No friend of man's best friend
Sir, - Hachiko, the famously faithful Japanese dog, has his statue in Shibuya Station, his story in schoolbooks, and, I believe, a film to his name (
An Irishman's Diary, May 21st
). Fido, his Italian counterpart, got tax exemption and national honour. Meanwhile, in Ireland, we never even named the sheepdog who was central to Dinny and Miley in Glenroe every Sunday night for years.
It says something about national priorities - or perhaps our deeply ingrained modesty. Where other nations bronze their beasts, we barely remember ours.
But that unnamed dog still rounded up more viewers than most RTÉ dramas today.
Faithful, underpaid, and uncredited: truly the Irish way. – Yours, etc,
READ MORE
ENDA CULLEN,
Armagh
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Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Irish Times
Ray Burke on a landmark pub in Oranmore, Galway that played host to many well-known artistes
Anyone who travelled to Galway from Dublin or from the South of Ireland by road before the advent of motorways or bypasses cannot have missed the thatched pub that stands at the T-junction where the roads converged in Oranmore village. 'Quite a pretty place with a nice thatched pub, an old forge [and] a 1916 memorial' was how the RTÉ reporter Cathal O'Shannon described Oranmore village on a Newsbeat television programme in July 1967. 'All the traffic between Galway, Dublin and Limerick comes through here', he added, standing outside the thatched pub whose landmark location ensured that it attracted passing trade as well as local custom. The internationally renowned orchestra conductor and jazz pianist André Previn and his better-known future wife Mia Farrow were able to sit quietly talking and sipping Guinness in front of the pub's fireplace, unnoticed by any of the locals, shortly after O'Shannon's broadcast. READ MORE She had recently left her husband, Frank Sinatra, and she still sported her tom-boy hairstyle from the 1968 film Rosemary's Baby that made her famous. The couple had booked bed and breakfast next door to the pub in Oran Villa, a guesthouse owned by Maisie McDonagh, mother of the pub's proprietor, George. A group of musicians who could match André Previn in virtuosity arrived into the pub's lounge one Saturday a few years later at around midday. Three members of the nascent traditional Irish music group Planxty ventured tentatively into the empty lounge accompanied by their mentor, the master piper and broadcaster Seamus Ennis. Their fragile collective demeanours told that they were recovering from a late night. Less fortunate than the Hollywood actress or the famed musicians was the Galway hurler Mickey Burke, captain of the team that was beaten by Cork in the 1953 All-Ireland final. A farmer in Glennascaul, a mile north of the village, Mickey had his teeth knocked out by Cork's Christy Ring in that match. He was never again allowed to finish his drink of choice, a bottle of Guinness, in peace in the pub. His occasional daytime visits always ended prematurely when someone mentioned the 1953 final. More than 20 years after the match, Mickey invariably had to place his unfinished drink on the counter and walk out. Another occasional daytime customer was a fine, tall man who lived with his mother on Tawin Island, on the edge of Galway Bay and accessible via a narrow bridge. He never set a foot in the pub at night, but he used to call for a chat and a couple of pints whenever he cycled the seven miles to Oranmore for messages. The pub was usually quiet or maybe empty when he called at around midday. He was such a handsome, sturdy man that the bartender asked him one day why he had never married. He replied that when he had told his mother that he was thinking of getting married her response was: 'You have never yet had to iron your own shirt in this house' - 13 words that dictated the rest of his life. He never married and he never again raised the subject with his mother. A greater human tragedy overhung the arrival of three uniformed Gardai into the lounge one mid-winter Saturday afternoon. White-faced and wearing heavy overcoats, the Gardai exchanged barely a word and they left immediately after consuming two double-brandies each in quick succession. They were returning from the scene of a fatal car crash on the road to Galway. Oranmore village had fewer than 200 residents in 1967. Some feared that a road bypass proposed in Galway Co Council's draft development plan would turn it into 'a ghost town'. The most recent Census recorded a population of 4,721 in the Oranmore electoral division. The village hinterland was entirely agricultural until the 1960s when the first local industry was established. Producing pre-cast and ready-mixed concrete, it was known locally as 'the factory'. One of its original employees lived in the village. He had charge of one of the factory's machines, but he regularly took unofficial leave to spend part of each day in McDonagh's pub. He always went home at lunchtime to avoid any factory manager who might call into the pub for a newspaper or a packet of cigarettes. 'You'd need to be careful Amby or they'll sack you and put somebody else in charge of that machine', a fellow drinker advised him one morning. 'They can't', Amby replied instantly, 'I have the key to it here in my pocket'.
Sunday World
8 hours ago
- Sunday World
Ryan Tubridy confirms engagement to long-time girlfriend after jeweller lets cat out of bag
Rumours have been swirling for weeks that the former RTÉ presenter had popped the question to the clinical psychologist and former Rose of Tralee winner, Dr Kambamettu Speaking on his Virgin Radio UK show, which is also broadcast on Dublin's Q102, the former Late Late Show host announced the pair got engaged while visiting the west of Ireland last week. 'I have a little bit of news that I've been keeping to myself, to ourselves,' he told listeners at the start of the show on Tuesday morning. "I'm very, very, very happy to confirm I did get engaged to my partner Clare in the west of Ireland on Thursday evening.' 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.' He joked people had told him he had 'some tan' from his time spent on Connemara, but he had actually gone 'pink and red from sitting on a lake in Renvyle'. Meanwhile, Mr Tubridy's jeweller posted on social media yesterday that the former RTÉ broadcaster had bought a diamond ring from the shop – before deleting the post. Rumours have been swirling for weeks that the former RTÉ presenter had popped the question to the clinical psychologist and former Rose of Tralee winner, Dr Kambamettu. O'Dalaigh Jewellers in Clifden posted on social media that Tubridy (52) had come to them 'discreetly' looking for a ring for a 'very special lady' and told them that getting the ring in the west of Ireland would 'mean so much' to Dr Kambamettu. The jeweller said they were 'grateful' for the request and added Mr Tubridy requested laboratory diamonds rather than mined gemstones to ensure they were conflict free and environmentally friendly. Dr Clare Kambamettu with Ryan Tubridy The post was accompanied by a picture of the couple with a staff member outside the shop in Clifden. However, after media queries to Tubridy's agent, the jeweller's social media posts were deleted. A spokesperson for O'Dalaigh Jewellers said Tubridy had asked them to remove the posts and that he would be announcing something shortly. A spokesperson for Tubridy told the Irish Independent they could 'neither confirm nor deny' news of an engagement. In their now-deleted post on social media on Monday afternoon, O'Dalaigh Jewellers said: 'Ryan along with so many others have fallen in love with Connemara over the years. He discreetly came to us to discuss a special ring he needed for a very special lady. He knew that getting the ring in the West of Ireland would mean so much to Clare and he also wanted to shop local, which we are very grateful for! 'Through working with customers it's lovely to find out their back story and what I can say after meeting Ryan and Clare is that it seemed like destiny that their paths would cross as they have both had so many great memories in Connemara and as a result have such a grá for the place. This love story continues and in the process it's great to hear some positive news. Wishing this very happy couple a wonderful future together. Jonathan and all the O'Dalaigh Team.' Tubridy and Dr Kambamettu made their relationship public in 2023 when they appeared at the Irish Post Awards in London. Dr Kambamettu was born in Leeds to her Indian GP father Ravi, and Irish physiotherapist mother Breda, and the family moved to her mother's home town of Athy, Co Kildare, when she was eight. She won the Rose of Tralee title as the London Rose in 2010 when she was 26. Dr Kambamettu has a B.A. in Psychology and History and H. Dip. in Psychology from NUI Galway. She also completed a Masters in Mental Health specialising in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy at King's College London, and has presented RTÉ's Eco Eye. Tubridy, the former Late Late Show and RTÉ Radio 1 host, has successfully hosted a mid-morning show on the UK's Virgin Radio since leaving RTÉ amid the fallout from the Irish national broadcaster's secret payments controversy. 'We chatted about Clare's style and bounced ideas over and back from London. From that, he chose a stunning 2.4 carat diamond ring which has a beautiful balance between a modern and old elegant style. The centre diamond is a 2 carat emerald cut with two tapered diamond baguettes on either side. "From our conversations with Ryan we knew Clare would prefer certified lab diamonds over natural diamonds to guarantee the stones being conflict free and without environmental impact from diamond mining. Tubridy and Dr Kambamettu posing with staff outside O'Dalaigh Jewellers in Clifden. Photo: O'Dalaigh Jeweller/Instagram News in 90 Seconds - June 17th "From our conversations with Ryan we knew Clare would prefer certified lab diamonds over natural diamonds to guarantee the stones being conflict free and without environmental impact from diamond mining. 'Through working with customers it's lovely to find out their back story and what I can say after meeting Ryan and Clare is that it seemed like destiny that their paths would cross as they have both had so many great memories in Connemara and as a result have such a grá for the place. This love story continues and in the process it's great to hear some positive news. Wishing this very happy couple a wonderful future together. Jonathan and all the O'Dalaigh Team.' Tubridy and Dr Kambamettu made their relationship public in 2023 when they appeared at the Irish Post Awards in London. Dr Kambamettu was born in Leeds to her Indian GP father Ravi, and Irish physiotherapist mother Breda, and the family moved to her mother's home town of Athy, Co Kildare, when she was eight. She won the Rose of Tralee title as the London Rose in 2010 when she was 26. Dr Kambamettu has a B.A. in Psychology and History and H. Dip. in Psychology from NUI Galway. She also completed a Masters in Mental Health specialising in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy at King's College London, and has presented RTÉ's Eco Eye. Tubridy, the former Late Late Show and RTÉ Radio 1 host, has successfully hosted a mid-morning show on the UK's Virgin Radio since leaving RTÉ amid the fallout from the Irish national broadcaster's secret payments controversy.
The Journal
8 hours ago
- The Journal
Ryan Tubridy announces engagement - after jeweller let the cat out of the bag
RYAN TUBRIDY HAS announced that he is engaged to his partner, Dr Clare Kambamettu. The former RTÉ Radio and Late Late Show presenter confirmed the news on his Virgin Radio show this morning. However, the cat was let out of the bag after a Galway jeweller posted on social media that Tubridy had bought a diamond ring from their store. O'Dalaigh Jewellers in Clifden said Tubridy had bought the ring for a 'very special lady'. The post was accompanied by a photo of the jeweller, Tubridy and Kambamettu posing together outside the store. The social media post was subsequently deleted. Speaking on his radio show this morning, the presenter said that he had some news to share 'that I was kind of keeping a little bit to myself and to ourselves'. He said that while he likes to remain private, 'the cat has been removed from the bag for a number of different reasons'. 'I'm very, very, very happy to confirm that I did indeed get engaged to my partner Clare on Thursday evening in the west of Ireland, and it is a very beautiful feeling.' Tubridy said he had 'got a beautiful ring organised and the weather was gorgeous'. Advertisement He said he had decided that now is the right time and called the news 'the accumulation of a lot of lovely things happening', adding that more details would follow. '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 and there's a whole new adventure ahead,' he continued. 'Lucky man, beautiful day, and the future is bright.' Kambamettu is a clinical psychologist and a former Rose of Tralee. It's believed that she and Tubridy began dating after she appeared as a guest on his former RTE Radio 1 One show. Since leaving RTÉ, Tubridy now hosts a daily show on Virgin Radio in London which is also broadcast on Q102. He also writes a weekly column for The Irish Daily Mail on Sunday. RTÉ was plunged into crisis in June 2023 after it admitted understating the fees for its star presenter and previous top-earner. Last month, RTÉ Director General Kevin Bakhurst told an Oireachtas committee that Tubridy has not repaid RTÉ the €150,000 he received for two promotional events that did not take place. He received €150,000 from RTÉ in the form of two payments of €75,000 each for 2021 and 2022. These payments were made via what's known as a barter account , which are used by companies to exchange goods or services for other goods or services. The payments for the promotional events were to be paid by Renault, but were underwritten by RTÉ which then had to cover the costs when the events did not take place. Bakhurst confirmed that Tubridy has not repaid the money, stating: 'I would like him to pay it back.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
