Latest news with #CIE
The Advertiser
9 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
China to become top source of new cars in Australia, fuelled by emissions regs
China has already overtaken Korea to become Australia's third largest supplier of new vehicles, and a new report says it'll take the top spot by 2035. The Australian Automotive Dealer Association (AADA) commissioned the Centre for International Economics (CIE) to analyse Australia's past, current and future automotive trading partners. The CIE has projected Chinese-built vehicles will account for 43 per cent of Australia's new-car market in 2035, up from 17 per cent this year. This will come at the expense of Japanese-built cars, whose share is projected to drop from 32 to 22 per cent, as well as Thai-built vehicles (11 per cent, down from 21 per cent) and Korean-built vehicles (8 per cent, down from 13 per cent). The CIE forecasts other countries of origin will account for the remaining 16 per cent of the market, down from 17 per cent in 2025. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. China already dominates the local electric vehicle (EV) market, accounting for 65 per cent of imports. But it's not just EVs powering its growth here, with exports of combustion-powered vehicles also rising. Enabling China's rise, the report says, is the Chinese government's investment and support in developing EV and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) technology and manufacturing capabilities; an ongoing drop in production costs; as well as an aversion to price increases like those imposed by brands from other countries. But the AADA warns the Australian Government is inadvertently boosting sales of Chinese cars in our market through its New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES). "While overall sales from many countries are still projected to grow, China stands out and is set to benefit the most from the introduction of the NVES," the AADA says in its report. "Its strong position in EV manufacturing, supported by supply chain advantages and government backing, means vehicles produced in China are expected to gain market share at a faster rate, in contrast to the slower grow other exporting countries may observe. "This low emissions transition highlights a broader structural shift. As emission standards tighten, supply chains globalise and EV technology dominates, China is set to play an increasingly central role in Australia's automotive future and redefine our automotive landscape." The AADA says in its report that the findings are based on an assumption NVES fleet emissions reductions will continue past the legislated 2029 target. Coming into effect on January 1, 2025, with penalties being accrued from July 1, the NVES sets fleet-wide emissions targets for new-vehicle brands in Australia. If automakers exceed an average carbon emissions target for the vehicles they sell each year, they will be penalised $100 per g/km of CO2 for every vehicle which exceeds the target. For 2025, the mandate for passenger cars (Type 1) is 141g/km of CO2, with light commercial vehicles and heavy-duty SUVs (Type 2) set at 210g/km or less. These limits will get tighter every year, landing at 58 and 110g/km respectively in 2029. Chinese auto brands have been among the quickest and most aggressive in rolling out EVs and PHEVs in our market to cater to buyer demand and also meet these emissions standards. BYD only offers these powertrain types globally, while Chery, GWM and MG all offer a mix of hybrid, PHEV and EV models, and fledgling brands like Deepal and Xpeng are EV-only here. It isn't just Chinese-owned brands, including Volvo and Polestar, that are selling Chinese-built vehicles here. BMW, Cupra, Kia and Tesla all produce vehicles in China and export them to markets such as Australia, and they could be joined in the coming years by others such as Mazda and Nissan. It has been a meteoric rise for China, and follows the rise of Thailand, Korea and Japan in our market. There are parallels here beyond dramatic sales growth. Many of the first Korean and Japanese cars sold here were widely regarded as being flawed or ill-suited to our market, but manufacturers like Hyundai and Toyota were able to over time adapt to our market conditions and offer more suitable vehicles. Chinese brands have invested in local vehicle development testing in our market, but GWM is perhaps a standout example of tailoring vehicles to Australian conditions, having appointed Holden's former lead vehicle dynamics engineer as its local ride and handling expert. Many Chinese brands have set ambitious goals for our market. MG wants to be a top-three player in Australia by 2030, while GWM is also aiming to be in the top five by that year. Content originally sourced from: China has already overtaken Korea to become Australia's third largest supplier of new vehicles, and a new report says it'll take the top spot by 2035. The Australian Automotive Dealer Association (AADA) commissioned the Centre for International Economics (CIE) to analyse Australia's past, current and future automotive trading partners. The CIE has projected Chinese-built vehicles will account for 43 per cent of Australia's new-car market in 2035, up from 17 per cent this year. This will come at the expense of Japanese-built cars, whose share is projected to drop from 32 to 22 per cent, as well as Thai-built vehicles (11 per cent, down from 21 per cent) and Korean-built vehicles (8 per cent, down from 13 per cent). The CIE forecasts other countries of origin will account for the remaining 16 per cent of the market, down from 17 per cent in 2025. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. China already dominates the local electric vehicle (EV) market, accounting for 65 per cent of imports. But it's not just EVs powering its growth here, with exports of combustion-powered vehicles also rising. Enabling China's rise, the report says, is the Chinese government's investment and support in developing EV and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) technology and manufacturing capabilities; an ongoing drop in production costs; as well as an aversion to price increases like those imposed by brands from other countries. But the AADA warns the Australian Government is inadvertently boosting sales of Chinese cars in our market through its New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES). "While overall sales from many countries are still projected to grow, China stands out and is set to benefit the most from the introduction of the NVES," the AADA says in its report. "Its strong position in EV manufacturing, supported by supply chain advantages and government backing, means vehicles produced in China are expected to gain market share at a faster rate, in contrast to the slower grow other exporting countries may observe. "This low emissions transition highlights a broader structural shift. As emission standards tighten, supply chains globalise and EV technology dominates, China is set to play an increasingly central role in Australia's automotive future and redefine our automotive landscape." The AADA says in its report that the findings are based on an assumption NVES fleet emissions reductions will continue past the legislated 2029 target. Coming into effect on January 1, 2025, with penalties being accrued from July 1, the NVES sets fleet-wide emissions targets for new-vehicle brands in Australia. If automakers exceed an average carbon emissions target for the vehicles they sell each year, they will be penalised $100 per g/km of CO2 for every vehicle which exceeds the target. For 2025, the mandate for passenger cars (Type 1) is 141g/km of CO2, with light commercial vehicles and heavy-duty SUVs (Type 2) set at 210g/km or less. These limits will get tighter every year, landing at 58 and 110g/km respectively in 2029. Chinese auto brands have been among the quickest and most aggressive in rolling out EVs and PHEVs in our market to cater to buyer demand and also meet these emissions standards. BYD only offers these powertrain types globally, while Chery, GWM and MG all offer a mix of hybrid, PHEV and EV models, and fledgling brands like Deepal and Xpeng are EV-only here. It isn't just Chinese-owned brands, including Volvo and Polestar, that are selling Chinese-built vehicles here. BMW, Cupra, Kia and Tesla all produce vehicles in China and export them to markets such as Australia, and they could be joined in the coming years by others such as Mazda and Nissan. It has been a meteoric rise for China, and follows the rise of Thailand, Korea and Japan in our market. There are parallels here beyond dramatic sales growth. Many of the first Korean and Japanese cars sold here were widely regarded as being flawed or ill-suited to our market, but manufacturers like Hyundai and Toyota were able to over time adapt to our market conditions and offer more suitable vehicles. Chinese brands have invested in local vehicle development testing in our market, but GWM is perhaps a standout example of tailoring vehicles to Australian conditions, having appointed Holden's former lead vehicle dynamics engineer as its local ride and handling expert. Many Chinese brands have set ambitious goals for our market. MG wants to be a top-three player in Australia by 2030, while GWM is also aiming to be in the top five by that year. Content originally sourced from: China has already overtaken Korea to become Australia's third largest supplier of new vehicles, and a new report says it'll take the top spot by 2035. The Australian Automotive Dealer Association (AADA) commissioned the Centre for International Economics (CIE) to analyse Australia's past, current and future automotive trading partners. The CIE has projected Chinese-built vehicles will account for 43 per cent of Australia's new-car market in 2035, up from 17 per cent this year. This will come at the expense of Japanese-built cars, whose share is projected to drop from 32 to 22 per cent, as well as Thai-built vehicles (11 per cent, down from 21 per cent) and Korean-built vehicles (8 per cent, down from 13 per cent). The CIE forecasts other countries of origin will account for the remaining 16 per cent of the market, down from 17 per cent in 2025. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. China already dominates the local electric vehicle (EV) market, accounting for 65 per cent of imports. But it's not just EVs powering its growth here, with exports of combustion-powered vehicles also rising. Enabling China's rise, the report says, is the Chinese government's investment and support in developing EV and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) technology and manufacturing capabilities; an ongoing drop in production costs; as well as an aversion to price increases like those imposed by brands from other countries. But the AADA warns the Australian Government is inadvertently boosting sales of Chinese cars in our market through its New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES). "While overall sales from many countries are still projected to grow, China stands out and is set to benefit the most from the introduction of the NVES," the AADA says in its report. "Its strong position in EV manufacturing, supported by supply chain advantages and government backing, means vehicles produced in China are expected to gain market share at a faster rate, in contrast to the slower grow other exporting countries may observe. "This low emissions transition highlights a broader structural shift. As emission standards tighten, supply chains globalise and EV technology dominates, China is set to play an increasingly central role in Australia's automotive future and redefine our automotive landscape." The AADA says in its report that the findings are based on an assumption NVES fleet emissions reductions will continue past the legislated 2029 target. Coming into effect on January 1, 2025, with penalties being accrued from July 1, the NVES sets fleet-wide emissions targets for new-vehicle brands in Australia. If automakers exceed an average carbon emissions target for the vehicles they sell each year, they will be penalised $100 per g/km of CO2 for every vehicle which exceeds the target. For 2025, the mandate for passenger cars (Type 1) is 141g/km of CO2, with light commercial vehicles and heavy-duty SUVs (Type 2) set at 210g/km or less. These limits will get tighter every year, landing at 58 and 110g/km respectively in 2029. Chinese auto brands have been among the quickest and most aggressive in rolling out EVs and PHEVs in our market to cater to buyer demand and also meet these emissions standards. BYD only offers these powertrain types globally, while Chery, GWM and MG all offer a mix of hybrid, PHEV and EV models, and fledgling brands like Deepal and Xpeng are EV-only here. It isn't just Chinese-owned brands, including Volvo and Polestar, that are selling Chinese-built vehicles here. BMW, Cupra, Kia and Tesla all produce vehicles in China and export them to markets such as Australia, and they could be joined in the coming years by others such as Mazda and Nissan. It has been a meteoric rise for China, and follows the rise of Thailand, Korea and Japan in our market. There are parallels here beyond dramatic sales growth. Many of the first Korean and Japanese cars sold here were widely regarded as being flawed or ill-suited to our market, but manufacturers like Hyundai and Toyota were able to over time adapt to our market conditions and offer more suitable vehicles. Chinese brands have invested in local vehicle development testing in our market, but GWM is perhaps a standout example of tailoring vehicles to Australian conditions, having appointed Holden's former lead vehicle dynamics engineer as its local ride and handling expert. Many Chinese brands have set ambitious goals for our market. MG wants to be a top-three player in Australia by 2030, while GWM is also aiming to be in the top five by that year. Content originally sourced from: China has already overtaken Korea to become Australia's third largest supplier of new vehicles, and a new report says it'll take the top spot by 2035. The Australian Automotive Dealer Association (AADA) commissioned the Centre for International Economics (CIE) to analyse Australia's past, current and future automotive trading partners. The CIE has projected Chinese-built vehicles will account for 43 per cent of Australia's new-car market in 2035, up from 17 per cent this year. This will come at the expense of Japanese-built cars, whose share is projected to drop from 32 to 22 per cent, as well as Thai-built vehicles (11 per cent, down from 21 per cent) and Korean-built vehicles (8 per cent, down from 13 per cent). The CIE forecasts other countries of origin will account for the remaining 16 per cent of the market, down from 17 per cent in 2025. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. China already dominates the local electric vehicle (EV) market, accounting for 65 per cent of imports. But it's not just EVs powering its growth here, with exports of combustion-powered vehicles also rising. Enabling China's rise, the report says, is the Chinese government's investment and support in developing EV and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) technology and manufacturing capabilities; an ongoing drop in production costs; as well as an aversion to price increases like those imposed by brands from other countries. But the AADA warns the Australian Government is inadvertently boosting sales of Chinese cars in our market through its New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES). "While overall sales from many countries are still projected to grow, China stands out and is set to benefit the most from the introduction of the NVES," the AADA says in its report. "Its strong position in EV manufacturing, supported by supply chain advantages and government backing, means vehicles produced in China are expected to gain market share at a faster rate, in contrast to the slower grow other exporting countries may observe. "This low emissions transition highlights a broader structural shift. As emission standards tighten, supply chains globalise and EV technology dominates, China is set to play an increasingly central role in Australia's automotive future and redefine our automotive landscape." The AADA says in its report that the findings are based on an assumption NVES fleet emissions reductions will continue past the legislated 2029 target. Coming into effect on January 1, 2025, with penalties being accrued from July 1, the NVES sets fleet-wide emissions targets for new-vehicle brands in Australia. If automakers exceed an average carbon emissions target for the vehicles they sell each year, they will be penalised $100 per g/km of CO2 for every vehicle which exceeds the target. For 2025, the mandate for passenger cars (Type 1) is 141g/km of CO2, with light commercial vehicles and heavy-duty SUVs (Type 2) set at 210g/km or less. These limits will get tighter every year, landing at 58 and 110g/km respectively in 2029. Chinese auto brands have been among the quickest and most aggressive in rolling out EVs and PHEVs in our market to cater to buyer demand and also meet these emissions standards. BYD only offers these powertrain types globally, while Chery, GWM and MG all offer a mix of hybrid, PHEV and EV models, and fledgling brands like Deepal and Xpeng are EV-only here. It isn't just Chinese-owned brands, including Volvo and Polestar, that are selling Chinese-built vehicles here. BMW, Cupra, Kia and Tesla all produce vehicles in China and export them to markets such as Australia, and they could be joined in the coming years by others such as Mazda and Nissan. It has been a meteoric rise for China, and follows the rise of Thailand, Korea and Japan in our market. There are parallels here beyond dramatic sales growth. Many of the first Korean and Japanese cars sold here were widely regarded as being flawed or ill-suited to our market, but manufacturers like Hyundai and Toyota were able to over time adapt to our market conditions and offer more suitable vehicles. Chinese brands have invested in local vehicle development testing in our market, but GWM is perhaps a standout example of tailoring vehicles to Australian conditions, having appointed Holden's former lead vehicle dynamics engineer as its local ride and handling expert. Many Chinese brands have set ambitious goals for our market. MG wants to be a top-three player in Australia by 2030, while GWM is also aiming to be in the top five by that year. Content originally sourced from:
7NEWS
10 hours ago
- Automotive
- 7NEWS
China to become top source of new cars in Australia, fuelled by emissions regs
China has already overtaken Korea to become Australia's third largest supplier of new vehicles, and a new report says it'll take the top spot by 2035. The Australian Automotive Dealer Association (AADA) commissioned the Centre for International Economics (CIE) to analyse Australia's past, current and future automotive trading partners. The CIE has projected Chinese-built vehicles will account for 43 per cent of Australia's new-car market in 2035, up from 17 per cent this year. This will come at the expense of Japanese-built cars, whose share is projected to drop from 32 to 22 per cent, as well as Thai-built vehicles (11 per cent, down from 21 per cent) and Korean-built vehicles (8 per cent, down from 13 per cent). The CIE forecasts other countries of origin will account for the remaining 16 per cent of the market, down from 17 per cent in 2025. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. China already dominates the local electric vehicle (EV) market, accounting for 65 per cent of imports. But it's not just EVs powering its growth here, with exports of combustion-powered vehicles also rising. Enabling China's rise, the report says, is the Chinese government's investment and support in developing EV and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) technology and manufacturing capabilities; an ongoing drop in production costs; as well as an aversion to price increases like those imposed by brands from other countries. But the AADA warns the Australian Government is inadvertently boosting sales of Chinese cars in our market through its New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES). 'While overall sales from many countries are still projected to grow, China stands out and is set to benefit the most from the introduction of the NVES,' the AADA says in its report. 'Its strong position in EV manufacturing, supported by supply chain advantages and government backing, means vehicles produced in China are expected to gain market share at a faster rate, in contrast to the slower grow other exporting countries may observe. 'This low emissions transition highlights a broader structural shift. As emission standards tighten, supply chains globalise and EV technology dominates, China is set to play an increasingly central role in Australia's automotive future and redefine our automotive landscape.' The AADA says in its report that the findings are based on an assumption NVES fleet emissions reductions will continue past the legislated 2029 target. Coming into effect on January 1, 2025, with penalties being accrued from July 1, the NVES sets fleet-wide emissions targets for new-vehicle brands in Australia. If automakers exceed an average carbon emissions target for the vehicles they sell each year, they will be penalised $100 per g/km of CO2 for every vehicle which exceeds the target. For 2025, the mandate for passenger cars (Type 1) is 141g/km of CO2, with light commercial vehicles and heavy-duty SUVs (Type 2) set at 210g/km or less. These limits will get tighter every year, landing at 58 and 110g/km respectively in 2029. Chinese auto brands have been among the quickest and most aggressive in rolling out EVs and PHEVs in our market to cater to buyer demand and also meet these emissions standards. BYD only offers these powertrain types globally, while Chery, GWM and MG all offer a mix of hybrid, PHEV and EV models, and fledgling brands like Deepal and Xpeng are EV-only here. It isn't just Chinese-owned brands, including Volvo and Polestar, that are selling Chinese-built vehicles here. BMW, Cupra, Kia and Tesla all produce vehicles in China and export them to markets such as Australia, and they could be joined in the coming years by others such as Mazda and Nissan. It has been a meteoric rise for China, and follows the rise of Thailand, Korea and Japan in our market. There are parallels here beyond dramatic sales growth. Many of the first Korean and Japanese cars sold here were widely regarded as being flawed or ill-suited to our market, but manufacturers like Hyundai and Toyota were able to over time adapt to our market conditions and offer more suitable vehicles. Chinese brands have invested in local vehicle development testing in our market, but GWM is perhaps a standout example of tailoring vehicles to Australian conditions, having appointed Holden's former lead vehicle dynamics engineer as its local ride and handling expert.
Perth Now
10 hours ago
- Automotive
- Perth Now
China to become top source of new cars in Australia, fuelled by emissions regs
China has already overtaken Korea to become Australia's third largest supplier of new vehicles, and a new report says it'll take the top spot by 2035. The Australian Automotive Dealer Association (AADA) commissioned the Centre for International Economics (CIE) to analyse Australia's past, current and future automotive trading partners. The CIE has projected Chinese-built vehicles will account for 43 per cent of Australia's new-car market in 2035, up from 17 per cent this year. This will come at the expense of Japanese-built cars, whose share is projected to drop from 32 to 22 per cent, as well as Thai-built vehicles (11 per cent, down from 21 per cent) and Korean-built vehicles (8 per cent, down from 13 per cent). The CIE forecasts other countries of origin will account for the remaining 16 per cent of the market, down from 17 per cent in 2025. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Supplied Credit: CarExpert China already dominates the local electric vehicle (EV) market, accounting for 65 per cent of imports. But it's not just EVs powering its growth here, with exports of combustion-powered vehicles also rising. Enabling China's rise, the report says, is the Chinese government's investment and support in developing EV and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) technology and manufacturing capabilities; an ongoing drop in production costs; as well as an aversion to price increases like those imposed by brands from other countries. But the AADA warns the Australian Government is inadvertently boosting sales of Chinese cars in our market through its New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES). 'While overall sales from many countries are still projected to grow, China stands out and is set to benefit the most from the introduction of the NVES,' the AADA says in its report. Supplied Credit: CarExpert 'Its strong position in EV manufacturing, supported by supply chain advantages and government backing, means vehicles produced in China are expected to gain market share at a faster rate, in contrast to the slower grow other exporting countries may observe. 'This low emissions transition highlights a broader structural shift. As emission standards tighten, supply chains globalise and EV technology dominates, China is set to play an increasingly central role in Australia's automotive future and redefine our automotive landscape.' The AADA says in its report that the findings are based on an assumption NVES fleet emissions reductions will continue past the legislated 2029 target. Coming into effect on January 1, 2025, with penalties being accrued from July 1, the NVES sets fleet-wide emissions targets for new-vehicle brands in Australia. Supplied Credit: CarExpert If automakers exceed an average carbon emissions target for the vehicles they sell each year, they will be penalised $100 per g/km of CO2 for every vehicle which exceeds the target. For 2025, the mandate for passenger cars (Type 1) is 141g/km of CO2, with light commercial vehicles and heavy-duty SUVs (Type 2) set at 210g/km or less. These limits will get tighter every year, landing at 58 and 110g/km respectively in 2029. Chinese auto brands have been among the quickest and most aggressive in rolling out EVs and PHEVs in our market to cater to buyer demand and also meet these emissions standards. Supplied Credit: CarExpert BYD only offers these powertrain types globally, while Chery, GWM and MG all offer a mix of hybrid, PHEV and EV models, and fledgling brands like Deepal and Xpeng are EV-only here. It isn't just Chinese-owned brands, including Volvo and Polestar, that are selling Chinese-built vehicles here. BMW, Cupra, Kia and Tesla all produce vehicles in China and export them to markets such as Australia, and they could be joined in the coming years by others such as Mazda and Nissan. It has been a meteoric rise for China, and follows the rise of Thailand, Korea and Japan in our market. Supplied Credit: CarExpert There are parallels here beyond dramatic sales growth. Many of the first Korean and Japanese cars sold here were widely regarded as being flawed or ill-suited to our market, but manufacturers like Hyundai and Toyota were able to over time adapt to our market conditions and offer more suitable vehicles. Chinese brands have invested in local vehicle development testing in our market, but GWM is perhaps a standout example of tailoring vehicles to Australian conditions, having appointed Holden's former lead vehicle dynamics engineer as its local ride and handling expert. Many Chinese brands have set ambitious goals for our market. MG wants to be a top-three player in Australia by 2030, while GWM is also aiming to be in the top five by that year.
Irish Examiner
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Laethanta Saoire: The soundtrack to my coming-of-age summer, by Cónal Creedon
Funny how the music of an era becomes the soundtrack for a generation. I was happy living my germ-free adolescence in a Glam Rock bubble, throwing shapes to the shang-a-lang sounds of the Bay City Rollers. But then, just when least expected – I came-of-age. Coming-of-age is that monumental milestone when teenagers transition from childhood to adulthood. A life-defining change that usually occurs during the summer months; liberated from the restrictions of the classroom, our emotions become high on the first flush of freedom, and we take flight. This anarchic developmental stepping-stone is fuelled by a surge of invincibility and irreverence, powerfully portrayed in the primordial beat of Alice Cooper's anthemic School's Out. Well, that magical moment of metamorphosis occurred in this boy's life in 1977. I was fifteen years of age, and with the idleness of an endless summer stretching out before me, my mother and my Auntie Eileen contrived to remove me from the temptations of the pool halls and street corners of downtown Cork city. And so, I was dispatched by CIE bus to Bainnlann Cúil na nGabhar, my Auntie Eileen's shop on O'Connell St, Dungarvan. As the bus trundled Eastwards towards Déise that day, I had an epiphany. It was as if the ties connecting me to my mother's apron strings loosed, and a gentle surge of independence welled up deep inside my soul. My Auntie Eileen was an absolute joy; a natural born storyteller, a lover of history with a profound understanding and appreciation of all aspects of Irish culture. She was a modern-day bard, a wise woman; entertaining, engaging and erudite, and I loved her company. Her shop doubled as the Dungarvan Bus Office, where parcels were dispatched and collected. And so, it became a meeting place for interesting people to drop by for a chat and a glass of lemonade. It was nothing out of the ordinary to hear the Irish language spoken at Bainnlann Cúil na nGabhar; a trading post where social interaction took precedence over commercial transaction. And there in the side room of her shop, she taught me how to make brown bread. To this day, Auntie Eileen's brown bread is the standard by which I measure all bread – and none has yet to compare. 'The magic is in the simplicity.' she'd say. My cousin Ben stepped up to the mark – and took on the role of big brother to me, his kid cousin. Two doors up the street, Ben's record shop offered a portal to an alternative universe for my soaring teenage spirit; a magical world of music, an Aladdin's Cave of sound and vision in the golden age of rock'n'roll record sleeve art, with more vinyl than you could shake a stick at – he even had a discothèque out the back. Ben's well-stocked newsstand had a stack of music magazines – bringing the subversive vibes of an outside world right to the beating heart of Ireland. Ireland in the 1970s was monocultural and monochrome, isolated and insular. It was a world before internet, Spotify or YouTube. Sony Walkman, iPhone and compact discs had yet to be invented. Cassettes were beginning to needle the 12-inch LP – but vinyl was still king. Music was a scarce commodity, it was a time when contemporary culture was highly suspect, so a sanitised curated version was drip fed to a music-starved public by Larry Gogan from the government sanctioned national broadcaster. In 1977 the Eagles had landed; in the record shop it was the summer of Hotel California. But at the end of each day, when the musicos went home, Ben would shut the door, put a record on the turntable, and I was introduced to a most eclectic broad church of sound: classical, jazz, prog-rock, traditional and all points in between. It was an education, a broadening of my mind, an awakening of my soul, instilling in me a love of all musical genres that has remained with me throughout my life. Cónal Creedon with Never Mind The Bollocks, by the Sex Pistols, at a mural in Cork of a young Rory Gallagher. Some summer evenings me, my cousin Ben and his dog Max, would go for a wander down the town, maybe across to Abbeyside, or all along the watch tower of the waterfront. We talked about music and life, and what memories are made of. I had always been aware of Rory Gallagher. The Gallagher brothers were from our neighbourhood, and childhood friends of my older sisters. Apocryphal tales abound of teenage high jinks in the Cavalier Club across the street. Many years later, when the time came to commemorate Rory here in Cork – my sister Geraldine was selected to sculpt the bronze tribute that now has pride of place in Rory Gallagher Plaza. June 26, 1977, was a stop me in my tracks red-letter day. Memory is an unreliable witness, but to the best of my recollection – it was more a van with seats than a coach, and we belched out of Grattan Square, Dungarvan at the crack of dawn. We were on the road to Macroom to see Rory perform at the Mountain Dew Festival; Ireland's first outdoor rock festival, it goes down in history as a watershed cultural event. It was our Woodstock, and I was living the dream in the company of my cousin Ben and fifteen of Dungarvan's finest. Our magical mystery tour was an epic odyssey. It is said of rock'n'roll: If you remember it, you probably weren't there. And, what happens on tour stays on tour. So, keeping within those two tenets – not only has my memory of that most memorable weekend faded with time, but what happened on the bus, stays on the bus. But with the one-anecdote rule in mind - I shall relate one mirthful memory of that day that remains indelibly etched in the creases of my cranium. About a mile beyond the Dungarvan hairpin bend we came across a cyclist. I believe he was from the Netherlands, and because we had a spare seat in the van we invited him along. We somehow jammed his bicycle behind the driver's seat, and he climbed onboard. But here's the mad thing, 24 hours later, on our return journey, we dropped him and his bicycle off at the exact same spot on the road – and off he cycled on his merry way, vanishing into the morning mist. That summer in Dungarvan with my cousin Ben paved the way for my coming-of-age which I can pin-point to a specific date. October 28, 1977, The Sex Pistols erupted onto an unsuspecting international stage with Never Mind The Bollocks, and my world was never the same again. At the time, Rory Gallagher was riding high on the crest of a hugely successful global tour. He was in San Francisco putting the finishing touches to a new album. On a break from the studio Rory went to see the Sex Pistols at the Winterland Ballroom. The gig was cathartic. He returned to the studio and cancelled the recording, the tapes remained archived for more than 30 years. The session was posthumously released in May 2011 as the double album, Notes From San Francisco. This boy's coming-of-age was a musical journey that carried me from Bay City Rollers to the Sex Pistols – stopping off along the way for a life-reaffirming immersion in sound in a record Shop in Dungarvan. 1977 was a formative summer, lost in music, when the foundations of a lifelong friendship between me and my cousin Ben was set in stone. Cónal Creedon is an author from Cork city. He will be honoured as Laoch Reacaire at Féile na Laoch 2025 (July 31-August 3) in recognition of his contribution to culture. Féile na Laoch (The Festival of Heroes) is inspired by the life and work of Seán Ó Riada
Express Tribune
02-07-2025
- Express Tribune
CIE offers free resit after paper leak
Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) has announced that students affected by the leak of three A-level exam papers during the May/June 2025 session will be eligible for a free resit in the upcoming November series. The decision comes amid growing concerns from students, parents, and officials after the examination board confirmed last month that portions of several question papers had been compromised. CIE, which conducts O- and A-Level exams globally, acknowledged the paper leak in June and stated that affected students would receive compensation in the form of additional marks for the impacted questions. The leak sparked widespread outrage and demands for transparency, particularly after students raised complaints throughout the examination window. Prior to the board's public admission, a parliamentary committee had been informed that the findings of the inquiry into the alleged paper leaks would be shared after June 16, a delay that only intensified public scrutiny. On Monday, CIE posted an official update on its Facebook page addressing candidates who appeared in any of the three compromised papers from the June 2025 session. The affected assessments include Cambridge International AS and A Level Mathematics Paper 12, Cambridge International AS and A Level Mathematics Paper 42, Cambridge International AS and A Level Computer Science Paper 22. "The results for these syllabuses will be released as normal," the statement read. "We're offering free syllabus entry resits in the upcoming November 2025 exam series for students who sat one or more of the three affected papers in June 2025. "We have sent a message to all candidates and their families through schools and will provide further information following the release of our June 2025 exam series results," CIE added. "Candidates are asked to contact their schools should they have further questions, and thank you once again to all students and families."
