Latest news with #O'Grady
Irish Examiner
5 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Abrahams hails 'great leader' Beirne
Thaakir Abrahams praised Tadhg Beirne's leadership as Munster celebrated their captain's recognition as Men's XVs Players' Players of the Year 2025 at the Rugby Players Ireland Awards. Beirne is set to lead Munster into their URC quarter-final against the Sharks in South Africa on Saturday and sent a video message from the team's hotel in Durban which was played at the awards ceremony at Aviva Stadium on Wednesday night. Ireland team-mate Finlay Bealham collected the award on Beirne's behalf at the event after the lock, three weeks on from his selection for a second British & Irish Lions tour, topped a vote of his peers ahead of fellow Munster player Tom Farrell, and Leinster and Ireland stars Caelan Doris and Jamison Gibson-Park. The Munster players woke up to news of Beirne's award on Thursday morning and speaking later to the Irish Examiner from Durban, Abrahams said: 'He's such a great leader. 'He always speaks up in the huddles and things like that but I think he's also a leader that leads by example, which is really good for us. He will always step up and show us the way. 'When it was mentioned this morning, everyone was surrounding him, it was good. 'We can't celebrate too hard now before the game but definitely after the game we'll have a celebration for him. We celebrate moments like that, we're a tight group.' Doris did collect an award in his capacity as Ireland captain after his side's Triple Crown success in this season's Six Nations was recognised as Moment of the Year, while one of the warmest receptions went to Men's Sevens Players' Player of the Year Dylan O'Grady, with the Irish rugby community to still coming to terms with the IRFU's decision to end the men's sevens programme. Interviewed on stage by awards co-presenters and former players Barry Murphy and Andrew Trimble, O'Grady said of that decision: 'Obviously very disappointed at the news of the last few weeks but it's been a tough year for all of us. 'I couldn't be prouder of the lads. We've found ourselves in difficult positions this year but heart and fight we all showed throughout the year, we can all be really proud of. 'You look back to Cape Town, togging out with eight lads (after a virus within the squad). Anyone who's played sevens knows that playing with only one sub can be quite difficult so, yeah, couldn't be prouder of the lads and the fight we put up this whole year with our backs up against the wall.' Reflecting on his time in the Sevens programme, O'Grady said: 'It's been an unbelievable honour for me to be able to travel the world and get to represent our country on big stages and be ambassadors for rugby in areas that probably wouldn't see a whole lot of rugby, your Hong Kongs, Singapore and Vancouver. 'So to be able to do that and hopefully make the IRFU proud and everyone in Ireland proud is a huge honour for me.'
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
How one woman's racist tweet sparked a free speech row
Lucy Connolly's 51-word online post in the wake of the Southport killings led her to jail and into the centre of a row over free speech. For some, the 31-month jail term imposed for inciting race hate was "tyrannical", while one commentator said Connolly was a "hostage of the British state", and another that she was "clearly a political prisoner". Court of Appeal judges, however, this week refused to reduce her sentence. Asked about her case in Parliament, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said sentencing was "a matter for the courts" and that while he was "strongly in favour of free speech", he was "equally against incitement to violence". Rupert Lowe, the independent MP for Great Yarmouth, said the situation was "morally repugnant" and added: "This is not the Britain I want to live in." Others said her supporters wanted a "right to be racist". Warning: This report contains racist and discriminatory language In July last year, prompted by a false rumour that an illegal immigrant was responsible for the murder of three girls at a dance workshop in Southport, Connolly posted online calling for "mass deportation now", adding "set fire to all the... hotels [housing asylum seekers]... for all I care". Connolly, then a 41-year-old Northampton childminder, added: "If that makes me racist, so be it." At the time she had about 9,000 followers on X. Her message was reposted 940 times and viewed 310,000 times, before she deleted it three and a half hours later. In October she was jailed after admitting inciting racial hatred. Three appeal court judges this week ruled the 31-month sentence was not "manifestly excessive". Stephen O'Grady, a legal officer with the Free Speech Union (FSU), said the sentence seemed "rather steep in proportion to the offence". His organisation has worked with Connolly's family since November and funded her appeal. Mr O'Grady said Connolly "wasn't some lager-fuelled hooligan on the streets" and pointed to her being a mother of a 12-year-old daughter, who had also lost a son when he was just 19 months old. He said there was a "difference between howling racist abuse at somebody in the street and throwing bricks at the police" and "sending tweets, which were perhaps regrettable but wouldn't have the same immediate effect". Connolly's case was also "emblematic of wider concerns" about "increasing police interest in people's online activity", Mr O'Grady said. The FSU had received "a slew of queries" from people who were "very unsure" about "the limits of what they can they can say online", he said, and who feared "the police are going to come knocking on the door". "There's an immense amount of police overreach," he added. He cited the example of a retired special constable detained after challenging a pro-Palestine supporter online, a case the FSU took on. Responding to Mr O'Grady's claim, a National Police Chiefs' Council spokesperson said that Article 10 of the Human Rights Act "protects a person's right to hold opinions and to express them freely" and that officers received training about the act. They added: "It remains imperative that officers and staff continue to receive training commensurate with the demands placed upon them." After the appeal was dismissed, Connolly's husband, Conservative town councillor Raymond Connolly, said she was "a good person and not a racist" and had "paid a very high price for making a mistake". Her local Labour MP, Northampton South's Mike Reader, said he had "big sympathy" for Connolly and her daughter, but there was no justification for accusing the police of "overreach". He said: "I want the police to protect us online and I want the police to protect us on the streets and they should be doing it equally." It was a "fallacy" and "misunderstanding of the world" if people did not "believe that the online space is as dangerous for people as the streets," he added. "We're all attached to our phones; we're all influenced by what we see, and I think it's right that the police took action here." In his sentencing remarks, Judge Melbourne Inman said Connolly's offence was "category A" - meaning "high culpability" - and that both the prosecution and her own barrister agreed she "intended to incite serious violence". For Reader, this showed "they weren't arguing this was a silly tweet and she should be let off - her own counsel agreed this was a serious issue". At her appeal, Connolly claimed that while she accepted she intended to stir up racial hatred, she always denied trying to incite violence. But Lord Justice Holroyde said in a judgement this week the evidence "clearly shows that she was well aware of what she was admitting". Sentencing guidelines for the offence indicate a starting point of three years' custody. While the prosecution argued the offence was aggravated by its timing, "particularly sensitive social climate", the defence argued the tweet had been posted before any violence had started, and that Connolly had "subsequently attempted to stop the violence after it had erupted". The judgement also highlighted other online posts from Connolly that the judges said indicated her "view about illegal immigrants". Four days before the Southport murders, she responded to a video shared by far-right activist Tommy Robinson showing a black man being tackled to the ground for allegedly performing a sex act in public. Connolly posted: "Somalian, I guess. Loads of them," followed by a vomiting emoji. On 3 August, responding to an anti-racism protest in Manchester, she wrote: "I take it they will all be in line to sign up to house an illegal boat invader then. Oh sorry, refugee. "Maybe sign a waiver to say they don't mind if it's one of their family that gets attacked, butchered, raped etc, by unvetted criminals." The FSU said she was likely to be eligible for release from August, after serving 40% of her sentence. Some, including Mr O'Grady, argued her jail term was longer than punishments handed to criminals perceived to have committed "far worse" crimes. Reform UK's Mark Arnull, the leader of West Northamptonshire Council, said it was not for him "to pass comment on sentences or indeed discuss individual cases". But he added: "It's relatively easy to understand why constituents in West Northamptonshire question the proportionality of Lucy's sentence when they see offenders in other high-profile and serious cases walk free and avoid jail." The issue for writer and activist Shola Mos-Shogbamimu was that "those who have committed worse crimes" should "spend more time in jail, not less time for Lucy Connolly". Dr Mos-Shogbamimu added: "It's not 'freedom of speech without accountability'. She didn't tweet something that hurt someone's feelings; she tweeted saying someone should die." In her view, those making Connolly a "flag-bearer or champion" for free speech were asking for "the right to be racist". Free speech advocate Mr O'Grady said "no-one is arguing for an unfettered 'right' to incite racial hatred". Connolly's case was about "proportionality", he added, and "the sense that online speech is increasingly being punished very harshly compared to other offending... such as in-person violent disorder". Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. PM defends courts over Lucy Connolly racist post Woman jailed for race hate post on X loses appeal Tory politician's wife jailed for race hate post
Irish Examiner
02-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Bank of Ireland welcomes 'strong' performance as income rises by 8%
Bank of Ireland saw its income rise by 8% in the first three months of this year, with volume growth offsetting continued reductions in European Central Bank (ECB) interest rates. In a trading update published on Friday, the bank said net lending remained stable at €82.4bn, with a "strong" group performance in line with expectations. Reiterating its full-year guidance, Bank of Ireland posted annualised growth of 2% in its core portfolios and welcomed a "continued strong performance" in its mortgage business. The lender's mortgage market share of new lending was 37% in the first three months of this year, down from 40% at the end of 2024. The group's net interest income, the difference between the rate at which Bank of Ireland borrows and the rate it charges on loans, fell by 8% compared to the same period last year, primarily reflecting the European Central Bank's consecutive rate reductions which partially offset volume growth in both deposits and core loan portfolios. The bank said its operating expenses have progressed in line with expectations and were 3% higher in the first three months of 2025 compared to the same period last year. 'We had a very good start to the year, with performance and profitability in line with our expectations," said Bank of Ireland chief executive Myles O'Grady. "Positive domestic economic conditions supported robust customer activity, with the core loan book growing in the quarter, notably our Irish mortgage book by 3.5% annualised." Mr O'Grady added that the group had updated its Irish economic forecasts against a backdrop of global trade negotiations and potential impacts, with GDP and employment growth of 3.5% and 1.8% respectively for 2025. "Combined with the execution of the Group's strategy, this supports a positive outlook while remaining vigilant to potential risks associated with trade dislocation," the CEO continued. Bank of Ireland's pre-tax profit rose 92% to €1.9bn at the end of 2024, helped by a high interest rate environment and low competition in the Irish banking market. Looking forward, Bank of Ireland is expecting a full-year net interest income of more than €3.25bn, based on the Group's rate outlook, which anticipates an average 2025 ECB deposit rate of 2.18%, revised down from an initial estimate of 2.25%.
RTÉ News
02-05-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Bank of Ireland keeps full year guidance unchanged
Bank of Ireland has kept its full year guidance unchanged after it said its group performance in the first quarter of 2025 was in line with expectations. In a trading statement for the first three months of the year, Bank of Ireland said that similar to the other Irish banks its net interest income (NII) fell by 8% in the first quarter compared to the same time last year - in line with its expectations - due to lower average interest rates. The bank said this was partially offset by volume growth in both deposits and core loan portfolios, and the benefit of the bank's structural hedge programme. Bank of Ireland said that net lending at its Retail Ireland business increased by €0.3 billion, driven by continued strong growth in mortgage lending. Its mortgage market share of new lending was 37%, it added. Its Retail UK net lending increased by €0.2 billion, but its Corporate and Commercial net lending decreased by €0.5 billion, which it said reflected deleveraging within portfolios it was exiting of €0.4 billion and lower SME and Corporate lending in Ireland of €0.2 billion. Meanwhile, customer deposits amounted to €103.2 billion by March 2025, an increase of €0.1 billion, on the back of growth in Retail Ireland and Retail UK, partially offset by lower Corporate and Commercial volumes. Bank of Ireland said its asset quality remained "strong" and its non-performing loan ratio was 2.5% of gross customer loans at March 2025. up from 2.2% in December 2024. "Overall, the NPE ratio remains near historical lows and is 70bps lower year year on year. The Group continues to focus on achieving further asset quality improvements through a combination of organic and inorganic activity," it added. Myles O'Grady, Bank of Ireland Group CEO, said the bank had a very good start to the year, with performance and profitability in line with its expectations. "Positive domestic economic conditions supported robust customer activity, with the core loan book growing in the quarter, notably our Irish mortgage book by 3.5% annualised," he said. "Deposits were strong at €103 billion, while Wealth AUM of €54.5 billion benefitted from net inflows of €0.5 billion. Asset quality remains robust. With strong business momentum, our guidance for the year remains unchanged," the CEO stated. Mr O'Grady said that against a backdrop of global trade negotiations and potential impacts, it has updated its Irish economic forecasts, with GDP and employment growth of 3.5% and 1.8% respectively for 2025. "Combined with the execution of the group's strategy, this supports a positive outlook while remaining vigilant to potential risks associated with trade dislocation. From a position of strength and as a trusted partner, we continue to engage closely with our customers as they navigate the current environment," he said. "The group's differentiated business model in structurally attractive markets continues to generate high levels of capital. This allows us to support our customers, invest in our business, and deliver attractive shareholder returns," he added.
South China Morning Post
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Meet White Lotus and The Consultant star Brittany O'Grady, who's been acting since she was 4: still under 30, she's had a career most can only dream about, and she's only getting started
Brittany O'Grady grew up being told to get a thicker skin. Once, after being scolded during a rehearsal, a mix of embarrassment and an empty stomach even made her faint. But now, the sensitivity she was once told to suppress is exactly what keeps getting her roles. Brittany O'Grady has appeared in a wide variety of roles. Photo: @brittanyogrady/Instagram At just 28, O'Grady has already starred in hit shows across major platforms: Apple TV+'s Little Voice, Fox's Star, HBO's The White Lotus, and Amazon Prime's The Consultant. Advertisement That's no coincidence: Brittany O'Grady is the kind of actor directors dream about. She grew up performing Brittany O'Grady has been performing since early childhood. Photo: @brittanyogrady/Instagram Born in Arlington, Virginia, O'Grady doesn't remember a time when she wasn't performing. Raised by a father who worked in higher education financial aid and a mother who was a communications professional, she grew up taking dance classes, piano lessons and singing in the church choir, per The Washington Post. By the time she was four, she had already booked her first commercial job. Before she could even spell Shakespeare, she played Caliban in The Tempest. By 13, she was performing in professional stage productions of The Witches of Eastwick and A Christmas Carol. While her parents had fostered her love of performing, it wasn't until she started taking classes with The Idiosyncratic company that she realised it was a lifelong passion. Brittany O'Grady found her passion at The Idiosyncratic acting company. Photo: @brittanyogrady/Instagram Founded by Georgian immigrants Paata and Irina Tsikurishvili, the dance and movement-based theatre troupe challenged her physically and engaged her creatively in ways she had never experienced before.
