely authentic. I think that's remarkable,' Jan told Metro. 'She's a real, proper change-maker who absolutely, fundamentally understands equality and what that looks like, and that's what it's really about.' During School Diversity Week last month, Aoife was given Just Like Us' national Student Leader of the Year award by TV presenter Dr Ronx Ikharia. 'I feel a little bit shocked [to have won the award] because it's quite a small Pride group, but I think it's quality over quantity,' Aoife said. But her teachers aren't surprised. 'Not only is she incredibly bright, charming and enthusiastic, Aoife is also humble and goes out of her way every single day to show her peers and our entire school community that she cares about them,' assistant headteacher Joey Glover said. 'Aoife has the determination it takes to change the world – and she will.' Many of the students in Aoife's club grew up in an era of LGBTQ+ rights in Britain, where marriage equality was legalised and Tom Daley, an openly gay swimmer, represented the nation in the 2012 Olympics. At the time, the UK was one of the most progressive countries in Europe when it came to LGBTQ+ rights, ranked number one out of 49 nations. But after losing the top spot on the Rainbow Map, compiled by the international rights group ILGA-Europe, in 2016, Britain has quickly tumbled down the chart. As of this year, the UK is 22nd. A lack of a conversion therapy ban, mistreatment of queer refugees and trans rights being increasingly restricted are among the reasons cited for the UK's downfall. More Trending LGBTQ+ teenagers have also watched as anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes spiral in the streets, and queer people aren't fairing any better across the pond, with trans young people being made public enemy number one by some US state legislators. For Aoife, her Pride club is an escape from this. The future for many LGBTQ+ people her age can seem uncertain, but inside the classroom, there's hope. 'Being kind is one of the most important and meaningful things a person can be – to ourselves and to others,' Aoife said. 'Hatred towards others or ourselves is only ever destructive.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: The terrifying case of the 'crossbow cannibal' who idolised Peter Sutcliffe MORE: Huge fire rips through warehouse with smoke seen for miles across south London MORE: What I Own: We bought our £500,000 Woolwich two-bed before 30 — we saved for two years
Irish Daily Mirror
01-07-2025
- Climate
- Irish Daily Mirror
Irish will consider moving home if above 40C temperatures continue in Europe
Irish people living in Southern Europe say they will consider moving home if temperatures continue to rise every year. Warnings have been issued in Italy, Greece, France, Spain, and Portugal as some areas have seen sweltering conditions above 40C. Hot air from North Africa has contributed to the soaring temperatures, as such high degrees aren't usually seen until later in the summer season. In Spain, emergency staff have been placed on standby to deal with heat stroke patients, especially among kids and the elderly. Dubliner Aoife Willet, who lives an hour south of Lisbon, has been having sleepless nights because her apartment, like many rentals in Portugal, doesn't have air conditioning. Temperatures reached 38C in Setabul, where she is living, but Aoife said it feels like it's over 40C. She told the Irish Mirror: 'It feels really hot, there must be a wind coming from Africa or something. Even when the sun was going in there was a really hot wind. 'The temperature increased out of nowhere, Just a few days ago it was 29C. It has been really tough, trying to sleep at night is hard. The problem here is that at night the temperature decreases but the apartments are badly insulated so you have all the heat from during the day. 'I was out until midnight and there was a nice breeze but when I came home my house was absolutely roasting. The houses aren't built for this heat, there are only two months a year when the apartments are at a good temperature.' The 28-year-old said if the temperatures continue to get hotter every year and it becomes unbearable, she would consider moving home to Ireland. She said: 'If it continues to get hotter and hotter a cooler climate like Ireland is something to consider. 'That is one of the reasons I left Ireland but with how the weather is getting in some of Europe, this intense heat, somewhere with a cooler climate might be better in some ways.' John Fahy, who has been living in Valencia, Spain, for 27 years said he never had his underwear stick to him like he did on Monday morning. The Dubliner said it has gotten exponentially hotter in the past three decades, and it's having a massive impact on wildlife. He said: 'We used to have four months of winter, on Halloween night it would be cold and now it's never cold. 'My first Halloween here I was waiting outside an Irish bar wearing a scarf, gloves and a hat. Here in the mountains we used to see snakes all the time and I haven't seen a snake in eight years probably. The toads are gone, there's usually a water pond here all year round and it's dried out. 'It will get worse in July and August, this is the first heatwave and more will come. Last year my car reached 50C one day, now it's 42C.' Rose Martin, who is the owner of Rose Irish Bar in Torrevieja, Spain, said the intense heat changes customer habits. She said: 'It's hot, very hot and very humid. If it's very hot people will come out for breakfast and then they won't come out until the night time, so it does affect business. There's no one walking down the streets midday, they are all in the house with the aircon on. 'You have to have the aircon in the bar or else you wouldn't get the people in. It's draining, I'm really tired, I have to make sure I drink enough water throughout the day. 'It's 38C today, people aren't walking their dogs, so for animals in this heat it's really difficult.' The Kildare native has been living in Spain for three years, but said she will move back to Ireland in the future. She said: 'A Place in the Sun sells this ideology but they don't tell you about the intense heat and it's not safe to go out in the afternoon, the cockroaches and the squatters and thieving. 'I like it but it's not forever, we will definitely be moving back to Ireland, it's getting too hot.'
Irish Daily Mirror
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Tributes paid to mum-of-three who 'made the world better simply by being in it'
Heartbreaking tributes have poured in for a young mum-of-three from Co Leitrim who "touched countless lives and gave so much love to every person she encountered". Aoife Treacy, originally from Abbeylara in Co Longford but recently of Tirmactiernan in Leitrim Village, passed away on Tuesday at Sligo University Hospital surrounded by her loving family. A death notice shared by her loved ones on states that Aoife "will be sadly missed by her heartbroken husband Brian, and adored children Evan, Farah and Fíachra." Aoife has been remembered as the "cherished daughter of Geraldine and Frank, loving sister to Celine and Philip, nieces Arleine, Leah, Isla, Amelie and Sophia, nephew Jack mother-in-law Maureen, father-in-law Michael, brother-in-law Eunan and his wife Jacqui, sister-in-law Nolene and her husband Emmet, aunts, uncles, cousins, relatives, neighbours and a wide circle of friends." The young mum-of-three was a hugely popular figure in the community and was heavily involved with the local GAA club Leitrim Gaels. The club have paid an emotional tribute to Aoife following her untimely passing as they hailed the Longford native for making "such a positive impact on our club and on the community". "Leitrim Gaels GAA Club are deeply, deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Aoife Treacy (nee Malone)," the club said in a statement shared on social media. "On behalf of the extended Leitrim Gaels community, we would like to offer our sincere sympathies to Brian, Evan, Fiachra and Farah, to Aoife's parents Geraldine and Frank, sister Celine and brother Philip, to Aoife's parents in law Maureen and Michael and to Eunan, Jacqui, Nolene, Emmet and the extended Treacy and Malone families along with Aoife's wide circle of friends. "Since Aoife moved to the village, she has had such a positive impact on our club and on the community. She was always there with a helping hand, from lining out for the first ever Gaels ladies team to helping organise the Quid Game fundraiser held in late 2023. "Aoife was one of the supporters you'd be sure to see at every match cheering on her friends and family. Aoife's positive demeanour was infectious - she always had a smile on her face and a warm welcome for everyone. She will be missed sorely by all those who were lucky enough to have known her. "Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam dilís." Aoife's death has left her family, friends and neighbours devastated, with the young mum remembered as "a person whose presence made you feel like anything was possible" in heartbreaking tributes shared online. A former colleague of Aoife's said: "Deepest sympathy to the Malone and Treacy families on the sad passing of beautiful Aoife. I had the absolute pleasure of meeting Aoife on my first day of a new job last year when her contagious laugh and bright smile immediately put me at ease. "Warm, welcoming and incredibly funny, Aoife made every day bright and I looked forward to seeing her every morning at the school gate. Rarely we meet people like Aoife and I am just glad that I did. Rest in Peace Aoife, we will all miss you greatly." A close pal said: "I was so sad to hear about the passing of Aoife. I first met Aoife whilst in Australia through mutual friends, Aoife was someone you would want to be around with her effervescent bubbly ways, & was always up for a laugh & was so much fun. "The times we crossed paths since we both came home it was always met with a big smile, a great chat & friendly banter, someone I loved to bump into out & about. To her husband, 3 beautiful children & family & friends I am so sorry for your incredible loss, may Aoife guide you through this time. May your beautiful gentle soul Rest in Peace Aoife." While a former co-worker of Aoife's said "she made the world better simply by being in it" and was someone who "brought light into every room". "I am so deeply saddened by the loss of Aoife, a loved and deeply admired colleague," she said. "She was one of those rare souls who brought light into every room — bright, kind, and effortlessly uplifting. A person whose presence made you feel like anything was possible. "She was incredibly hardworking, but it was her kindness, compassion, and incredible humour that truly set her apart. She had a heart full of empathy, always ready to help without hesitation, without complaint, and always with a smile. Her sharp wit was such a gift and her steady, loving energy left a lasting imprint on everyone lucky enough to know her. "Though she finished working with us in August 2024, her memory remained ever-present. We often found ourselves reflecting on her time with us and how deeply she was missed. She made the world better simply by being in it. She touched countless lives and gave so much love to every person she encountered. "She was like sunshine: bright, energising, and unforgettable. I will carry her memory, her laughter, and her light with me, always. May she rest in peace." Aoife will lie in repose at her home from from 2pm until 8pm on Friday, with her funeral due to be held at St. Joseph's Church in Leitrim Village, followed by burial afterwards in Kilronan Cemetery.
