Latest news with #FranVeale
Extra.ie
2 days ago
- Business
- Extra.ie
Viral restaurant sensation to close Dublin diner less than a year after opening
A city centre restaurant known for its cheeky service and viral concept has announced its permanent closure, citing financial pressures faced by many small businesses. Karen's Diner, which opened on Dublin's O'Connell Street in early 2024, was originally part of a global chain inspired by the viral 'Karen' meme – where waiters and waitresses playfully adopt rude personas and pretend to deal with difficult customers. In November 2024, the venue rebranded as Karen's Gone Wild, becoming an independently owned Irish restaurant. Karen's Diner on O'Connell Street in Dublin. Pic: Fran Veale Despite the local ownership and loyal customer base, the team confirmed via social media over the weekend that the business will close for good on Sunday, August 3. 'After a wild ride, we've decided it's time to shut our doors. Karen's will officially close after Sunday, August 3rd. 'So if you've ever wanted to experience the madness (or come back for round two), now's your last chance. Like many independent spots, we've felt the pressure — VAT at 13.5%, rising costs, tight margins, and so much more. 'A huge thank you to everyone who supported us, shouted at us, laughed with us, and made this place what it was. It's been unreal. Once again thank you for being part of it — we hope to see you one last time before we turn off the lights.' Karen's closure adds to a growing list of hospitality venues struggling to stay afloat in Ireland, as rising operational costs, VAT increases, and narrow profit margins continue to pressure small businesses across the country.
Extra.ie
22-07-2025
- General
- Extra.ie
Heartache as family forced to give up beloved dog to get a home
The number of Irish families forced to give up dogs due to a lack of pet-friendly rental accommodation has more than doubled in the past five years, Dogs Trust has said. The charity said it is currently looking for the right home for Toby, a 12-year-old spaniel, who was surrendered to Dogs Trust despite his family searching for a rental home for eight months. Dogs Trust said Toby was not an isolated case. Last year, the charity received an average of more than one request per day from families needing to give up their dog because they were unable to find a pet-friendly rental. The charity said it is currently looking for the right home for Toby, a 12-year-old spaniel, who was surrendered to Dogs Trust despite his family searching for a rental home for eight months. Pic: Fran Veale These types of requests have increased by 112% since 2020. A spokesman said: 'One of the most heartbreaking victims of this rental crisis is Toby, who was adopted from Dogs Trust in 2012. 'When his family's landlord decided to sell the property they were living in, Toby's family began looking for suitable accommodation right away. Despite months of searching, they couldn't find anywhere that would accept Toby.' Toby's previous owner said: 'Giving up Toby was one of the hardest things we've ever had to do. He was the family dog and had grown up alongside our kids. He was part of every memory and every milestone, and it's been very tough on them. 'When we faced the reality of homelessness, we had no choice. It felt like we were being forced to give up a member of our family.' Dogs Trust has launched a petition to urge the Government to change the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 and stop allowing blanket bans on pets in tenancy agreements. Visit
Extra.ie
11-07-2025
- Extra.ie
Child dies while swimming in River Suir
A young girl has died in a drowning incident in County Tipperary It's believed the child got into difficulty while swimming in the River Suir in Newcastle shortly after 4pm this afternoon (Friday). Its understood the 12 year old was swimming with a group of friends when the incident occured. Emergency services were called and the National Ambulance Service, and the Fire Services Swift Water Rescue Team from Clonmel responded to the scene but the girl was found to be unresponsive. The Irish Coast Guard CHC Rescue Helicopter 117 – Photograph: ©Fran Veale Rescue Helicopter 117 airlifted the child to Cork University Hospital in a serious condition but she passed away a short time later. A file is being prepared for the coronors court and the child has not yet been named.
Extra.ie
10-07-2025
- Health
- Extra.ie
Crèche and canteen shut at RTÉ as rodent droppings found
RTÉ's crèche was ordered to close its kitchen and canteen due to a 'significant number of rodent droppings'. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) reported yesterday that eight closure orders were issued last month. Among these was Wee Care Limited at Donnybrook, a facility provided by RTÉ that cares for children of staff working at the broadcaster. An inspection by the FSAI on June 25 found the kitchen on the premises had failed to comply with the provisions of EC Regulation on the Hygiene of Foodstuffs. Pic: Shutterstock Following this, the crèche was ordered by the FSAI to close its kitchen and the canteen used by staff on the premises due to what the inspector called 'a grave and immediate danger to food safety due to rodent activity'. The inspection found that droppings were present on the floor behind and under two fridges, a freezer and an oven. It also discovered more droppings behind and underneath a fridge in a canteen area. The inspector wrote that 'a lack of cleaning is evident in the premises', saying: 'Rodent droppings have not been cleaned up and the affected areas have not been disinfected.' The inspection further found that 'adequate procedures are not in place to control pests in the premises'. The national broadcaster has spent €5,400 on pest checks and inspections over the past 12 months in its sprawling Dublin 4 complex. Pic: Fran Veale The closure order was lifted two days later after pest control was contacted to address the problems found in the initial inspection. A staff member at RTÉ told 'It shouldn't be too much to ask for our kids to be protected from rat droppings. It should be the bare minimum.' They went on to say the broadcaster needs to take responsibility, saying they 'should be doing more to reassure us as parents instead of washing their hands of it and point the finger at the contractors who run it'. The inspector who visited the crèche warned that 'rodents can transmit harmful pathogens to foodstuffs, food contact surfaces, equipment and packaging through droppings and urine'. The closure comes during an ongoing battle against rodents at RTÉ headquarters. Pic: Getty Images It was reported in early June that RTÉ had spent €5,400 on checks and inspections over the past year to ensure the campus was vermin-free. Last December, it came to light that after the sighting of a mouse at the Wee Care crèche, extermination services had been called to deal with the issue. This process proved unsuccessful after it was reported in February that mouse droppings had been found in the kitchen of the crèche. That same day, a dead mouse was removed from the second floor of the main RTÉ building. This was followed by reports of rats and mice sighted in the main canteen, the wardrobe department and on the set of Fair City. Two Radar mouse traps were bought as a precaution, and RTÉ later said that it had an ongoing contract for areas where rodent activity was suspected. FSAI chief Greg Dempsey said: 'Food safety isn't optional, it's essential. Non-compliance with food law is not tolerated.' Closure orders were issued to Doolin Ice Cream in Co. Clare, All Bar Chicken in Coolock, Co. Dublin, and Il Vicolo in Galway.
Extra.ie
08-07-2025
- Extra.ie
Chef slashed with knife and restaurant petrol-bombed in suspected racist attack
A chef was slashed with a knife, and the Somali restaurant where he worked was petrol-bombed in a suspected racist attack. The trouble began outside the Marka Cadey restaurant on North Frederick Street in Dublin's north inner city on Friday evening. The first incident occurred shortly after the end of a far-right protest in the capital. Chef Mukhtar Yaamat said he heard a commotion outside the premises at around 5 pm, which led to a man running inside the restaurant for shelter. When he went to investigate, he saw a group of men fighting. Chef Mukhtar Yaamat shows the stab wound to his head. Pic: Fran Veale Mr Yaamat described how the man was trying to flee inside the restaurant, away from a group of young teenagers who were trying to attack him. Videos show the group confronting the restaurant owners and trying to get them to send the man back outside. When he tried to intervene and calm the situation, the chef was sliced across the forehead, suffering a minor injury. However, he believes that had he not tried to move away from the knife, his injuries could have been a lot worse. He told 'I heard these noises, like fighting outside, so I went to see what was happening. Then there were guys trying to come into the restaurant. One had a big knife. I tried to move back but he hit me here [his forehead]. I know I am lucky. But I am here, and I am working as a chef. All I want is peace. I don't want any of this.' The Marka Cadey restaurant on North Frederick Street in Dublin's north inner city. Pic: Fran Veale After he was injured, Mr Yaamat's colleague took over from him for the rest of the shift. Those involved in the initial fight said they would be back to burn out the restaurant. Abdul Ali, restaurant manager, said the teenagers involved in the fight said in front of gardaí they were going to set fire to the restaurant. He told 'They said they are coming back and they will set the place on fire. That is what they said. They said this in front of the garda. So, I say to the gardaí, 'What should we do?' and he said that if they come back to call 999. That's it. 'They came back with the petrol and set it on fire. It is dangerous here. We need gardaí here. This whole area needs gardaí here 24 hours a day. There is so much drug dealing as well. We need it to stop.' Abdalah Hassan Ibrahim, who works as a chef at the restaurant. Pic: Fran Veale When the chef who took over from Mr Yaamat – Abdalah Hassan Ibrahim – went to the front of the restaurant after the petrol bomb incident, his jacket caught fire. Showing his injuries to yesterday, he said he was lucky to be alive. Speaking through a friend who interpreted, he said: 'It all caught fire, my face is injured and my arm is burned. I am lucky.' Manager Mr Ali added: 'He's lucky to be alive, he really is. These people have a problem with some guys and someone came inside and they want to bring them outside. But if you bring them outside, they will kill them. So, we try to calm down the situation.' Mr Ali added that the teenagers, who are all under 18, do not care about the gardaí because they are all underage. Asked if he believed the petrol bomb was a result of racism, he said: 'Yes, that's the main reason.' The chefs, as well as the eatery owners, said their restaurant is always very busy and is a meeting place for many members of the Somali community in Dublin. When visited, customers came and went, with many coming to see if their friends were okay after the attack. Mr Ali said the incident could have been a lot worse, considering how close the fire was to the main gas feed for the restaurant. 'If the fire went there, the whole street was gone,' he said. 'It was so close to going up. It was crazy. We just want to run our business.' Gardaí told 'Gardaí responded to a report of a public order incident on Hardwicke Street, Dublin 1, shortly after 5pm [on] Friday, July 4. A male, aged in his 40s, was observed with a non-life-threatening injury but did not require immediate medical attention.' 'Separately, An Garda Síochána said they are investigating an incident of criminal damage as a result of a fire that occurred at a premises on Frederick Street North, Dublin 1, shortly after 11.30pm on Friday, July 4. A male, aged in his 50s, was brought to hospital by gardaí as a precaution,' they said. 'Investigations are ongoing.'
