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The Journal
a day ago
- Business
- The Journal
Ryanair's Michael O'Leary takes heat for 'insulting' comments calling Metrolink a 'waste of money'
RYANAIR CHIEF EXECUTIVE Michael O'Leary has been criticised for his 'insulting' comments on a metro for Dublin, which he called a 'waste' of taxpayer money. The 18.8km rail line, most of which will be underground, is to run from north of Swords to Charlemont in the south of Dublin city centre. Various metro projects for the capital have been proposed in recent decades but none have proceeded to build stage. On Tuesday, the government announced that the MetroLink project would get a €2 billion boost in funding as part of the national development plan, in what Taoiseach Micheal Martin said was 'a very definitive commitment to the metro'. While Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe indicated the latest estimated cost for the MetroLink was €11 billion, O'Leary claimed it would cost €20 billion, 'so about a billion a kilometre'. 'Dublin Airport doesn't need it, Dublin Airport passengers won't use it – they're already well-served by buses,' he told RTÉ Radio on Wednesday, while claiming that less than a third of the airport's passengers use buses. He said that while the tube in London runs from Heathrow and through 'all of London', the Metro will only serve a section of Dublin city's residents – around 100,000 people, he claimed. 'Here's the madness of this. This thing is going to start at Stephen's Green in the morning. If you want to get to our first wave of departures, which leave at about 6.30 in the morning, you need to be at the airport at 5.30am. 'Are you seriously going to drive into the centre of Stephen's Green, where there's no car parking, to get this metro to get to Dublin Airport for 5.30 in the morning? No, you're not. Advertisement 'Let me give you the alternative scenario: for €100 million, this year we could buy 400 buses, and 400 buses would provide exactly the same capacity as this metro from Dublin Airport, in through Ballymun, in through Drumcondra, on bus lanes that already exist.' He claimed the plan had not been properly costed and hit out at the government's handling of public finances. This government wasted €330,000 on a bike shed, imagine what they do with an 18-kilometre underground train from an airport? He also criticised comments by Martin, who said the Irish capital will not be sustainable without a metro. 'Does he not understand that the buses actually will all be electrified by the end of this decade, which will actually be greener than light rail?' Labour TD Duncan Smith said O'Leary's criticisms of public infrastructure were as sure 'as night follows day'. 'Dubliners are stuck in daily gridlock. MetroLink is their best chance at affordable, reliable transport that serves communities, not corporate profits. 'As a consistent advocate for MetroLink in Swords, I find it insulting to hear this kind of drive-by commentary from someone who clearly doesn't rely on public transport to get to work. 'Dublin deserves better than a transport plan from a billionaire whose only experience with buses is when he is pretending to be one.' When asked about his endorsement of Enterprise Minister Peter Burke and junior minister Robert Troy during the general election campaign, O'Leary claimed 'they're not in government' and criticised Martin again. 'I endorsed Peter Burke, who actually topped the poll despite the criticism. I also endorsed Robert Troy – and they're not the government.'
Irish Independent
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
From Eimear McBride to Mike McCormack, writers and artists reveal giants at their shoulder
They say that you should never have heroes, but a new RTÉ Radio series is the exception to that adage. A Giant at My Shoulder, a revival of the programme that was first broadcast 25 years ago, gives familiar names a chance to worship at their hero's feet and publicly pay homage to the titular giants looming over their respective shoulders.
RTÉ News
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Irish father's pride at son's Wimbledon debut
An Irish father has told RTÉ of his excitement ahead of his son's Wimbledon debut. In 1987, when he was 22-years-old, Patrick McCabe moved to Austrlia with his brother where he worked as a labourer for "18 odd years". His son is just a year younger than he was then, and James Fernandez McCabe will play the iconic tennis tournament tomorrow. Patrick is originally from Greenhills, Walkinstown in Dublin and married Irene, originally from the Philippines. The couple also have a daughter, Jasmin "who is looking for an Irish passport", now that James has his, her dad said. Patrick trained his son using YouTube, as he did not have much money. Professional lessons were not an option as they were "reall, really, really expensive," he told RTÉ Radio's Oliver Callan. When James was "two or three", his father brought him down to a tennis court at the complex where they were renting in Rockdale near Sydney Airport. They they still go there to this day, Patrick said. "I got carried away early days," he conceded. "I was probably a bit hard on him... but you do what you have to do." He taught James to swim also, and the boy went on to become "national champion in both swimming and tennis". Patrick "started travelling with James for the last three years on the professional circuits", he said. 'I'm just grateful' James said he is "excited, grateful" and "it's a dream come through playing Wimbledon". But having the privilege to take the champions' tour - and see where his heros have gone before him - was a bit "overwhelming" and gave him "goosebumps". The 21-year-old spoke of his unusual upbringing. "That is my childhood. Maybe it wasn't normal at the time." "It builds character and without it I wouldn't be where I am now. So I'm just grateful. I'm lucky." He said as a child he used to get up around 4am, and start swimming training at 5am. At 7.30am he moved onto his music practice, which could be playing in an orchestra or marching band. He had a music lessons during breaks in his school day, and again after school. It was midnight before when he got to sleep - and that was his routine when he had "dropped the rackets", meaning when he had taken a break from tennis, from age 12 to 15. James is pitch perfect, plays piano, flute and guitar. Asked how he intends to approach the tournament, James said he plans to take one match at a time, as "it's every tennis players dream", and is also his father's dream, just to participate. He has three aunties in Ireland, one in Saggart, one in Blessington and one in Mullingar, and another Irish aunty in Sydney. He has been to Ireland four times.
Irish Independent
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Ryan Tubridy's fiancée shows off engagement ring at Joe Duffy's retirement party
The pair turned up to Joe's party in Dublin city centre pub The Duke on Friday night. A beaming Ryan called over photographers to where the couple were and said with a smile: 'I presume you want a picture of the ring?!'. Dr Kambamettu then proudly showed off the engagement ring, with the couple being congratulated by well-wishers. The former Liveline host, who left his show on Friday after nearly 27 years, was congratulated at the bash in The Duke by a collection of well-known faces and friends. Among those at the party were Miriam O'Callaghan, Aonghus McAnally, Brush Shields, Syl Fox, John McColgan, Mike Murphy, Marty Morrisey, Alan Hughes and Karl Broderick, Brenda Donohue, Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, Gay Byrne's daughter Suzy and her daughter Sive, and Charlie Bird's widow Claire Mould. Joe was earlier in the day joined on his final show by his wife June and their triplets, who are now aged 30. Former RTÉ Radio and Late Late Show presenter Tubridy recently confirmed his good news on his Virgin Radio show after 'miscommunication' between him and a Co Galway jeweller. O'Dalaigh Jewellers in Clifden said Tubridy had bought the ring for a 'very special lady' and the post, which was subsequently deleted, was accompanied by a photo of the jeweller Jonty Daly and the couple posing together outside the store. Tubridy proposed to Clare by the Atlantic shore, and the couple later celebrated in local hotels. Revealing the news on his radio show at the time, Tubridy told listeners: 'I have a little bit of news that I've been keeping to myself, to ourselves.' "I'm very, very, very happy to confirm I did get engaged to my partner Clare in the west of Ireland.' Tubridy thanked a number of listeners for sending in their well-wishes following the announcement and said 'it's a very beautiful feeling' and 'a very exciting time to be alive'. "We were surrounded by gorgeous people who we didn't know, strangers in the hotel, and people who were working around the place and got a beautiful ring organised, and the weather was gorgeous,' he said of the couple's time last week. "And it's just the accumulation of a lot of lovely things happening, and I just decided now is the time. More to follow in terms of details and all the rest of it. And by the more to follow, I mean I'll tell my family first. "It's a very exciting time to be alive. I'm a very, very lucky man, and I think it's one of those beautiful moments where the world feels lighter.'
Sunday World
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Sunday World
Ryan Tubridy's new fiancée shows off sparkler at Joe Duffy's going-away party
A beaming Ryan called over photographers to where the couple were and said with a smile 'I presume you want a picture of the ring?!'. Ryan Tubridy arriving at Joe Duffy's farewell party with his new fiancee Dr Clare Kambamettu. Photo : Mark Doyle RYAN Tubridy chose Joe Duffy's retirement party to make his first public appearance with his new fiancée Dr Clare Kambamettu since the announcement of their engagement. The pair turned up to Joe's going-away drinks in Dublin city centre pub The Duke on Friday night. A beaming Ryan called over photographers to where the couple were and said with a smile 'I presume you want a picture of the ring?!'. A gushing Clare then proudly showed off her sparkler, with the couple being congratulated by well-wishers. The former Liveline host, who left his show on Friday after nearly 27 years, was congratulated at the bash in The Duke by a collection of well-known faces and friends. Ryan Tubridy and his fiancée Clare Among those at the party were Miriam O'Callaghan, Aonghus McAnally, Brush Shields, Syl Fox, John McColgan, Mike Murphy, Marty Morrisey, Alan Hughes and Karl Broderick, Brenda Donohue, Health Minister Dr Jennifer Carroll MacNeil, Gay Byrne's daughter Suzy and her daughter Sive, and Charlie Bird's widow Claire Mould. Joe was earlier in the day joined by his going away show by his wife June and their triplet children, who are now aged 30. Ryan Tubridy arriving at Joe Duffy's farewell party with his new fiancee Dr Clare Kambamettu. Photo : Mark Doyle News in 90 Seconds - June 28th Former RTÉ Radio and Late Late Show presenter Tubridy recently confirmed his good news on his Virgin Radio show after 'miscommunication' between him and a Co Galway that Tubs had bought a diamond ring from their store. O'Dalaigh Jewellers in Clifden said Tubridy had bought the ring for a 'very special lady and the post, which was subsequently deleted, was accompanied by a photo of the jeweller Jonty Daly and the couple posing together outside the store. Tubs proposed to Clare by the Atlantic shore, and the couple later celebrated in local hotels. Revealing the news on his radio show at the time, Tubridy told listeners: 'I have a little bit of news that I've been keeping to myself, to ourselves.' "I'm very, very, very happy to confirm I did get engaged to my partner Clare in the west of Ireland.' Tubridy thanked a number of listeners for sending in their well-wishes following the announcement and said 'it's a very beautiful feeling' and 'a very exciting time to be alive'. "We were surrounded by gorgeous people who we didn't know, strangers in the hotel, and people who were working around the place and got a beautiful ring organised, and the weather was gorgeous,' he said of the couple's time last week. "And it's just the accumulation of a lot of lovely things happening, and I just decided now is the time. More to follow in terms of details and all the rest of it. And by the more to follow, I mean I'll tell my family first. "It's a very exciting time to be alive. I'm a very, very lucky man, and I think it's one of those beautiful moments where the world feels lighter.' Co Kildare based Clare is a clinical psychologist and a former Rose of Tralee and it's believed that she and Tubridy began dating after she appeared as a guest on his former RTÉ Radio 1 One show. Her father is from India and her mum from Athy. Since leaving RTÉ, Tubs now hosts a daily show on Virgin Radio in London which is also broadcast on Q102. RTÉ was plunged into crisis in the Summer of 2023 after it admitted understating the fees for its star presenter and previous top-earner.
