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Irish Examiner
5 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Portlaoise Prison subversives order steaks, coffee, and chocolate in special shopping privilege
'COWBOY steaks,' avocados, and sugar-free Monster energy drinks were among the items hand-delivered to subversive prisoners in the country's highest-security jail. Special arrangements for inmates at Portlaoise Prison allow republicans to order any food or drink they like from local shops, except alcohol. The Irish Prison Service initially refused access to the records, claiming they could identify the handful of remaining prisoners on the notorious 'E' block. However, order sheets showed that inmates were often health-conscious, frequently requesting Liberté natural yoghurts, mixed berries, and frozen broccoli. A popular dish on the subversive menu was Mexican cuisine, with regular orders for fajita kits, peppers, onions, grated cheese, and fresh chillies. They also requested carefully selected coffee, with one sheet specifying 'Frank & Honest Coffee Beans Only' along with Italian and Colombian beans. Other items included Amber Leaf tobacco, honey, Lemsip, and a farewell card. On one occasion, the prisoners requested a birthday cake to celebrate a special event. They also planned to bake their own cake, ordering self-raising flour, yeast, sugar, and three Terry's Chocolate Oranges. Another sheet showed they wanted a three-for-€5 deal on Dairy Milk Whole Nut, Caramel, and Dark Milk. A handwritten note added: 'Any bars will do if some [not available].' At times, the prisoners splurged, with one order sheet listing 'four fillet or rib-eye steaks.' On the same day, they also requested frozen onion rings, a box of Magnum ice creams, and a multi-pack of Pepsi. The Irish Prison Service, for the first time, refused to disclose the records under Freedom of Information laws, arguing that the small number of subversive prisoners could make individuals identifiable. A summary of their position stated: '[The Irish Prison Service] said the subversive prisoners are high-profile prisoners and their names would be well known to the public. 'It added that these prisoners would be well known to other prisoners and prison officers within both Portlaoise Prison and the wider prison estate.' However, in an appeal decision, the Information Commissioner disagreed, stating there was no way to connect the information to an individual. The decision said: 'It would not disclose precisely what items each prisoner ordered. The individual must be identifiable from the information disclosed.' A spokesman for the Irish Prison Service said subversives in Portlaoise had a 'somewhat different regime' to others in the system. He said: 'The facility to purchase goods over and above what is available in the tuck shop is not a new concession and has been available to subversive prisoners in Portlaoise since 1973. 'It is important to note, additional goods requested by subversive prisoners are paid through their own personal money and not funded by the Irish Prison Service.'
Wales Online
18-06-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
Shop shut down after selling illegal vapes to children
Shop shut down after selling illegal vapes to children The business kept selling illicit vapes and cigarettes even after getting caught Inside Vape Land (Image: Neath Port Talbot council ) A vape shop has been shut down after trading standards officers found it was selling illegal tobacco and vapes. A district judge at Swansea Magistrates' Court approved Neath Port Talbot council's application for a closure order against Vape Land in Commercial Road in Taibach, Port Talbot. Council officers caught the business selling counterfeit and illicit (non-tax paid) tobacco and cigarettes as well as oversized vapes "on a number of occasions" since last June. The council said a test purchase on June 12 last year revealed pouches of counterfeit Amber Leaf hand-rolling tobacco were being sold. And last August an inspection of the premises led to vapes, tobacco and cigarettes being seized. The court heard further complaints were then received over the sale of non-compliant single-use vapes, cigarettes and tobacco — including to customers aged under 18. In April this year, council and police officers raided the shop seizing vapes, cigarettes and tobacco. All the single-use vapes seized were found to contain far more fluid than allowed for such products. The judge agreed to the closure order at a hearing on June 12 after hearing arguments from the council that unless the shop was closed the nuisance would not stop. Article continues below The court heard the person who had been leasing the shop since April 2024 could not be traced. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . The sale and supply of disposable vapes became illegal across the UK on June 1. This ban — which applies to all businesses regardless of whether the vapes contain nicotine — is aimed at protecting children's health as well as stopping environmental damage from the littering of single-use vapes. The Port Talbot closure order comes after a Swansea shopkeeper admitted eight criminal offences after WalesOnline caught him selling illegal cigarettes and vapes. Peshawa Zada, the 23-year-old owner of Bob Marley Vapes, is awaiting sentence. A Neath Port Talbot council spokesperson said: "Non-compliant single use vapes of the type found at Vape Land are often in colourful, child-appealing packaging and flavours. "The consequences to the mental health of the impressionable children purchasing these vapes can be long term and very serious." The council's cabinet Member for nature, Cen Phillips, said: 'I commend our trading standards officers for achieving this closure order and I would urge anyone who cares about their community and their children's health to report any information they have relating to illegal tobacco or vape sales.' Article continues below Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here . We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice
Irish Examiner
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
'They're all lovely lads': Meet the knitter who creates Kneecap's balaclavas
Lewis Kenny is young and handsome, with a hipster beard and a strong Dublin accent, so it's hard to imagine him sitting quietly with a ball of yarn, gently guiding a pair of knitting needles. Yet his deep, smokey voice and thoughtful answers reveal a reflective character with a quiet, slightly self-deprecating confidence. And he is always looking for something new. 'I've always been a curious person,' says the 32-year-old. 'Every year, I'll try to learn a new skill. When I left school, I went and did electrical engineering in IADT. There was a woman in the college that I fancied, and she was the head of the knitting society. They used to run it on Wednesdays. They had free tea and biscuits, too, so that was part of it, but it was mainly to chat with her. She showed me the very basics of knitting and I thought it was great.' Lewis and his muse ended up dating, and though their passion for each other lasted only three months, the Cabra native's passion for knitting endured. He wasn't to know it would reach something of a pinnacle when he created the first of many balaclavas for Kneecap rapper DJ Provaí, aka JJ Ó Dochartaigh. Lewis first met the Belfast trio outside the Bang Bang Café in Dublin, which is owned by the band's manager, Daniel Lambert. His friendship with Daniel goes back a long way and is rooted in their mutual love of music, arts, and Bohemians Football Club, where Lewis was, believe it or not, the poet in residence. 'At one point, I offered to make JJ (DJ Provaí) a balaclava' 'They were on their way down to a festival,' says Lewis. 'They were sat in the back of a car, waiting to go, and I just got chatting to them. I seem to remember sending them on their way with a bottle of poitín and 50g of Amber Leaf tobacco. I didn't see them for a while. 'Then, when I was on a cycling trip around the country, I popped into a charity concert for Palestine at the ACLAÍ gym in Cork. Moglai Bap's brother used to run it and I knew him through Daniel. It was 2018 and they weren't that big yet. They were playing to about 200 people. After the gig, I got talking to them anyway, and, at one point, I offered to make JJ (DJ Provaí) a balaclava.' JJ was still working as a teacher. Due to the sometimes controversial topics in Kneecap's songs, he covered his face, so as not to reveal his identity and risk losing his job. JJ liked the initial idea, but came back with a specific request: That the balaclava be made to look like an Irish tricolour. 'I told him I didn't know how to do it, but I'd give it a bash,' says Lewis. Lewis Kenny with some of the balaclavas he has made. Picture: Gareth Chaney 'That first iteration was very, very bad. Awful. But he loved it and he wore it. Then, someone ripped it off his head at a gig and he came back to me looking for another one. 'I went back to the drawing board, because they were getting bigger and I wanted to get it right. So, I took a bit of time to work on the design, and the second one turned out very well, and that became the quintessential balaclava.' Since then, Lewis has knitted several tricolour balaclavas for the star and says that JJ will usually get in touch when he knows he's about to set out on tour and might need to keep two or three handy. 'JJ has been a big supporter of mine,' says Lewis. 'He's a top guy. To be honest, they're all lovely lads.' What started as something of a madcap suggestion has now turned in to a business that employs four people on and off. 'I was getting requests all the time, and I still do,' says Lewis. 'I'm working on a Celtic nations series at the moment; balaclavas with flags from Wales, Scotland, Cornwall, Isle of Man, Brittany, Galicia, and they do sell. 'We have Palestinian balaclavas, as well, and the funds for that go to a gym in the West Bank. I had someone yesterday looking for a Dublin GAA balaclava and that's kind of cool.' Lewis Kenny: 'I was getting requests all the time, and I still do.' Picture: Gareth Chaney Lewis always does his research on any requests and won't take on a commission that doesn't align with his values. 'Sometimes, I get people asking for a custom balaclava and they'll send me an image of a flag or something,' he says. 'I have to have a screening process. I had a fella from Turkey send me this flag that I'd never seen before and when I looked in to it further it turned out to be a new neo-Nazi symbol coming out of Turkey. There was no way I was doing that. So you have to be careful.' For now, custom requests and the new Celtic series are enough to keep everyone happy and, at the same time, allow Lewis to feed his endless curiosity. He has recently completed a four-year degree in horticulture, and, as we speak, is preparing slides for a presentation on 'Why Should You Study Horticulture?' at that week's Bloom Festival in the Phoenix Park. 'Knitting the balaclavas is a business, yes, but it's not substantial,' says Lewis. 'I don't make as many balaclavas myself as I used to. I work on the design elements. Then, I have some family members and a wonderful woman down in Waterford who works with me. 'They work on rotation, so when the requests come in, I can call on them to help me. I'm not saying I'm an NGO or anything, but the people making the balaclavas get most of the money for the labour and that's only right.' And very much in keeping with Lewis Kenny's interesting and ever-evolving life philosophy.
