Latest news with #GrandParade
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
We tried the new 'Big Ben' ride at Skegness - It's good but not worth the £10 ticket
Skegness is famous for many things, from its beach and donkey rides to endless arcades and its lively atmosphere, but arguably one of the best well known parts of the town is the amusement park right on the seafront. Skegness Pleasure Beach has a huge range of rides and rollercoasters for the whole family to enjoy. Located off Grand Parade, the site is a must visit stop for most tourists in the town, and it has recently had its Jurassic Resurrection ride nominated for best new attraction in the 2025 UK Theme Park Awards after it opened in May. However, this is still not the newest attraction at the park, with its 'Big Ben' ride officially opening on Thursday, July 3. It is 262 feet tall and has already become an iconic part of the Skegness skyline as it can be seen from across the town. We decided to try out the new tower, which is a star flyer style ride with seats that swing out above the town. READ MORE: Dunelm's 'beautiful' wall mirror which has 'calming effect' is now on sale READ MORE: We found the cheapest fish and chips deals by the seafront in Skegness Thanks to its gigantic height, the tower was super easy to find and despite visiting on a Friday there was no queue when I got there, just three people already sat on the ride waiting. Whilst some rides cost tokens at the site, this ride is £10 per ticket, which I thought was a bit of a hefty price tag, but surely this meant it would be a great ride. After getting buckled and strapped in I re-evaluated why I thought wearing a long sundress would be a good idea, and then it was not long before the music changed and we were all slowly lifted into the sky. It didn't take too long to get to the top although it felt as if we would never get there as we kept getting lifted higher and higher, with the seats gradually turning quicker. The wind picked up pretty quickly so I was pleased that I had my sunglasses safe in my bag, and the views of Skegness were absolutely amazing, although the novelty wore off after a few spins around. It was great fun and I cannot get over how breath-taking the views were. Although I was also clinging onto the bar as it was so windy and because I was sat alone in my chair it was pushing me around a bit more than the seats of two. The ride started to slowly descend and I managed to take a couple of photos of the view around two thirds up, and then it started speeding up again for a second run before returning to the ground. It was fun and the views were great, but the whole experience lasted less than five minutes and it's the sort of thing someone might do once but probably not again, especially with it being £10 per person per time. At the end of the day, it was essentially a chair being swirled around high up, whereas at least with a rollercoaster you have some unexpected twists and turns.
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Wedding of the Week: Cork couple return to Fota to get married after Amazon rainforest proposal
A TRAVEL theme set the wheels in motion for Cork couple Deana Hurley and Eric O'Leary's big day. Deana, from Bandon, and Eric, from Sunday's Well, were married in a civil ceremony by Janice O'Callaghan of Bespoke Wedding Ceremonies at Fota Island Resort, which was also the reception venue. Deana Hurley and Eric O'Leary with Xavier Hurley and Reuben O'Leary. Pictures: 'I'm normally a strong-willed woman, but unexpectedly, I cried the whole way down the aisle after seeing Eric already crying at the top — happy tears, of course,' says Deana. 'We had originally planned an outdoor ceremony in the gardens adjacent to the Smith Barry Suite, but rain meant we had to move indoors, but it worked out beautifully. Deana Hurley and Eric O'Leary with their wedding party. 'Guests later told us that as soon as we lit the unity candle, the sun broke through and stayed shining for the rest of the day, giving us full use of the gardens after all.' To surprise Eric and his rugby-loving brothers and dad, Deana had arranged for wedding singer Angela Ryan to perform 'Ireland's Call' as the newlyweds signed the register. 'Their faces lit up when they heard it!' she says. Deana Hurley and Eric O'Leary. Dermot Sullivan ( was behind the camera, as was the Ivory Films videography team. Toasting to their future happiness were their parents, Margaret Buckley and Billy Hurley and Karen Hegarty and Denis O'Leary, as well as the groom's grandparents, Oonagh and Basil Hegarty. Deana Hurley and Eric O'Leary. Deana adds: 'After dinner, we did an anniversary dance where all married couples hit the dance floor based on how long they'd been married, until only one couple remained, Eric's grandparents. They were genuinely surprised and shed a few tears when they realised it was a tribute to them.' Deana Hurley and Eric O'Leary. The bride's sister Clodagh Hurley was her maid of honour, and their sisters Anneisha Hurley and Celina Neville were the bridesmaids. The groom's brother Tim O'Leary was the best man with their brother Jack O'Leary and the bride's son/groom's stepson Xavier Hurley as groomsmen. Enjoying the fun as pageboy was Reuben O'Leary, Deana and Eric's 18-month-old son. Deana Hurley and Eric O'Leary. The couple, now based in the Gurranabraher area, first met for a coffee date on Cork's Grand Parade in May 2021, after spotting one another on Facebook Dating. They discovered they share a passion for travel, and after globetrotting together, Eric went down on one knee to propose 'deep in the Amazon Rainforest' in October 2022, adds the bride. Deana Hurley and Eric O'Leary. "Our vision for our big day was a travel-themed wedding. I love creative projects, so I DIYed as much as I could,' says Deana. Elizabeth Cott of Wonderous Weddings created the floral décor, and the team at Fota Island Resort, led by Roberta O'Keeffe, 'made the day seamless', says the bride. Deana Hurley and Eric O'Leary with Eric's grandfather Basil Hegarty. Magician and MC Jamie Skelton was 'a huge hit' with guests, says Deana, who wore a custom-designed dress by Mizz Rio, Dublin. 'I originally wanted my dress in black but surprised myself — and everyone else — by choosing ivory.' The bridal hairstyling was by Kim Moynihan (Hair by Kim,) and Aneta Winnicka was the makeup artist. Eric sourced the suits from Ballycurreen. Deana Hurley and Eric O'Leary. The Danny O'Leary band and DJ Bertie kept the dance floor full. 'I overdid it,' says the bride. 'Between the Macarena, cha-cha slide, bunny hop and every country line dance imaginable, I came away with two sprained Achilles tendons! But every second was worth it." Her sister Clodagh surprised Irish country music fan Deana with a video message from her favourite singer, Derek Ryan. Deana, a project manager with GlobalMeet, and Eric, a healthcare assistant with Cope Foundation, plan to honeymoon in South Africa in October. If you would like your wedding featured in Weekend email
Daily Maverick
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
We must honour Mandela by fighting the corruption in the heart of our democracy
Mandela was a lover and a fighter, a symbol of struggle against oppression and a champion of peace and forgiveness. His bravery in standing up against the evil empire is our bravery. His hope and humour and humanity are ours. It's in us and up to us to stand up against those in Mandela's party, and indeed any political party, who choose to rob us blind. Every year we celebrate Mandela Day on 18 July. It's a global campaign to honour the remarkable life and legacy of the founding father of our democracy, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. The Nelson Mandela Foundation turned Madiba's birthday into a call to action for individuals, communities and organisations, urging them to take time to reflect on Mandela's values and principles and make a positive impact in their own communities. I will never forget the warm, fuzzy feeling I felt when I stood shoulder to shoulder with thousands of people on the Grand Parade in Cape Town in 1990 as Mandela stepped on to the balcony of City Hall and said to all of us: 'I come to you as your servant.' It was the humility and dignity of this stately yet grandfatherly man; it was hearing a voice that had been banned for 27 years speak to our hearts; it was the realisation and the sense of relief that the years of campaigning against apartheid and inequality, risking jail and police batons and death, might just have been worth it. That we may have succeeded in toppling the evil empire of racism, exclusion and violence. And that maybe, just maybe, we could live in freedom. There are many of Mandela's heirs in the ANC and its political party offshoots like the MK party, formed as comrades turned on each other for their time to 'eat', and who have done nothing to build on the tremendous goodwill that we, the South African people, have granted them. The recent allegations by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi that a drug cartel based in Gauteng was controlling a high-level criminal syndicate that has the Police Ministry, politicians, prosecutors and judges in its pockets, came as no surprise. Because ever since 1994, more and more comrades have been in cahoots with criminals and gangsters, buying favours and seats at the table. Rot and Cancer We had former police commissioner Jackie Selebi's dalliance with his drug dealer friend, 'finish and klaar' Glenn Agliotti. And the rot and cancer has spread far and wide. The Guptas landed with their bums in bucket-loads of ghee when Jacob Zuma led his family, friends and the ANC into Saxonwold. Judge Raymond Zondo's State Capture chronicles feature a long list of ANC comrades whose fingers were in the trough. Criminality has stretched its tentacles all over the ANC at every centre of government, from local, provincial and national level to parastatals across the country. And when the ANC gets voted out, the criminals find politicians in other parties to cosy up to. It has come to the point where it is hard to trust any politician. We do not know which lobbyist or foreign agency or wealthy person is behind them. Our democracy is a marketplace where favours and influence are sold to the highest bidder. And global druglords who peddle poison to our youth have found ripe pickings in this country that gave Mandela to us and the world. Mandela was a human born of a different era. Our son of the South African soil arrived on 18 July 1918, deep in the era of the colonial conquest that saw the land of indigenous people taken by the minions of the Dutch East India Company and footsoldiers of the British Empire who distributed it to white settler populations. Mandela was a freedom fighter, a leader of the ANC who started the armed struggle and Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) when peaceful protest against apartheid was met with violence. He and his fellow Rivonia triallists' incarceration in the 1960s did not silence their resistance to the apartheid state. Nor could it silence generation after generation of South Africans, from Steve Biko and the Black Consciousness movement to the trade union movement, United Democratic Front, Mass Democratic Movement, Black Sash, Lawyers for Human Rights, Detainees' Parents Support Committee… and ordinary South Africans who stood up, fists clenched against what was wrong. Biko was a proponent of the Black Consciousness philosophy that emphasised the importance of black people freeing ourselves psychologically from the internalised effects of oppression. He urged us to embrace our own identity and take control of our own liberation. For his promotion of self-reliance and resistance to the notion that black people are inferior to white people, he was arrested and murdered in detention. There were others. Millions of others. They belonged to women's groups, churches, temples, artist groups. There were resistance organisations like the New Unity Movement, the Azanian People's Organisation and the Pan-Africanist Congress. Not just the ANC. Not just Mandela. Global icon What drew the world to Mandela and turned him into a global icon was that even though he was a freedom fighter who started MK, he didn't leave Robben Island to sing 'Kill the Boer, kill the farmer' at every opportunity, as ANC protégé and EFF leader Julius Malema does. Nor did he take to every political rally singing Umshini Wami (Bring Me My Machine Gun), as Jacob Zuma does. Mandela was a lover and a fighter, a symbol of struggle against oppression and a champion of peace and forgiveness. His long imprisonment created a powerful narrative of personal sacrifice that humanised the anti-apartheid struggle. On 18 July, and every day, many South Africans give 67 minutes of their time and more to do good — helping others, cleaning cities, caring for neglected children, raising funds for charitable causes in memory of the spirit of Mandela. We are a nation of generous, kind, warm-hearted, freedom-loving people. It is our spirit of resilience and generosity that created Mandela. His bravery in standing up against the evil empire is our bravery. His hope and humour and humanity are ours. It's in us and up to us to stand up against those in Mandela's party, and indeed any political party, who choose to rob us blind. There are no saviours coming to rescue us. In us resides the ability to build the kind of country we deserve. We stand on the shoulders of generations of giants who fought for freedom. It's our turn now. DM
Irish Examiner
16-07-2025
- Irish Examiner
Case against Ross Lahive for harassing Cork librarian now likely to go to criminal court
Ross Lahive of The Irish People's Party appeared before Cork District Court on Wednesday on a charge of harassing a librarian at Cork City Library in 2023, arising out of protests about a publication called This Book is Gay appearing on a shelf for teenagers. Covert and open recordings which the accused allegedly made of his interactions with the librarian were posted on his Facebook page, accompanied by comments describing the book as "grooming". Sergeant Gearóid Davis said each of eight videos was accompanied by comments from parties, allegedly including Ross Lahive, variously describing the librarians as the epitome of evil, diabolical and doing Satan's work. After Sgt Davis outlined these and other details forming the context for the harassment charge, Judge William Aylmer asked in clarification: 'The alleged injured party was in the course of her employment in the library.' Sgt Davis said that was so. Judge Aylmer then said: 'I refuse jurisdiction.' The matter will now be sent back to the Director of Public Prosecutions for further directions and the case was adjourned until October 6. It is now anticipated it will end up before Cork Circuit Criminal Court. Diarmuid Kelleher, solicitor, said 46-year-old Ross Lahive, of Church Street, Shandon Street, Cork, was on jobseekers allowance, and an application was made for free legal aid. Judge Aylmer granted this application. The single charge against the defendant states that on dates between February 26 and May 6, 2023, within the State, he harassed a librarian, contrary to the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act. Sergeant Gearóid Davis said on November 7, 2023, a librarian at Cork City Library made a complaint about a group of persons who were calling to libraries countrywide to complain about a book in stock, called This Book is Gay. She made a specific complaint against a person she described as a spokesperson for the group. 'She outlined incidents between February 26 and May 6, 2023, when Mr Lahive first came to Cork City Library on Grand Parade to voice his objection to the book in question. 'Mr Lahive posted videos to his personal Facebook page of interactions with the library staff, including eight videos where the complainant is clearly visible. 'Of the videos, five were covert recordings he took of the librarian while discussing the book. She also outlined comments which were being posted about her and staff,' Sgt Davis said. The sergeant outlined the commentary on one video, which stated: 'Our group is growing as more are becoming aware of this grooming book. Now, the staff say they feel intimidated. "We feel grooming shouldn't be tolerated. There is even threats of them suing us for exposing this book. We won't stop until that filth is off the shelves.' In the course of other videos with comments posted underneath on the defendant's Facebook page, comments allegedly include: 'Totally biased. All we are doing is exposing grooming. We are extremely troubled by this shocking grooming… "People are not willing to put up with grooming 12-year-old children… Sick-minded individuals given these positions because they are part of the cult… 'Diabolical' is appropriate… Now they say they feel intimidated… She will be exposed before long… What degenerates. 'Went to Cork city library on my own so as not to hurt or overwhelm the staff's feelings. This book is grooming. When I told them I was recording, they were quick to say how immoral I was… These people are hand-picked evil… My blood boils when they try to defend this obscene filth. "They will regret their stance on this before long. Twisted individuals, 100 per cent doing Satan's work… They are the epitome of evil. They are perverts and get off on trying to gaslight the public. I hope she learned a lesson. They are vile enablers. They encourage this filth, knowingly defending the indefensible.'
Irish Examiner
04-07-2025
- Science
- Irish Examiner
Planters replace Cork's controversial 'robotrees' after €444,000 spend
Planters have been installed on the bases of Cork's infamous 'robotrees' in a move city chiefs hope will draw a line under the saga which has cost taxpayers just over €444,000. The planters, complete with colourful floral displays, were placed onto the hexagonal wooden platforms left in situ on St Patrick's St and on the Grand Parade following the removal of robotrees in May. The five 'City Trees' devices, which are designed to improve air quality, had been at the centre of a storm of controversy since they were unveiled in the city more than five years ago. Made and supplied by German firm Green City Solutions, they were unveiled in August 2020 as part of wider post-covid efforts to improve the city centre environment, in the hope that they would remove pollutants from the air by filtering it through a wall of moss. The four-metre high electric-powered devices cost just over €365,000 to buy and install — money covered as part of a €4m funding allocation from the National Transport Authority — but they came with additional annual running and maintenance costs. CLIMATE & SUSTAINABILITY HUB The devices were immediately nicknamed robotrees, with UCC's Centre for Research into Atmospheric Chemistry researcher Dean Venables labelling them 'a costly and ineffectual gimmick', while UCC emeritus professor of chemistry, John Sodeau, described them as a total waste of money. As controversy raged, the council commissioned a performance study on the machines in June 2022 which concluded that they provided 'no consistent evidence for improved air quality' either on the plinth upon which they sat or 'in the immediate environs' of the machines. There was more controversy in June when it emerged that even after that report, the city spent more than €23,000 maintaining the trees in 2023 and 2024. The total spend on the devices had hit €444,000 by the time they were eventually removed from the city in May and placed in storage. Efforts to find someone to take them have failed. Irish Rail had been poised to place them on a platform in Kent Station but pulled out at the last minute for health and safety reasons. Its experts said they could not take devices with flammable material such as wooden slats, and replaced the slats with non-flammable material was not possible. Both the Taoiseach Micheál Martin and former Lord Mayor, Green Party Cllr Dan Boyle, have defended the CityTrees experiment. Read More Cork man jailed for threatening to stab woman and children before stealing car from their driveway
