Latest news with #Slevin
Irish Examiner
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
O'Brien and Slevin combine for 271-1 double
The Newmarket 2000 Guineas may be foremost on the mind of Joseph O'Brien, with Scorthy Champ a leading contender for Classic honours on Saturday afternoon at Newmarket, but there was business to be tended to at Punchestown, and he and JJ Slevin delivered a 271-1 double. Busselton was first up, in the Mongey Communication La Touche Cup, and in a finish involving two former Kerry National winners, he responded well to Slevin's encouragement to fend off the determined Desertmore House. A race of tradition, which holds a special place in the hearts of the National Hunt community, it meant the world to Slevin to win the race as his father, Shay, won it as trainer of Treo Eile in 2017. It was a much-coveted but delayed success for the rider, who would have ridden 2019 winner Ballyboker Bridge but for sustaining a serious injury in the opening race of that day. 'I've been watching these races for as long as I can remember and it's special to win it,' said the rider. 'I was worried when I saw Desertmore House coming to the last, because I knew how well he had schooled for Martin (Brassil, trainer). They are two good horses to run in a banks race and this is a special race to win. 'It's great to see all the big trainers supporting it and there is a high-quality horse going into it nowadays. You have to jump well and have a bit of ability to win them now.' The O'Brien-Slevin double came up in the listed Close Brothers Irish EBF Mares' Novice Hurdle, in which 33-1 chance Cottesloe Sunshine raced home clear of the fast-finishing Mozzies Sister, with favourite Sixandahalf in third. Recently crowned British champion jumps jockey Sean Bowen was class personified aboard Putapoundinthejar in the Specialist Group Handicap Hurdle. We're used to seeing Tony Martin-trained runners being delivered late, but this was a masterclass. Bowen didn't panic as Battle Of Ridgeway made the best of his way home before the final turn and, after being forced to switch from the rails to five-wide, he engaged top gear and collared the clear leader just strides before the line. Jonjo and AJ O'Neill combined with Richie McLernon to take the Frontline Security Handicap Chase with the JP McManus-owned Petit Tonnere. Late to make his challenge, he collared Dont Go Yet in the closing stages, with the gambled-on Mirazur West in third, having tried to make all the running. Jody McGarvey, who rode the third-placed horse, announced his retirement after the event, calling time on a career which yielded four Grade One successes, the first of which was at this meeting in 2017 when he rode the talented but free-going Great Field to victory in the Ryanair Novice Chase. 'I thought I was going to have the fairytale ending but those two feckers in front of me (Richie McLernon and Philip Donovan) spoiled the party. Look, I still led them all down over the final fence at the Punchestown Festival on my final ride, riding for JP McManus. It was great to do that after riding my first winner for JP too. 'I have a lot to be thankful for. I had my share of injuries, but I got through it and I'm able to retire on my own terms. I've enjoyed it. 'I could have kept going for another couple of years — I didn't want to stop riding — but the opportunities are just getting thin on the ground, and I want to go out while I'm still feeling like I'm riding well. I've ridden a few winners in the last few weeks and enjoyed it. I'm glad that I'm leaving the game without a chip on my shoulder.' Nicky Henderson provided the first two home in the Conway Piling Handicap Hurdle, but it was a reverse of the finishing order in the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham as Jeriko Du Reponet turned around the form with stablemate Doddiethegreat. For rider James Bowen, it was a first in this country, and it completed a family double, his brother Sean's having taken the opener. Alan King saddled a third British-based winner for the day and sixth of the meeting to date when Baron Noir, ridden by Rob James, came home best of all to win the bumper, doing so at the expense of fellow raider El Cairos, who drifted left under pressure in the final furlong.
Irish Daily Mirror
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Irish Daily Mirror
Garda union boss slams Commissioner Drew Harris over 'legacy of fear & mistrust'
The leading Garda union has slammed Commissioner Drew Harris' legacy on the force - just months before he steps down. 'I suppose you could say that he's left a legacy of fear and mistrust in relation to our members,' Garda Representative Association (GRA) General Secretary Ronan Slevin said on Monday evening. Mr Slevin was speaking at the opening of the 11,200-strong organisation's annual conference, being held over three days in Killarney, Co Kerry. The conference also heard calls for trainee gardai to have their pay almost doubled. Mr Slevin made his comments about the Commissioner as Mr Harris, who has been at the helm of the force since September 2018, prepares to retire later this year. He had been due to retire in June, but the government has asked him to stay on until September - so it can find a replacement. But his relations with the GRA - which represents members of Garda rank in the 14,000-strong force - have deteriorated in recent years and he was not invited to this year's conference. The same thing happened last year - following an almost unanimous vote of no confidence in Mr Harris by GRA members in September 2023. Now, with Mr Harris' tenure coming to an end, the GRA leadership pulled no punches when asked what his legacy would be. And Mr Slevin highlighted the Commissioner's introduction of the so-called Operating Policing Model. That is aimed at making the force more modern - but garda associations are opposed to it as they claim it damages community links. When asked what Commissioner Harris' legacy would be, Mr Slevin said: 'If you were to analyse the commissioner's term, I suppose you'd have to say that he's implemented an operation policing model that isn't working. "(It) single handedly has removed community policing from Ireland, which was the envy of Europe. The system we had, that's completely gone.' And he also criticised him for not increasing Garda numbers - and not persuading serving officers to stay in the job. He said: 'He's had the biggest budget available to him over his term of office, yet we still have serious issues in relation to recruitment and attention within the force. 'I believe that the numbers we currently have are the same that were in force when the commissioner took up his role, even though the population has increased exponentially. 'He's responsible for the application of a severe discipline and suspension policy which has hampered our members in being confident in the use of force when doing their job. 'And I suppose you could say that he's left the legacy of fear and mistrust in relation to our members.' Mr Slevin also said the next Commissioner - set to be announced by Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan in July - had work to do to rebuild officers' confidence. He said: "We have a long list of issues and concerns that started quite a number of years ago, and we have been endeavouring over those years trying to consult and negotiate with the Commissioner on those. That never happened. 'I think that any new incoming commissioner has to initially address the concerns that the members have on the ground. 'There is a serious recruitment problem. It is well documented at this stage, and there's a serious retention problem, and the new commissioner can address the retention issue nearly immediately, removing some of the bureaucracy that's required on a daily basis, supporting the members on the front line. The policing model isn't working. 'Instead of following the government plan, the commissioner has to independently assess the policing plan that's out there and adapt the plan to ensure that the public get the best service that they require, while also listening to the members on ground. 'We're the experts, we're the ones that are enforcing the law every day of the week, and we're the ones that are encountering the problems, and it seems to be a blockage with those issues going up to the current Commissioner.' He also repeated fears raised by the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors earlier this month that the number of officers who can retire in the coming years could lead to an exodus from the force. He said: 'I can see an accelerated rate of retirements now that we have members coming to 30 year service. 'There's a glut of members that will come to that service within the next two or three years, we'll be talking close on three or 4000 members will be eligible to retire in total. 'And if those issues aren't addressed, I could see the numbers dip well below 14,000 and then there will be serious issues.' Meanwhile GRA President Mark O'Meara has called for the allowance paid to trainee gardai to be almost doubled. Trainees are currently paid €350 a week - but the GRA wants that hiked to €670 a week. Mr O'Meara said: 'It has to be addressed, and has to be addressed now. 'It has to happen. End of story. 'We can have sound bites that are going to fill headlines, but that's not going to fill garda stations. 'It's not going to put boots and men and women on men and women on the streets to enforce police - we're seeing that. 'They just have to do it. It's not a choice. If you want to take this seriously and to solve the issue, then you have to resource it - it costs money.' We have asked An Garda Siochana and the Department of Justice for comment.
Irish Times
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Outgoing Garda Commissioner's legacy one of ‘mistrust and fear', says GRA head
Drew Harris will leave a legacy of 'mistrust and fear' in An Garda Síochána when he retires as commissioner later this year, according to the head of Garda Representative Association (GRA). The GRA's general secretary Ronan Slevin made the remarks at the beginning of the association's annual conference in Killarney which is expected to hear strong criticism of Mr Harris's policies, particularly the implementation of a new Garda operating model. For the second year in a row, the GRA, which represents 11,000 rank-and-file gardaí, has opted not to invite Mr Harris to address the conference in protest over his policies. As a result Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan declined an invitation to attend. Asked what legacy Mr Harris will leave when he steps down in September, Mr Slevin said his policies had 'single-handedly removed community policing from Ireland, a policy which was the envy of Europe'. READ MORE [ Gardaí must be given State financial assistance to purchase homes, officers to say Opens in new window ] During his term, the commissioner had the biggest Garda budget in history but serious issues still remained around recruitment and retention, Mr Slevin said, adding that garda numbers have remained stagnant at 14,000 while the population has grown by about half a million in the last decade. Mr Slevin also pointed to Mr Harris's 'severe discipline and suspension policy' which he alleged has hampered garda members' confidence in their ability to use force. 'I suppose you could say that he's left the legacy of fear and mistrust in relation to our members,' he said. Deputy general secretary James Morrisroe said the new policing model, which has involved the amalgamation of smaller Garda districts in a bid to increase efficiency, has failed. He said the Scottish police has given up on a similar policy and gone back to an approach focused on community policing. The operational policing model was introduced on the recommendation of the Commission on the Future of Policing in its 2017 report. Mr Morrisroe said in reality, the model bears little resemble to the commission's recommendations. [The commissioner] fails to take anything on board,' Mr Morrisroe said. 'Everyone is telling him it's not working but he fails to review it.' On Monday, Garda Headquarters issued a statement which it said would have formed the basis of Mr Harris's speech had he been invited to the conference. Mr Harris laid out a number of achievements over the last year including tougher sentences for people who assault gardaí, a new roster agreed following extensive negotiations with the GRA and new vehicles and non-lethal equipment for members. He also cited the roll-out of body cameras to 700 gardaí as part of a pilot programme and the raising of the retirement age to 62. 'I remain, as always, open to productive and fruitful engagement with all the staff associations, particularly at annual conferences, which offer an unparalleled opportunity for professional and respectful engagement,' the commissioner said.
BBC News
08-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Littler suffers surprise first-round exit to Slevin
Luke Littler suffered a surprise early exit in the 11th Players Championship of the year with a 6-3 defeat by Dylan champion Littler averaged 90.11 compared to his opponent's 92.74 as he fell in the first round of the tournament in Leicester. Slevin, ranked 61st in the PDC order of merit, had raced into a 4-1 lead against the Warrington teenager at the Mattioli rallied to win the next two legs to reduce the deficit, but 22-year-old Irishman Slevin twice nailed double top on pressure throws to seal victory. Former world champions Michael van Gerwen and Gerwyn Price also fell at the first hurdle. Van Gerwen lost a thriller 6-5 to fellow Dutchman Maik Kuivenhoven while Welshman Price was beaten 6-4 by compatriot Rob number one Luke Humphries exited the tournament in the second round after a 6-5 defeat by fellow Englishman Brett are 34 Players Championship events across the year, with the competition's finals held in Minehead in November.
