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Irish Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Getting to Ireland's UNESCO treasure Skellig Michael was like a Star Wars saga
There's a case to be made that Maureen Sweeney was the most important Irish person in history. If you don't know, Maureen was the Kerry weather woman who won the war. Her innate west of Ireland grasp of isobars and wind directions saved the D-Day landings from being one of history's most spectacular military catastrophes. Without Maureen's weather forecast from Blacksod Bay in Co Mayo in June 1944, the invasion and liberation of Europe would have crashed and burned and, as the gag goes, we'd all be speaking German. If we were, we would probably be speaking a lot about 'Das Wetter' appropriately enough - or the Weather if you prefer. It's our one true national conversation. And recently it has become my mild obsession and the reason I found myself sitting in a Killarney hotel room earlier this month channelling my inner Maureen Sweeney. In recent weeks I had become a citizen forecaster, looking up wind speeds, 'falling slowly' pressure systems and high tides. The madness is fuelled by another slight obsession. In the morning I'm due to embark on my fourth attempt to set foot on Ireland's mystical national treasure island, Skellig Michael. The Skelligs have long held an allure. The two islands form the jagged edge of Europe and are among the most breathtaking landscapes on earth. Skellig Michael also has a rich human story dating back over a thousand years to a group of mad monks who somehow decided it was the perfect place to build one of the most unlikely settlements in human history. A modern equivalent might be setting up home on Pluto. The islands also provide a sanctuary for 80,000 gannets and a haven for one of nature's rock stars, the Puffin. A puffin guards its nest on Skellig Michael (Image: Irish Mirror) For centuries their mystique has captured the imagination of poets, artists, storytellers and moviemakers. Most recently as a location in the Star Wars saga. But if the monks found it hard to get there in the 6th century, my own pilgrimage has honoured their perseverance - not to mention the islands' recent movie heritage. Episode I: In 2017 a first attempt fell foul of a ticket sellout. Just 180 people can land on Skellig a day from May to September. Episode II: Last summer we stayed for three days in the village of Portmagee, the gateway to the Skelligs, our landing tickets secured well in advance. But on the morning of our departure a two-metre Atlantic swell made docking on the small island jetty treacherous. We headed out in hope but by the time we crossed the 12 kilometres to Skellig Michael the OPW had closed the island. Episode III: Having booked again this summer I opened my email inbox one morning to see I had been snared in the phantom menace of a High Court injunction. My boat operator was one of two that had been refused a licence for the season, sparking a legal battle which stopped all access for several weeks. Episode IV: Not to be deterred, I rebooked with a company that did have a licence. The court injunction eventually lifted like an Atlantic front. And so now here I was sitting in a Killarney hotel room ready to embark in a few hours. Then another email landed. It darkly warned of a high tide that meant the OPW was leaving any decision on opening the island until 10am tomorrow.. Following a restless night's sleep I awoke to grey skies and sheets of west Kerry rain. I drove the 75 minutes to Portmagee but about 10 minutes out another e-mail dropped: 'Unfortunately today's landing tour has been cancelled by the OPW as conditions at the island are not good enough for visitors.' Skellig Michael (Image: PA Photo/Nick McAvaney) With a mood as black as the rain I parked and strolled down to the harbour to look uselessly at the boats. By chance, or fate, the boatman from my cancelled crossing was also there. He looked disconsolate too. If cancelled crossings are frustrating to tourists, they can be existential to those whose livelihoods depend on them. But when he discovered I was a 'party of one' he brightened and said, 'I've one spare seat tomorrow and looking at the forecast we will 100 percent be going, do you want it?' One hundred percent eh? By now I had learned that was no such thing when playing poker with the Atlantic. A quick conflab back to my Killarney HQ confirms the other half has no problem spending another day in the spa or around the town. So I book again for the next day. Episode V. Later that evening I've got mail again: 'Tomorrow's landing tour is… GOING AHEAD AS PLANNED (I added the Trumpian all caps). The following morning I am back on the road to Portmagee, casting anxious looks at the sky and the clock as I drive. Then, rounding a Ring of Kerry bend outside Caherciveen, the traffic suddenly grinds to a halt. Garda checkpoint. I run through a quick panicked checklist to remind myself I'm not wanted by the law and haven't had a drink in about 12 hours. Irish island made famous by Star Wars is under attack by drones The bored Garda stares quizzically at the windscreen. 'Your tax?' 'Yeah?' 'It's two months out of date.' Now, to anyone who knows my approach to the 'to do' list, this is akin to Noddy Holder forgetting 'It's Christmas'. But somehow he's right. No tax. I laugh ruefully thinking he is going to impound me here 10 miles from my destiny. He must see the uncomprehending look on my face. In the manner of Obi Wan Kenobi, my air seems to persuade him I am not the lawbreaker he is looking for today. I'm sent on my way with the instruction to get it sorted. A short while later I'm back on the pier in Portmagee where the atmosphere has transformed since yesterday. Boatmen are busy checking equipment and tickets. Excited tourists from all across the globe are realising their numbers have come up in this little Skellig lottery. It is the first sailing in five days. And one of few at all so far this troubled season. We set out from the harbour and within minutes are past the shelter offered by the rugged Iveragh peninsula. After around 40 minutes the jagged beauty of the Small Skellig lies before us. OPW reveal its most popular tourist attractions in Ireland The sky is dark with swooping gannets and furiously flapping puffins. It's an opera of natural sound that confirms you are now far from what Samuel Beckett called the 'fatuous clamour' of the world. A few minutes later our boat is bobbing in front of Skellig Michael itself -a shock of green vegetation on sheer cliffs after the blackness of its little sibling. Then, after several years and five attempts, just like that we are docked and ashore. We begin the pilgrims' climb up the 600 feet and 618 steps to the monastery which sits in the shelter of one of the island's two towering peaks. There is a climb of 618 steps to the monastery at the top of Skellig Michael (Image: Irish Mirror) Despite warnings, I've no difficulty with the arduousness of the climb. Mostly as it's impossible not to stop every three steps to take in the 360-degree beauty around you. There is also the distracting sense that the hills are literally alive. Inches from your face on the plunging slopes there are nesting puffins everywhere. And hidden beneath the defiant foliage that clings to the rock are their constantly cooing chicks. There are so many that the island surface literally seems to breathe and murmur. This stairway to the heavens that follows in the footsteps of the monks is not for the faint of heart. You will need your head for heights. At the dizziest spots there are some chain rails. But the steps most of the way are open on one side and the walls of the cliffs plunge away to the sea just feet away from where you step. I feel an unusual sensation, gratitude to the OPW for closing the island during yesterday's heavy rain. At the top, the first sight of the iconic beehive huts made famous by monks and movies appear as only the supporting cast to the extraordinary vista of the Atlantic, Small Skellig, the Blasket islands and Kerry beyond. Neil Leslie at Skellig Michael (Image: Irish Mirror) It's not hard to let your imagination conjure what those sixth century holy men might have felt. They surely thought here was a place close to the heavens. To their west was the edge of the known world, the horizon of God's own country. There are wild places and wonders that often disappoint some visitors. I've heard them at the Cliffs of Moher or the Giant's Causeway complaining: 'Is that it?' My own philosophy is that you sometimes need to sprinkle a little of the magic dust of your own imagination. To help the majesty of it all along with an inner sense of awe. But Skellig Michael does all the work itself. If you're not impressed by the sculpted beauty, or the epic ingenuity of its human story, or the wildlife…you may need to check yourself for a pulse. Later on the return to Portmagee I watch the rocky pyramid perfectly framed from the back of the boat like the end credit sequence in a movie. I feel no need for another episode. Once you visit somewhere like Skellig it stays visited. Like the monks who left their bones layered on top of the 385 million year old sandstone, you leave a little something of yourself behind too. And in exchange you take away a small part of that allure that brought you there. Something 'of the silence of which the universe is made' to quote that man Beckett again. The only sequel required now is a pint of Ireland's other UNESCO treasure at the Moorings Bar in Portmagee. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here
Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Coronation Street's Maureen Lipman says 'it's hard' as she addresses 'problem' with soap
Dame Maureen Lipman has been a much-lo on Coronation Street since she first appeared as Evelyn Plummer in 2018, but the actress has admitted there is a 'big problem' with starring on the soap Dame Maureen Lipman has shed light on the challenges of working on Coronation Street, despite being a fan favourite since her 2018 debut as Evelyn Plummer. Having graced the cobbles over twenty years ago in a different role, Maureen's character Evelyn has been noticeably absent from recent episodes due to her taking a break from filming. The esteemed actress has declared she has no plans to retire, insisting she'll "carry on as much as I'm wanted" or until she can't physically continue. Despite relishing her role on the soap, Maureen acknowledges there's a "big problem" with the nature of filming for such a popular ITV series. On the 20 Questions podcast, Maureen revealed: "One of the problems of being in a soap, for example, is that because you are doing eight or 10 scenes a day, you read it, you move it, and then you film it. Thank you." She explained the rapid pace of production, saying: "You might get another crack if something has gone wrong technically, but on the whole, that's it. It's almost like radio but there are cameras there, so you can't do anything. People are just talking heads," reports Belfast Live. Highlighting the lack of realism, she added: "They're standing there saying, 'Don't you talk to me like that' if it's EastEnders, or, 'I'll have a word with you' if it's Coronation Street, but you know, nobody is picking their nose or scrubbing their sink down while they're talking, or making three martinis – it's all just heads talking. That's not what life is like." Maureen revealed that she was "picking her phone up" intermittently during her chat with interviewer Matt Stadlen, who was jotting down her words. She remarked: "It's very complicated, a human life – we never just do one thing." The actress, confessing to being "very bad at continuity", shared an amusing mishap from her first day on the set of Coronation Street. Maureen recounted: "My first day, I think, on Corrie, I took my coat off – and I'm very bad at continuity, because you have to do the same thing every time. I took my coat off and then I put it on again, and she gently said to me, 'We don't do anything – there's no time to do anything.' But to me, acting is doing, so it's hard." Boasting an impressive career in acting that kicked off on stage in 1971 with the National Theatre Company, Maureen later transitioned to television, making her debut in the sitcom The Lovers in 1975. Her breakout role came four years later in the sitcom Agony. In 1987, she landed the part of Beatrice "Beattie" Bellman in the adverts for BT, achieving fame with the iconic "You Got an Ology" advert, which became so popular that people would recite it back to her on the streets. She even penned a book about the experience.
Metro
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Coronation Street legend Maureen Lipman reveals difficulties she has on set
Coronation Street star Dame Maureen Lipman has spoken about the challenges she's faced on the ITV soap. The legendary actress, 78, has appeared as harridan Evelyn Plummer in the long-running serial drama since 2018, but since January has only appeared in a recurring capacity. Her exit story saw her depart for a university law course, prompted by best pal Roy Cropper (David Neilson). Maureen revealed that the reason behind her contract change was in order to 'have a bit of a life.' She last appeared on screen in March after learning that daughter Cassie (Claire Sweeney) had been cast out by the locals after being caught out for drugging and stealing from Ken Barlow (William Roache). Now, speaking on the 20 Questions podcast, Maureen has addressed the fast-paced environment working on Corrie, plus her distaste at the show's direction and scripts. 'One of the problems of being in a soap, for example, is because you're doing eight or 10 scenes a day, you read it, you move it, and then you film it,' she said. 'Boom, boom, thank you, and have another crack at it if something has gone wrong, but on the whole that's it. It's almost like radio, but there's cameras there.' She continued: 'You can't do anything. People are just talking heads. They're standing there going, 'Don't you talk to me like that…' if it's EastEnders. Or, 'I'll have a word with you…' if it's Coronation Street.' 'Nobody is picking their nose or scrubbing the sink down while they're talking, or making three Martinis. It's all just heads talking. 'That's not what life is like. You're in a bedroom somewhere and you're talking to me, you're listening, you're making notes … I'm picking up my phone… 'It's very complicated a human life, you never just do one thing.' She also noted that on her first day on set, show icon Barbara Knox told her that there's 'no time to do anything'. Maureen went on to comment about receiving very little direction in scenes. 'As far as directors are concerned it's a curious egg. I would love to work with somebody who knows more than I do about what you do on stage,' she added. Want to be the first to hear shocking EastEnders spoilers? Who's leaving Coronation Street? The latest gossip from Emmerdale? Join 10,000 soaps fans on Metro's WhatsApp Soaps community and get access to spoiler galleries, must-watch videos, and exclusive interviews. Simply click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! Don't forget to turn on notifications so you can see when we've just dropped the latest spoilers! 'That happens, but not always. Particularly in television, certainly on something like Corrie, you hardly get any direction at all.' Speaking about her late husband Jack Rosenthal, who penned 130 scripts between 1961 and 1969, she continued: 'You can only be as good as your writer.' More Trending 'So often you are making things work on television particularly. Slightly altering the words. 'Think about Coronation Street, which I love doing and I'm very fond of it, and I love the fact I can pop in and out. 'But every episode is a different writer so you basically never get, what you used to get when Jack wrote it, you would write a block of six, so the same voice, the same rhythms and you didn't have to worry about whether the words suited your character, it was there, it was a single voice. View More » 'A lot of the time now, in a series, you've got a different writer each one. You're sort of having to fit it into your mouth like a big fur glove and make it in character. That can make you a bit unpopular if you do it too much.' If you've got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@ – we'd love to hear from you. Join the community by leaving a comment below and stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage. MORE: Steph's dramatic Emmerdale exit story revealed – and it's very soon MORE: Jess Glynne finally meets Jet2 voiceover artist taking over our summer MORE: Coronation Street icon opens up on 'imposter syndrome' after 34 years on TV
Daily Mirror
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Coronation Street's Maureen Lipman reveals retirement plans as she makes 80th birthday vow
Maureen Lipman reaches a significant milestone next year, but the Coronation Street star has no plans to call it a day even though she says the ITV soaps has some faults TV legend Maureen Lipman will never retire and she has vowed to keep working until she loses her mind or her movement. The 79-year-old actor is a regular on TV thanks to her role as Coronation Street 's Evelyn Plummer, and still treads the boards on a regular basis. Speaking on the 20 Questions podcast ahead of her 80th birthday next year, she said: 'I will carry on, as much as I'm wanted, I'll carry on until my brain goes - or my legs! 'You can only take what you're offered. It's not been a career where I've thought, 'Shall I take the Bond film? Or shall I do the play The Cherry Orchard?' I'm more likely to be asked to be in Carry On Columbus. That's because I'm a bit light entertainment. So a lot of work is not coming my way, am I bitter? No, I'm not, I've always worked, I've worked though two pregnancies and young children, I've worked through good times and sad times.' The actress plays Weatherfield matriarch Evelyn on the ITV soap and is one of the soap's most popular characters with viewers. But she also criticised Corrie for its lack of good directors, filming time and consistent scripts, saying that working on Corrie came with a multitude of challenges. Saying she had to use her experience to make her character shine on screen, she said that a lot of the filming and writing was not up to scratch. 'One of the problems of being in a soap, for example, is because you're doing eight or 10 scenes a day, you read it, you move it, and then you film it. Boom, boom, thank you, and have another crack at it if something has gone wrong, but on the whole that's it. It's almost like radio, but there's cameras there. 'You can't do anything. People are just talking heads. They're standing there going, 'Don't you talk to me like that…' if it's EastEnders. Or, 'I'll have a word with you…' if it's Coronation Street. Nobody is picking their nose or scrubbing the sink down while they're talking, or making three Martinis. It's all just heads talking. That's not what life is like. You're in a bedroom somewhere and you're talking to me, you're listening, you're making notes … I'm picking up my phone … It's very complicated a human life, you never just do one thing. 'My first day on Coronation Street I took my coat off and then I put it back on again and Barbara [Knox} gently said to me, 'We don't do anything.' I said, 'What do you mean?' She went, 'There's no time to do anything. For me, acting is doing, so that is hard.' Maureen said she loved being told what to do by a strong production team. 'As far as directors are concerned it's a curious egg. I would love to work with somebody who knows more than I do about what you do on stage. That happens, but not always. Particularly in television, certainly on something like Corrie, you hardly get any direction at all.' Maureen insists one of the major challenges for the drama is that the episodes are penned by aa variety of people who write differently for Evelyn, meaning she often changes the words to make her lines work. Lipman – who was married to late Coronation Street writer Jack Rosenthal – told 20 Questions: 'You can only be as good as your writer. 'So often you are making things work on television particularly. Slightly altering the words. Think about Coronation Street, which I love doing and I'm very fond of it, and I love the fact I can pop in and out. But every episode is a different writer so you basically never get, what you used to get when Jack wrote it, you would write a block of six, so the same voice, the same rhythms and you didn't have to worry about whether the words suited your character, it was there, it was a single voice. 'A lot of the time now, in a series, you've got a different writer each one. You're sort of having to fit it into your mouth like a big fur glove and make it in character. That can make you a bit unpopular if you do it too much.' Despite Maureen's criticisms, she has nothing but praise for the casting director Gennie Radcliffe who she says fills the soap with actors who are perfect for their parts. She said: 'One of the good things about Coronation Street is that the casting is absolutely brilliant, we very rarely get a dud, they're cast perfectly. There's a big pool out there, a lesser casting director would get it wrong.'
Daily Express
09-07-2025
- Daily Express
Driver charged with drug trafficking
Published on: Wednesday, July 09, 2025 Published on: Wed, Jul 09, 2025 By: Jo Ann Mool Text Size: The charge under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act (DDA) 1952, carries a punishment of either the death penalty or life imprisonment and whipping with a minimum of 15 strokes of the cane. Kota Kinabalu: A 39-year-old driver was tentatively charged in the Magistrate's Court here on Tuesday with drug trafficking. However, no plea was recorded from Lai Tsoon Vui, who appeared before Magistrate Marilyn Kelvin, after the charge was read out to him. Lai was accused of trafficking 228gm of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) at 9.45pm on June 27, this year, in front of Tower B, K Avenue, Penampang. The charge under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act (DDA) 1952, carries a punishment of either the death penalty or life imprisonment and whipping with a minimum of 15 strokes of the cane. The court fixed Aug 21 for mention pending the chemist's report. Lai was ordered to be remanded further pending the date, as the charge against him has no provision for bail. In another case, a 35-year-old man was jailed eight months for receiving and keeping a stolen smartphone. Azmar Talib pleaded guilty to stealing one unit of Infinix Smart 8 Pro belonging to Helena Aliu at 8.45pm on April 21, this year, in Manggatal town. The charge under Section 411 of the Penal Code carries a jail term of up to five years, or a fine, or both, on conviction. The facts of the case presented to the court by the prosecution stated that the gadget was among several items reported stolen from the complainant's home during a break-in at her residence in Kg Kembirian, Manggatal, on April 19, this year. Azmar was ordered to serve the sentence from the date of his arrest. Meanwhile, a 30-year-old woman maintained her innocence when charged with assaulting her father with a firewood. Maureen Moinin pleaded not guilty to voluntarily causing hurt to Moinin Lingkis, 68, with a dangerous weapon at 1pm on March 1, this year, in a house at Kg Moyog, Penampang. Maureen's case came up for mention on Tuesday to update the court on instructions from the Deputy Public Prosecutor's (DPP) office, during which the prosecution informed that the case would proceed on the current charge following the instruction received. Maureen is charged under Section 324 read with Section 326A of the Penal Code. Section 324 carries a potential punishment of imprisonment for up to 10 years, or with a fine, or with whipping, or with any two of such punishments, while Section 326A enhances punishment for causing hurt to a spouse, former spouse, child, or incapacitated adult, making the punishment twice the maximum term for the original offence under sections 323, 324, 325, 326, 334 or 335. The court fixed August 6 for pre-trial case management and maintained the accused's release on bail of RM1,500 with two sureties, as previously offered to her on March 12. Inspector Yusdi Basri prosecuted. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
