Latest news with #MichaelKennedy
RTÉ News
02-07-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
England's wine industry growing due to warmer temperatures
England's wine industry has seen significant growth in recent years due to warmer temperatures brought about by climate change. In South Downs National Park, where many English vineyards are located, there has been a 90% increase in the past decade. An average of five new vineyards are grown there every year. Overall, in Britain, there are approximately 4,000 hectares of land "under vine", with forecasts predicting it could almost double by 2032. Growing industry One company adapting to the changing temperatures is Roebuck Estates. It was founded in 2013 and has six vineyards in southern England. Like most wine producers in the UK, the company makes sparkling wine as the grapes require less time to ripen compared to still wine. Michael Kennedy, originally from Northern Ireland, is the CEO of Roebuck Estates. "In this area we've now got the same average temperatures that the Champagne region had in the 1970s or 80s. So that puts us in a sweet spot for ripening fruit and for making really good wine," he explains. Volatile weather England has experienced two heatwaves in recent weeks. Last month, the World Weather Attribution group at Imperial College London warned that climate change was contributing to these extreme weather conditions. It also reiterated that such events will become more frequent as the world gets warmer. Harsher winters are also a problem for wine producers in England. Mr Kennedy explains that frost, wind and rain can present problems. Wine producers in England therefore often spread out their vines by "about double what they would in a vineyard in Champagne" to improve airflow, Mr Kennedy explains. He also says that higher average temperatures during winter can be a problem "higher temperatures during the winter might mean that the buds burst earlier". Traditional wine making regions of Europe are also experiencing new challenges. Jake Wicks, head of viticulture at Roebuck Estates, has worked in vineyards around the world. "Sad to say but areas in southern France and Spain are really struggling with water availability. Vines require quite a lot of water and if that's not available to them they're unable to ripen the fruit," he explains. Climate adaptation The growth of Britain's wine industry is part of a wider climate adaptation effort, according to Alex Biss from the University of Reading. Research he conducted in 2023 found that the type of grapes Britain will grow in the future could change, meaning England may be producing still wines as well as sparkling. He also warns however, that the agricultural sector as a whole is having to ask questions around what type of crops can be grown in the future. "It's not just about viticulture. It's a much larger scale assessment of what crops will be grown here and what we can grow," he explains.
RTÉ News
01-07-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
England's wine industry growing due to warmer temperatures brought on by climate change
England's wine industry has seen significant growth in recent years due to warmer temperatures brought about by climate change. In South Downs National Park, where many English vineyards are located, there has been a 90% increase in the past decade. An average of five new vineyards are grown there every year. Overall, in Britain, there are approximately 4,000 hectares of land "under vine", with forecasts predicting it could almost double by 2032. Growing industry One company adapting to the changing temperatures is Roebuck Estates. It was founded in 2013 and has six vineyards in southern England. Like most wine producers in the UK, the company makes sparkling wine as the grapes require less time to ripen compared to still wine. Michael Kennedy, originally from Northern Ireland, is the CEO of Roebuck Estates. "In this area we've now got the same average temperatures that the Champagne region had in the 1970s or 80s. So that puts us in a sweet spot for ripening fruit and for making really good wine", he explains. Volatile weather England has experienced two heatwaves in recent weeks. Last month, the World Weather Attribution group at Imperial College London warned that climate change was contributing to these extreme weather conditions. It also reiterated that such events will become more frequent as the world gets warmer. Harsher winters are also a problem for wine producers in England. Mr Kennedy explains that frost, wind and rain can present problems. Wine producers in England therefore often spread out their vines by "about double what they would be in a vineyard in Champagne" to improve airflow, Mr Kennedy explains. He also says that higher average temperatures during winter can be a problem "higher temperatures during the winter might mean that the buds burst earlier". Traditional wine making regions of Europe are also experiencing new challenges. Jake Wicks, head of viticulture at Roebuck Estates, has worked in vineyards around the world. "Sad to say but areas in southern France and Spain are really struggling with water availability. Vines require quite a lot of water and if that's not available to them they're unable to ripen the fruit", he explains. Climate adaptation The growth of Britain's wine industry is part of a wider climate adaptation effort, according to Alex Biss from the University of Reading. Research he conducted in 2023 found that the type of grapes Britain will grow in the future could change, meaning England may be producing still wines as well as sparkling. He also warns however, that the agricultural sector as a whole is having to ask questions around what type of crops can be grown in the future. "It's not just about viticulture. It's a much larger scale assessment of what crops will be grown here and what we can grow", he explains.
Yahoo
22-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Health care workers on alert for ICE raids in hospitals
President Trump's whittling away of protected places for immigrants has fueled fears among health care workers that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will arrest patients in or around hospitals. In January, the Trump administration rescinded a Biden-era policy that protected certain areas like churches, schools and hospitals from immigration enforcement. And lawmakers in at least one state have introduced legislation aimed at making it easier for ICE to make arrests in hospitals. As the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) seeks to ramp up ICE raids at hotels, restaurants, farms and other sites, nurses worry their workplace could be next. 'We were all worried about what this meant,' Michael Kennedy, a nurse at a University of California, San Diego health facility located very near the U.S.-Mexico border, said of the policy changes under Trump. 'As we've seen these immigration raids ramp up, our first thought is about our patients and what that means for them.' ICE agents made a record number of migrant arrests in a single day this month and have appeared outside of courthouses in Seattle and stores in the New York City area. The agency's workplace raids in Los Angeles spurred days of protests, which in turn prompted a heavy-handed response from the Trump administration. Sandy Reding is a nurse at a hospital in Bakersfield, Calif., which serves communities of farm workers and employs a diverse staff. 'There is a lot of concern [about] ICE agents showing up with FBI or with the military, because we've seen a lot of reports on TV, and we have reports in our area where this is happening as well,' she said. Reding and her fellow nurses, she said, are also worried that the news of increased ICE raids will deter some patients from coming to the hospital to seek care. 'What we are going to see is a large burden on communities and hospitals if people delay care,' Reding said. 'And there are worse outcomes.' Nancy Hagan, an intensive care unit nurse at Maimonides Medical Center in New York City, said those concerns have come to fruition at her hospital. In May, she said, an immigrant New Yorker had appendicitis but waited too long to go to the emergency room. Their appendix burst, spreading infected tissue and bacteria to other organs, which ultimately killed them. 'Once patients hear that a hospital is no longer a safe place for them to go, they are afraid to come to the hospital,' she said. Hagan, a Haitian immigrant, added that she and her colleagues, who work at hospitals across the city, have noticed that emergency rooms appear to be emptier in recent months. Kennedy, the nurse in San Diego, said the Level 1 trauma center, which is typically packed, has been emptier than usual. He admitted the decline in patient visits could be seasonally related, but he said he believes that the possibility of ICE agents arresting immigrants is having a 'chilling effect.' 'I can't see how this doesn't affect our patients' willingness to seek care,' he said. 'I'm willing to bet that a lot of people are delaying care because they're afraid.' ICE did not get back to The Hill in response to questions on whether agents have arrested people in or around hospitals, or if there are plans to do so. DHS announced in January that it had rescinded former President Biden's guidelines on immigration enforcement at 'sensitive locations' that were first issued under former President Obama. 'The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense,' a DHS spokesperson said at the time. The National Immigration Law Center said that while immigrants no longer have special protections at hospitals and other 'sensitive locations,' they still have basic rights. 'Instead, individuals will need to rely on basic constitutional protections in these spaces,' it said in a fact sheet. 'Specifically, the Fourth Amendment protects all individuals from unreasonable searches and seizures, and the Fifth Amendment ensures the right to remain silent when confronted by law enforcement.' The Emergency Medicine Residents' Association has distributed a flyer with step-by-step guidance for health care workers on dealing with ICE agents if they do enter hospitals. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Irish Examiner
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Kildare out to make the most of rare opportunity at Joe McDonagh Cup glory
Joe McDonagh Cup final Kildare v Laois Croke Park Throw-in: Sunday, 1.45pm Referee: Michael Kennedy (Tipperary) Live on RTÉ2 When Kildare lost their opening Joe McDonagh Cup game to Kerry in mid-April, the odds on them making the final and Kerry being relegated were lengthy. That was Kildare's ninth ever game in the competition and their ninth consecutive defeat, suggesting more misery for the side just out of the Christy Ring Cup. Seven weeks and four unlikely wins later, experienced goalkeeper Paddy McKenna is on the verge of the most significant, and perhaps unexpected, achievement of his career. "This was probably only in the far off depths of my brain at that stage," said McKenna of a final fixture after the defeat to Kerry. "Thankfully we didn't make it to 10 losses in a row. Look, it was just getting back to basics, realising that we had to show up for every single game." So when exactly did Kildare start to think of actually winning the competition? "Probably when we got the result in Carlow, to be honest, that was a big monkey off our backs," said the five-time Ring Cup winner. "They've had some massive results in the last few years, drawing with Kilkenny in the Leinster championship last year, beating Waterford in the league earlier, maintaining their status in Division 1B. "That's the standard we want to be at so we knew that if we were able to get a result against beating Laois and Westmeath as well, the three teams that had been up in the Leinster championship, that's kind of where we got the drive and the realisation that, yeah, it could be on for us." The thing is, Kildare didn't just sneak into the final. They topped the group while Laois had to conjure a late, late goal to draw with Carlow and nudge the Barrowsiders out on scoring difference. Laois are still favourites to win and to make up for last year's final loss to Offaly. Three of their starting defenders - Lee Cleere, Padraig Delaney and Ryan Mullaney - along with half-forward Paddy Purcell, lined out in the 2019 final win. But what they hold over Kildare in experience and hurling tradition could be trumped by the sheer desperation of Brian Dowling's Lilywhites to make the most of this rare opportunity. "It's going to be tough and I'd say Laois will have their homework done on us," said McKenna. "I'd say they found out an awful lot about us when we played them in O'Moore Park a couple of weeks ago." The one certainty is that Kildare will play Dublin or Tipperary in an All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final in Newbridge next weekend.
Irish Independent
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
June Bank Holiday weekend in Roscommon: Top things to do
For those looking for something a bit more exciting this weekend, we've picked out four of the biggest events happening in the county over the long weekend. There is only once place to start: Roscommon v Meath This weekend, the biggest show in town – any town in Roscommon, for that matter – will be in Dr Hyde Park. On Saturday, the Roscommon senior footballers welcome Meath to the Hyde as Davy Burke's men go in search of their first win in the All-Ireland series. They escaped their group last year despite losing to Mayo and Dublin, but a win is essential if Roscommon want to secure second place and dodge the preliminary quarter-finals. Meath come to town seeking to secure two wins from two after an encouraging home win over Cork. Roscommon town will get another twist on Sunday when the Hyde hosts the Tailteann Cup meeting of Sligo and Kildare. Expect far more to flock there on Saturday though. Roscommon's All-Ireland Series Round 2 meeting with Meath throws in at 6pm on Saturday, May 31, in Dr Hyde Park in Roscommon. Mid Summer Wedding Showcase Busy getting ready for your wedding and have to give the football a miss? Well then the place for you is the Abbey Hotel, which hosts its Mid Summer Wedding Showcase on Sunday June 1 from 2pm to 5pm ADVERTISEMENT Learn more Attendees will meet the hotel's wedding team, chat with their award-winning chefs and enquire about their various wedding packages. To register, email weddings@ For enquiries, call 090 6666211. Famine Summer School A host of distinguished speakers, including a former Irish lacrosse international, will be among those attending this year's Famine Summer School at the National Famine Museum in Strokestown. Entitled 'Humanitarianism and Hunger', the programme will focus on how global communities - including those in North America, India, the Ottoman Empire, and beyond - reacted to the Great Irish Famine. The event will be addressed by Michael Kennedy, the aforementioned lacrosse player, who global headlines when he and the Irish lacrosse team gave up their place in the 2022 World Games so that the Iroquois Nationals could participate. Other noteworthy speakers include; Professor Christine Kinealy, Director of Ireland's Great Hunger Institute at Quinnipiac University; Professor Mark G McGowan; and Professor LeAnne Howe of the Choctaw Nation. The 2025 Famine Summer School runs from Friday, May 29, to Sunday, June 1. The full programmes and registration details are available on the National Famine Museum's official website. Strokestown Golf Club Classic As well as learning about The Great Famine, you can also squeeze in a bit of golf in Strokestown this weekend. That's because the local golf club are hosting their annual fundraising golf classic from Saturday, May 30, to Monday, June 2. Registration is €100 for teams for four. Further information on bookings can be found on Strokestown Golf Club's Facebook page.
