Helen McEntee on her Leaving Cert: ‘Let's put it this way - I wasn't aiming for 500 or 600 points'
What is your most vivid Leaving Cert memory?
It was a really sunny day – typical exam weather – and I was studying for my French paper the next day. I say 'studying', but I was lying in the back garden – with my French book over my face. That urge to be out in the sun is so strong in my memory.
Who was your most influential teacher and why?
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I really liked all my teachers and got on well with them, but I probably spent most time with Ms Burke – my French teacher. She was very kind and supportive; just a very positive person.
Your most difficult subject?
Physics. Looking back, I probably shouldn't have chosen it; it wasn't a subject I was particularly good at and it's the subject I did least well in.
Your favourite subject?
I loved art, music and English. I've always loved drawing, being creative, playing piano and had a really great English teacher. For my music practical, I did a duet with my best friend, Niamh.
Can you recall what points you got?
I got 400 and something – I'm not 100 per cent sure what. Let's put it this way, I wasn't aiming for 500 or 600 points. I could have worked harder, but I was happy with what I got.
How important were the results?
Not very – but, because of the results, I ended up in DCU, which I loved. The friends I made shaped my next few years. The degree was a good base for me.
What did you do after school?
I studied economics, politics and law at DCU and afterward completed a postgrad in journalism and media at Griffith College.
What would you change about the Leaving Cert?
I would take away some of the pressure at exam time. The fact that I did art and music – which had practicals and coursework – was a great help for me. Having that across the board would take some of the pressure off students.
What advice would you give your Leaving Cert self?
The same advice I give everyone: just do your best.
– In conversation with Carl O'Brien
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Irish Times
23 minutes ago
- Irish Times
Heather Humphreys takes large lead over Seán Kelly in race to seek Fine Gael presidential election nomination
Former Fine Gael minister Heather Humphreys has taken a large lead over Ireland South MEP Seán Kelly in the battle to seek the party's nomination to contest the upcoming presidential election . Both Ms Humphreys and Mr Kelly announced their intention to run for president for Fine Gael on Tuesday morning. Each will require the backing of 20 members of the parliamentary party, as well as 25 councillors and five members of the executive council. By Tuesday afternoon, Ms Humphreys had at least 29 nominations from TDs and senators, and was widely expected to have over 30 by the end of the day. So far, Mr Kelly has the backing of at least six parliamentary party members. READ MORE The 29 parliamentary party declarations for for Heather Humphreys so far includes ministers Peter Burke and Patrick O'Donovan, junior ministers Neale Richmond, Hildegarde Naughton, Colm Brophy and Emer Higgins, TDs Emer Currie, John Paul O'Shea, David Maxwell, Jerry Buttimer, Paula Butterly, Grace Boland, Frank Feighan, Naoise O'Muirí, Catherine Callaghan, Alan Dillon, Keira Keogh, James Geoghegan, Colm Burke, John Clendennan and Micheal Carrigy, Barry Ward and senators Sean Kyne, Maria Byrne, Nikki Bradley, Joe O'Reilly, Mark Duffy, Cathal Byrne, Manus Boyle. Joe Cooney, the Fine Gael TD for Clare, said as a Munster man and a 'GAA man' he would be proudly supporting Mr Kelly. So far Mr Kelly also has the support of Senators Michael Kennelly and Garrett Ahearn and TDs Noel McCarthy, Brian Brennan and Michael Murphy. Announcing her candidacy on Tuesday, Ms Humphreys said she had been 'genuinely humbled' by the support in recent days. 'I have decided to go for it,' she told the Joe Finnegan Show on Cavan-Monaghan radio station Northern Sound. She said it was 'fair' to ask why she had changed her mind, having ruled herself out of the contest in May and saying she would be supporting her 'friend' Ms McGuinness instead. 'But as we know, everything has changed with Mairead's news last week and I would just like to wish her well in her recovery.' Ms Humphreys said she was a 'bit burned out' and was probably 'running on empty' when she decided to step down from politics at the end of last year, having sat at Cabinet for a decade. 'I've said to myself more than once: 'you could do a bit more Heather',' she said. 'Really, I've had a good rest, the tank is full again. And you know timing is a funny thing because I have never felt as good about taking on the challenge.' [ Áras race picks up speed as Humphreys and Kelly join Fine Gael field Opens in new window ] Her announcement came a little over an hour after Mr Kelly, a former GAA president, said he also intends to seek the party's nomination. He said he believes that there should be a contest between him and Ms Humphreys. She and Mr Kelly had previously ruled themselves out of the contest, when it was believed that Ms McGuinness would be Fine Gael's candidate. Ms Humphreys in May ruled herself out of running for the presidency, citing her decision to leave politics altogether at the last general election. 'I said at that time that I wanted to spend more time with the family and that my time in public life was over,' she said at that time. In July, Mr Kelly also ruled himself out of the contest. He said that the presidency was largely a ceremonial role. 'You don't have that much power or influence even though you can dress it up whatever way you like and I like to be involved politically,' he said then. The MEP appeared to walk these comments back on Tuesday, saying that his comment 'was in comparison to presidents around the world' who have executive powers. 'But I think actually there's a huge potential in the job, it is the highest honour in Ireland.' Mr Kelly said having spent time in Ireland over the last few weeks, he understood that he had grassroots support as many people had told him they were disappointed he was not running for the Áras. In the days following Mairead McGuinness' unfortunate withdrawal as Fine Gael's candidate for President of Ireland on health grounds, I have reflected and given serious consideration to the possibility of seeking the After discussing it with my family and… — Seán Kelly MEP (@SeanKellyMEP) Mr Kelly said he believes Fine Gael's base would like to see a contest for its presidential nomination as they are good for parties and for democracies. Minister for Culture Patrick O'Donovan on Tuesday said he would be supporting Ms Humphreys. He said she had 'all of the qualities and attributes' needed to be president. 'There isn't a parish or a crossroads in this country that she hasn't touched in some way,' he said. Junior ministers Hildegarde Naughton and Emer Higgins, senator Manus Boyle and TDs John Clendennen and Micheal Carrigy have also said that the former minister will have their support, as have Minister of State Neale Richmond and Senator Maria Byrne. Fine Gael TD Noel McCarthy on Tuesday endorsed Mr Kelly's candidacy. The Cork East deputy said Mr Kelly had done 'marvellous work' in his time as an MEP, highlighted by him polling 125,000 first-preference votes in last year's European election. Fine Gael senator and Kerryman Michael Kennelly also said he will be supporting Mr Kelly. 'He's made a huge contribution for the people of Kerry and the people of Ireland in his role as an MEP. He's someone that has always stayed grounded, and that's a trait that the person who is going to fill the Áras will need,' Mr Kennelly said. 'He is a proud GAA man, he is a proud cultural man, he is a proud Irish speaker, he is a gem, he's been a real Kerry hero.' Fine Gael Senator Cathal Byrne said he was backing Ms Humphreys and had already sent in nomination papers for her on Tuesday morning. 'I always found her very supportive of projects across Wexford, and she's visited so many parts of Wexford as a minister, and I always found her as somebody who, on those visits, displayed enormous empathy and a great connection to people,' Mr Byrne said. Mark Duffy, a Fine Gael senator based in Mayo, said that he was also supporting Ms Humphreys. 'With her proven leadership as Minister for Rural and Community Development and her deep commitment to public service, she has the vision and experience to serve Ireland with distinction,' Mr Duffy said. Senator Joe O'Reilly also told The Irish Times that he was supporting the former minister, as did Senator Sean Kyne and James Geoghegan, the Fine Gael TD for Dublin Bay South. Mr Geoghegan said she was a candidate of 'enormous integrity, and someone who understands as well as values the importance of community.' Fine TD Alan Dillon is also backing Ms Humphreys, who he described as a 'strong, grounded leader who connects with people across all divides.' Fine Gael senator Nikki Bradley and veteran TD Frank Feighan also confirmed they will be supporting Ms Humphreys, while Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke said he is 'honoured' to nominate Ms Humphreys, adding that 'with over a decade in cabinet, she has shown real leadership, uniting communities and leaving a lasting impact nationwide.' TDs Paula Butterly, David Maxwell and John Paul O'Shea have all indicated their support for Ms Humphreys on social media, as has Senator Jerry Buttimer.
The Journal
4 hours ago
- The Journal
What parts of Ukraine could Vladimir Putin ask for in exchange for an end to the war?
UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR Zelenskyy held talks with his US counterpart Donald Trump in Washington last night aimed at bringing about an end to Russia's war in his country. The meeting, which took place alongside several European leaders, was worlds apart from the disastrous scenes seen in February, when Trump and his vice president JD Vance rounded on Zelenskyy in the Oval Office. Despite assurances from Trump that Russian president Vladimir Putin accepted Western security guarantees for Ukraine at a summit in Alaska last week, there was little mention of any potential ceding of land by Ukraine. It is believed that Putin wants Ukraine to give up some of its territory in the east of the country in order for Russia to end the conflict. It's understood that in exchange for this, Moscow would agree to 'freeze' the front line in regions where Russian forces hold swathes of territory, but not the regional capitals. But what land is Moscow seeking, and how likely is it that Zelenskyy would even consider conceding territory? What territory does Russia want? Putin is understood to have told Trump last week that he wants Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions, also known as the Donbas. These areas have seen the deadliest battles of the war so far. The regions run from Mariupol in the south all the way up to the northern border with Russia. Before the invasion, they were home to over six million people, but the remaining population is now difficult to determine due to millions having left since the start of the war. During the Soviet era, the regions had a heavily industrialised industry, particularly for coal and steel production. They also have a significant proportion of farmland. A map of Ukraine marking the disputed territories in red, including Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, and parts of Zaporizhzhia. Shutterstock Shutterstock In September 2022, Russia held 'referendums' and illegally annexed Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia – the same thing it did in Crimea in 2014. It has been trying to capture all of the Donbas since then, but it has never had any of the four regions fully under its control. Why does Putin want the Donbas? Donnacha Ó Beacháin, Professor of Politics at DCU who has worked and researched in the post-Soviet region for over two decades, told The Journal that Russia controls almost all of Luhansk and the majority of Donetsk. 'But there are important cities which they don't hold and haven't been able to take, despite the three-and-a-half years of full-scale invasion,' he said. He said that while both regions are predominantly Russian-speaking, they do not have an ethnic Russian majority. Advertisement 'There is this attempt by the Kremlin always to conflate Russian speaking with ethnic Russian. When I was there giving lectures for over a number of periods in Donetsk, the students I met there were Russian-speaking Ukrainians,' he said. 'That's borne out by census figures, it's borne out by opinion polls in terms of self-identification. Of course, there are people who identify as Russian as well, but the demographics have shifted a lot since the war. A lot of people have left.' Given their locations, Ukraine fears that Russia taking control of Donetsk and Luhansk would be detrimental to its defence and would allow Moscow to regroup and begin attacks deeper into the country. 'It's a substantial piece of territory, and it's very well fortified,' Ó Beacháin said. 'It includes cities like Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, which, if the Ukrainians were to hand them over to the Russians, it would mean that Ukraine would be much easier to attack in the future.' What are the conditions like under Russian occupation? For those still living in occupied Donetsk and Luhansk, the regions are treated as parts of Russia. The Russian constitution recognises them as Russian territories, and has forced Ukrainians in the regions to adopt Russian passports. Weather forecasts shown on Russian television will include those regions as part of Russia, even though they don't control all of the territory. Moscow has been encouraging people to move to some cities in the region in order to rebuild them, including Mariupol. The city was taken by Russian forces after a brutal siege three months into Russia's invasion. Ukraine estimates over 25,000 people were killed. Recently, Russian influencers have shared content from Mariupol suggesting that life there is normal, something that has been disputed by Ukrainian residents . Other recent reports show there are acute water shortages in some parts of Donetsk, with residents pleading with Russia for help . The brutality of what happened in Mariupol serves as a warning to others living in the occupied regions not to act out. 'As in any regime, some will cooperate. Some will keep their heads down. They won't resist, but they don't want the current situation,' Ó Beacháin said. 'Some will be actively trying to resist. But the difficulty in resisting, of course, is the punishment can often be death, so you don't get really active acts of defiance if people can avoid it.' Along with encouraging Russians to populate the regions, the educational curriculum has been completely changed to a Russian one, with the Ukrainian language banned. 'It's only recently acquired and they don't know how long they will hold it for, because the battle lines shift as time goes on. Some parts, like Kherson, were captured and then had to be handed back to the Ukrainians because of their military advances.' How likely is it that Zelenskyy will give up territory? Almost impossible, according to Ó Beacháin. The Ukrainian president has repeatedly said that he would not be willing to hand over any of his country to Putin. Ukraine's constitution outlines that changes to its territory can only be made through referendums. 'The Ukrainian constitution is quite clear in the territorial definition. You couldn't possibly have a situation where a President could sign over territory. It would be unconstitutional,' Ó Beacháin said. Related Reads Trump tells Zelenskyy and European leaders that Putin 'accepts' security guarantees for Ukraine Opinion: For Ukraine, it's a case of 'if you're not at the table, you're probably on the menu' 'It would be impossible in the foreseeable future to have a referendum of any legitimacy, because millions of people have left Ukraine. Many people are under occupation. How would you have a referendum that would be recognised and legitimate?' The chance that Russia would abide by a 'land for peace' agreement is low. The Budapest Memorandum in 1994 saw Russia agree to respect Ukraine's sovereignty and borders in return for Kyiv giving up its nuclear arsenal. It went on to invade Crimea. The subsequent Minsk agreements were also broken when Putin recognised Donetsk and Luhansk as Russian before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say you would have something approaching civil war in Ukraine, were any Ukrainian government just to hand over territory that was in Ukrainian hands now. Ó Beacháin added that doing this would also be 'political suicide' for Zelenskyy. 'I can't see him doing it, unless he feels that he could do it almost like an act of personal self sacrifice, recognising that his political career is over… but he doesn't strike me as somebody who would avoid responsibility at critical moments.' What happens next? Putin and Zelenskyy have both said they are prepared to meet each other after the meeting in the US yesterday – but whether a territorial swap is on the cards remains to be seen. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed that such a decision would potentially send the wrong message, even though it would be for Ukraine to make. Addressing whether Zelenskyy would be forced to give up territory to Russia, Macron said it was 'up to Ukraine'. 'Ukraine will make the concessions it deems just and right,' he said, but added: 'Let's be very careful when we talk about legal recognition.' 'If countries… can say, 'we can take territory by force', that opens a Pandora's box.' Part of the problem for Zelenskyy and Ukraine is a potential lack of American support from this point onwards. Ó Beacháin said the US 'already have one foot out the door' when it comes to supporting Ukraine. 'Essentially, Trump's big threat is 'we'll walk away', but it's clear that they're walking away anyway,' he said. 'To use Trump's terminology, [Zelenskyy] doesn't really have many cards with Putin or the Europeans or the Ukrainians.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... Our Explainer articles bring context and explanations in plain language to help make sense of complex issues. We're asking readers like you to support us so we can continue to provide helpful context to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Times
4 hours ago
- Irish Times
Áras race picks up speed as Humphreys and Kelly join Fine Gael field
Forty-eight hours before Mairead McGuinness had dropped out of the presidential race last week, a beaming Heather Humphreys was milling around the sun-drenched Ballinamore Agricultural Show in Co Leitrim. The apparently retired politician was blissfully unaware that she was doing the groundwork for a campaign she didn't yet know she'd be running in. Such is the charmed fortune of Humphreys, for whom the stars have aligned to suddenly make her the clear favourite for the Fine Gael nomination for the presidential election. Not even a week after it lost its front-runner candidate, Fine Gael now has two heavy hitters vying for the nomination. READ MORE Within an hour of each other on Tuesday morning, Humphreys and Ireland South MEP Seán Kelly had both thrown their hats into the ring. Choosing to announce her intention to run on Northern Sound, the local radio station in her native Cavan-Monaghan constituency, Humphreys appeared to have used her weekend well. She presented a distilled vision for her campaign, citing her role shepherding the Government through the successful 1916 commemorations; her time as minister for business, enterprise and innovation during Brexit; and her experience as social protection minister during the pandemic. The theme of her campaign will be community, she said, drawing on her background as a manager of a credit union and the valuable time she spent travelling around the country as communities minister. Senior Fine Gael figures tend to become quite rhapsodical when they think of how many plaques across the country have her name on them. Humphreys also made a pointed reference to the concerning rise in racist attacks in Ireland. Humphreys and Kelly are now trying to enter a race that they both comprehensively ruled themselves out of. For Humphreys, she is presenting her decision not to contest as a gesture of loyalty to her friend McGuinness, who she didn't wish to run against. And many in Fine Gael are already presenting the former minister's eight months out of politics as a restorative break. Minister for Culture Patrick O'Donovan waxed lyrical on national radio on Tuesday about how the green-fingered Humphreys had used her time off to grow 'the finest spuds and onions and turnips and parsnips anywhere you'll get 'em'. Kelly used his announcement on Tuesday to row back on his claim in July that the presidency was a 'ceremonial' role, saying now that there was 'huge potential in the job, it is the highest honour in Ireland'. Kelly will draw heavily on his experience as GAA president and the deep grassroots support he enjoys in Munster in his bid for a nomination, though it will be clear to the seasoned campaigner that at this point he is the David to Humphreys's Goliath. The MEP will now face an uphill battle over the next two weeks to win the support of the 20 TDs and Senators that he requires for his nomination, given many Fine Gael parliamentarians have backed Humphreys. Like Humphreys, he will also require the support of 25 Fine Gael councillors and five members of the Executive Council. The message from Team Kelly is that it will be the party's duty to allow or maybe even facilitate a contest between the two aspirant presidential candidates. Speaking on Morning Ireland, Kelly made the pointed remark that Fine Gael has not enjoyed a contest 'for a long time now' – including when Simon Harris became the uncontested leader last year. There are still fresh bruises in Kelly's native Kerry about what many saw as the cack-handed way that party HQ managed the last general election, resulting in Fine Gael not winning a seat in Kerry at all. Any perception that the Munster man has been blocked by those in Leinster House will not go down well. More senior Fine Gael figures are already understood to be preparing to declare for Humphreys. If that happens with enough pace and traction over the next few days, the writing may be on the wall. But Kelly is fiercely competitive and bolstered by his own supporters. The Fine Gael campaign for the nomination to run for president has started in earnest.
