Latest news with #SeanO'Brien
Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
West Cork builder wins 10 All-Ireland final tickets in €10 Cavan GAA draw
A builder from West Cork has struck GAA gold this weekend, winning a remarkable 10 coveted tickets to Sunday's All-Ireland hurling final in a county board draw. It's probably the best €10 Kilbrittain man Sean O'Brien has ever spent. With demand for tickets at fever pitch, Sean, like thousands of others, was on the hunt for tickets when he spotted that Cavan GAA was giving away 10 tickets to the hugely anticipated Cork vs Tipperary clash as first prize in their monthly draw. He decided to take a chance and enter. His ticket was drawn on Thursday, and he now plans to make a family day out of the trip to Croke Park on Sunday, bringing his father, three sisters, and friends to the match. Mr O'Brien said he is on top of the world about the win. 'It's great, it was just pure luck,' he said. 'It popped up on Facebook, I entered every draw going, I entered a draw from Mexico too – I follow Mexico GAA.' Deciding whom to share the ticket with was tricky, he said. 'I was getting a few requests alright, people messaging saying 'Sean, my best friend'. It was a tough decision,' he said, laughing. In the end, his three sisters and friends made up the group. 'They're great tickets,' he said. 'I don't know how I got so lucky. I'd be happy now if Cork win by just a point.' Mark Gilsenan, a spokesman for Cavan GAA, said they were delighted the tickets had gone to a genuine fan — and to a Corkman. 'We had a much higher than usual entry – not surprising, I suppose, with Cork having such a big following,' he said. 'Not many clubs raffle off so many, and we'd been inundated across social media with messages and requests for tickets. 'In a draw like this, anyone could have won, so we're delighted it's gone to someone so genuine. We couldn't have picked a better winner.' Croke Park in Dublin. Picture: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile He explained that Cavan GAA was able to offer the tickets thanks to a shrewd decision it made several years ago to invest €75,000 in a 10-year Croke Park ticket package. 'The tickets we gave away in the draw are not from our allocation of All Ireland final tickets from Croke Park. Those tickets were distributed to the clubs in the normal way,' he said. 'The All-Ireland final tickets offered in the raffle are ones we bought from Croke Park as part of that 10-year package all those years ago.' The county board is now reaping the rewards of that investment, with funds raised from the monthly raffles going towards a multi-phase redevelopment of Kingspan Breffni Park, the home of Cavan GAA. Its monthly draw has been running for years, with past prizes including Formula 1 packages, trips to Australia and New York (with spending money), and European Cup rugby tickets. Upcoming prizes include tickets to Oasis and Robbie Williams gigs, NFL tickets, and even a car. 'This was our third year of raffling a package of 10 All-Ireland tickets. We made the decision to raffle them as a package to give the winner more options around who they bring the final,' Mr Gilsenan said. Anyone who spent €10 to enter the July draw and was in the drum for the All-Ireland hurling final will automatically be included in the draw for 10 football final tickets — Kerry vs Donegal on July 27. That draw will take place the week before the final, and tickets can be purchased via this link: Read More Cork and Tipp fans furious as All-Ireland final ticket chaos sparks calls for GAA review
Toronto Sun
11-07-2025
- Business
- Toronto Sun
STOSSEL: Labour unions are killing American jobs
François Laporte, national president, with Teamsters Canada and Sean O'Brien, general president with the U.S based International Brotherhood of Teamsters talk with media at a union rally outside CPKC headquarters in Calgary on Friday August 23, 2024. Gavin Young/Postmedia Progressives love unions. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Not only do unions protect workers, they say, but unions gave us the weekend and the middle class. I say capitalism created the middle class. Employers, competing for better workers, gave us the weekend. But whatever you think about capitalism, few people question the claim that unions help workers. But I will. It's the focus of my new video. A couple of years ago, the Teamsters demanded more pay from UPS. Seemed like UPS could easily afford it. The company made almost $13 billion in 2021. UPS used some of that money to hire more union workers. Then they offered them raises. But Teamsters boss Sean O'Brien wanted more. He threatened a strike. UPS gave in. MSNBC called that 'collective bargaining at its finest!' Today, full-time drivers make $170,000 a year. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Good for them — for those who still have jobs. But paying for the new Teamsters contract meant UPS wasn't as competitive as before. It raised some prices and lost business to other shippers. Profit dropped. In 2024, UPS laid off 12,000 workers. The next year, 20,000. It wasn't just the wage hikes; it was also the work rules. The Teamsters agreement includes hundreds of pages with limits on subcontracting, bans on employees working long hours, etc. Many of these rules made it hard for a company to adapt and cut costs. 'These headline-grabbing union deals are delivering short-run sugar highs with long-run hangovers,' says Mercatus Center economist Lily Palagashvili. 'UPS is just one example of this.' Another was Yellow Corp — once one of the largest freight carriers in America. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Then the Teamsters threatened to strike, demanding faster payments of health-care and pension benefits. The company warned that a strike could bankrupt it. But O'Brien kept pushing, saying, 'The company has two more days to fulfil its obligations or we will strike. Teamsters at Yellow are furious and ready to act!' Yellow gave in. The strike was averted. Days later, the trucking company shut down for good. Thirty thousand people lost their jobs. Asked if he felt responsible for the lost jobs, O'Brien said, 'No, not at all … they were so mismanaged.' 'That's true,' says Palagashvili. '(Yellow Corp) was having a lot of financial issues. But if you're on the verge of collapse, the last thing you need is a Teamsters labour union contract that says you have to increase labour costs. Yellow is basically covered in gasoline and Sean O'Brien comes and lights the match.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Meanwhile, union leadership help themselves. The Teamsters now brag that they have $1 billion in assets. Sean O'Brien earns more than $430,000 per year. The same year Yellow went bankrupt, United Auto Workers went on strike against Stellantis, the company that owns Chrysler. Stellantis gave in, giving the UAW a pay raise and promising to open a new plant. But then Stellantis started laying off workers: 1,340 during the strike and 2,450 more the next year. In 2024, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers walked off the job, demanding better pay from Boeing. Boeing gave in. One month later, Boeing announced a 10% workforce cut. When I grew up, Midwestern states were called the 'Steel Belt.' Now they're called the 'Rust Belt.' The media blame 'free trade' and 'globalization.' On social media, people say, 'foreigners took our jobs.' Palagashvili says, 'It wasn't trade that killed the Rust Belt. It was labour unions. Unions in the Rust Belt were striking. Companies said, 'Higher labour costs, tons of strikes, productivity isn't going up, we're going to relocate,' and they did.' Unions help some workers. But they hurt many more. Every Tuesday at Stossel posts a new video about the battle between government and freedom Editorial Cartoons Toronto & GTA NFL World Toronto & GTA
BBC News
08-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Listen RUW: Top 10 Lions Test tries...
George North in 2013 or Sean O'Brien in 2017..?Rugby Union Weekly is back with episode three of the Top 10 series as Matt Dawson and Jamie Roberts compile their list of the best tries in a Lions Test the former Lions got it right or have they missed out on an obvious Top 10 contender?Listen to the latest episode here.
Business Wire
07-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
FHLBank Chicago Makes $3 Million Available for Community First
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago (FHLBank Chicago) today opened its applications for the 2025 Community First ® Developer Program (Developer Program). Now in its fourth year, the program provides grants to organizations supporting career development opportunities in the affordable housing development industry across Illinois and Wisconsin. In 2025, FHLBank Chicago will award up to $3 million through its financial institution members, with individual grant amounts ranging from $50,000 to $250,000. Applications are open now through Friday, August 8, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. CT. 'The Developer Program is designed to strengthen the pipeline of talent shaping affordable housing in our district,' said Katie Naftzger, Senior Vice President and Community Investment Officer, FHLBank Chicago. 'By partnering with our member institutions, we can help affordable housing development organizations throughout Illinois and Wisconsin bring new and emerging professionals into this vital field.' Last year, Northpointe Development II Corporation based in Oshkosh, Wisc., received a $250,000 Developer Program grant in partnership with FHLBank Chicago member First Business Bank to fund two full-time fellowship positions. 'With support from FHLBank Chicago's Developer Program, we've been able to provide meaningful, full-time roles for individuals who are passionate about building stronger communities but may not have had access to traditional pathways into development,' said Sean O'Brien, Principle at Northpointe Development. 'These roles offer real-world experience across every stage of the development process—from financing and design to construction and community engagement.' Launched in 2022, the Developer Program was shaped by FHLBank Chicago's Community Investment Advisory Council to address the need for greater access to affordable housing career pathways. The program offers funding to support compensation for internships or fellowships that provide meaningful professional experience in the affordable housing development field. Eligible beneficiary organizations include nonprofit and for-profit development firms looking to add talent, as well as organizations with programs or initiatives that advance career opportunities in the industry. Members may sponsor up to three applications totaling no more than $750,000 in combined requests. For additional information about the Developer Program and how to apply, visit the Developer Program webpage. About the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago FHLBank Chicago is a regional bank in the Federal Home Loan Bank System. FHLBanks are government-sponsored enterprises created by Congress to ensure access to low-cost funding for their member financial institutions, with a focus on providing solutions that support the housing and community development needs of members' customers. FHLBank Chicago is a self-capitalizing cooperative, owned by its Illinois and Wisconsin members, including commercial banks, credit unions, insurance companies, savings institutions and community development financial institutions. To learn more about FHLBank Chicago, please visit 'Community First' is a registered trademark of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago.
Scottish Sun
04-07-2025
- Scottish Sun
Murderer avoids deportation to Jamaica after judge said ‘he has an admirable work ethic'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A JAMAICAN murderer has won a human rights appeal to stay in the country after a judge said he has an "admirable work ethic". The unnamed killer has avoided deportation after an immigration court in Cardiff ruled key facts in the case had not been properly considered. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 He mounted a legal fight for asylum in Britain after the Home Office attempted to deport him Credit: Getty 4 Details of the murder were not specified Credit: AFP He mounted a legal fight for asylum in Britain after the Home Office attempted to deport him. The man - who has been in the UK since 1996 - lost an initial appeal against the decision to deny him asylum at a first-tier immigration tribunal. But his second appeal at the Upper Tribunal was successful, meaning the case is set to be heard again. A judgement explained that he committed murder, but details of the offence were not specified. Read more News WEEKEND WASHOUT Yellow rain warning in place TODAY with heavy downpours & 50mph winds He has been through "offender management" during his rehabilitation and now shows an "admirable work ethic". The man also argued that he "feared" deportation because he would be targeted by Jamaican crime syndicate One Order. He claimed that his family home had been attacked by the gang, who shot his brothers and forced his sister into witness protection. The Jamaican accused the judge at the First-tier Tribunal of not properly considering his concerns. Upper Tribunal Judge Sean O'Brien agreed that the man could be in danger if he were to return. He ruled that the First-tier Tribunal had "misunderstood" evidence given by the murderer and "overlooked" potential risks in Jamaica. Judge O'Brien added: 'The [First-tier Tribunal] judge had overlooked the fact that the core elements of the [Jamaican's] account were not challenged by [the Home Office]. "It had misunderstood [his] evidence about [his] family he claimed had been murdered because of gang retribution and when, and had given no apparent consideration to the attempts made to verify that [his] sister remained in Witness Protection. Sun probe uncovers asylum seekers in hotels linked to string of rape cases "I agree therefore that the judge's findings on the credibility of the [Jamaican's] account of events in Jamaica involved the making of an error of law. "All in all, I cannot be satisfied that the judge would necessarily have found that the [Jamaican] would not be at risk from the One Order Gang had she taken a permissible approach to credibility." The One Order gang mainly operates out of Spanish Town - an area on the Caribbean island regarded as a hotbed for criminal activity. It is the latest in a string of cases where offenders have called on Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), claiming they would face persecution if returned. The judgement said: "[The Jamaican said] the judge had failed to take into account that the key facts were not disputed by the Home Office. "The judge was wrong to find [him] vague in naming the One Order Gang as the source of risk. "The judge misunderstood which family members had been murdered and when. "The judge failed to take into account the steps taken by and on behalf of the [him] to confirm that [his] sister was in the Witness Protection Programme." It comes just months after an Albanian criminal was allowed to stay in Britain after arguing his son did not like foreign chicken nuggets. An immigration tribunal ruled it would have been "unduly harsh" for the child to be deported to Albania with his father due to his sensitivity around food as well other "additional" needs. Father Klevis Disha, 39, successfully appealed his deportation at a lower-tier immigration tribunal in which his son's distaste for foreign chicken nuggets was listed as the only example of his food difficulties. The case also focused on his son's needs in regards to sensory issues and difficulties communicating emotions. Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick told the Telegraph it was "mind-boggling", "ludicrous" and "outrageous" that food had been used as an argument to prevent deportation. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp also slammed the decision, claiming foreign criminals are "exploiting human rights laws and weak judges". 4 It is the latest in a string of cases where offenders have called on Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights Credit: Getty
