Latest news with #ChrisFarrell
Sunday World
16 hours ago
- Sport
- Sunday World
Gang rape shame Ireland rugby star given VIP treatment at club event
Chris Farrell took part in a touch rugby tournament in Tyrone last month On Clogher Valley's Facebook and Instagram pages, Chris Farrell is seen playing and posing for photos. Photo: AFP A former Ireland rugby star convicted of failing to prevent a gang rape took part in a rugby event in Co Tyrone recently. Rugby international Chris Farrell was given a four-year sentence last December, with two suspended, for failure to prevent the rape of a woman in France in 2017. Farrell (31), who was part of the Ireland team that won the Six Nations Grand Slam in 2018, did not have to spend time behind bars, but the court was told he would wear an electronic tag for two years and remain in France under house arrest. He has since returned home and took part in a touch rugby tournament organised by Clogher Valley RFC in Co Tyrone on July 26 at their homeground of The Cran in Fivemiletown. On the club's official Facebook and Instagram pages, Farrell is seen playing and posing for photos. The club stated that the event saw 'familiar faces returning to the pitch'. Clogher Valley RFC did not respond to queries, but governing body Ulster Rugby said it did not support Farrell being involved with the event in the wake of his conviction. A spokesman said: 'While we do not have authority over the club's event schedule, we want to be clear that, in line with our values and our duty of care to players, staff, and supporters, we do not support individuals with serious past convictions being involved in rugby.' Farrell's lawyer Francois Saint-Pierre, said his client was now allowed back in Northern Ireland. He said: 'I can confirm that Mr Chris Farrell is completely within the law, that he has the right to reside where he wishes. 'I can't say to you what his longer-term plans are [for where he plans to locate himself].' Chris Farrell in action for Ireland in the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan. Photo: Sportsfile The lawyer also said the former rugby star has not appealed the verdict. 'I can confirm to you that Mr Farrell hasn't appealed the verdict of the court in Bordeaux. As far as he's concerned, this sad affair is at an end.' Capped nine times, the former Ireland international and Munster star (32) was sacked by French club Oyonnax following his conviction at the end of last year. At the trial at Bordeaux's Cour d'Assises last December, where Farrell was convicted for failure to prevent a crime, former Ireland Under-20 international Denis Coulson was sentenced to 14 years in prison after he was found guilty of the rape of a woman in a Bordeaux hotel in 2017. Loick Jammes (30) from France, was found guilty of rape and given a 14-year sentence while Rory Grice (34) from New Zealand, was found guilty of rape and given a 12-year sentence. Dylan Hayes (30), also from New Zealand, was given a two-year suspended sentence for failure to prevent a crime. All five men, including Farrell, were team-mates at Grenoble, who lost to local side Union Bordeaux Begles in the hours before the rape. The victim, who was 20 at the time, met them at a bar in Bordeaux before they headed on to a nightclub. After waking up at a hotel in the suburb of Merignac surrounded by rugby players, the student – referred to in court as 'V' – left in tears. She told police she had no recollection of how she got from the club to the hotel. Coulson, Jammes and Grice all said they had sexual relations with the victim, but claimed it was consensual. All three were convicted of rape.
Belfast Telegraph
2 days ago
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Some might say he's rugby royalty… but Chris Farrell is a lowlife in the eyes of anybody with a shred of decency
Clogher Valley invited ex-Ireland international Chris Farrell to fun day despite serious conviction Chris Farrell should be persona non grata at sporting events in Northern Ireland. Capped 15 times, the former Ireland international may be regarded by some as rugby royalty, but he's a lowlife in the eyes of anybody with a shred of decency.
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
4 Outdated Retirement Planning Rules To Ditch, According to a Personal Finance Expert
Most retirement planning advice seems to follow a similar formula: start saving as early as you can, leave the workforce at 65, and spend the rest of your retirement days playing golf or vacationing in the Bahamas. But personal finance journalist and author Chris Farrell believes this formula is outdated and that we should rethink what retirement looks like. In a recent interview on 'Your Retirement Planning Simplified,' Farrell, the author of 'Purpose and a Paycheck: Finding Meaning, Money, and Happiness in the Second Half of Life,' shared several retirement planning rules that no longer make sense. Read Next: Check Out: Here are the outdated retirement beliefs he believes can be left behind. Also see 35 retirement planning mistakes you're wasting money on. 'If you mention retirement, it's immediately assumed that means not working,' Farrell said. But for many people, retirement is actually more of a transition to a different type of work. More and more older adults are pursuing part-time work, consulting or even launching businesses, even though they've technically retired. Farrell mentioned in the interview that about a quarter of all new businesses in recent years have been started by people ages 55 to 64. Additionally, according to T. Rowe Price, 57% of retirees want to continue working in some way. Farrell himself (now 71) is still writing and working, which makes him the perfect example of how retirement can look different from how it used to. Explore More: According to Farrell, the idea that productivity and innovation peak in your 30s or 40s is not true, explaining that older adults can be creative too. He believes that with decades of experience, people who are nearing retirement age or have already retired can often bring fresh perspective to companies, especially in knowledge-based industries. Technology has also lowered the barriers to starting a business or working remotely. You don't need to commute or maintain a 9-to-5 schedule to stay active and earn income. In other words, even if you experience mobility issues in your golden years, you can still make money online or without having to stick to a rigid work schedule. Of course, saving for retirement is important. But Farrell points out that many Americans simply haven't had the opportunity or resources to build large nest eggs through no fault of their own. Life is expensive and can throw curveballs that completely derail your financial plans. In fact, according to a recent SoFi survey of 500 adults aged 18 or over, only 7% have more than $500,000 saved for retirement, while most respondents reported planning to retire after 60. So for many Americans, it makes sense to continue working after retirement, even if it's just on a part-time basis. If you're in this situation, Farrell said delaying your Social Security, if possible can also make an 'enormous difference' in your benefits. Unfortunately, age discrimination still exists in the workplace, but Farrell believes it's not as prevalent anymore. He said that with labor markets tightening, many companies are now starting to realize the value of experience. Many are hiring retirees back as consultants or part-time contributors and giving them flexible hours and remote work options. Some organizations are even building alumni networks to stay connected with former employees who may want to return in a different capacity. Farrell's main message in this interview is that you don't have to follow outdated retirement planning rules that don't work for you. If you want to start a business or continue working part time at a coffee shop after 65, do it. Follow your own path. He also encouraged anyone nearing retirement to ask deeper questions about what gives them purpose, who they want their community to be when they're not seeing co-workers every day and more. Talk to your network, test ideas and remember that your retirement doesn't have to look like everyone else's. More From GOBankingRates 3 Luxury SUVs That Will Have Massive Price Drops in Summer 2025 Mark Cuban Says Trump's Executive Order To Lower Medication Costs Has a 'Real Shot' -- Here's Why Warren Buffett: 10 Things Poor People Waste Money On This article originally appeared on 4 Outdated Retirement Planning Rules To Ditch, According to a Personal Finance Expert Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Conservationists alarmed by new land swap deal involving Guana River Management Area
Neighbors and environmental groups are raising the alarm about a newly proposed land swap deal that could take a significant chunk of land out of the Guana Wildlife Management Area. Spanning nearly 10,000 acres, the Guana Wildlife Management Area is considered a gem by locals in St. Johns County. 'We have Maritime Hammocks, we've got gopher tortoises. There are over 80 bird species that Fish and Wildlife has said are species of greatest conservation need. It's a wonderful ecological treasure,' said Chris Farrell, the Northeast Florida Policy Associate for Audubon Florida. It's why Farrell and other conservationists were floored when they caught wind of a proposed land trade that dropped late in the day Wednesday. 'Just like the state park proposal, this kind of came out last minute without a lot of public notice,' said Farrell. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] The trade would swap a 600-acre piece of land in the heart of the management area for just over 3,000 acres of land scattered throughout the Florida wildlife corridor. 'We don't want to have to trade conservation lands, one for the other. The idea is to build this portfolio over time,' said Farrell. The other party in the proposed deal is The Upland LLC, which according to Sunbiz records seems to be associated with Contega Business Services, LLC. We tried to reach the company to ask what its plans were for the Guana River land, but didn't hear back. Farrell said, based on previous attempts to acquire lands in the area by other entities, the suspicion is the company may want to develop it for residential use. 'The few details we have mention wetlands protection with some easements, but kind of says maybe the uplands are gonna be developed,' said Farrell. And while 600 acres may only make up a relatively small portion of the total management area, Farrell argued efforts to develop the land in question could pose serious issues for the maintenance and preservation of the Guana River Management Area as a whole, especially when it comes to prescribed burns. 'I just hope they learn from what happened with the state parks and they see the commitment that the people of Florida have to conservation,' said Farrell. The Acquisition and Restoration Council will make its recommendation next Wednesday. The proposal will then head for a final decision before the Governor and Cabinet on June 10th. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
