Latest news with #Ballybofey
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Topshop returning to high street in Donegal department store
Topshop is returning to the high street in a partnership with one of the Republic of Ireland's best known department stores. McElhinney's in Ballybofey, County Donegal, is to begin selling Topshop's clothing range next month. It will be the first time that Topshop clothes will be sold in a physical store since it moved solely into the online retail space. In 2021, Topshop was one of four brands acquired by online fashion group Asos from failed retail group Arcadia. McElhinney's general manager Sandra Devenney told BBC News NI shoppers can expect "the Topshop that we all knew and loved and have missed". "We are really optimistic and very excited about this." McElhinney's will be the first store to sell Topshop clothes as part of its high street relaunch. Its return to bricks and mortar retail will also see the brand partnering with stockists in Denmark and France later in 2025. Topshop, Ms Devenney said, is an iconic brand, and a perfect fit for the Donegal store. "We have an exceptionally dynamic team and are always looking to the future while, as one of the now very few independent family run stores in Europe, maintaining our heritage," she said. Is Topshop returning to the UK high street? Topshop has been teasing a return to high streets in the UK over recent weeks. Last month its managing director Michelle Wilson told industry magazine Drapers that Topshop is planning to be back on the UK high street by the autumn of 2025. In a post on social media on Tuesday, the company revealed actress and model Cara Delevingne as "the new face of Topshop", adding a "bold new era begins." Fashion blogger Denise Curran is excited for its return. "You were bang on trend if you were shopping in Topshop," Denise from County Armagh told BBC News NI. "I can't wait to see what their styles will be like." She said it was to the Donegal store's huge credit that they have partnered with Topshop and will definitely be making the trip down. "Well done to McElhinneys, it's amazing to see. "A lot of people obviously travel to Donegal on their holidays so it's a great location for people to actually plop on a map and say I want to go there." Topshop first opened in Sheffield in 1964 and at its peak had about 300 stores in the UK and Ireland, including 14 in Northern Ireland and a further six in the Republic. Asos bought the Topshop, Topman, Miss Selfridge and HIIT brands, but not the shops, after Arcadia went into administration in 2020. In 2024 Danish company Bestseller bought 75% of Asos' stake in Topshop. BBC News NI has approached Topshop for comment. Thousands of jobs at risk after Asos Arcadia deal A brief history of Topshop
BBC News
15 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Topshop returning to Irish high street in Donegal
Topshop is returning to the high street in a partnership with one of the Republic of Ireland's best known department in Ballybofey, County Donegal, is to begin selling Topshop's clothing range next will be the first time that Topshop clothes will be sold in a physical store since it moved solely into the online retail 2021, Topshop was one of four brands acquired by online fashion group Asos from failed retail group Arcadia. McElhinney's general manager Sandra Devenney told BBC News NI shoppers can expect "the Topshop that we all knew and loved and have missed". "We are really optimistic and very excited about this." McElhinney's will be the first store to sell Topshop clothes as part of its high street return to bricks and mortar retail will also see the brand partnering with stockists in Denmark and France later in 2025. Topshop, Ms Devenney said, is an iconic brand, and a perfect fit for the Donegal store."We have an exceptionally dynamic team and are always looking to the future while, as one of the now very few independent family run stores in Europe, maintaining our heritage," she said. Is Topshop returning to the UK high street? Topshop has been teasing a return to high streets in the UK over recent month its managing director Michelle Wilson told industry magazine Drapers that Topshop is planning to be back on the UK high street by the autumn of a post on social media on Tuesday, the company revealed actress and model Cara Delevingne as "the new face of Topshop", adding a "bold new era begins." Fashion blogger Denise Curran is excited for its return."You were bang on trend if you were shopping in Topshop," Denise from County Armagh told BBC News NI."I can't wait to see what their styles will be like."She said it was to the Donegal store's huge credit that they have partnered with Topshop and will definitely be making the trip down."Well done to McElhinneys, it's amazing to see. "A lot of people obviously travel to Donegal on their holidays so it's a great location for people to actually plop on a map and say I want to go there." Topshop first opened in Sheffield in 1964 and at its peak had about 300 stores in the UK and Ireland, including 14 in Northern Ireland and a further six in the bought the Topshop, Topman, Miss Selfridge and HIIT brands, but not the shops, after Arcadia went into administration in 2024 Danish company Bestseller bought 75% of Asos' stake in News NI has approached Topshop for comment.
Irish Times
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Dean Rock: Tyrone need to try something unexpected to shock Kerry
Tyrone will arrive to this weekend's celebration of Gaelic football at Croke Park like a guest invited to the afters of a wedding. Nobody is thinking or talking about them much. They are part of the weekend, but in truth they're a bit of an afterthought. There has been plenty of catastrophising and hype around Kerry throughout the summer, plenty of scrutiny and expectation around Donegal, plenty of wonderment and freshness around Meath. But what of Tyrone? They are very much the outlier of the quartet – Tyrone have certainly been turning heads by hoovering up silverware at minor and under-20 level, yet their senior footballers have progressed to these semi-finals very much under the radar. And nobody has an accurate gauge on them. READ MORE They went up to Ballybofey in the first round of the group stages and beat Donegal – a not insignificant accomplishment as it was the first defeat Jim McGuinness suffered in MacCumhaill Park as Donegal manager. Buoyed by that victory and with top spot now in their control, Tyrone welcomed misfiring Mayo to Omagh the following week and proceeded to lose by seven points. Mayo had lost to Cavan the previous Sunday. It made no sense. Or it shouldn't have. But those two games are almost a microcosm of Tyrone in recent years. Consistently inconsistent. You are never sure which Tyrone are going to turn up. I was in Croke Park a fortnight ago watching them play Dublin in the quarter-finals and although they won that match, I wasn't overly impressed by Tyrone. The fact they won by seven points possibly says more about Dublin than anything else. I felt Tyrone were quite flat, they didn't really seem to have any massive urgency to get back behind the ball – there were occasions when they had maybe four or five up front and were only defending with nine or 10 players. If you do that against Kerry, you are going to be destroyed. Their energy all over the pitch against Dublin would be a concern. Still, despite a slow and ponderous first half, they actually led at the break against Dublin – thanks largely to some well-taken two-pointers. They went more man-to-man in the second half and played a lot better, they had more energy. And this is where their best chance of causing an upset lies – because I think they will need to try something unexpected, such as starting Eoin McElholm. Eoin McElholm could help surprise Kerry on Saturday. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho The rising under-20 star came on during the second half against Dublin and you couldn't help but notice his impact, his direct running, his fearlessness and how his presence seemed to energise the team. Starting McElholm on Saturday would give Kerry something different to think about. Nobody doubts Tyrone believe they can win but to achieve that outcome they will need more energy around the pitch – McElholm has the potential to be that spark. At the same time, another factor worth considering when looking at Tyrone's display against Dublin is the fact a lot of their younger players don't have vast experience of playing at Croke Park. I remember looking at Ciarán Daly and saying they'll have to take him off because he just couldn't get himself in the game, he couldn't get his legs moving. But out he came after half-time and popped over two good points. He needed that time to find his confidence. So I think Tyrone will be a lot better from the experience of playing Dublin two weeks ago. They also have some significant weapons – not least Niall Morgan, who is an exceptional goalkeeper. You can be absolutely certain he has spent much of the last two weeks picking apart Kerry's press against Armagh. If Kerry go with a similar press again, I reckon Morgan will be able to figure it out and he'll be armed with a plan to counteract it on Saturday. Tyrone goalkeeper Niall Morgan may see the Kerry press coming. Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho Primary possession is going to be so crucial this weekend, because the forecast is for two really hot days. You don't want to spend the game chasing down the opposition because it takes up so much energy. Winning your own kickout will be crucial. Morgan is one of the best in the business in terms of mixing it up, he is able to go long and short, find his man and provide his team with primary possession. It could give Tyrone an advantage in that department. Don't dismiss how much of a factor the heat could be on both days. When the mercury rises, down at pitch level Croke Park becomes a sauna. It is hard to describe how the intensity of the heat and the occasion just sucks the energy out of your legs and lungs. It's a hot box. The 2017 All-Ireland final against Mayo stands out as a really warm day when it was difficult to catch your breath, the heat just fatigues players and leads to mistakes. You are as perfectly hydrated as you'll ever be but everything just feels harder and more intense. And I think dealing with the heat will be amplified under the current rules. The intention for both teams will be to press high to force mistakes but if it's a scorching hot day the players just won't be able to maintain that effort so the sides might pre-empt that situation and we could end up instead with a slow methodical encounter where both teams are allowed win their short kick-outs and build from there. Tyrone manager Malachy O'Rourke. Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho Malachy O'Rourke has done a fine job in his first year with Tyrone. Given the level of underage success, it appears Tyrone are on the verge of producing an incredibly strong senior team over the coming years. It has already been a positive season and I don't actually believe relegation to Division Two is a bad thing for them because it will allow O'Rourke to blood some new players while resting the more experienced guys early next year. The fear I would have for them this weekend is that their quarter-final win was achieved against a Dublin team very much unsure of themselves. Dublin just weren't on it this year while Kerry appear to have found form at just the right time. Of course there are also questions over Kerry – can they reproduce that 15-minute spell from the Armagh win for a longer period this Saturday? But Kerry's scoring power just looks too great for Tyrone to shut them out. Dublin didn't carry a two-point scoring threat two weeks ago and Tyrone were able to defend accordingly. They won't have that luxury against Kerry. They'll probably have to go a bit more man-to-man in defence and I believe that will make Tyrone more vulnerable. Kerry have the forwards to capitalise on that vulnerability. Tyrone will need so much to go right this weekend if they are to leave Croke Park clutching an invite to come back for the biggest day in Gaelic football's calendar. It just doesn't feel like an upset is on the cards.
BBC News
02-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Ger Brennan departs Louth after two seasons
Ger Brennan has departed his role as Louth manager after two seasons in charge. The former Dublin two-time All-Ireland winner guided the 'Wee County' to their first Leinster SFC title in 68 years earlier this year with victory over Meath. Louth's 2025 season ultimately ended with a 2-22 to 0-12 defeat by Donegal in Ballybofey at the preliminary quarter-final stage on 22 June. The St Vincent's club-man's decision will intensify links to his native county following Dessie Farrell's decision to end his six-year reign as manager following Saturday's quarter-final loss to Tyrone. In a statement confirming his decision to step down, Louth GAA thanked Brennan and his backroom team for their efforts. "With Ger's expert guidance and the invaluable support of his outstanding management team, our squad achieved remarkable success – including maintaining our Division Two status and the momentous achievement of bringing the Delaney Cup home to Louth for the first time in 68 years, a truly historic milestone for the county," said county chairman Sean McClean. "On behalf of everyone at Louth GAA, we want to express our profound gratitude to Ger for the transformative influence he has had during his time with us. The high standards he established, the ambitious vision he shared with us all, and the truly memorable experiences he created will continue to inspire and guide us for years to come."In his own statement Brennan thanked the Louth county board and his players. "Most importantly, I want to express my profound gratitude to the Louth senior footballers," he said. "It has been an absolute privilege to be part of your journey these past two years. What you have accomplished for the Gaels of County Louth will be remembered and celebrated for generations to come. Your dedication, heart, and commitment have made history."As you embark on the next chapter of your journey, I have complete confidence that fresh perspectives will bring new energy and insights to your honest and hardworking team. The future is bright for Louth football."
Irish Times
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Football quarter-finalists laid bare and what else we learned from the GAA weekend
The road n ot take n Spare a thought for the Louth bus driver. In an era where everything is analysed to the last grain of sand and nothing is left to chance, one wrong turn coming out of an unfamiliar town can leave the whole thing in a heap. And next thing you know, you're in Sligo when you're supposed to be in Ballybofey. Shit! Instead of making the journey to Donegal all in one go on Sunday, Ger Brennan and his team stayed in Enniskillen on Saturday night. But somehow on Sunday, when it was time to go to the game, the bus headed southwest instead of northwest. What should have been an hour's drive took two hours and 20 minutes. Which is more or less what it would have taken from Louth had they slept in their own beds. Donegal's Ciarán Thompson celebrates a goal during the preliminary quarter-final against Louth in Ballybofey. Photograph: Lorcan Doherty/Inpho 'A human error in our navigation,' explained Brennan afterwards, honourably refusing to throw anyone under the already tardy bus. Louth arrived at MacCumhaill Park at 3.15pm for a 4pm throw-in. They looked for a 15-minute delay but it was turned down. Whether or not it had any effect is impossible to say – they were only a point down at half-time so maybe not. But you'd imagine it will be a while before the bus driver lives it down. – Malachy Clerkin READ MORE Red tur n s gree n for Dubli n On the very first weekend of the championship, Clare overturned a 12-point half-time deficit and ended up drawing their match with now Munster champions, Cork . By the 57th minute, Cork's lead was still nine, 2-21 to 2-12, when Shane Barrett was sent off for a foul on David Reidy. Clare outscored their opponents 1-9 to 0-3 in the time remaining. For many analysts, it was clear how the red card had undermined Cork. Darragh Fitzgibbon was forced to spend time dropping back from the forwards, leaving Clare frequently with a 6v4 advantage in defence and able to use that as a launch pad. Chris Crummey's red card on Saturday came as early as the 16th minute, depriving Dublin not just the one-man penalty but the loss of an experienced player with the physique to compete with Limerick . RTÉ and Irish Times analyst Joe Canning was critical of Limerick's decision to stick with their zonal defence when presented with an extra man but John Kiely defended the strategy. Chris Crummey (6) leaves the field after being red carded during Saturday's quarter-final while Dublin manager Niall Ó Ceallacháin has words with Limerick's Gearóid Hegarty. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho 'We used the extra man in a typical way that any team would, we had three-versus-two in the inside line, 99 per cent of teams would do something similar,' he said. 'We have no qualms about that – that's not a concern for me right now. Ultimately, we were just not 100 per cent sharp on the ball, we turned over balls we shouldn't have.' There had been wins in Leinster this season for teams carrying a red card but neither Galway (versus Offaly), nor Wexford (against Antrim) were underdogs when Daithí Burke and Jack O'Connor respectively were sent off and they saw it out. 'It's not tactical,' said Dublin manager Niall Ó Ceallacháin afterwards. 'What it comes down to is the boys inside, how deep they dug, the hunger that was there, ground ball after ground ball. It looked like our boys wanted it more even with four on three or three on two at times in rucks on the ground. 'It's a complicated game; we've worked a lot on the small bit but in the cold light of day it's that stuff that the whole thing comes down to.' – Seán Moran Selectio n headache for Joyce Twice in the second half of Galway's win over Down , you could see the large frame of Galway sub-goalkeeper Connor Gleeson warming up. Páirc Esler is one of those fantastically tight provincial grounds, where the distance between the front row of the stand and the sideline of the pitch is barely enough for a man of Gleeson's size to do a lunge without inserting himself into the play. So he was impossible to miss. Equally obvious was the fact that Galway's kickout was under immense pressure by now. Down had the aid of a stiff breeze, which was causing Conor Flaherty's kickouts to hang in the air, much as Down goalkeeper Ronan Burns's had in the first half. Down had cut a half-time margin of 10 points down to two and it was getting to crisis time for the visitors. Galway's Connor Gleeson. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho Would Pádraic Joyce really go so far as to hook Flaherty? Of course he would. The one thing nobody doubted was that if there is a manager in the country who would take the extreme measure of replacing his goalkeeper in the middle of a game purely on as a tactical move, Joyce would be top of everyone's list. He didn't, in the end – his midfield change of Peter Cooke for Paul Conroy solved the problem instead. 'We were looking at everything,' he said afterwards, when we asked him if Gleeson coming on was a possibility. 'We had given away three or four in a row again and just didn't go to our kickout routine that we should have when the pressure was on. We hit a few over the sideline. So yeah, disappointed with that side of it.' Who starts against Meath this weekend? Joyce has a big call to make, so late in the season. – Malachy Clerkin Quarter-fi n al co n u n drum Jarlath Burns has name-checked the All-Ireland hurling quarter-finals on his long snag list, although no solution has landed yet. Unlike the football quarter-finals, which have been two days of double-headers in Croke Park since their inception at the turn of the century, the hurling quarter-finals have been jerked around in recent years according to RTÉ's commitment to other sports and the GAA's desire to give the Tailteann Cup semi-finals a prime-time slot. This year, the presence of Limerick and Tipperary in the quarter-finals meant the two most convenient venues for a double-header were ruled out, but the folly of splitting the games resulted in predictably disappointing crowds. The attendance on Saturday evening at the Gaelic Grounds was given as 15,404. For context, when Tipp and Galway met in the National League final at the same venue in 2017, the attendance was 16,089. At the time that would have been seen as a reasonable crowd for a league final, no more than that. However, for a knockout game between two of the top six teams in the hurling championship, Saturday's crowd was pitiful. The Tipp crowd, who had deserted their team last summer, have come back in droves, but the Galway crowd, who have a long history of desertion, went to ground on Saturday and must have been outnumbered by eight to one. Dublin goalkeeper Seán Brennan saves a late free during Saturday's quarter-final at Croke Park. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho Meanwhile, in Croke Park, it was the usual story when the Dublin hurlers share a double-bill with the footballers. Half a decent crowd turned up for the start, and a decent crowd rambled in before the game was over. Hurling quarter-final double-bills haven't produced two good games on the same day since 2007, when Wexford beat Tipp and Kilkenny outlasted Galway in a cracker. That was one of the seasons when eight teams were obliged to line up in the quarter-finals. In some years they haven't produced even one good game. It is by far the trickiest round of the hurling championship; two teams are recovering from a provincial final loss and maybe one of the other teams wasn't happy about finishing third in their province. But there are so few hurling matches in June and July that the hurling quarter-finals simply must be restored to a Sunday afternoon double-header. Without that status, it will continue to suffer. – Denis Walsh Fixture gym n astics Even before the Louth team bus got lost on its way to Ballybofey on Sunday, Jack O'Connor had almost certainly started planning for Kerry's All-Ireland SFC quarter-final against Armagh . With Dublin and Galway having won, Kerry's fate appeared predetermined at that stage. And so it came to pass. The repeat pairings stipulation meant Armagh could not play Dublin, Galway or Donegal in the last eight. That regulation also created a web within which several other fixtures that could not happen – Meath had a 50 per cent chance of playing Donegal but only a 25 per cent chance of playing Dublin. And so on. It added a layer of complexity that was, well, needless. Kerry's David Clifford in action during the preliminary quarter-final against Cavan on Saturday. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho Avoiding repeat pairings has been a staple of GAA draws even going back to the days before they were held at the crack of dawn on Monday mornings. The desire to prevent a scenario where teams meet again is kind of odd. One of the great attractions of sport is rivalry, and the most basic way of creating a rivalry is for teams to play each other. Often. Monday morning's draw has pitted Donegal against Monaghan. The sides met in the quarter-finals of the Ulster championship but they are permitted to meet again in the All-Ireland quarter-finals. However, Donegal were not allowed to play Armagh or Tyrone on the basis they played those teams at different stages of the championship. What would have been wrong with a Donegal v Armagh quarter-final? Is there really any need for the GAA to continue a policy of trying to avoid repeat pairings? Perhaps they should encourage them. – Gordon Manning
