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Irish Examiner
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
For those who stick it out, Australia can be a home and make you feel lucky
Two weeks back, I took myself on a pre-date date to my favourite bar in Melbourne, with nothing but the book I'm reading. I wouldn't dream of doing this in my hometown of Clonakilty. I'd be mortified at the thought of someone I know seeing me and thinking I'm unpopular, or an alcoholic or an unpopular alcoholic. There's a never ending eclectic list of activities I couldn't fathom doing in case one of the 5,000-ish people in my town 'see me'; like going for a run on a country road, doing an open mic night, going to SuperValu without my mother for back-up. Friends and I agree that it's very embarrassing to simply exist in a small Irish town and passionately tried to explain this to our Sydney-born friend around a table one night. She couldn't understand it. We had to show her 'the' tweet. [For those who have never seen 'the' tweet - by a user called Janky_Jane, it reads '"Props to anyone who tries to be fashionable in Ireland I wore a red beret once in Waterford and someone called me super mario"] Props to anyone who tries to be fashionable in ireland i wore a red beret once in waterford and someone called me super mario — Jane (@janky_jane) August 15, 2021 Sitting in the Melbourne bar alone, having released my inhibitions reading The Story Of A New Name — which feels apt given the central topic of this article — I hear the sweet lilt of a Donegal accent. I train my ears as two men gulp their pints. They're on a man friend date. I can tell by the body language. Someone has definitely set them up and they'll likely need to murder 12 additional pints to get through the excruciation of building a home-away-from-home community as an adult. I know they're new to each-other by the way they're speaking. The three questions; 1. When did you move over yourself? 2. Why did you move then? 3. Do you love it, do you think you'll stay? I've heard the same vital ingredients rattled off to these questions every time, outside nightclub toilets, at picnics, in smoking rooms, around kitchen tables; 'yeah, on the working holiday', 'sure you can't beat the good weather', 'the pay is way better isn't it', 'the work/life balance is incredible', 'the rental situation in Dublin is just shocking isn't it.' Melbourne. Some settlers have been dreaming of moving to Australia since they were 10. Photo: Hannah Kingston It always, always, comes back to and amounts to the lifestyle. The living is easy in the lucky country. It's a country that instigates expansion. When I moved here five years ago, I was only going to stay for six months. I was hyper-fixated on getting a mortgage with my boyfriend. Now I'm a lesbian with no savings. I'm the happiest I've ever been. I smile warmly at the lads as I walk out of the bar, trying to say 'I'm Irish too' with my eyes. Outside it's balmy and in a flash I am transported to Fade Street, standing outside Hogans. The only accents I hear among the plumes of the crackling vapes are Irish. For a brief second my body and brain run away, it feels exactly like those first six months in Dublin. Glamorous, progressive, exotic. I need to shake my head out of the daydream. A first. A Melbourne bar that is not sporting Irish flags and hurleys accommodating more Irish than Australians. For a second, the remnants of that teenage feeling, swiftly looking around the bar to see if there's anyone I know. Hoping that no one spotted me and thinks I'm an unpopular alcoholic. A pro-Palestine protest in Melbourne. Photo: Hannah Kingston Tá eagla orm that I'll get bullied online for being narcissistic enough to think that my emigration experience is a universal one, so I spoke to 25 Irish folk to pick out some common themes which correspond to over 100,000 people born on the Emerald Isle now residing in the Land Down Under. Some settlers have been dreaming of moving to Australia since they were 10. They say post-homework Home and Away might have had something to do with it. Others have deep family roots, speaking of great aunts who were put on a ship in the 1930s. Some flew the nest for a partner. Lots spoke of better job opportunities, enhanced lifestyles. Many simply feared missing out. All were and are curious about the world around them. There are undeniable perks; no offence to the wonderful Australians I know who speak of the housing crisis but the statement itself will elicit an eye roll from most of us Irish. I currently live in a two-bedroom apartment, a 20-minute walk from the nice side of the CBD with a monthly rent of €1,085. I used to pay €1,000 for a bedroom in a six-bed house in Dublin. I lived with five carnivorous men in a hostel-style environment. The house constantly smelled of frying meat. Before that I lived in an attic that the wifi couldn't reach, you could only stand up straight in the doorway (I'm 5'4). Melbourne. I spoke to 25 Irish folk to pick out some common themes which correspond to over 100,000 people born on the Emerald Isle now residing in the Land Down Under. Photo: Hannah Kingston I woke up once with a neck like a tree trunk when a wasp nest broke free from the attic's insulation and did their worst before dying all over my room. I was sweeping little wasp corpses for weeks. Between wasp and steak house, I lived in a 'house' with damp, blackened mouldy wallpaper. I don't know what was worse, the wallpaper or my housemate who used to cover a margarita pizza in mayonnaise and smoked salmon and would then microwave it. Microwave it. You can't put a price on positive mental health and I will never be able to rid myself of that visual, that smell. To save for the big move to Australia I needed to make my rent cheaper again so I moved into a room that contained a single bed only; when I opened the door, it hit the single bed. I genuinely think it used to be a hot press. To create a disposable income in Dublin, you need to make yourself as small as possible, forfeit things on Maslow's hierarchy of needs. I will never speak ill of my time living in the capital because it was the first time I didn't feel embarrassed to exist as per my late teenage years. That being said, interning at a newspaper, waitressing at night to pay rent and writing a thesis between shifts in the hope of getting a cool media job almost broke me into three pieces. Hannah Kingston: 'I'm not surprised there are enough Irish in Australia to fill Limerick city.' The situation of the boring admin things like having a stable place to live, getting paid enough money to be able to purchase enough healthy food for the week does matter. When you're working all the hours in the world and you still have to think about the financial consequences of going to the cinema on a Wednesday, it will age you beyond your years. I'm not surprised there are enough Irish in Australia to fill Limerick city. Reporting from the ground you can see it and hear how joyful it is to be a 26-hour flight away and see Aussies jumping up and down at Kneecap, swaying to Fontaines DC and screaming 'I love you Ciara' at CMAT. For those who stick it out to see what happens, it can be a home, make you feel lucky.
Daily Mail
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Miranda Kerr steals the spotlight in a sculptural black gown as she joins fashion's elite at the 2025 Met Gala in New York City
Miranda Kerr made a dramatic entrance at the 2025 Met Gala on Monday night, turning heads in a show-stopping sculptural black gown that fused high fashion with avant-garde elegance. The Australian supermodel, 42, looked nothing short of sensational as she arrived at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City for fashion's biggest night of the year. Miranda opted for a daring strapless creation that featured exaggerated origami-style folds across the bodice and hip, paired with a wire-mesh veil worn over her face. The Sydney-born model completed her attention-grabbing get-up with floor-grazing statement sleeves that billowed as she posed for photographers. The striking ensemble showcased her toned physique and highlighted her statuesque frame. She accessorised the bold look with long black opera gloves, strappy stilettos and a dazzling diamond choker necklace. Meanwhile, her brunette hair was elegantly swept back into a sleek braided bun. A swipe of classic red lipstick completed Miranda's old-Hollywood-inspired glam look. She was joined by her tech billionaire husband Evan Spiegel, who cut a dashing figure in a tailored suit. Beaming from ear to ear, Miranda appeared to be in high spirits as she posed confidently for cameras, flashing her signature smile. She waved to fans and photographers alike, clearly soaking up the electric atmosphere of the star-studded evening. The former Victoria's Secret Angel radiated joy and confidence as she glided down the blue carpet, pausing to laugh and chat with fellow guests. Her cheerful energy was infectious - and it was clear she was enjoying every moment of the glamorous night out. The star-studded affair marked another standout appearance for Miranda, who has become a Met Gala regular over the years thanks to her sophisticated fashion choices and runway-ready poise. The annual invite-only event has a theme each year, with this year's theme as 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,' inspired by Monica Miller's work, which includes her book Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity. Monica is the chair of Africana Studies at Barnard College, as well as a professor at the institute. The 2025 gala theme focuses on menswear, 22 years after the 'Men In Skirts' theme - which was the first gala to focus only on menswear. According to Monica, Black dandyism is 'a strategy and a tool to rethink identity, to reimagine the self in a different context. To really push a boundary - especially during the time of enslavement, to really push a boundary on who and what counts as human, even,' via Vogue. The Met Gala 2025 will be co-chaired by Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, Colman Domingo, Pharrell Williams and Anna Wintour, with Lebron James as the honourary chair. Miranda joined a glittering lineup of A-listers, including Zendaya, who turned heads in a sharp white suit and wide-brimmed hat by Louis Vuitton, and Gigi Hadid, who dazzled in a custom gold halter gown by Miu Miu.
Sky News AU
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
Sophie Delezio breaks down in tears on social media as accident survivor pleads for help with eight-month-old son
Sophie Delezio has broken down in tears on social media as she pleaded for parenting advice to combat her eight-month-old son's constant crying. The Australian double-car crash victim, 24, and her husband Joseph Salerno welcomed their first child Frankie through an unplanned caesarean section last September. On Thursday, Delezio became candid about life as a new mother, confessing to struggling with life with a newborn. She took to Instagram stories to ask her 300,000 followers who were parents how to cope with feeling "run down" and "exhausted." "To all the mums out there, how do you cope when you're feeling run down and just a bit exhausted?" she said. "How do you keep your child entertained? "I have to provide top-tier entertainment otherwise, there is going to be many tears. And to be honest, probably from both of us. How?" The new mother teared up as she described this difficult season of her life as "peak motherhood," during which she battled to forgo old habits. "I just want to crawl up into my bed and watch Netflix all day," she said. "But no, the sun is shining, and we've got to get on with the day." Delezio has shared her peaks and troughs of motherhood and previously mentioned her son's constant crying was "heartbreaking." She said the worst part of being a new mum was guessing what her baby's cries meant. "It's so hard at first to figure out what each cry means, and sometimes they just cry for no reason, and it breaks my heart," she said. In February, she said in a video of the young family at the airport that travelling with a newborn was not for the "faint-hearted." "I seriously feel like we had to pack for a month when we were only gone two days!" the 24-year-old wrote in the caption. However, Delezio has largely maintained a positive outlook and recently said she found "joy in the little things." "Seeing him discover the world for the first time. His obsession with trees. His love for walks. His smile," she said. "...These are moments I'll never get back, and I want to cherish every single one." The Sydney-born car crash survivor can often be seen taking Frankie for walks in his pram during sunset in the northern Sydney suburb of Manly. In December 2003, Delezio was just two years old when she and another toddler were severely injured after they became trapped under a burning car that crashed through the window of the Roundhouse Childcare Centre in Fairlight, Sydney. She suffered burns to 85 per cent of her body and lost both legs below the knee, her right hand, and her right ear. Donald John McNeall, 68, was cleared of negligent driving as it could not be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that he did not have a seizure. After being released from hospitalisation after several months, Delezio made national headlines when another car struck her in May 2006. Delezio was thrown 18 metres while being pushed by her nanny across a crossing in a wheelchair near her home on Sydney's northern beaches. She suffered a heart attack, a broken jaw, a broken shoulder, bruising to her head, numerous rib fractures and a tear to her left lung. John George Sharman, 80, was charged with "dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, and not giving way to a pedestrian on a crossing." He received an 18-month good behaviour bond and was suspended from driving for a year.
Sky News AU
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
'It's a love language for us': Delta Goodrem makes rare comments about her husband-to-be Matthew Copley following glamorous hen's party celebrations
Aussie pop star Delta Goodrem has shared rare comments about her relationship with longtime partner Matthew Copley, as the countdown to their wedding begins. The 40-year-old singer-songwriter celebrated her hen's party over the weekend aboard a luxury yacht in Palm Beach, joined by close friends including former Nine presenter Airlie Walsh and Today show entertainment reporter Renee Bargh. Goodrem, who has long kept her relationship with Copley out of the spotlight, explained why she prefers to keep details of their romance and upcoming nuptials under wraps. "He chooses music, but he doesn't choose this," the Born to Try singer told Stellar. "It's a love language for us (performing together), but I do love keeping us as a sacred house, too. That's important to me." Delta and Matthew, who are based in Los Angeles, have been together for six years and are believed to have met through their mutual friend, fellow Aussie singer Conrad Sewell. "Music is how we met, it's what we both do," she told Stellar in an earlier interview. "I have an amazing partner and we live a good life and we get to tour the world doing what we love to do." The Sydney-born performer, who was previously engaged to Irish singer Brian McFadden and has been romantically linked to Mark Philippoussis and Nick Jonas, has always described herself as someone who values deep, lasting relationships. "I'm somebody who loves to go deeper. I'm all about long-term friendships and relationships, and I love those people with all my heart," she told HELLO! magazine in 2020. "When Matt and I work together, it's really easy to go straight to the core of our feelings because we're living and breathing life together all the time. It's wonderful to work with him." In 2023, the couple launched their own record label, ATLED Records. "I started ATLED Records and premiered the first song live on stage! What a day…!!!" Copley wrote on social media in July that year. "Getting to play music anywhere is special for me, playing music anywhere with my love is even better, playing music with my love with my family in Malta was so incredible!" With Delta set to perform at Hackney Empire in London this May, it's understood the wedding will likely take place in June or July.
The Guardian
25-04-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Ange Postecoglou's shadow looms large as Yokohama seek to defy odds in Saudi Arabia
Ange Postecoglou looks a little frazzled these days but may find some comfort in watching one of his old clubs play on Saturday evening (Sunday 5.30 AEST) and contemplating his Japanese legacy. Yokohama meet Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr in an Asian Champions League Elite quarter-final with Patrick Kisnorbo is in charge. The 44-year-old is the fourth Australian to occupy the Yokohama hotseat since Postecoglou left for Celtic in 2021 after three years in Japan that must seem happier by the week. Rose-tinted glasses can be forgiven in light of Tottenham Hotspur's current woes. For all the talk about second-season trophies, there should be more about how Postecoglou – in his first campaign with Yokohama in 2018, was saved from relegation only by goal difference. Yokohama were, of course, the second-highest scorers in the league, with just one goal fewer than the champions, in what proved to be the platform for the title-winning season that came next. More Australian coaches have followed, mostly due to their philosophy, rather than passports, matching Postecoglou's. Kevin Muscat, Postecoglou's successful successor at Melbourne Victory, was also next in line at Yokohama. His view that Postecoglou was both mentor and inspiration, closely reflected the Marinos mood. The 2022 title won under Muscat was another goal-heavy ride full of entertainment. Muscat left for Shanghai in December 2023 and was replaced by a third Australian. After a string of jobs in the lower leagues of England, Harry Kewell's own coaching career had, at best, stagnated until he was handed a lifeline by Postecoglou with a job on Celtic's coaching staff. In Yokohama, the former Socceroos winger lasted just seven months. He did continue with the same attacking philosophy but, despite an Asian Champions League final appearance, results at home were not good enough and Kewell got his marching orders in July 2024. Former Postecoglou assistant, John Hutchinson, a Sydney-born midfielder, was caretaker until the end of the season and steered Yokohama a mid-table finish. Finally, in December last year, the keys were handed to a coach who was not Australian, as the aims of part-owner City Football Group (CFG) were proven to outrank any perceived coaching traits of a certain nationality. A candidate that can bring success in Japan, but also with the potential to add value elsewhere in the 13-club global network, is ideal. The group felt that Steve Holland, assistant to Gareth Southgate with England and carrying experience of working with a string of big-name coaches at Chelsea, had a bright future. It was a gamble, especially for a with virtually no head coaching experience and whose more pragmatic playing style seemed to be a departure from the club's recent philosophy. Holland lasted just four months, though there was some bad luck. Competing in Asia and Japan meant many games and little time for a new coach to embed his ideas and deal with a host of injuries especially at the back. Giving up a 2-0 half-time lead to lose 3-2 to Shimizu S-Pulse at home was the last straw . With the club 18th on the table, Holland was fired on Good Friday, and then after a bad Sunday, Yokohama hit 20th and rock bottom. Assistant Kisnorbo – who has already coached two CFG clubs – has stepped up. In Japan, he will need all his experience from both ends of the table – successive premierships with Melbourne City in 2021 and 2022, and then a year in France when leading Troyes to relegation. The ex-Leeds and Leicester defender returned to Australia in June 2024 to take over Melbourne Victory. When he left six months later for Japan, the club understandably expressed their shock at their highly-rated head coach choosing to leave to be an assistant to a serial No 2. Kisnorbo now has his chance. His interim coaching tenure may have begun with former Arsenal winger Ryo Miyaichi carried off in the opening minutes of what ended in a 3-1 defeat to Urawa Reds, but things can only get better, perhaps starting in Saudi Arabia. Sign up to The Recap The best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend's action after newsletter promotion The odds are against Kisnorbo's side, with star striker Anderson Lopes warning of humiliation by the Red Sea if Yokohama do not improve. There is not just Ronaldo, who was rested in Tuesday's 3-2 win over Damac, but $150m forward Jhon Duran, former Liverpool and Bayern Munich star Sadio Mane, and Spanish international Aymeric Laporte at the back. Kisnorbo's task is not helped by all games at the Champions League quarter-final stage being held far away in Saudi Arabia – a huge, and arguably unfair, advantage to the three clubs from that country that are in the last eight. But with expectations low, Yokohama can play without fear and might need only to score to turn all the pressure onto the well-funded Al-Nassr. Postecoglou knows about finding ways to lift a side from the wrong end of the table, just as he did in Japan in 2019 and will be hoping to have the opportunity to do at Spurs. But if Kisnorbo can now pull off a surprise by the Red Sea, it could be the first critical step to turning Yokohama's fortunes around and starting another exciting, Australian-led, journey.
