Kathy Donaghy: Ennis v Venice – why an Irish wedding beats a Bezos-style Italian blowout every time
The wedding of the year in Venice won't signal a change for Irish couples tying the knot – they'd much rather have the craic than be accused of having notions about themselves.
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The Irish Sun
11 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Kneecap rapper wears Palestine Action ‘terror group' T-shirt ahead of controversial Glasto set that BBC WON'T show live
CONTROVERSIAL hip hop group Kneecap have shared an image of one of its members wearing a "We Are All Palestine Action" ahead of their Glastonbury set. JJ O Dochartaigh - who often wears a balaclava in public - was seen in the snap wearing the top on X, with the caption reading: "1 hour to go..." Advertisement 1 Kneecap member JJ O Dochartaigh in a 'We Are All Palestine Action' t-shirt ahead of the band's Glastonbury performance Credit: Instagram They are due to perform at 4pm on the West Holts stage. It comes after the BBC confirmed it will not be broadcasting the Irish trio's performance live following Sir Keir Starmer saying they should be banned from appearing altogether. Festival bosses, meanwhile, have already warned Frontman Liam Og O hAnnaidh was Advertisement A BBC spokesperson said: 'As the broadcast partner, the BBC is bringing audiences extensive music coverage from Glastonbury, with artists booked by the festival organisers. "Whilst the BBC doesn't ban artists, our plans ensure that our programming meets our editorial guidelines. "We don't always live stream every act from the main stages and look to make an on-demand version of Kneecap's performance available on our digital platforms, alongside more than 90 other sets." The band themselves addressed a post on X to "a chairde Gael" - which means "Gaelic friends" in which they said they'd been contacted by the "propaganda wing of the regime". Advertisement Most read in The Sun The post added: "They WILL put our set from Glastonbury today on the I-player later this evening for your viewing pleasure. "The crowd expected today is far greater than West Holts capacity so you'll need to be very early to catch us EARLY". A festival statement released today warns: "Kneecap will draw a large audience for their 4pm West Holts show. "If you're not planning to see them, please plan alternative routes around that area. Advertisement "If you do plan to attend, listen to stewards, and please have some other entertainment options in mind in case the field reaches capacity and we need to close it as part of our crowd planning measures." Earlier this month the rapper - who performs under the stage name Mo Chara - and bandmates Naoise O Caireallain and O Dochartaigh were mobbed by hundreds of fans outside Westminster Magistrates' Court. He was The group's much-anticipated appearance at Glastonbury has been criticised by PM Sir Keir Starmer and Tory leader Kemi Badenoch. Advertisement Mr Starmer said this week it is "not appropriate" for the group to perform at the festival, which started on Thursday. Asked by The Sun on Sunday if he thinks Kneecap should play, the PM said: 'No I don't. 'I think we need to come down really clearly on this. I won't say too much, because there's a court case on, but I don't think that's appropriate.' Ms Badenoch also said the BBC "should not be showing" the band's set in a post on social media. Advertisement Her post said: "The BBC should not be showing Kneecap propaganda. "One Kneecap band member is currently on bail, charged under the Terrorism Act. "As a publicly funded platform, the BBC should not be rewarding extremism." The band are not currently listed for live broadcast. Advertisement Avon and Somerset Police said: "Ticket-holders can once again expect to see uniformed officers on site at Glastonbury Festival 24/7 throughout the festival as part of our extensive policing operation ensuring it is safe for everyone attending, as well as those who live nearby." In response to the charge, Kneecap said in a post: '14,000 babies are about to die of starvation in Gaza, with food sent by the world sitting on the other side of a wall, and once again the British establishment is focused on us... 'Instead of defending innocent people, or the principles of international law they claim to uphold, the powerful in Britain have abetted slaughter and famine in Gaza, just as they did in Ireland for centuries. Then, like now, they claim justification. 'The IDF units they arm and fly spy plane missions for are the real terrorists, the whole world can see it.' Advertisement Hezbollah - founded in 1982 - is an Iran-backed Shiite militia. The Lebanese terrorist organisation voiced support for the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7 2023 before launching guided rockets and artillery shells at Israeli-occupied positions the following day. Read more on the Irish Sun Israel has retaliated with strikes on Gaza - and the conflict remains ongoing, with thousands of people, including civilian children, killed. Kneecap has said they "do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah", condemned all attacks on civilians, and alleged footage was "deliberately taken out of all context" as part of a "coordinated smear campaign" over their criticism of "the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people". Advertisement
Scottish Sun
11 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Kneecap rapper wears Palestine Action t-shirt as band shares pic ahead of controversial Glastonbury set
'HOUR TO GO' Kneecap rapper wears Palestine Action t-shirt as band shares pic ahead of controversial Glastonbury set Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CONTROVERSIAL hip hop group Kneecap have shared an image of one of its members wearing a "We Are All Palestine Action" ahead of their Glastonbury set. JJ O Dochartaigh - who often wears a balaclava in public - was seen in the snap wearing the top on X, with the caption reading: "1 hour to go..." Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Kneecap member JJ O Dochartaigh in a 'We Are All Palestine Action' t-shirt ahead of the band's Glastonbury performance Credit: Instagram They are due to perform at 4pm on the West Holts stage. It comes after the BBC confirmed it will not be broadcasting the Irish trio's performance live following Sir Keir Starmer saying they should be banned from appearing altogether. Festival bosses, meanwhile, have already warned part of the grounds could be locked down during the group's performance this afternoon due to crowd surge concerns. Frontman Liam Og O hAnnaidh was charged under the Terrorism Act after allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed terrorist group Hezbollah while saying "up Hamas, up Hezbollah" during a gig in November in Kentish Town, north London. A BBC spokesperson said: 'As the broadcast partner, the BBC is bringing audiences extensive music coverage from Glastonbury, with artists booked by the festival organisers. "Whilst the BBC doesn't ban artists, our plans ensure that our programming meets our editorial guidelines. "We don't always live stream every act from the main stages and look to make an on-demand version of Kneecap's performance available on our digital platforms, alongside more than 90 other sets." The band themselves addressed a post on X to "a chairde Gael" - which means "Gaelic friends" in which they said they'd been contacted by the "propaganda wing of the regime". The post added: "They WILL put our set from Glastonbury today on the I-player later this evening for your viewing pleasure. "The crowd expected today is far greater than West Holts capacity so you'll need to be very early to catch us EARLY". A festival statement released today warns: "Kneecap will draw a large audience for their 4pm West Holts show. "If you're not planning to see them, please plan alternative routes around that area. "If you do plan to attend, listen to stewards, and please have some other entertainment options in mind in case the field reaches capacity and we need to close it as part of our crowd planning measures." Earlier this month the rapper - who performs under the stage name Mo Chara - and bandmates Naoise O Caireallain and O Dochartaigh were mobbed by hundreds of fans outside Westminster Magistrates' Court. He was released on unconditional bail - and is due at the same court on August 20 for the next hearing. The group's much-anticipated appearance at Glastonbury has been criticised by PM Sir Keir Starmer and Tory leader Kemi Badenoch. Mr Starmer said this week it is "not appropriate" for the group to perform at the festival, which started on Thursday. Asked by The Sun on Sunday if he thinks Kneecap should play, the PM said: 'No I don't. 'I think we need to come down really clearly on this. I won't say too much, because there's a court case on, but I don't think that's appropriate.' Ms Badenoch also said the BBC "should not be showing" the band's set in a post on social media. Her post said: "The BBC should not be showing Kneecap propaganda. "One Kneecap band member is currently on bail, charged under the Terrorism Act. "As a publicly funded platform, the BBC should not be rewarding extremism." The band are not currently listed for live broadcast. Avon and Somerset Police said: "Ticket-holders can once again expect to see uniformed officers on site at Glastonbury Festival 24/7 throughout the festival as part of our extensive policing operation ensuring it is safe for everyone attending, as well as those who live nearby." In response to the charge, Kneecap said in a post: '14,000 babies are about to die of starvation in Gaza, with food sent by the world sitting on the other side of a wall, and once again the British establishment is focused on us... 'Instead of defending innocent people, or the principles of international law they claim to uphold, the powerful in Britain have abetted slaughter and famine in Gaza, just as they did in Ireland for centuries. Then, like now, they claim justification. 'The IDF units they arm and fly spy plane missions for are the real terrorists, the whole world can see it.' Hezbollah - founded in 1982 - is an Iran-backed Shiite militia. The Lebanese terrorist organisation voiced support for the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7 2023 before launching guided rockets and artillery shells at Israeli-occupied positions the following day. Israel has retaliated with strikes on Gaza - and the conflict remains ongoing, with thousands of people, including civilian children, killed. Kneecap has said they "do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah", condemned all attacks on civilians, and alleged footage was "deliberately taken out of all context" as part of a "coordinated smear campaign" over their criticism of "the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people".
The 42
14 minutes ago
- The 42
Joe McCarthy makes a big impression on his Lions debut
IT WAS THE 11th minute in Perth and the Lions were under the pump. They had made a flying start to score through captain Dan Sheehan but the Force quickly hit back through Nic White – who else? – after the first of what proved to be several restart receipt botches by Scott Cummings and co. With the game tied at 7-7, the Lions' discipline began to slip. Tadhg Beirne was among those to give up penalties, as was Joe McCarthy when he swung up the side of a maul. So the Lions found themselves defending another maul just five metres from their line. A big moment early in the game. Give the hosts a lead and there might be trouble. But it was 24-year-old McCarthy who splintered through the Force maul and took hold of the ball, reefing it clear of Australian hands so the Lions could kick clear. Just two minutes later, McCarthy had another turnover. This one came at the breakdown after excellent work by Beirne, who fought hard in a choke tackle, listened to the warning to release the ball-carrier, and left the door open for McCarthy to pounce for a clean poach. With the siege lifted, the Lions found their rhythm again and soon grabbed their second try of the night as Henry Pollock and Josh van der Flier combined beautifully to tee up Tomos Williams. Scott Cummings and Joe McCarthy. Billy Sitckland / INPHO Billy Sitckland / INPHO / INPHO There was another McCarthy pilfer in the first half, again off the back of Beirne's good work. On this 34th-minute occasion, Beirne barged through a Force ruck to leave the ball exposed. McCarthy didn't need to be asked twice, scooping it up and launching a counter-attack. Advertisement The Irish lock simply never let up in a powerful, busy performance for the Lions as they hammered the Force 52-7 to get their tour of Australia rolling. His ball-carrying was prominent, with 15 carries leaving him second on the Lions' list behind Sione Tuipulotu. On the other side of the ball, McCarthy's 17 tackles left him short of only Josh van der Flier's 22. It wasn't all about grunt work, either. When the Force spilled the ball in the Lions' 22 early in the second half, McCarthy showed good alertness to step in at scrum-half and fire a long pass from left to right, sparking the classy breakout try finished by Williams. Sure, Beirne and Finn Russell were screaming for the ball but McCarthy calmly adapted to make sure it got there. He had a few other nice passes in this game. The Leinster second row also finished one of the Lions' eight tries, cantering into the left corner after Pollock's brilliant chip and regather left the Force reeling. That relatively handy finish was justified reward for McCarthy's work rate. Of course, Andy Farrell knows all about what McCarthy brings. He has seen him make a big impact against better opposition than the Western Force. But momentum and form during a Lions tour are important. This was a great start for McCarthy on his debut in the red jersey. The Dublin man was always going to be an intriguing figure on this tour. He's the least experienced of the second rows but he offers something different to the others. At 124kg, McCarthy is the biggest and heaviest of the second row crop. He's probably the purest tighthead lock, the most obvious physical enforcer. His power and weight are useful when it comes to intense physical battles like the maul and scrum. McCarthy with Dan Sheehan. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO McCarthy has also been working hard on his lineout skills and looks a more fluid mover and jumper than ever. He had five wins in the Lions' lineout in Perth. His biggest area for improvement in recent years has been cutting out momentary lapses of concentration or indiscipline. While his yellow card against France earlier this year showed that it remains a work in progress, there is no 24-year-old professional player who is the complete package. We know that Farrell is a big fan of 'Big Joe,' so it will be interesting to see how the rest of this tour pans out for him. Captain Maro Itoje will be starting the Tests in the second row barring injury, with McCarthy, Beirne, Ollie Chessum, James Ryan, and Scott Cummings also in the mix. The Force game was a bad night for Cummings as he and his lifters struggled to deal with restarts. Beirne played in the second row against Argentina before switching to blindside flanker today, which underlines that Farrell is considering this for the Tests. It could be that Itoje, McCarthy, and Beirne all fit into the same pack. Chessum came on in the second row for Cummings against the Force and he is a dynamic player who can also play at blindside. Ryan will have something to say about this selection debate as he gets set to finally make his first Lions appearance against the Reds on Wednesday. The Leinster man has been in fine form, so he will look to match McCarthy's impact by impressing in Brisbane. The back five of the Lions scrum was always going to be difficult to pick and McCarthy's big performance in Perth has probably made it even trickier.
