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BreakingNews.ie
39 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- BreakingNews.ie
Quiz: How much do you know about the Irish acts at Glastonbury?
As the fun has already begun at Glastonbury, it will be a weekend where several Irish artists will get to show their talents. Some of the biggest artists in the world, such as Lorde, Charlie XCX, Lewis Capaldi, there is no shortage of incredible music over the next few days. Advertisement However, Ireland is more than represented, with Kneecap CMAT, The Script, and Snow Patrol among over 30 Irish artists. With the festival already underway, test your knowledge on the Irish acts set to perform in our quiz. Whether you are luck enough to be there, watching it on BBC, or just a fan of music, take on our quiz on the Irish in Glastonbury.
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Bewley's seeks Grafton St rent reduction from Johnny Ronan company
Bewley's Cafe and a company owned by property developer Johnny Ronan have gone to the High Court in a row over €747,000 per-year rent for the Grafton Street outlet. Mr Ronan's RGRE Grafton Limited has said the rent should actually be €1 million, while a valuer called by the famous coffee company said it should be €518,000. The High Court heard that prior to October last year, Bewley's had been paying €1.46 million for the same premises but that figure was reduced following a rental valuation by the Circuit Court. The High Court appeal was taken by Bewley's Café Grafton Street Ltd (BCGSL) through Beauchamps solicitors, led by Simon Murphy, against the rent granted to RGRE Grafton Limited, which owns the building located at 78-79 Grafton Street, Dublin 2. READ MORE RGRE Grafton has cross-appealed the decision. The difference between the two sides' figures over a five-year rental period amounts to over €2.5 million. The case centres on the methods behind the valuations of both sides. The court has been told that BCGSL held the lease on the building from 1987 for 35 years, a deal that expired in August 2022. BCGSL then received a new tenancy under Part II of the Landlord and Tenant (Amendment) Act 1980. In October, the cafe had its annual rent halved following a ruling by Judge Jennifer O'Brien, who said it should have to pay a rent of more than €738,000 per year. That figure was later adjusted to €747,000 – still a 50 per cent drop from the previous €1.46 million being paid. The Circuit Court found that this fairly represented what a willing tenant would pay and a willing landlord would take for the premises as of August 2022 over a five-year lease term and that BCGSL was entitled to almost €1 million for rent paid since the expiry of the previous lease. Both sides are appealing the decision of the Circuit Court. Fergus Crosse, an expert valuer retained by BCGSL, told the High Court that improvements to the Bewley's building made by BCGSL also meant that the gross rent should be reduced. Mr Crosse was of the opinion that the statutory rental value of the property was €518,000. David Potter, a valuer with Savills, was retained by RGRE Grafton. He said the statutory rent should be €1 million annually. Mr Crosse told David Whelan SC, for BCGLS, that he employed a 'zoning' of arrears of the floor space at the cafe which meant that Zone A, closest to the entrance, would be the most valuable. Each tranche of zones was measured at 20 feet from the entry. Mr Crosse said he used comparator properties on Grafton Street in his analysis and that Zone B would be valued at 50 per cent of Zone A and that Zone C would be valued at 50 per cent of Zone B. Mr Potter said an 'overall' view was more effective in determining the rent and that the use of the zoning model in this case led to a 'misvaluation'. Mr Potter said the use of the zoning model meant the restaurant floor space far from the door was now valued at a lower rate by Mr Crosse which 'undervalued' the restaurant area. 'Bewley's space at the back is big money, it's the main restaurant,' said Mr Potter. 'It can't be valued as if it is the cheapest, worst space. Zoning undervalues it significantly, as if the rear is ancillary, but it is not – it is a really attractive restaurant.' Mr Potter said that a valuation of €24 per square foot of the restaurant area – while the staff room in nearby McDonald's restaurant was valued at €60 per square foot – amounted to a 'fundamental misvaluation'. He said he was valuing the property as a restaurant and not a restaurant-retail use agreement and that Dublin City Council previously gave an opinion that it would prefer the use of Bewley's to be maintained as a restaurant and not a retail outlet. The case continues before Ms Justice Sara Phelan.
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
The Irish Times view on the next election: anyone for the presidency?
Who would run for president of Ireland? Not many , to judge from the long list of potential candidates who have already ruled themselves out of the contest to succeed Michael D Higgins when his second term ends in November. There are a multitude of reasons for early contenders to opt out. Some know they would not win. Others have been told, or have come to realise, that they would not secure their party's nomination. For frontline politicians or those with ambitions to serve in government, the thought of occupying a largely ceremonial role in the relatively sleepy surroundings of the Phoenix Park for at least seven years may not be all that enticing. The high financial cost of running a campaign is also no doubt a factor. But it is surely undeniable that the bruising, even brutal, nature of recent Irish presidential campaigns is also deterring prospective nominees from putting their names forward. There is a long list of candidates from previous elections, including people of real standing and professional accomplishment, who say the campaign left them feeling damaged or humiliated. To anyone who values the democratic system, that's regrettable, and everyone– including parties, candidates and the media – must reflect on it. At the same time, it is vital that candidates for such an important office are subjected to serious, robust scrutiny. Candidates complain that it's all about playing the man – or woman – and not the ball. The problem is that, in presidential elections, there is no ball. The president has no executive powers and virtually no influence on policy. Their influence is softer, more nebulous and symbolic. Campaign discussions about housing or healthcare or taxation are useful only insofar as they provide an insight into the personality and worldview of the individual. READ MORE Ultimately, a presidential election is about finding the personality whom the electorate deems most suitable to represent the country and its values at a particular moment. In their different ways, each of the last three presidents have done exactly that, embodying an outlook or a set of preoccupations that both reflected – and helped to define – their eras. To say that the president's power is largely symbolic is not to imply that the role is less important. On the contrary. It is vested with important constitutional functions that require sound judgment and sharp political instincts. It is in many ways a harder role to fill than most other public office because the holder must have that rare ability to both understand politics and stand above it, to show a deep, sophisticated knowledge of the Irish experience and the ability to articulate a national vision that transcends day-to-day preoccupations. If that person is to be found, the strongest candidates must enter the contest.
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
The Irish Times view on radio in Ireland: Joe's Liveline made its mark
An era has come to an end with the retirement of Joe Duffy from Liveline. In a medium where presenters tend to come and go, his 27-year stint in the job was remarkable. 'Talk to Joe', that familiar voice intoned. And talk to Joe we did. About all manner of issues, from the most trivial to the most important social concerns. Liveline, initially presented by the late Marian Finucane, grew into a quintessentially Irish mix of light and shade – everything from uproar over the sex in Normal People to harrowing tales of the victims of institutional abuse and the moving stories of the children killed during the 1916 Rising. While Joe's show had its funny moments – its listeners showed an inexhaustible ability to find new and strange things to complain about – its real importance was in giving a voice to people who did not have one. And if something broke through thanks to the Liveline loudspeaker, people in power were forced to listen – and to act. Taoiseach Micheál Martin, in a contribution to Duffy's final show yesterday, spoke of how civil servants would often come running in to his office shouting: 'Liveline's gone mad, we've got to do this, that and the other'. It should not take a radio show to get 'the system' to respond to the needs of ordinary people. But all too often it does. In the early decades after independence, Irish radio played an important role in shaping modern Ireland's developing national identity. In more recent decades, shows such as those presented by Gay Byrne, Marian Finucane and Joe Duffy have themselves been conduits for, and participants in, the evolving national conversation in a country undergoing dramatic change and upheaval. READ MORE Just as the Late Late Show in its heyday was far more than light entertainment, these radio shows had a social and sometimes political importance that went far beyond their ostensible function as daytime talk radio. In an age when radio and television are challenged by technological change and profound shifts in how people stay informed, Liveline's enduring power is a real achievement.
Irish Times
3 hours ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Earnings and trade talks boost market
Markets surged on Friday on strong earnings news along with hopes of a deal in the US-China trade row and increased likelihood of an interest rate cut. Dublin The Irish market's leading stocks performed well on Friday. Insulation maker Kingspan climbed 2.4 per cent to €72.65. Food group Glanbia added 2.68 per cent to €13.04 while rival Kerry advanced 1.62 per cent to €94.20. READ MORE Ryanair dipped 0.9 per cent to close at €23.72. The banks also lured buyers. AIB added 2.15 per cent to €6.90 while peer Bank of Ireland rose 2.91 per cent to €12.03. Permanent TSB climbed 1.01 per cent to €1.995. London London's indeces climbed on Friday boosted driven by global optimism over earnings, trade policies and easy monetary policy. The blue chip FTSE 100 rose 0.7 per cent while the domestically oriented FTSE 250 jumped 1.1 per cent to close at its highest level since February 2022. Markets have rebounded in recent weeks due to easing concerns over the Middle East conflict, signs of US-China trade negotiations and potential for US interest rate cuts. JD Sports was among the top gainers on the blue-chip FTSE 100, advancing 7.6 per cent to 87.88 pence sterling after US rival Nike's upbeat earnings bolstered sportswear brands. Unilever shares rose 1 per cent to 4,432p after the Financial Times reported it was buying men's personal care brand Dr Squatch from private equity firm Summit Partners for $1.5 billion (€1.3 billion). On the flip side, the FTSE 350 precious metals and mining index dropped 4.4 per cent as gold prices tumbled following a ceasefire between Iran and Israel. Fresnillo fell 4.2 per cent to 1,433p while Endeavour Mining slid at the same rate to close at 2,176p. Hochschild Mining shed 2.6 per cent to 251.8p. Europe European stocks closed at an over one-week high on Friday, fuelled by a rally in automakers, as investors took more risks on hopes for a truce in the US-China trade spat. The pan-European STOXX 600 index closed 1.1 per cent higher, snapping a two-week losing streak and posting its first weekly gain in three. German stocks notched their strongest weekly rally in two months, while France and Spain's main indexes clocked their best weeks in over a month. European auto stocks and the luxury sector particularly sensitive to China-related headlines, jumped 4.1 per cent and 2.5 per cent respectively, steering sectoral advances. Porsche jumped 7.6 per cent after newspaper Handelsblatt reported that the carmaker was looking to sell its consulting and IT services business MHP, which could be worth more than €1 billion. The STOXX 600's energy sector suffered its first drop in weeks. The industry lost steam as oil prices plunged, after fears of a closure of the Strait of Hormuz – crucial to global supply – subsided following a 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran. US Wall Street pushed stocks toward fresh all-time highs after Friday's economic data eased concerns about the impacts of tariffs. Signs that the US economy shrank in the first three months of the year while people reined in spending sparked hopes that central bankers will cut interest rates again this year. Sportswear giant Nike was up 15.5 per cent at $72.17 (€61.68) shortly after 6pm Irish time after the group pledged to cut production for the US market in China. The company reported a year-on-year 12 per cent decline in revenue to $11.1 billion, but its 14 cent per share earnings beat market expectations, prompting investors to back the stock. The main Wall Street indexes – the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq – touched intraday record highs on Friday with technology stocks in the lead. Prices paid by consumers for goods and services rose 2.3 per cent overall in the US last month. Analysts argued that they showed little impact from tariffs on imports. The Fed, the US central bank, expects inflation to rise during the summer months, but if this does not materialise, it has indicated that it will cut interest rates.
