Latest news with #Ciaran
Extra.ie
13 hours ago
- Business
- Extra.ie
Meet the designer who's making old Irish punts into incredible jewellery
More brands both home and abroad are embracing being Irish — and are showing off with impeccable designs. Between brands such as Pellador and Emporium having pop up shops and selling out their clothes in minutes, the Claddagh ring becoming incredibly popular both at home and abroad, and even Guinness having collaborations with several clothing brands, Irishness has never been cooler. Today's top videos STORY CONTINUES BELOW However, one young man from Dublin has begun his jewellery making business with items that are probably lying in a junk drawer in your house right now — Irish pound coins. Ciaran Gibson began designing watches using Irish pound coins, under his brand Lame Squared. Pic: Lame2/Instagram Since the country switched to the Euro in 2002, the Punt has become pretty much obsolete bar a few people who want to collect them. But for Ciaran Gibson, he's breathing new life into the coins; making them into analogue watches with the coins as the faces. The Dubliner, who studied manufacturing and design engineering in college, began tinkering with Casio watches before moving on to analogue; and found the perfect face for the watch in the old coins. 'Before [college] I always wanted to be an inventor,' Ciaran told 'So I did manufacturing and design engineering in college and was working with a company that made air conditioning units for data centres. It wasn't very fulfilling,' he joked. Ciaran said that he began making the watches just over a year ago, with him beginning to sell them earlier this year. Pic: Lame2/Instagram After being able to leave the job, Ciaran began taking inventing and designing products seriously; and after creating a workbench, he wanted to initially design a chair; but he came up with the idea for the watches while designing said chair. 'I was always interested in watches; I would collect vintage Casios, the digital watches, and I really just taught myself [the manufacturing process],' he explained. 'Obviously, I had somewhat of a mechanical aptitude in general, but it was a huge learning curve. 'I would buy 10, 20 cheap ones online and just absolutely destroy them, seeing what I could take off and what I can't… I really just taught myself through trial and error.' Pic: Lame2/Instagram As for how the idea of the Punt design came about, he had a fairly simple one: people just like the coins. 'So many people love the Irish pounds. They're all over the place, in people's homes, and people who collect them would put them in a little binder or something to have them on display, so [the idea] was for someone to have a cool Irish coin and be able to show it off.' While collecting vintage coins can be a bit hard, the Irish punt is floating around in abundance; including abroad, where Ciaran told us that he managed to find one from the very first Irish Free State mint. 'At the start I was marketing them as 'get them for your birth year, or anniversary' or whatever — I'm trying to steer away from that because it's actually quite hard to find a particular year,' he joked. 'There's a fella in George's Street that sells the coins, there are a few knick-knack shops that sell them, pretty much every home in Ireland has them, I get a few off adverts… 'I was in Bruges (the town, not the film) over the summer and there was this antique market in the town square,' he continued. 'I was searching through, searching through, and I found a copper coin that [was minted] the very first year of minting in the Irish Free State. Now there's still plenty around the place, but it was still very cool to find.' Pic: Lame2/Instagram From there, he started selling the watches under his brand, which he calls Lame2 (lame squared) — and Ciaran said that thanks to his parents' entrepreneurial knowledge, he hopes to have a stall lined up at upcoming markets, including during Christmas. 'I started selling them only recently, but was making them for the past year and a bit,' he said. 'But I was still wary of pushing out products that were fairly expensive, I was like 'I can't be selling those if I have even a shred of doubt that they're reliable and worth that much. The product has to back itself up. 'It was when I wore one of the first ones I made for 10 months and I'd trot around with it every single day, in the rain — now it's not really waterproof — but I had zero problems whatsoever. So that's when I was like 'okay, now's the time to pull the trigger, make orders.' 'The short term [goal] is Christmas,' Ciaran told 'Get a pop-up shop in a popular spot during Christmas, start selling there, and then down the line? Experiment with other stuff — not necessarily the fashion, but see where I can take it. Just keep making stuff.' Ciaran's brand Lame2 can be followed on Instagram, @
Irish Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Cork hurler Ciaran Joyce's day job and well-known GAA family off the pitch
Ciaran Joyce might be youthful, but he's already established himself as a formidable presence in GAA circles. The Cork hurler, hailing from Castlemartyr, operates as a centre-back and initially made his mark whilst representing Midleton CBS as a student. He's now an indispensable figure for Cork's senior squad - hardly shocking given his family's deep GAA connections. Here's everything you need to discover about his existence both on and off the field. Age Ciaran was born in 2002, making him 23 years old. Club career Ciaran played at juvenile and underage levels with Kiltha Óg. He first appeared on Castlemartyr's adult team in 2020 and is also a member of the Imokilly divisional team, based in East Cork. Inter-county career Ciaran debuted for his native county as part of the minor team in 2019. The following year, he immediately progressed to the under-20 team. In 2022, Ciaran made his senior debut for Cork. He previously told the Irish Sun: "When I was first called in, I was like, 'If I make the match-day panel, I'll be happy.' "When I started training and playing a few matches then, I was making my way up and up. Then I was in the starting 15 and I was thinking, 'I might actually be in with a shout here.' "I just worked my way from there, took it training by training, match by match and luckily I found my way into the starting 15 that year." Day job Ciaran recently completed an agriculture degree course at MTU and hopes to have a career in dairy farming. He currently works alongside his father Carey on their family farm in East Cork. "I love it. There are no days off there. [His dad] won't give you any days off. It keeps me grounded anyway," he told "I'll farm for the rest of the summer anyway and I'll look into maybe getting a job there at the end of the year. "But in the future, I do hope to go home dairy farming. That's the plan anyway. "It's not conducive to training but I'm lucky now my dad is fit and healthy and he's able to go milking. But any time I'm around, I do go milking." GAA family GAA is a big part of the Joyce household, particularly hurling. Ciaran's grandfather, Dan Joe Joyce, won a Harty Cup with St Colman's of Fermoy in 1948. His father Carey won the cup with Midleton CBS in 1988 while Ciaran won it himself in 2019. Carey coached his son at Kiltha Óg and is also club chairman for Castlemartyr. However, the father and son don't spend all of their time talking about sport. Ciaran told the Irish Examiner: "We actually try and talk as little as possible about hurling. He's very good like that. He's a big GAA man, but with that, he realises it's important to keep my eyes off hurling for a good while." Ciaran's younger brother Darragh plays hurling for Kiltha Óg, Castlemartyr and Midleton CBS, while sister Aoibhe plays Gaelic football with Inch Rovers.
Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Wexford heavy metal band to raise funds for Palestine – ‘No one should turn away when people are facing starvation'
On Saturday, July 12, 12 Gauge Outrage, who have been releasing music for 11 years, treated the audience to a stellar performance of their latest EP entitled Echoes Within in the Presentation Centre in Enniscorthy. 'On July 12, we launched our fifth studio album Echoes Within at the Presentation Arts Centre in Enniscorthy, performing to a full house alongside local heavyweights Death Can Wait, The Zonai, and Limerick's War Of Attrition. The night marked an important step in the next chapter of the band, with a string of upcoming shows planned to support the release,' said member Ciaran Byrne on behalf of the group. He said that the proceeds from their second single and following events will be going directly to The Sameer Project; a London based mutual aid group that has donated more than a million litres of clean water to the people of Gaza. "One of those shows will take place in Kelly's on the Corner, Wexford Town, a special gig in support of the Sameer Project, raising funds for humanitarian aid in Palestine. We're teaming up with Al Wadi Falafel for the night, tickets are €5 on the door, with proceeds from ticket sales and donations going directly to the cause. This will take place on Saturday, September 20, from 6 p.m. till late. Ahead of this, we also released 'The World We Burn Through,' dedicated to the fundraiser, with 100 per cent of the proceeds to be donated. The Sameer Project is working with in-region teams working on the ground to provide emergency aid in the form of food, water, medical help, diapers, and formula to internally displaced families. They purchase these essential goods in bulk and distribute them equitably based on urgent need assessments through their operations in North, Central and South Gaza. A big part of their ethos centres on restoring dignity to the families, emphasising that they are not statistics, but human beings. On their Chuffed fundraiser page they wrote: 'The healthcare situation in Gaza is a catastrophe. Not only is life-saving medication and supplies prohibited from entering, for the large part so are medical missions with foreign doctor and nurse delegates, and medical evacuations have been few and far between, preventing those who need care from leaving. Yet the bombing, the shootings, the famine, the fighting, chronic of this has stopped.' The organisation suffered a loss in 2024 as their original fundraising platform GoFundMe shut down their fundraiser after it reached over £250,000 citing that they violated terms and conditions. The large sum of money was then returned to the original donors. Their current platform on Chuffed, which they established soon after, has currently raised £77,601 of their £100,000 target. Ciaran explained that they want to use whatever platform they have to bring attention to the ongoing crisis in Palestine. ADVERTISEMENT "Regardless of political views, we believe no one should turn away when people are facing starvation, daily bombings, and violations of basic human rights. If you have a platform to reach others, it should be used to make a difference. Music is a powerful tool, and we want to use ours to help ensure vital aid — like medical supplies and food — reaches those who need it most.' He added that besides humanitarian support, they have a long history of supporting emerging artists in the local community of Wexford. "Beyond the music, 12 Gauge Outrage has also been active in supporting the local scene through Outrage Entertainment, an initiative led by band members Bryan and Richard. The project offers a space for young people and emerging bands to perform, helping to grow the local music community and encourage new talent across Wexford,' he said.
Belfast Telegraph
03-07-2025
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
Minister removes Belfast Trust chair but MLA insists department has questions to answer
But after Ciaran Mulgrew was stood down, a DUP MLA warned this should not deflect from scrutiny of senior officials within the Department of Health. Mr Mulgrew will leave the post on Friday and the department said the process for filling that position is being initiated as a priority. The Belfast Trust has been under the highest level of intervention following the findings of a report into bullying and poor behaviour within the Royal Victoria Hospital's cardiac surgery unit. Pressure has also been mounting over capital delays and overspend on the Maternity Hospital. The BBC has reported that Mr Nesbitt decided on a change of leadership at the trust, saying he believes a fresh start is required. The minister and department thanked Mr Mulgrew for his contribution to the trust and the wider health and social care system. The Belfast Trust's interim chief executive Maureen Edwards extended her 'sincere thanks to Ciaran for his unwavering support, contribution and commitment during his time as trust chairman". She said Mr Mulgrew had helped the trust through some challenging times since his appointment. "In particular, he has shown courage and leadership over the last few months in bringing focus and committing to addressing issues around culture and behaviours in our organisation," she said. "Ciaran always acknowledges the fantastic work of staff in Belfast Trust and is proud of their many achievements. He is leaving the organisation with our gratitude and best wishes for the future. "I wish to reassure our staff and the public that we will continue to make tangible improvements across the organisation to benefit staff, patients and service users." 'There is a wider systemic problem within the Belfast Trust that will not be resolved by simply removing one individual' – Dianne Dodds Mr Mulgrew's Belfast Trust profile says he is a native of Andersonstown, west Belfast. He became chairman of the Belfast Trust in April 2023. He was previously managing director and owner operator of Niche Drinks Co. Ltd, a successful alcoholic drinks manufacturer and marketeer based in Derry's Waterside. The business was sold to MGP Luxco, a US-based plc. in 2021. Mr Mulgrew was educated at Queen's University, Belfast and has a Master's degree from Napier University, Edinburgh. Whilst based in the north-west, he served as a non-executive director of Londonderry Port and Harbour Commission; Altnagelvin Hospital Trust; and the Western Health and Social Care Trust. He is also currently a non-executive director of Invest Northern Ireland, the Trust website states. News Catch up: July 1st 2025 DUP health spokesperson Diane Dodds said his departure is a reflection of the scale of the turmoil within that organisation, but that responsibility 'goes much wider' than one individual. She said: 'Removal of the chair is testament to the sheer scale of crisis within the Belfast Trust. There have been a series of scandals over recent months and this reflects that. 'However, it should be remembered that many of these issues predated the current chair's tenure. 'Responsibilities within the Trust go much wider than simply one individual and the Department of Health will have had an awareness of these issues also.' She added: 'There is a wider systemic problem within the Belfast Trust that will not be resolved by simply removing one individual. 'However, we will need to hear more detail about what exactly has prompted this decision at this time. That is something I will continue to probe both within the Health Committee and beyond.' Dr Alan Stout, chair of the BMA NI Council, said he 'instinctively' did not like the decision. 'We hear lots of dialogue about crises, culture and behaviour, but little about solutions and change,' he posted on social media. 'We have big culture issues. We are missing open spaces, freedom to speak up and safety guardians. 'It concerns me that individuals are targeted.'
The Journal
16-06-2025
- Business
- The Journal
Former Meath councillor says rezoning allegations ‘tortured' him and ended his career
A FORMER CHAIRPERSON of Meath County Council has claimed he has been 'tortured' for six years and lost his livelihood over allegations about the rezoning of lands in Navan, Co Meath, in which two of his sons have an interest. Former Fianna Fáil councillor Tommy Reilly told an inquiry held by the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) that he had been lambasted by 'a certain group of political people' on Facebook, which had devastated him and his standing in his community. Reilly, who had been a councillor since 1996, lost his seat in the Navan electoral area in last year's local elections, when he was the outgoing chairperson of Meath County Council. He told the SIPO hearing that last year was the first time in 63 years that he was asked not to canvas during elections because his name had been 'dragged through the mud.' The inquiry heard that a 35-acre site at Liscarton on the outskirts of Navan, which is owned by Reilly's son, Ciaran, had a purchase price of €500,000 in August 2016. However, the same site had an asking price of €4.2 million when it was placed on the market after being rezoned the following year (although the land was not sold). Two of Reilly's sons, Ciarán and Tomás, are directors of Royal Active Business Solutions – the company which owns the lands. Reilly is facing four allegations of breaching legislation governing the conduct of elected representatives. One of the allegations Reilly faces is that he failed to declare a conflict of interest at a number of council meetings between July 2016 and May 2017, over the fact that one or more of his sons had an interest in lands that were under consideration for being rezoned, contrary to the Local Government Act 2001. The former councillor was also accused of failing to disclose the nature of the interest of family members in the Liscarton site at a special planning meeting of the council on 19 July 2017, although he did withdraw from the meeting on the basis that he had a conflict of interest. He is also accused of failing to maintain proper standards of integrity, conduct and concern for the public interest, and acting in a manner inconsistent with the proper performance and duties of a councillor. Reilly gave evidence that he first learned about his son Ciaran's interest in the lands at Liscarton while in his bedroom in early July 2017. He said his son had asked him how he would go about making a submission on a development, but he replied that he could have nothing to do with it. 'I took no action,' he added. The inquiry heard the witness attended a special planning meeting of Meath County Council about two weeks later on 19 July 2017, which he left after declaring he had a conflict of interest. Reilly told his counsel, Dáithí MacCárthaigh BL, that he should have explained his conflict of interest, but said that in 30 years in politics, he had heard people excusing themselves from meetings without ever being asked why. Reilly said that he had never been asked by anyone to elaborate on his own declared conflict of interest. Advertisement He stressed that he himself had no interest in the lands. Reilly said his son had many business interests, of which he knew very little or nothing about. He believed that once he had declared a conflict of interest, he had fulfilled his obligations and did not believe at the time that he had to update his ethics register. 'I find it all very confusing,' he told the hearing. Swearing by his six grandchildren, he stressed that he never mentioned the lands in Liscarton to anybody. Reilly's cross-examination by counsel for SIPO, Mark Curran BL was dominated by tetchy exchanges – including when he was asked how he would know about any potential conflict of interest if he did not know about his son's business. Reilly said he was familiar with his obligations to make declarations about his interests but did not know about 'connected persons.' 'My son was involved. I knew that much. Was that not enough,' he replied. He added: 'As far as I was concerned, I was 100% right in what I did and it ends there,' he retorted. Reilly said he was asked by his son to attend what he termed an 'explanatory planning meeting' in March 2018, and did not believe there was anything appropriate in him doing so. He said he disagreed with the view of the former chief executive of Meath County Council, Jackie Maguire, that it had been unwise for him to have attended the meeting. Reilly told the hearing that he 'wasn't too happy' when he discovered his own name was listed on a planning application in relation to the Liscarton lands, and 'attacked' his son over it. In other evidence, Ciaran Reilly confirmed he first became interested in purchasing the lands at Liscarton as an investment opportunity in mid-2016. He denied that he was not originally listed as a director in the company that purchased the land in order to keep his family name hidden. His brother, Tomás Reilly, said he was asked to become a director of the company by his brother but did not talk to his brother about business. Tomás Reilly said his brother did not talk to him about the purchase of the lands at Liscarton or why he was asked to be a director. He said he had 'no understanding' why the company records showed it owed him €15,368 since 2018, and had never discussed why he was owed the amount with his brother. He confirmed he was still a director of the firm, but has no shareholding in it. At the conclusion of the inquiry, the chairperson of the six-person Commission, Justice Garrett Sheehan, said it would announce its findings at a later date. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
