Latest news with #Cawley
RTÉ News
4 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Continuity 'most obvious' option to fill void left by Damien Duff at Shelbourne, say Alan Cawley and David McMillan
With Shelbourne facing into the difficult task of filling the void left by Damien Duff, the club would be best served pushing for Joey O'Brien to take the reins at least until the end of the season, according to Alan Cawley and David McMillan. Republic of Ireland legend Duff made the shock decision to resign as Shelbourne manager on Sunday just seven months on from guiding the club to a first SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division title in 18 years. While their title defence has not gone swimmingly this season and Duff's frustrations with his players had become more pronounced, a lucrative Champions League first qualifying round tie against Linfield was awaiting next month which made the timing of his decision all the more surprising. Speaking on the RTÉ Soccer Podcast, former league winners Cawley and McMillan both opined that the timing was "strange" and offered their views on the factors behind Duff's decision. But they also cast an eye ahead to how the north Dublin club can reset quickly with the Linfield tie looming, and both feel Duff's assistant Joey O'Brien, who took charge of the team for the 2-2 draw against Waterford on Monday, is an obvious choice to be handed the reins at least until the end of the season, although the ex-Irish international has remained non-committal about the prospect thus far. "It leaves such a hole for them because you speak about not only the football end of things but also the promotional and marketing side of things," said Cawley of Duff's departure. "And not just Shelbourne, I think the league was basing a lot of their marketing and promotion on Damien Duff and him being a key figure in our league. "This was a fella who was getting front and centre all the time on the back pages of the papers, online or wherever and now that's gone. "So that's going to be a huge void to fill just in terms of the promotional side of things and marketing. "But in terms of who they bring in from the footballing end of things, I think even listening to Joey O'Brien's interview last night, it could be a thing that he takes it or that might be what they might want until the end of the season, because there's continuity. "He seems like a similar enough figure (to Duff) in terms of his drive and his motivation. He was obviously a brilliant player as we know and had big success. "So it could be something that he could be the ideal candidate if he wants to step into the breach. I don't know (if he wants it), it will have to come from him. But even just in terms of until the end of the season till they regroup." Cawley added that his former club Shels will not be short of suitors for the vacancy given the growing status the club and league has enjoyed during Duff's three-and-a-half-year spell. "They won't be short on people interested in the job, even from across the water as well. There would be huge interest because of, again, what Damien has brought in terms of the interest, not just domestically but all over the UK as well," he said. But McMillan agreed that O'Brien would be the best bet particularly in light of the Linfield tie, given the 39-year-old's extensive knowledge of the squad. "(The managerial change) adds a little bit of confusion for Linfield and that's where I think from Shels' perspective, continuity for the next couple of weeks (is important), as Alan says, until the end of the season - but at least for the next month or two," said the former Dundalk striker. "Probably if I was a decision-maker in Shelbourne I think the most obvious thing to do is to try and ensure that Joey stays there. "If he's not committed to doing it long-term, at least have him there for the next month in charge to see through these games because I think if you're bringing in a new manager with such a short space of time to what are such crucial games, that's really hard to try (with) new tactics and everything that a new manager brings. It's really hard to hit the ground running into those games. "Continuity for Shelbourne will be really important and football's all about timing and I think it's right that Joey will stay there."
National Geographic
09-06-2025
- Science
- National Geographic
Jellyfish are finally giving up their secrets
Gelatinous zooplankton, colloquially known as jellies, are an evolutionary hodge-podge of squishy, translucent creatures composed mostly of water. While this group does include 'true jellyfish' with their iconic rounded bell and stinging tentacles, it is also host to a smattering of creatures such as worms, primitive chordates, and snails with wings. A California sheephead (Semicossyphus pulcher) takes a bite out of a twin-tailed salp (Thetys vagina.) Jellies are poorly suited to life near shore, so when they find themselves in a kelp forest, they can make easy prey. 'If being 95 percent water is what unites the group, that is where it ends,' says Grace Cawley, a PhD candidate at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Some are passive grazers, others track down their prey. Some are the size of a thimble, others can grow longer than a blue whale. Some cruise along the air-sea interface, others live thousands of meters beneath the surface. Cawley joked that the common reaction with jellies was ''oh, it's gooey?' Throw it with the gelatinous zooplankton.' In failing to recognize their diversity, humankind has overlooked some of the most ancient creatures on our planet. But thanks to advances in technology, scientists are now racing to decipher how jellies will shape the future of Earth's oceans. The hard part about squishy bodies The study of gelatinous zooplankton began in the late 1800s by scooping specimens out of the water from docks and ships. 'A lot of [early inquiry] was really just, 'what is this thing'?' says Steven Haddock, a leader in zooplankton biology at Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI). Typical methods for investigating evolutionary history simply didn't work. Jellies lack the bones and shells that make for good fossils—scientists struggled to keep them alive in the lab long enough to observe their life cycles—and attempts to preserve them resulted in jars of cloudy film that bore no resemblance to the original creature. The proliferation of larger, faster research vessels around the mid-1900s meant that it became possible to sample new and remote regions of the ocean. Scientists rushed to ask ''how many?' and 'how much?' before having answered 'who?' and 'how?'' wrote Haddock in an early paper . This 1 inch lemon jelly (Aegina citrea) may not seem intimidating, but it is a predator. Its prey are other gelatinous zooplankton like salps and ctenophores. Hula-skirt siphonophores (Physophora hydrostatica) normally live deeper than 700 meters, but strong currents will occasionally carry them to the surface. Many different groups have made the transition to life in the water column. This pelagic snail has evolved to be transparent, but it still retains its shell. These animals blur the line of what is considered a gelatinous zooplankton. In their case, it largely comes down to the context in which they are being studied. Many species of salp (colonial tunicates) have a complex life cycle that alternates between sexual and asexual reproduction. Once the individuals in the colony mature, they will break off to begin reproducing sexually. When Scripps Institution ecologist Elizabeth Hetherington began studying gelatinous zooplankton, she was shocked by how little was known about their lives. 'There were so many questions that seemed pretty simple, like basic questions about distribution and abundance … that I couldn't find answers to.' Since the early 2000s, advances in technology have revealed that they play a more vital role in the ocean's food web than scientists thought. One paper from 2022 suggested that pelagic tunicates—gelatinous sea creatures that float in the open ocean—could be responsible for transporting more than 10 percent of carbon that is eventually stored in the ocean floor. The discovery that this single group of jellies could play such an influential role in the carbon cycle surprised scientists. The significance of all the ocean's jellies combined is unclear; however, the role they play in helping store carbon is probably underestimated. New technology that allowed scientists to study tiny bits of DNA also yielded new insights into jellies themselves. One study published in 2023 found that ctenophores, the most fragile of the gelatinous zooplankton, may be the oldest animal species living on Earth. Not only did these new methods revolutionize the study of individual species, but they also transformed our understanding of the open ocean. Jellies were more prevalent than previously thought and enthusiastic participants in the food web , hunting and being hunted. Using DNA metabarcoding, a technique used to identify multiple species within a mixed sample, 'we [could] detect gelatinous zooplankton in the guts of predators' explains Hetherington. Though the remnants of jellies were rarely visible, their DNA has been found in stomach contents of a wide variety of birds, fish, and sea turtles, disproving the idea that they were just dead-ends in the food chain. As larvae, many fish species mimic the traits of gelatinous zooplankton to decrease their chances of being eaten. This larval cusk eel is nearly transparent which helps it hide in the open ocean. Scientists are still trying to answer major questions about how many species exist, in what numbers, and how those populations might be changing. 'In an oceanographic context, we're still a long way from having the big picture biogeochemistry stuff figured out' remarks Haddock. 'Questions like 'Are jellyfish increasing?', 'How much jellyfish biomass is there relative to fish biomass?', 'What is the true diversity of jellies?' … we're still struggling to answer those.' To answer these questions about jelly species, scientists must also learn more about how they fit in their ocean habitats. 'The ocean is not a stagnant place where nothing happens, the ocean is this dynamic, complicated system,' says Cawley. Jellies are no exception. Instead of maintaining a consistent, predictable population, many gelatinous zooplankton follow extreme boom and bust cycles that scientists are still trying to understand. One species of pelagic tunicate called a pyrosome can bloom with such intensity that it will make up 80 percent of the biomass in a given area. When blooms like this occur, they affect every aspect of an ecosystem from the food web to the chemistry of the water. With warming temperatures, overfishing, and pollution rapidly changing our oceans, answering these questions is becoming even more difficult. 'All of these ecosystems are impacted by warming and by pollution so it's important to get the baseline of where we are now,' but in a system as fluid as the ocean, a baseline is more complicated than a set of measurements, clarifies Hetherington. 'We should shift our thinking from baseline to baselines, that it's not this one thing, it's this dynamic range.' A baseline needs to capture the underlying patterns of our oceans. It's an intimidating challenge that begins with demystifying where these jellies are living and what they are doing. Still, in Haddock's eyes, it's an exciting time to study gelatinous zooplankton. 'There are new species within a stone's throw of New York City or Tokyo … if you just look in the right ways'
RTÉ News
03-06-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
'Bleak' - Alan Cawley runs the rule over Sligo Rovers' season so far
At the halfway stage of the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division, things are looking rather "bleak" for Sligo Rovers, according to RTÉ soccer analyst Alan Cawley. The table says as much with the Bit o' Red bottom of the table and facing a tough task to scrape survival once the campaign resumes after the mid-season break. The one saving grace for John Russell's outfit is that Cork City are only a point above them in the relegation play-off spot. But Cork, who played well on Friday on the way to taking a point against Shelbourne at Turners Cross, will be hoping that new manager Gerard Nash and his incoming assistant, former Republic of Ireland midfielder David Meyler, can give them a bounce. As for Sligo, while goalscoring hasn't been an issue, other positives have been thin on the ground and the type of summer surge that helped them finish mid-table last season isn't showing much sign of being on the horizon. And former Shelbourne league winner Cawley is not seeing too much ground for optimism as he told this week's RTÉ Soccer Podcast. "I think it's fairly bleak when you look at it in terms of the stats and the points, everything is pointing towards relegation sadly for them," said the Sligo native who also spoke earlier in the episode about the experience of attending Saturday's Champions League final in Munich. "They've been poor, very poor. I've seen them in a lot of games recently and they have been poor. "Now, in fairness to John Russell, he lost the goalkeeper (Ed) McGinty, he lost Ellis Chapman who went to Shelbourne, he lost (Niall) Morahan, the spine of the team really, and when you're losing players as good as that and then you're not replacing them, I think it's been very, very difficult for John in that regard." The one "shining light" according to Cawley is young striker Owen Elding who he and former Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers midfielder Richie Towell both picked as their Young Player of the Season so far. "He's been outstanding, seven goals. But if you're relying on a young fella to basically grab you by the scruff of the neck and get you back into games and win you points, I don't think that speaks well of some of the other lads maybe in the squad as well. So it's been really tough for John, it's been really poor overall," he said. At the halfway point of the season, Sligo are the only team to not pick up a win after falling behind, picking up just two points in that scenario and Cawley feels they often leave themselves with too much to do in games. "I think that's been one of the biggest problems in all the games, they don't give themselves a chance in games because they're falling behind through sloppy needless goals and there have been games where they've been two down in a lot of cases after only 15-20 minutes and then they show great heart and desire to chase the game and get themselves back but it all comes a little bit too late," he said. "They've conceded 34 goals as well. Defensively they've been very poor. They've won only one game at home all season and that's really, really poor because whatever about going on the road and trying to pick up points, you need to be trying to make your home place a bit of a fortress and tough to beat and a difficult place for people to go but if you've only won one game all season as well, I don't think that's great. "So it's pretty bleak at the moment it really is. There are allowances in terms of budgets maybe and what (Russell) has lost from last year and not being able to replace that, but still that's probably no consolation to John Russell. He'll still feel they should be higher up in the table. "But the only hope I see is that Cork are in touching distance, only a point ahead of them."
Extra.ie
26-05-2025
- Health
- Extra.ie
Former Ryanair exec eyes up €300m in savings for HSE
A former senior Ryanair executive called for an 'immediate prohibition' on any new management consultancy contracts for the HSE. Michael Cawley, an ex-deputy chief executive of the airline who now serves on the HSE board, said €70million had been spent on the contracts last year and a 'detailed report on the benefits, if any' of that spending should be provided. In an email to colleagues and the chief executive of the HSE, Mr Cawley said that following an analysis of the health service budget, he had identified potential annual savings of up to €300million. Pic: Benoit Doppagne/EPA/REX/Shutterstock (8270281a) Targets included the 'over-prescribing [and] excess supply' of some medications and properties that were lying idle. He also said all postal correspondence should be eliminated and that patients, suppliers and others should be contacted via email or text. Mr Cawley said cutting costs would take people 'out of their comfort zone' but that savings could be made while delivering better services to patients. He wrote: 'The reallocation of resources needs to become an everyday, core activity of the HSE. Pic: Gareth Chaney Collins 'This can only happen if there is full… commitment from management.' The email said no item of expenditure should be considered too small and that all staff should be motivated to look at where savings could be made. 'It is important that we are prepared to accept the risk of making mistakes. I have found that efficiencies arise in the most unexpected areas while often, where we planned and anticipated savings, none emerged,' he wrote. 'Therefore, we must attack all costs and most importantly not be discouraged by failure to convert.' Mr Cawley said management would need 'to be firm in its resolve' to face down the inevitable opposition. In a series of suggestions – a number of which have been withheld under FOI laws – he said training expenditure should be reduced to cover only that which was required by regulatory bodies. He said that in January, the HSE had 83 properties that were identified for sale or disposal out of more than 4,000 around the country. 'There is no reason why they can't be disposed of in the current year,' Mr Cawley wrote. He said 'very high' computer maintenance charges needed to be tackled, and these were likely caused by old software. The email added: 'IT should do an analysis by end of April to establish how we can reduce these costs, if necessary, by upgrading equipment and by discarding many of the surplus [or] superfluous licences we are paying for.' Mr Cawley also said a proposal from a company to use public hospital equipment and operating theatres during evenings and weekends should be closely examined. He said this could lead to a reduction in waiting times without the need for investment in extra capacity, especially where patients did not need a bed afterwards. Asked about the email, which was sent in late January, an HSE spokesman said: 'The welcome input from the board member was one of many engagements by the CEO as he sought inputs on areas to maximise savings across the health service.'
Irish Independent
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Sligo athletes Lucie Cawley and Erin Walsh in top form at schools championships
A relatively unknown name to most but a super star in the making to everyone close to her. On Wednesday. Athlone TUS played host to the Connacht schools championships where Sligo kids dominated the day and in particular, Lucie Cawley. She toed the line in the intermediate girls 1500m steeplechase, a gruelling event to some, but for Cawley a match made in heaven. She lead from pillar to post in the gazing sunshine to record a time of 5min 02seconds, a new Connacht record and a time never recorded by an intermediate school girl on Irish soil, all of this by a first year intermediate student, so yes she will be back in this age category again next year. Cawley, a member of Sligo Athletic Club, then made the trip to Tullamore on Sunday and moved up an age to u18 and distance to 2000m steeplechase in an attempt to qualify for the European Youth Olympic festival this July in North Macedonia. With no early pace on, Cawley took it on and never looked back, she ran a time of 6mins 48seconds, which was inside the qualifying standard for the EYOF and breaking the Irish u18 record for the event. A new star has landed!! Lucie's coach Dermot McDermott wasn't short on praise for the Streamstown girl 'genuinely the best I've ever got and I've had some serious good ones, she just needs to stay healthy year on year and the world's her Oyster'. Back at the Irish schools on Wednesday and Friday, notable performances from Nicole Flanagan winning the intermediate girls long jump and triple jump, Darragh Burke ran like a scalded cat flying home to clinch a brilliant silver in the senior boys 200m in a rapid time of 21.94 seconds and Ruby Cunnane pushed All-Ireland champion from the age above her over the 75m hurdles for junior girls. Briain Cullinan was a class apart in the inter boys 400m hurdles as he strode to victory. Someone was shining down on Erin Walsh from St Attracta's, when she took a remarkable gold in the senior girls long jump, she fouled her first 2 jumps and with only one jump remaining, she played safe on the board but still sprouted wings to fly out the pit and claim gold, a very proud day for Erin and her family. Summerhill boys stole all the relays while the Mercy girls took the top accolade in the Intermediate girls across all events. The Irish schools Championsips will take place in Tullamore on Friday the 30th and Saturday the 31st of May, the biggest event of the year for bidding stars.
