Latest news with #O'Farrell
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Tipperary make one change to starting team for All-Ireland U20 final
Tipperary U20 hurling manager Brendan Cummins has made one change to his starting line-up for Saturday's All-Ireland final against Kilkenny from the side which defeated Clare in the Munster decider. Team captain Sam O'Farrell comes into the starting line-up in place of David Ryan. O'Farrell, who started for the Tipperary seniors in their Munster Championship victory over Waterford earlier this month, was initially named to start in the Munster U20 final against Clare but was replaced by Ryan before the throw-in. O'Farrell stepped off the bench in the second half. Read More Tipp's senior starlets in safe hands with goalkeeping great Cummins There are two other seniors stars in the Tipperary team in Darragh McCarthy and Oisín O'Donoghue. McCarthy has been a regular starter for the Tipperary seniors this year while O'Donoghue made an impactful appearance off the bench against Waterford, scoring 1-1. Tipperary, who lost last year's final to Offaly, are seeking their first All-Ireland title at this grade since 2019 while Kilkenny last won the title three years ago. The Cats d efeated Dublin in the Leinster final. Saturday's game at Nowlan Park throws in at 3pm. It will be broadcast live on TG4. TIPPERARY: E Horgan (Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams); C O'Reilly (Holycross Ballycahill), A O'Halloran (Carrick Swan), P O'Dwyer (Killenaule); A Ryan (Arravale Rovers), J Ryan (Holycross Ballycahill), S O'Farrell (Captain, Nenagh Éire Óg); J Egan (Moycarkey Borris), A Daly (Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams); C English (Fr. Sheehys), C Martin (Cappawhite), D Costigan (Moycarkey Borris); D McCarthy (Toomevara), P McCormack (Borris-Ileigh), O O'Donoghue (Cashel King Cormacs). Subs: D English (Fr. Sheehys), S Butler (Kilsheelan Kilcash), M Cawley (Nenagh Éire Óg), C Fitzpatrick (Drom & Inch), J Hayes (Moycarkey Borris), J Ormond (JK Brackens), P Phelan (Upperchurch Drombane), D Ryan (Arravale Rovers), R Ryan (Holycross Ballycahill)
Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Irish Independent
‘It was very important to our family' – mother of Shane O'Farrell reacts to Justice Minister's apology
Shane O'Farrell (23) was knocked off his bicycle and killed in a hit-and-run incident near his home in Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, in August 2011. "He was just finished college in Trinity. He was training all year. He was a very good swimmer and good athlete,' his mother Lucia O'Farrell told Oliver Callan. She told of how her son loved rugby and was also training for an upcoming triathlon, and had headed off on his final cycle before the event. "He went out and his sister said 'will you have a cup of tea?' and he said 'I will when I come back.' And he never came home,' Ms O'Farrell said. She said he lost out on his whole life ahead and 'what should have been', including the study that he had done, his law degree and a masters degree. "He loved the piano and guitar. He loved people, he loved life, he loved making tea and toast. He loved the chats with people. "When he was over in London visiting his girlfriend, he would go down to the markets in Camden and get ostrich or whatever was being sold. "He would have a chat with the people running the market, maybe the African man or the children. He was very good with people,' she said. "He drew people to him. He was fascinated with language and English and life. He loved life. He was beaming with life.' Ms O'Farrell also told of how proud her son was of Carrickmacross and his native Monaghan, where he loved being around nature, be it birds or flowers. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more She told how she 'hasn't missed a single day' in visiting her son's grave since his death, and often spends the nigh awake or being restless. "Because that is where they failed him. That is where he is. He should be here, living his life,' she said. "Our daughters have got married since, and you look on at the dancefloor thinking, he should be out there dancing or at the bar having a pint,' Ms O'Farrell added. She said there are chapters of her son's life 'unwritten now forever, and that's not fair'. Ms O'Farrell added that she has chanelled her grief into the anger that she keeps over her son's death, as he 'has no voice'. Shane O'Farrell was killed in the hit-and-run by Zigimantas Gridziuska, who was out on bail at the time, including for driving offences. Gridziuska was a repeat criminal who had committed a series of offences while on bail and, a year before the hit-and-run, was given a prison sentence which he did not serve. Ms O'Farrell and her family had for years campaigned for a full public inquiry, saying they don't know why the driver who killed her son was at liberty at the time of the killing. Ms O'Farrell described Minister O'Callaghan's public apology to the O'Farrell family in the Dáil on Tuesday, as a 'significant step'. She said it was an official acknowledgement of the institutional failures which exposed her son to danger. 'He apologised to Shane and I think that was very important to our family,' she said. "That it wasn't just an apology to us, it was an apology to Shane and the O'Farrell family, as the criminal justice system did not protect Shane as it should have.' She said the family have been 'stonewalled by various State agencies throughout this process', receiving letters back saying they acknowledged receipt of their letters. "But your question isn't answered. We would hope with our campaign and what we have achieved now, it hasn't brought Shane back, it will never bring Shane back. "But it is a recognition by the State that Shane was failed. But we would hope that other families wouldn't be treated like we have been treated,' she said. Ms O'Farrell added that she hopes there will be a 'sea change' in the Department of Justice to listen to victims and to have them at the centre of everything. "When you lose a child, you lose everything. Time is over. Time left over is unwanted. It shouldn't be a huge hurdle for families to get answers,' she said. In addition to apologising, Mr O'Callaghan announced a review of bail laws, an upcoming change to road traffic law and a new scholarship in Shane O'Farrell's name. Ms O'Farrell said that her son's legacy 'will live on now' through the memorial scholarship in University College Dublin, where he studied law.
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Irish Examiner view: It's Catastrophicto be going backwards on climate targets
The figures from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are grounds for concern for anyone worried by the climate crisis. The agency says that Ireland has 'moved backwards' when it comes to our goal of reducing carbon emissions by 51% by 2030, as the latest statistics show the country is on course for a maximum reduction of 23%. That percentage makes a stark comparison with a predicted reduction of 29% made just 12 months ago. This is a terrible indictment of our performance. It is bad enough not to reach targets, which were set to help us combat the greatest existential threat which faces humanity, but to go backwards — as stated by the EPA — is catastrophic. The best that can be said about these figures is that they expose our lack of commitment and bring some reality to this situation. We may be making all the right noises and gestures, but clearly substantive progress is not being achieved: Going by these figures, the situation is getting worse. If 'lack of commitment' sounds excessive, readers should consider the contribution of environment minister Darragh O'Brien. He said the EPA figures 'are a clear signal that, while we've made real progress, we need to move faster to meet our 2030 climate targets'. It beggars belief that any politician would attempt to describe the EPA figures as a sign of progress, yet here we are. The bad news does not end there: We are also set to miss EU-mandated carbon targets for 2030 by a massive margin. That could result in fines of tens of billions of euro for failing to match the EU's Effort Sharing Regulation, which penalises member states not doing their fair share in terms of climate action. It is long past time we treated this crisis with the urgency it deserves before it is too late. However, if missing our emissions targets and owing billions in fines doesn't motivate us to act, what will? State bodies hid and deflected Earlier this week, justice minister Jim O'Callaghan apologised to the O'Farrell family in the Dáil. It was a long-awaited day of vindication for the O'Farrell family, who have spent almost 15 years fighting for justice for their son and brother Shane — who was knocked down and killed near Carrickmacross, Monaghan, in August 2011. Shane O'Farrell was struck in a hit-and-run incident by a car driven by Zigimantas Gridziuska. Lithuanian Gridziuska was a repeat criminal who had committed a series of offences while on bail. A year before the hit-and-run incident, he was given a prison sentence which he did not serve. When the O'Farrells started investigating, they found that Gridziuska appeared to be committing crimes all over Ireland with apparent impunity. In the 18 months before the hit-and-run incident, he committed approximately 30 offences, with Lucia O'Farrell, Shane's mother, saying: 'He seemed to be in every court walking in and out ... He seemed to get fines, get the benefit of the Probation Act, community service, and then he'd get full temporary release, and re-offend. He could do what he liked, bail had no legal meaning for him.' The failure of the legal system to deal with this offender is a shocking indictment of that system, but there is a lesson here which goes beyond criminals ignoring the courts. In their years fighting for Shane, the O'Farrell family were treated shamefully by the State. The family requested information from bodies as various as the Department of Justice, the Courts Service, the Prison Service, and the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, but they described their treatment as 'abusive and disrespectful ... What followed was stonewalling by State agencies who adopted deflection, evasiveness, and most importantly, a deliberate lack of completeness and transparency. We learned of Gridziuska's criminal past from our own efforts, not from the State'. It is disgraceful that State bodies would treat citizens in this manner. Those responsible for protecting their institutions rather than aiding fellow citizens should face disciplinary action for their treatment of the O'Farrell family. Unfair play It may be a week and a half away but the excitement is building for the Munster hurling final, one of the highlights of the Irish sporting summer. This year, Cork take on Limerick in the Gaelic Grounds, a mouthwatering clash expected to sell out when tickets go on sale. However, supporters are swallowing hard at the ticket prices — €50 for stand, €40 for terrace, and €10 for U16s, with €5 concession for students and OAPs. That is a €5 increase on stand, terrace, and juvenile prices from last year's final. In 2023, stand admission was €40 and terrace €30 for that year's provincial final. That means a 25% hike in ticket prices in just two years, a staggering leap in cost. Given the huge following both Cork and Limerick have, and the near-guarantee that the venue will sell out, those supporters are entitled to feel their loyalty is being penalised here. As a comparison, stand tickets for the Munster football final between Kerry and Clare this year were €20 cheaper than their hurling equivalents. If the authorities were to reconsider and even freeze prices at the 2024 level, it would be a welcome gesture and an indication that the supporters' loyalty is something to be appreciated and not exploited. Read More Irish Examiner view: Our support for the people of Liverpool
RTÉ News
5 days ago
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Police Ombudsman in contact with Shane O'Farrell's family
The Police Ombudsman has said that it has been in direct contact with the family of Shane O'Farrell today. The family yesterday received a public apology from the Government, who admitted there had been "failures" on the part of the State in relation to Mr O'Farrell's death. The 23-year-old law graduate was knocked off his bicycle and killed in a hit-and-run incident near his home in Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan in August 2011. The car that hit Mr O'Farrell was driven by Zigimantas Gridziuska. The Lithuanian national was a repeat offender on bail. A court ruling meant that he should have been in jail at the time of the collision due to his re-offending. Despite receiving the public apology from the Government yesterday, Shane's mother, Lucia said there are still questions to be answered in terms of how such circumstances could transpire that Gridziuska was on the road that day almost 14 years ago. Speaking outside the Dáil yesterday, Ms O'Farrell said: "Did you hear the litany of times he [Gridziuska] should have been brought back and wasn't, and why did that happen? Nobody is asking why. "I think those answers need to be given to us. "It doesn't have to be in the public inquiry, it can be in the GSOC [now Fiosrú - The Office of the Police Ombudsman] reports that have been refused to us. "There is a file on him [Gridziuska] in the Garda National Crime and Security Intelligence Service, what is in that file? "Our child lies in a grave. We should be given the answers and, apologies, yes, if it goes so far but we do need answers to our questions," Ms O'Farrell said. In a brief statement this evening, a spokesperson for Fiosrú said: "The Police Ombudsman has been in direct contact with O'Farrell family this afternoon and for now is not making any statement on the matter." The Office of the Police Ombudsman, Fiosrú, took over the responsibilities of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) from the beginning of last month. It is now the independent body that deals with complaints by the members of the public concerning members of An Garda Síochána.
Irish Examiner
5 days ago
- Irish Examiner
State apology for Shane O'Farrell's death was a 'very long time coming'
The sister of a Monaghan cyclist who was killed in a hit-and-run crash nearly 14 years ago has said the State apology from the justice minister was a "very long time coming." Shane O'Farrell, aged 23, was cycling home on August 2 2011, when he was struck by a car in the Carrickmacross area of Co Monaghan. A State apology was given by Jim O'Callaghan on Tuesday to the family for failures in the criminal justice system that exposed Mr O'Farrell to danger. Mr O'Callaghan also announced a review into bail and suspended sentences. The driver of the car, Zigimantas Gridziuska, failed to remain at the scene. The Lithuanian national had a number of previous convictions, including theft and drug offences. He surrendered himself to gardaí the following day. In February 2013, Gridziuska was prosecuted for dangerous driving, causing Mr O'Farrell's death. He was acquitted of that charge by direction of the trial judge, and, under the law at the time, a lesser charge of careless driving was not open to the jury. The Dáil heard on Tuesday that he has since returned to Lithuania. (Left to right) Hannah, Jim, Lucia, Gemma, Aimee and Pia O'Farrell at Leinster House. Picture: Sam Boal/Collins Photos However, Shane's sister said that while the apology from the State was a "long time coming", there are "still unanswered questions". "It is a hugely significant day, but it was also a very sad day because it is the State accepting that what happened to Shane should never have happened," Hannah O'Farrell told RTÉ's Morning Ireland on Wednesday. "That is something we have known ourselves for years, but I suppose it is different when the Minister of Justice is standing up and apologising for that on behalf of the State." She added that if there had been an "apology forthcoming in the early years and we were provided with the answers that we were seeking, then that would have really helped our journey of grief". "We just want to be a normal family and grieve in private, and we had to over the past number of years to get answers, engage with various state agencies, who treated us very badly in the process and also engage with the media, who helped us uncover some of the information." "It has been a very long time coming, and I hope there is a learning from that on behalf of the State," she added. However, Ms O'Farrell said there are unanswered questions, especially in regards to a Section 101 report that has not been provided to the family, which they hope will give them the "closure to grieve". It is true that we do not know all the circumstances surrounding Shane's death, and I'd say a part of that is because we did all of this ourselves, and no state agency was coming to us telling us what happened. So there are unanswered questions. "That does not diminish how significant the apology is because the apology is accepting that this shouldn't have happened based on the information that is known," she said. "But in terms of unanswered questions, we engaged with the Gsoc process as part of our garda complaints, and the product of that was a Section 101 report which had been ordered by the then minister of justice, Alan Shatter, in the public interest. "And that public interest report in our view should just be published on the website for the public, but it hasn't been provided to us and they're our complaints and we know it has been provided to named individuals, it's difficult to see why named individuals can look at that report when we can't and they're our complaint." Shane was 'ready to enjoy life' Speaking about her brother, Ms O'Farrell said: "I only realise now that Shane was only a child when he was killed. He had all the normal hopes and dreams for a 23-year-old." Ms O'Farrell said her brother had just handed in his thesis on the Friday before he was killed and had sent a text with the Martin Luther King Jr quote 'Free at last' to the family after submitting it. Shane O'Farrell She said he was just "ready to enjoy life." "He was ready to do a bit of travelling, watch a bit of rugby and have a couple of months of happiness and peace and get away from the books," Ms O'Farrell said. "I would often think about where he would be now and what he would be doing now, and all the things and events that he has missed and the things we have missed because of him and the big absence that he is in our society. "We remember him every day, but especially on days like yesterday and just how significant his loss is for us," she said. Read More The pain game: Families being forced to search for truth in pursuit of justice for loved ones
