Latest news with #O'Flynn
The Journal
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Journal
Mayo Pride apologises for 'Child of Drag' post and has reviewed social media policy
AN ONLINE POST by the organisers behind the Mayo Pride parade, depicting a parody of the 'Child of Prague', was removed after a number of abusive comments were made in response to the joke. The Child of Prague statue is a religious icon associated with luck and good weather, particularly during Irish weddings. Traditionally, it's left out on the night before a wedding to ensure fine weather on the big day. Mayo Pride reposted images of the statue, created by a local artist, to seek good weather for its March in Westport last weekend. It renamed the statue the 'Child of Drag' in the post, which was removed a short time later. Mayo Pride said abusive comments had been made underneath the post, aimed at the event and its organisers. Organisers have reviewed their social media content policy framework after the post, it is understood. Image of the artwork, created by a local artist, which was posted by the event. Independent Ireland TD Ken O'Flynn said yesterday that he had been contacted about the posts, writing in a press release: 'As a gay man, a public representative, and a Catholic who holds the Church and my faith in great regard, I feel compelled to respond to recent developments surrounding Mayo Pride and its promotional material.' He said the use of the Child of Prague imagery was 'deliberately provocative' adding that the image was 'insensitive and counterproductive'. Advertisement 'This isn't about being conservative or reactionary,' O'Flynn said. 'It's about recognising that symbols of faith matter. They are not just artistic props.' O'Flynn noted he supports the right of every person to 'live freely, openly, and without fear'. He said: 'I know, personally and professionally, the importance of Pride. It is more than a celebration; it is a statement of visibility, dignity, and equality. 'But Pride must also be underpinned by responsibility and respect — especially in a country where faith and identity are deeply intertwined.' Mayo Pride told The Journal that it did not create or commission the artwork in the online post, but recognised that the Child of Prague is a 'deeply meaningful religious figure'. 'While the image was shared in a spirit of fun, not mockery, we apologise for any genuine hurt it may have caused,' organisers said. 'We've been in contact directly with members of the local religious community and appreciate the respectful and thoughtful conversations we've had. They have, in true Christian spirit, fully accepted our apology,' they added. Organisers of the event said they had previously been subjected to a barrage of anti-LGBTQ+ messages from people online over the decision to host an event at Croagh Patrick, a national heritage and Christian pilgrimage site. They added: 'Let us be clear: Croagh Patrick is a national heritage site, open to all. It is important to all of us in the West of Ireland, including the many Christian LGBTQ+ people and their families who call this beautiful county home. 'Our walk has always taken place with reverence and care. We belong here. Mayo is our county. Croagh Patrick is our heritage.' The Mayo Pride Parade event was held in Westport on Saturday. While heavy winds created 'testing conditions' for some of the performers on stage and people who set up gazeboes, the remained largely dry for the day. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Independent
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
See photos from Rathsallagh Golf Club's 30th anniversary dinner dance
With guests of all ages in attendance, the conversation flowed as members and management from the historic club discussed its golfing legacy and that of founders Joe and Kay O'Flynn, sharing memories of an illustrious past, while creating new ones to last a lifetime. After enjoying a sumptuous three-course meal, 'The Boss' trophy, sponsored by the O'Flynn family, who established and operate Rathsallagh House, was presented to the winner of the club's recent Pro-Am competition, Norm Tanju. Capping off the enchanting evening, guests, including Rathsallagh Golf Club owner Robert Neill and his wife Mary, danced the night away to the lively music of supremely talented former captain Aidan Pierce and his group, Off the Cuff. Thanking the O'Flynn's for their hospitality, Rathsallagh Golf Club general manager Vera Brennan said that the dinner dance was the perfect way to celebrate the club's rich history. 'It was incredibly special to share the golf club's 30th anniversary with the O'Flynn family, and we are delighted that there was so much love and affection for the late Joe Snr – what a great legacy to be remembered,' she said. 'As part of our celebrations throughout the year, we did a Pro-Am the week before, and because the O'Flynn family from Rathsallagh House started the golf club, we decided to go there for the celebrations and make the O'Flynn family part of it. 'Joe Jnr sponsored a golf competition so we could have a presentation on the night. His father was known as 'The Boss', so The Boss trophy was the prize, and it was presented by Joe Jnr to the winner, Norm Tanju. 'The members are thrilled that the O'Flynn's sponsored the trophy and want to make it part of the golfing calendar going forward. A big thanks to Joe Jnr and his wife Sara for being there on the night, and to Joe's mother Kay. 'We are thankful to the O'Flynn's for their very generous hospitality – from the moment we arrived, we were greeted with a warm welcome and refreshments,' she continued. 'We are grateful that they made the night such a success, and for the generous drinks reception and the extra gestures. We all were spoiled and looked after so well. ADVERTISEMENT 'All week I have been receiving compliments about the wonderful night, the house, gardens, delicious food, and the absolute best service from all your fantastic staff, not to mention the after party in the bar! 'A big thanks to our member Aidan Pierce and his group, Off the Cuff, who were absolutely brilliant, and did a bit of everything, from 80s to jazz – you name it, the played it.'
Irish Examiner
23-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Prostate cancer: The later you get diagnosed, the greater the risk
Whenever I'm asked, 'How are you?', I have a stock reply, which I've had for decades: 'If I were any better, I'd have to take a pill!' It's an inherited attitude, the O'Flynn/O'Leary (my mother's side) approach to life: Embrace it, love it, live it. Be alive; not just head down and trudging through, but, even in this ever-darkening world, keep all the senses wide open to all the goodness still out there. And yet, were it not for the diligence and the expertise of the medical profession, I might not be here. I've always been a fitness fanatic, ever-active, even now. Because I occasionally push things physically, this has also meant regular visits to the GP, which guaranteed regular health checks. Probably when I was about 50, my GP decided that this should now include a PSA check. I don't know when I was first diagnosed as being at risk of prostate cancer, when I was put on a watch-list, or when I was finally told I had the disease, but it was a good number of years ago, long before I went to Brussels to work for MEP Luke Ming Flanagan. I know that because during those five years, I let things slip a little, didn't get the PSA tested, the biopsies done, as often as I should. And I almost paid the price. Diarmuid O'Flynn on his cancer diagnosis: "There are no guarantees with any surgery, but the latter offered the best chance of ridding myself of this cancer. I was on my own when I got the news and very quickly, no hesitation, decided: Go in, get it out. I could have waited to consult my wife, Siobhan, but knew she'd fully support my decision — she did." Picture: Larry Cummins. On my 66th birthday, June 25, 2019, I had to retire from Brussels; it's mandatory for parliamentary assistants. Back home in Ballyhea, when I went to get checked with a new consultant in Cork — the previous one had also retired — it was discovered that the cancer had spread around the prostate, and immediate action was required. I can't say I was overly concerned — I wasn't. My attitude to this kind of thing is fairly pragmatic: Do whatever can be done, and after that, what will be will be. I was given the usual options. I remember that some involved treatments with radiation — direct or with pellets inserted in the prostate — and chemotherapy. Another was surgery: go in and cut it out, all of it. There are no guarantees with any surgery, but the latter offered the best chance of ridding myself of this cancer. I was on my own when I got the news and very quickly, no hesitation, decided: Go in, get it out. I could have waited to consult my wife, Siobhan, but knew she'd fully support my decision — she did. The risks attached to prostate surgery were explained to me in great detail, and they were serious, potentially life-changing. The big ones were incontinence (urinary and/or bowel), the possibility of having a bag or two attached for the rest of my days, and erectile dysfunction, with a few associated add-ons. Not very appealing, but neither was the alternative. Erectile dysfunction I underwent keyhole surgery, and had several apertures opened in my stomach. It went smoothly, and the results were positive. All the cancer was cleared, the biggest tumour being about 35mm. I woke up to a new attachment: A catheter. This would be my companion for a few weeks to allow my nether regions time to adjust to the new reality. It was awkward, but you get used to it. Those few weeks would also decide whether the first major risks outlined above had come to pass. I was a bit nervous about it, but also hopeful — the odds are excellent that you'll recover both the bladder and bowel functions. I did, and quickly. The erectile dysfunction, however, was a different matter. Diarmuid O'Flynn at work building a greenhouse in the back garden of his home. Picture: Larry Cummins The nerves that control an erection pass through the prostate — removing this entails cutting through those nerves. When the prostate is gone, the surgeon will rejoin those nerves, but there will be fallout, and most of us who have prostate cancer surgery will need either chemical or mechanical help to have an erection again. One such treatment is an injectable alprostadil, directly into the penis, and the first time I got it still sticks out — pun intended. This was because the injection didn't just work, it overworked, with the result that because I had a train to catch from Cork, I lied to the nurse about the effect — 'Oh yeah, it's gone down now' — and headed off, only to have to try to hide the very obvious bulge in the trousers as I waddled to the bus and then the train. It was bloody painful, too. I related that story to much hilarity to my golfing buddies in Doneraile — that and a few others, all based around the operation. That's how men often deal with stuff like that, isn't it? We joke about it, make little of it, and get on with things. And, in truth, I do make little of it. I'm upbeat, but it's no joke Yes, I'm macho, but not so macho that I'd prefer to be dead than suffer erectile dysfunction. I'm physically diminished — a side effect is reduced penis size, and a new kinky shape — but not so that it affects me in mentally or emotionally. While I'm not keen on the injections or the pump (a mechanical aid), the blue pills are a tonic. It helps, of course, that I'm at an age where my family is complete, sex drive long gone from overdrive to 'What's for dinner?' However, make as light of it as you like, but prostate cancer is no joke. According to the Irish Cancer Society, 4,000 of us are diagnosed with it every year, which means one in six Irish men will have that diagnosis in their lifetime. The later you get diagnosed, the greater the risk — running from it, delaying the testing, that doesn't work very well. But if it's so serious, why do I take it so lightly? I assure you that it's not because I'm not familiar with death. From nine siblings, over the last few years I've lost two sisters to illness, Réidín and Gráinne, the two who probably, above all of us in the family, loved and lived life to the full. Before that, I lost two brothers, Jack, from pneumonia, and Tiger (Tadhg), in a single-vehicle car crash. Diarmuid O'Flynn: "The news in the last few days that former US President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer surely reinforces the fact that any of us, all of us, are vulnerable." Another brother, Donal, has had my back through thick and thin for decades, but, for the last three years, due to serious health issues, his courage and mental strength are being tested in ways that few of us ever experience. His suffering is our suffering, so I know pain, physical, and psychological. I know both the reality and the finality of death. I'm also taking medication now for a rare blood cancer, which was caught early with a good prognosis. Before that, I had skin cancer treatment. And in July, I'll be having a dodgy lump in my thyroid removed ('It started with a cyst…'). But that's life, isn't it? I still feel I'm one of the lucky ones. The news in the last few days that former US President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer surely reinforces the fact that any of us, all of us, are vulnerable. I write this in the hope that out there, there is a man who'll read it and think: 'You know what, I'm going to my doctor, get my prostate checked out'. Do it today. Read More Scaling Ireland's highest peaks in aid of charity supporting adult survivors of child sexual abuse
The Journal
22-05-2025
- Politics
- The Journal
TD Ken O'Flynn says he didn't know La-Z-Boy was a brand and just wanted what ‘everyone else has'
INDEPENDENT IRELAND TD Ken O'Flynn has said he was unaware that La-Z-Boy was a 'brand' and that he just requested what 'everyone else is provided with'. In an email in mid-February to the Leinster House facilities management, O'Flynn looked for ten separate items for his parliamentary office to 'enhance the workspace's comfort and functionality.' That included a La-Z-Boy recliner as 'comfortable seating' for use during break periods and office meetings – such seats often retail at well over €1,000. However, in an interview on the Neil Prendeville Show on Cork's RedFM, O'Flynn said he didn't know where the €1,000 price tag came from. When it was noted by host Prendeville that La-Z-Boy chairs are routinely priced in excess of €1,000, O'Flynn said he was unaware that La-Z-Boy was a brand and that he thought the term referred to a style of chair. O'Flynn said he 'didn't realise they were a brand and I just thought it was the name of the chair'. He added that he uses the term 'La-Z-Boy' for a style of chair that 'goes back slightly' and that there is 'no footrest' on the chair. Meanwhile, O'Flynn had been at loggerheads with Oireachtas management over delays in getting his office fitted out since he was elected. He told RedFM that he 'was assigned an office in the engineering block, which is outside Leinster House'. 'When I went into an office, there was a table but no chairs, no shelves, there were empty paint cans in the middle of the floor, a big stain on the carpet, and not even a chair for me to sit down at the computer'. He added that he and his staff were 'waiting six weeks for a laptop to be provided'. 'I wrote to the facilities manager and said, 'please, can I have some furniture? Could you take out the rubbish that was left from the previous occupant and could you provide furniture?'' Advertisement O'Flynn said it took six months for him to be assigned an office inside Leinster House and that he was working out of Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins's office 'on part of his desk'. The Independent Ireland TD had had frosty relations with the Oireachtas since his appointment and in January accused them of a 'disregard for the dignity' of his office in a row over lengthy delays in the fit-out of his office. He told RedFM that he 'looked around at what every Senator and TD has' and that the offices contained what O'Flynn described as a 'La-Z-Boy'. 'I requested the exact same furniture that's inside every other TD's office. 'It's a bit misleading to say that I requested a €1,000 chair, I requested a chair to come out of the stockroom where they have chairs but they're out of them.' In response to his request in mid-February, the Oireachtas said they had no recliners in stock and that they were not 'commonly purchased'. When asked if his request 'flies in the face' of previous criticisms of government spending, O'Flynn said he just 'asked them to take a chair out of the stockroom that they have, that everyone else is provided with'. 'I haven't asked for designer wallpaper or floor-to-ceiling mirrors,' said O'Flynn in reference to requests that had been made by other TDs. 'I am just asking to have a proper office after six months of not having an office,' said O'Flynn, 'and an exhausting amount of emails back and forth about where the office is going to be. 'I don't think I asked for anything extraordinary or marvelous, I think it has been blown out of proportion by certain members of the media. 'They're a normal chair, it's just that the back of it goes back.' O'Flynn said he ended up being provided with an 'old-school chair'. -With additional reporting from Ken Foxe Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The Irish Sun
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
TD who blasted ‘reckless and unnecessary' Government spending asked for €1k La-Z-Boy recliner at Leinster House office
A TD who has been critical of Government over wasteful spending asked for a La-Z-Boy recliner to be supplied for his Leinster House office for 'breaks and informal meetings.' Independent Ireland TD Kenneth O'Flynn has been at loggerheads with Advertisement 2 Independent Ireland TD Kenneth O'Flynn has asked for a recliner for his office Credit: Paul Sharp - Commissioned by The Sun Dublin 2 The recliner was among ten items he listed for his office Credit: Alamy In an email in mid-February to facilities management, Mr O'Flynn looked for ten separate items for his parliamentary office to 'enhance the workspace's comfort and functionality'. That included a La-Z-Boy recliner as 'comfortable seating' for use during break periods and office meetings with such seats often retailing at well over €1,000. In response, the Oireachtas said they had no recliners in stock and that they were not 'commonly purchased'. Mr O'Flynn also sought book shelves, cabinets, and a side-table 'for holding items like lamps or personal effects near the La-Z-Boy or desk'. Advertisement READ MORE IRISH NEWS The Independent Ireland TD also asked for a fan and a desk lamp but was told even these were not available as Leinster House was trying to cut its emissions and energy costs. An email said this was in line with the 'Government's targets' around climate change and that if the light or temperature in the room were a problem, other options could be explored. Mr O'Flynn has had frosty relations with the Oireachtas since his appointment and in January accused them of a 'disregard for the dignity' of his office in a row over lengthy delays in the fit-out of his office after the election. In February, he was still seeking updates on when he could expect to have chairs delivered to his own office and that of his parliamentary assistant. Advertisement Most read in the Irish Sun He wrote: 'It is essential that these items are addressed promptly to facilitate our team's productivity.' Mr O'Flynn also said there had been delays in providing IT equipment and printing services saying these facilities were 'imperative for a functioning office environment.' CHAIR CHASING Asked about his request for the La-Z-Boy, Mr O'Flynn said: 'Maybe I used the wrong word – there is a chair in quite a few of the offices, which looks to me like a recliner. 'I was just looking for the same furniture as they have in the other offices.' Advertisement He said he was still waiting to have all the IT equipment he needed fully installed. 'We're now six months on [from the election] – I have worked in other big organisations, and my experience there would have been very different,' he said. 'TAXPAYERS DESERVE BETTER' The requests were among dozens made by TDs and Senators to Oireachtas officials in recent months. In January, O'Flynn blasted the Advertisement He said: 'This is yet another instance of reckless and unnecessary spending that continues unabated in the OPW. 'What is it going to take before this is addressed? 'We've seen it time and time again—projects ballooning in cost, poor execution leading to additional expenses, and no accountability. 'The OPW's spending is symptomatic of a deeper issue with how public funds are managed. Taxpayers deserve better.' Advertisement Asked about the records, a spokeswoman for the Oireachtas said they had no comment to make.
