Latest news with #NorthDublin
Irish Independent
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Wonderful Wexford crowned national Under-12 water polo champions
The Wexford team faced two fierce challenges, rising to the occasion with skill, spirit and incredible teamwork. A hard-fought semi-final victory over North Dublin set the stage for a high-stakes showdown with Clonard of Belfast in the final. With nerves of steel and hearts full of determination, the Wexford boys delivered a performance to remember, emerging victorious and claiming the coveted national title. The team's success is a testament to the talent and commitment of its young stars: Phoenix Prochaska, Rowan Barrett, Oliver Ainsworth, Conan O'Grady, Rory O'Hanlon, Conal McCarthy, Daniel Jordan, Ben Kehoe, Oliver McEvoy, and Pádraig McCarthy. Each player gave it their all and a special congratulations goes to Daniel Jordan, who was named Male MVP of the tournament for his outstanding contribution. Head coach Murt praised the team's resilience and growth, saying: "This result didn't happen overnight. These players have been training consistently all year, showing maturity beyond their age, and improving week by week. 'The way they handled pressure, supported one another, and kept their focus was truly inspiring. We've built not just a team, but a foundation for Wexford's future in water polo that is really putting Wexford on the map as a county of swimming excellence.' This milestone win is the result of tireless effort from both players and coaching staff. Heartfelt thanks go to coach Murt for his leadership and belief in this team, and to George, Thomas and Philip for their skill, time and commitment in preparing the boys for this achievement. Niall Reck, Chairman of Wexford Swimming & Water Polo Club, added: "This is a fantastic achievement for our club. Having one player represent Ireland at the European Championships earlier this year, and now a full Under-12 team becoming All-Ireland champions, the future is looking very bright. 'This is not just a win for the team, it's a win for the whole club and community. It shows the strength of our youth development and coaching pathway. 'We're so proud of how far we've come, and we're excited about what's next for Wexford Water Polo." This landmark victory isn't just a trophy, it's a symbol of dedication, growth, and the rising tide of talent coming from Wexford. With this historic win, the club has firmly established itself as a force in Irish water polo, and the journey is only just beginning. For more information visit
Irish Times
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Best golf courses in Co Dublin (North): Bucket-list courses and hidden gems from Portmarnock to Corballis
Bucket Lists In many ways, Portmarnock Golf Club is the spiritual home of golf in Ireland. It is where the first Irish Open was held in 1927, where legendary Americans Arnold Palmer and Sam Snead won the Canada Cup (which morphed into the World Cup) and where Pádraig Harrington and Phil Mickelson were on opposing sides in the 1991 Walker Cup. Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer and Jose Maria Olazabal were crowned Irish Open champions here. Portmarnock is truly one of the finest links courses in the world and is probably one of the fairest too. It is part of an emerald necklace of seaside courses in north Dublin that form a bucket list of courses, starting with The Royal Dublin on Bull Island and also featuring the adjoining Jameson Links and on up to The Island in Donabate. Portmarnock Golf Club in Co Dublin is a world-class facility. Photograph:Ben Crenshaw described the par-three 15th hole as 'one of the greatest short holes on Earth' and he wasn't wrong. That hole overlooking the Velvet Strand on Portmarnock strand plays parallel to the seas with out-of-bounds down the right and with a tee-shot to an upturned elevated green. To many, however, it is the preceding par-four 14th hole which would feature in many a links aficionado's view as being among the most challenging anywhere. This one plays directly towards the strand and invariably into the wind coming off the Irish Sea. From start to finish, the championship course at Portmarnock – which will likely see some modifications in the coming years as the R&A contemplate the possibility of hosting The Open – is steeped in history and deserving of its status as one of the finest links on the planet. While Portmarnock's championship course features two loops of nine returning to the clubhouse, The Royal Dublin is an out-and-back layout. The front nine there runs parallel to Dollymount Strand and the homeward run is along the bird reserve, with Bull Island a designated Unesco biosphere reserve (the club even produces its own honey). Invariably kept in tip-top condition, Royal Dublin – which hosted a number of Irish Opens – is a test which includes contrasting par-fours. The 10th, over 440 yards, features a burn in front of the green. The 16th is a driveable (for some) hole to an elevated green heavily protected by strategic bunkering. Royal Dublin is always pristine and provides a stern test of golfing skills. Probably the most famous hole at Royal Dublin, given its links with the legendary Christy O'Connor snr, is the 18th. Known as 'The Garden', it features a severe dogleg with bunkering down the left and out-of-bounds down the right, where the approach to the green is diagonally across the OB area. Jameson Links – located at the Portmarnock Hotel – is a Bernhard Langer design which, in recent years, was upgraded by Jeff Lynch to make it an integral part of the North County Dublin bucket list destination for golfers. One of the more striking changes to the original design was in creating a new par-four eighth hole. The old severe dogleg is gone and has been replaced by a wonderfully straightforward hole that would appear to have always been there. It utilises the sandhills to the maximum, while the par-fives on the homeward run, at the 12th and 14th, have been designed to utilise the views of Howth Head, Lambay Island and Ireland's Eye. Across the estuary from Malahide village, The Island Golf Club in Donabate has also benefited from modernising work in recent years. In this case it was by Mackenzie & Ebert with Martin Ebert – so often the go-to architect for the R&A. The redesign of the front nine has enhanced the links, with the par-three fourth hole played from an elevated tee. The par-four fifth is set among the sand hills complementing the back nine, which has stood the test of time. The 18th, with the tee shot played through a valley of sand hills, remains one of the strongest finishing holes around. Portmarnock Golf Club, Golf Links Road, Portmarnock, Co Dublin; 01-8462968; email: info@ Royal Dublin Golf Club, The Royal Dublin Golf Club, North Bull Island, Dollymount, Dublin 3; 01-8336346; email: info@ Jameson Golf Links, Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links, Strand Road, Portmarnock, Co Dublin; 01-8666592; email: The Island Golf Club, Corballis, Donabate, Co Dublin; 01-8436205; email: info@ Hidden Gem Corballis in Donabate is something of a rarity, in that it is a public links course – kudos to Fingal County Council – but it goes above and beyond in terms of what it offers. Set amid some fabulous dunes adjacent to The Island, the short seaside course packs a punch with some spectacular holes. Some are blind, which adds to the difficulty and, indeed, the intrigue. The par-four fifth hole, for example, encapsulates much of what is good about seaside golf. It is a short hole of 293 yards, but so much is going on from tee to green that it manages to ask questions on every shot, running as it does along the coast with a small landing zone and an approach to an undulating green protected by classic links bunkering. Another hole on the front nine which places an emphasis on strategy is the blind par-four seventh hole, which is played to a tight fairway akin to a valley amid the dunes. Well worth a visit. Corballis Links Golf Club, Corballis Road, Donabate, Co Dublin; 01-8436583; Honourable mentions Balbriggan is a lovely parkland course that has matured into a fine and enjoyable challenge with a series of good holes. The terrain is undulating with some wonderful trees and its share of water hazards to make for great variety. The greens are to USGA spec and the course is immaculately maintained. Among the feature holes is the par-five ninth hole, which requires an approach played across the pond to the green. Real heart-in-mouth stuff. Balbriggan Golf Club, Blackhall, Balbriggan, Co Dublin, K32 HH00; 01-8412229; email: info@ Roganstown is a Christy O'Connor jnr-designed parkland course that provides a stern examination. It has some testing par-threes – among them the sixth, which has water running from tee to green – and a number of stunning par-fours on the back nine, the 11th and 16th especially. The 16th requires a carry over a stream to reach the fairway and is then played uphill to a large, sloping green. Roganstown Golf Club, Swords, Co Dublin; 01-8433118; email: golf@ Beaverstown is unique in that the course, for the main part, is laid out through an old orchard with the apple trees very much part of its character and even in play for any wayward shots. There is tremendous variety and it is cleverly designed, incorporating not only the old orchard but the Rogerstown estuary and the many streams which run through the course. The par-four 14th is a dogleg that combines all that is good about the challenge with strategic bunkering, water and of course the orchard trees all featuring. Beaverstown Golf Club, Beaverstown, Donabate, Co Dublin; 01-8436439; email: office@ Luttrellstown Castle is a fine parkland course with mature trees on the expansive estate (of over 500 acres). The lovely wooden clubhouse sets the standard for what awaits on the course itself, which was redesigned by the Mackenzie/Steel architectural team. Luttrellstown Castle G&CC, Porterstown Road, Castleknock, Dublin 15; 01-8609600; email: luttrellstownmensgc@ Castleknock is a parkland course that offers so much for its modest yardage, with creative mounding and bunkering. There are five par-fives and five par-threes and two of those short holes provide superb finishes to the respective nines. Indeed, the ninth and 18th holes share one huge double green which is quite innovative and well positioned in front of the clubhouse. Castleknock Golf Club, Porterstown Road, Dublin 15; 01-6408736; honsec@
BreakingNews.ie
18-06-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Gardaí arrest and charge 47 people over North Dublin robberies
Gardaí from the DMR North Division have arrested and charged 47 people in connection with ongoing investigations under Operation Táirge, targeting recent incidents of robbery, burglary and theft in the North Dublin area. A total of 76 charges are being brought against those arrested in this phase of the investigation. Advertisement The 47 individuals appeared before Courts 1 and 4 at the Criminal Courts of Justice, as well as Balbriggan District Court, this moening from 10.30am. Investigations are ongoing, gardaí said. Assistant Commissioner for the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR), Paul Cleary said: "The success of this operation highlights our commitment to pursue those involved in organised retail theft and bring them before the courts. We will continue to work hard to protect businesses and their staff from crime and today's result demonstrates this."
Irish Times
04-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Irish Times
‘I think the build up is so much worse': Leaving Cert students relieved after first exam completed
Emotions were high this morning in Belmayne Educate Together Secondary School (ETSS) in north Dublin , where the school's first cohort of sixth year students began their Leaving Certificate exams with English Paper 1. For Zuzanna Zoltowska (18), anticipating the exams has been nerve-racking. 'It's honestly just a stressful experience ... Going into that exam I was like 'Oh my God, I'm going to die.'' Zoltowska wants to study physics in Dublin City University (DCU), a subject that she is feeling more confident about tackling. READ MORE 'I think I have one of those more technical minds. English isn't my strongest subject, I'll say that.' [ Carl O'Brien: 'Day one done' - Leaving Cert tips for students and their supporters Opens in new window ] Her six years at Belmayne ETSS, which was established in 2019, have 'gone by really fast'. 'Until the last second you're like, it's not going to happen, and then suddenly you're in the room and you're doing your Leaving Cert.' Zuzanna Zoltowska. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill The 'mixture of anxiety and tiredness' school principal Aisling Dunlevey saw among Zoltowska and her classmates before they turned over their first exam papers on Wednesday morning had been replaced by relief and animated reflection by 11.50am. Students gathered around their English teacher, Sinéad McGowan, to dissect the paper. Ms McGowan said students in her class had the chance to show off their creative flair with the opportunity to write a short story about their family pet, a task several gravitated towards. 'I have a lot of lads that are really funny so I think they really leaned into that and their sense of humour will shine out, hopefully.' The theme of the underdog resonated with students who took the Higher Level English paper this morning. 'This year we feel like the underdogs,' said Ms McGowan, 'I think they connected emotionally with that one because they do feel hard done by in that the inflated grades ended just in time for them.' A 'postmarking adjustment' applied to students' grades this year will reduce from 7 per cent to 5.5 per cent, meaning students' grades will be lower, on aggregate, compared with the bumper grades achieved over recent years. English is Sarah Osbourne's (18) favourite subject, and one she wants to continue in college. She has Arts in Maynooth and a creative writing course in Blackrock College on her Central Applications Office (CAO) form. There was a period where I wanted to drop out,' said Osbourne, who is now glad she decided to complete her Leaving Certificate. 'Those last two years make or break you. They push you and then once you're finished it's just such a relief. I think that the build up is so much worse.' Sarah Osbourne and Páidí Malone. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill Páidí Malone (19) is hoping to study politics and history in DCU while Arron Kavanagh (18) plans 'to start working and save up a bit of money, probably go travelling'. Cormac Taaffe, Aron Kavanagh and Ilyas Ugurlu. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill Cormac Taaffe (18) has 'an electrician apprenticeship lined up' for next year, while Ilyas Ugurlu (18) is looking forward to studying engineering technology.
Irish Times
04-06-2025
- General
- Irish Times
RTÉ nursing homes exposé uncovers elderly residents being ‘manhandled', ignored and left in room for hours
A healthcare assistant working in a north Dublin nursing home described conditions there as 'sh*t', adding they would not place their mother there 'even if it's my last breath', an investigation to be broadcast on RTÉ television on Wednesday shows. The Beneavin House nursing home is one of two featured in an RTÉ Investigates programme where instances of alleged abuse and neglect of frail, elderly residents are shown. The faces of residents and staff are blurred in the programme, though voices are audible. Both Beneavin House and The Residence, Portlaoise, are operated by Emeis, the largest provider of private nursing home beds in the State. READ MORE Following concerns by a whistleblower, RTÉ sent an undercover reporter to work in the featured homes, to conduct concealed filming over eight weeks, until April. Emeis runs 27 nursing homes across the State, with more than 2,400 beds. The programme includes distressing scenes of frail, older people, some of whom had dementia, allegedly being manhandled, 'forced' down into chairs, being left in chairs for hours, being left in incontinence pads for so long their clothes were soaked, being ignored when they plead for help to go to the toilet and requests for simple activities like going for a walk being fobbed off. Footage from the RTE Investigates programme about the nursing homes. Image: RTÉ Footage appears to show chronic staff shortages, undertrained staff as well as shortages of basic equipment such as incontinence pads, sterile wipes and latex gloves. At The Residence, which can accommodate up to 101 residents and which costs €1,232 a week under the Fair Deal scheme, staff were told to restrict their use of incontinence pads, it is claimed. Due to staff shortages 22 residents were left crowded in a day room for hours, it is alleged, a situation described as keeping them in a 'holding area' and a 'deprivation of liberty' by experts interviewed. In an upsetting sequence at Beneavin House, which can accommodate up to 115 residents and costs €1,419 a week under the Fair Deal scheme, an elderly man was apparently forcibly directed into his bedroom and allegedly pushed down into a chair. He is heard calling 'help me, help me, help me' as the healthcare assistant says, 'keep walking'. He protests, saying: 'Stop making me. You don't know me.' After he is allegedly pushed into the chair, footage appears to show his trousers being pulled down and his incontinence pad being pulled from his groin area. One healthcare assistant, filmed speaking to the undercover reporter, says: 'I know you feel sorry and I feel sorry for everybody who are here. They don't go out. The activities is sh*t. All this system is sh*t, you understand? 'But this is how it is, you know. Ours is just to do our job and go home ... I wouldn't put my mother here, even if it's my last breath.' In a series of statements to RTÉ, Emeis Ireland said: 'The evidence of poor care delivery, improper moving and handling of residents, and a lack of dignity and breaches of residents' rights are deeply distressing. 'We have not and we do not tolerate any individual or systemic neglect or practices that compromise resident safety, rights or dignity. 'We are fully committed to doing everything in our power to ensure that these failings do not recur in our nursing homes.' It said it had 'launched a dedicated team to complete an in-depth review ... to immediately address' any identified failings. According to RTÉ, Emeis a French-based company, has more than 1,000 facilities, including nursing homes, across 20 countries. Its revenue was more than €5.6 billion globally last year. The Irish Times has asked Emeis Ireland for a response.
