Latest news with #StPatrickDay
Irish Independent
15-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
More than €150,000 paid in expenses to Wicklow councillors so far this year
Expenses are paid out under a range of categories and are generally made available to cover the costs incurred by councillors as they carry out their representational duties. Funds are provided to pay for broadband and phone bills, insurance, training, attendance at conferences and mileage. The travel and subsistence elements are calculated by reference to the distance from each councillor's home to council headquarters and is calculated on an annual basis and paid in monthly instalments. Data published by Wicklow County Council up to end of June 2025 shows the Sinn Fein councillor in Bray, Dermot Daisy O'Brien, received the highest amount with €5,445.60. His district colleague in Bray, Green Party councillor Erika Doyle, was the second highest, with her expenses running to €6,083.61, followed by Independent councillor Jason Mulhall, who claimed €5,867.86. Among the other high earners were Fine Gael's Peter Stapleton, who received €3,874.74, and Labour's Paul O'Brien who took home €3,738.51. Cllr O'Brien, who was cathaoirleach of the council until June of this year, was also reimbursed €2,094.85 for a trip abroad between the March 13 and 19. As council chair, he represented Wicklow during the St Patrick Day festivities in New York. Cllr O'Brien separately received €1,107.13 for travel expenses to Wurzburg in Germany as part of a county delegation to celebrate a partnership agreement between the city of Würzburg and Bray that has been in place for over 25 years. Cllr Stephen Stokes and Cllr Patsy Glennon were also part of the delegation between the May 8 and 11 and received €1,186.02 and €872.27 respectively in travel expenses. Councillors Tom Fortune and Peir Leonard were among the other highest independent members compensated with sums of €4,025.58 and €4,115.22 respectively, followed by Cllr Gerry O' Neill at €3,657.06. At the lower end of the list are Cllrs John Snell, Shane Langrell and Graham Richmond who all claimed €2,196.58. Meanwhile Cllr Aoife Flynn Kennedy, who resigned from local politics in March, was paid €2,054.03 up to the end of June, with a final payment of €691.29 transferred in May. So far to date in 2025, more than €7,360 has been paid to allow seven elected members attended a variety of workshops, seminars and conferences across the county. The highest individual bill came to €1,867.17 to allow Cllr Paul O'Brien attend engagements with the Association of Irish Local Government (AILG) and a conference on corporate governance. Cllr Pat Kennedy received the second highest subsidy of €1,813.56 to attend seminars hosted by the AILG. Councillors Avril Cronin, Graham Richmond, Ned Whelan, Warren O'Toole and Patsy Glennon were also reimbursed for their attendance at events hosted by the AILG in various locations with a combined total cost of €1,860.60. Cllr Shane Langrell also received €718.81 to attend the Local Authority Members Association's spring conference in Kilkenny.
BBC News
17-03-2025
- BBC News
Wetin be St Patrick's Day and why dem dey celebrate am
Thousands of dey gada for towns and cities across Northern Ireland to celebrate St Patrick Day on Monday. Belfast promise to be a multicultural celebration of music, culture, the Irish language and community. Derry City and Strabane go "celebrate our heritage" wey go bring togeda pipo from local schools, sports clubs and drama groups. Newry and Downpatrick go do parades wit street performers, community groups, dancers and pageantry. Meanwhile, our BBC Dublin reporter Kevin Sharkey say di party don alreadi start for Irish capital, wit tens of thousands of visitors arriving ahead of di main event on Monday. BBC News for Ireland don pulled togeda wetin dey go on across different places as dem dey celebrate di Patrick Day. How St Patrick Day take come? Millions of pipo around di world dey celebrate St Patrick Day on 17 March evri year. St Patrick Day na celebration of Irish history and culture, and na national holiday in di Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. St Patrick na di patron saint of Ireland and e dey celebrated for bringing Christianity to di kontri. E grow up for Britain during Roman times, but dem kidnap for Britain and take am to Ireland as slave. Once dem free am, e train as a priest and go back to Ireland to convert thousands of pipo to Christianity. Di dates of Patrick life no dey fixed wit certainty, but sometime afta 431 AD, Patrick dey appointed as successor to St Palladius, di first bishop of Ireland. Wia dem dey celebrate St Patrick Belfast Belfast don dey host events since di start of March, wit a packed programme of cultural activities across di city leading up to St Patrick's Day. Di St Patrick Day parade on Monday go start at 13:30 GMT. Local dance troops, schools, community groups and musicians go weave dia way from Belfast City Hall, through di city centre via Chichester Street, Victoria Street, High Street, Castle Place and Donegall Place, bifor returning to di city hall. Belfast TradFest dey host a four-day music festival until Monday. Féile an Phobail dey run a trad trail, wit ova 100 sessions for venues across di city. Seachtain na Gaeilge, an annual festival wey dey promote di Irish language and culture don dey host events since di beginning of di month. Londonderry Di theme for Derry St Patrick Day programme incorporates forest, sky and sea as di city celebrate di arrival of brighter day ahead. Activities dey planned for Guildhall Square, di Craft Village, Waterloo Place and di Guildhall. Di St Patrick Day parade go begin at 15:00 GMT, departing from di Bishop Street carpark. Around 120 children from local schools go take part for dis year parade. Dublin BBC reporter Kevin Sharkey send dis from Dublin say di streets of di city centre dey alreadi a sea of green. St Patrick festival events bin happun for different parts of di city throughout di weekend. Di national St Patrick Day parade go begin at midday local time (12:00 GMT) on Monday, and go celebrate Irish culture and heritage. Ova half a million spectators go gada to watch more dan 4,000 participants, including marching bands from around di world, performers, dancers, and colourful and creative St Patrick Day floats. A special pageant go celebrate 40 years of di Irish non-govmental organisation (NGO) Pavee Point, showcasing Irish Traveller and Roma traditions. Downpatrick Downpatrick dey known as di final resting place of St Patrick and dem go host a carnival parade wit street performers, community groups and dancers. Di parade go leave from Downshire Estate at 13:30 GMT and go arrive di city center. Entertainment go dey throughout di afternoon for di Grove and St Patrick Square. Armagh For Armagh, thousands of visitors dey expected for a week-long celebration, wey begin on Sunday, 9 March, wit a lineup of music, art, theatre, and cultural experiences. Di city parade organised by di local community go start for 13:00 GMT on Monday from di Christian Brother's School. Newry For Newry, di St Patrick Day parade dey depart from Albert Basin at 13:00 GMT on Monday. |Live music and celi go dey for di Marcus and Margaret Squares. Dungannon A free St Patrick Day concert between 13:30 GMT and 16:30 GMT on Monday for di Hill of di O'Neill and Ranfurly House, Dungannon. Irish trad and folk band The Muddlers Club go provide entertainment for di crowds. Face painting, amusements, arts and crafts and food vendors go dey on site. Enniskillen Di Enniskillen St Patrick Day parade go take place at 15:30 GMT on Monday, leaving from Enniskillen Castle. A free family fun day for di castle go play host to live entertainment acts. On Sunday, an illuminated tractor and truck run go take place along di traditional parade route. Omagh Omagh St Patrick Day Parade go begin for 14:00 GMT from South West College. DIs year theme na 'snakes alive', taking inspiration from the 2025 Lunar New Year of di snake. Entertainment go dey and Strule Arts Centre go host a variety of family-friendly activities including arts and crafts, storytelling, and face painting. Antrim and Newtownabbey Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council get an array of St Patrick Day events on offer. Dem go do exhibition of historic Irish dancing costumes dating back to di 1940s for di Theatre at The Mill, running until 13 April. Di exhibition go showcase di tradition and artistry of Irish dance and dey free to visit. A fun family day of live music, storytelling, and traditional Irish dancing and highland dancing dey take place for Antrim Castle Gardens. To round off di celebrations, on di evening of St Patrick Day, di Rapparees go take to di stage for Theatre at The Mill. Lisburn A St Patrick Day celebration and tea dance go take place for di di Market Square, Lisburn. For di Irish Linen Centre and Lisburn Museum, e go get free drop-in arts and crafts themed around di patron saint. Ballycastle For Ballycastle, County Antrim, e go get activities for families and a St Patrick Day parade. Inside di Marine Hotel, dem go do arts and crafts for families, including a quiet area and informal sports demonstrations. Why dem dey celebrate di St Patrick Day? Saint Patrick Day bin start as a religious feast to celebrate di work of Saint Patrick, but e don grow to be an international festival celebrating evritin wey be for di Irish. Pipo dey take part for parades and dancing, eat Irish food, and enjoy huge firework displays. Di day also dey famous around di world for pipo wearing shamrocks, dressing up as bearded Irish fairies called leprechauns, and wearing all green. Di famous St Patrick Parade dey often feature bands from around di world. Dem dey do dis to celebrate di work of St Patrick wen e dey alive and di impact wey e don make.
Fox News
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Deranged Leftists Protest Against Tesla and FOR Hamas
Deranged Leftists take to the streets to protest against Tesla and Elon and/or for a pro-Hamas foreign national. What a choice! I'm Tomi Lahren, more next. This past weekend, while normal and well-adjusted fun-loving people were out celebrating St Patrick Day, the weirdos of the land were out protesting and the protests looked, and I assume smelled, much like you'd imagine. The wacko Leftists had a real dilemma though, a real Sophie's Choice. They had to pick whether they were gonna protest against Elon Musk and Tesla, OR in support of a pro-Hamas, anti-Jewish foreign national. While some simply took over streets and terrorized folks just trying to go about their daily business, others chose to get violent and destructive. Tesla vehicles as well as dealerships and charging stations were vandalized and destroyed. Just a few years ago the Left was in love with electric vehicles and now they are destroying the most popular brand of them. And as for the pro-Hamas folks, they were up to their usual anti-Semitic intimidation. As a millennial who was in the 4th grade on 9/11, I fondly remember the days when all Americans were against terrorism and those who promoted it. I'm Tomi Lahren and you watch my show 'Tomi Lahren is Fearless' at Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
