Latest news with #Twomey
Irish Examiner
04-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Clonakilty Food Company's Colette Twomey on instilling the right culture in your company
Colette Twomey, managing director of Clonakilty Food Company, was the speaker at this month's Cork Chamber Business Breakfast, where she detailed the history of one of Ireland's most recognisable food brands. Speaking to business leaders, she detailed the history of the company, which dates back to the 1800s, and has since grown into an international brand available in outlets across the world, including the UK, Europe and Australia. In 1976, Edward Twomey and his wife Colette took over a butcher shop in Clonakilty and made black pudding, which they began distributing around Cork and Munster due to its popularity. In the 1980s, they added other products such as sausages and white pudding. Speaking at the event in the Clayton Hotel on Cork's Lapp's Quay, Ms Twomey said they promoted the products at food events and roadshows, which expanded its reach. In the 1990s, to meet demand from a growing number of supermarkets, they opened a facility in Little Island outside Cork City. Colette continued to run the company after Eddie died in 2005, and in 2017 she realised a long dream of bringing production back to Clonakilty, developing a purpose-built facility in the town. "You make a decision and you go for it," she said. "Luck is when opportunity meets gut instinct. There are opportunities left, right, and centre. You can choose to ignore them, but if your gut tells you they're right, then lo and behold, you get lucky." The company's drive has moved what was generally viewed as a niche product into a mainstay of Irish cuisine, moving off the breakfast plate into salads, burgers, lasagnes and a pizza topping. Clonakilty is arguably as synonymous with Irish food production as Kerrygold or Barry's Tea. She said in her time running the company, she tried to instil the right culture. "Culture isn't something that you write down or you put on top of the list of a strategy meeting or plan, or anything like that. "It is something that you live day in, day out. I could see the Japanese people, there isn't a sweet paper on the street, there isn't a paper cup. And there isn't a person taping you on the shoulder saying: 'Pick that up, or don't throw it'. It is just their culture. "You have to live your culture in the company. It can be negative, but if you aim at having a positive culture, it will stand to you, and it will filter down through all the teams. You can overemphasise the importance of it." Taking questions from the audience, and asked about her approach in crises such as Brexit, covid, the war in Ukraine and other challenges, Ms Twomey said her calm approach served the company well. "Everyone was saying when Brexit was on the cards that you have to do this, you have to do that. You have to put your staff through lectures and talks. I was saying 'hold on' because everyone was second-guessing everything, so we waited until we knew what was happening. "But it was a challenge. It was a challenge with deliveries, with paperwork. Because black and white pudding would sit longer than sausages so it was a challenge with deliveries." Ms Twomey said the covid pandemic was a busy period for the company, with people spending more time at home and eating more. However, the pork crisis in 2008 was one of the greatest challenges when a global recall of products took place following a food contamination scare. "The pork crisis was the worst day of work I ever did. Having to tell staff that everything was being pulled off the market. We didn't know if it was one day, two days, a week or a month. The insecurity of that was frightening." Read More One of Ireland's oldest companies completes move to new Cork manufacturing facility
Irish Examiner
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Rogue Legend completes quickfire double in Tipperary
Just seven days on from his maiden success in Cork, Rogue Legend bagged the €25,000 Irish EBF Median Sires Series 2-Y-0 Race in Tipperary, highlight of a treble for Billy Lee and a double for trainer Paddy Twomey. Always prominent along the stands rail, the grey son of Havana Grey stretched clear in great style in the final furlong to slam Howd'yadoit by three and a quarter lengths. 'The trainer hasn't planned it very well, asking him to carry so much weight in his races,' acknowledged Twomey. 'But he keeps improving and is learning on the job. And we've no choice but to step into stakes company now. 'He's owned by a very enthusiastic syndicate (the Rogues Gallery Partnership). There are 27 of them involved and I'm sure they'll be thinking about Royal Ascot. But there's a listed race back here in early July (the Tipperary Stakes on July 2) which his trainer thinks might be a good spot for him.' Newcomer Pharos Freedom, a son of Starspangledbanner, brought up the Twomey double and Lee's treble when landing the Tipperary Town Maiden over an extended mile and a half. He recovered from a tardy start, was soon handy and, sent for home turning into the straight, stayed on dourly to beat fellow debutant Ardashir by almost two lengths, the pair stretching eight lengths clear of the rest. 'He's a good tough horse and has done all his work with (recent listed winner) Carmers, working equally as well as him,' stated the winning trainer. 'He's out of a Galileo mare and stays well. He'll have no problem stepping up in trip.' Lee had registered the second leg of his treble when Shoney, a Mehmas filly, trained for Michael Ryan by Willie McCreery, made all for an emphatic win in the five-furlong maiden, scooting clear to beat Memphis Rose by four and a quarter lengths. 'She's not very big but she has a lot of heart and tries very hard,' said McCreery. 'She broke well. Billy was able to dictate things and she picked-up well. Michael is big into breeding, so we'll try to get some black type for her.' Slowly away when fourth in Cork last time, course and distance scorer Sarahmae made amends in style when justifying 5-1 favouritism in the five-furlong SIS Supporting Irish Racing Handicap, racing prominently throughout before asserting and beating Beano Power comfortably. 'She missed the start and was unlucky in Cork,' explained Denis Hogan. 'But she's improving, likes an ease in the ground and had won here in the spring. Joey (Sheridan) gets a good tune out of her and I think we'll freshen her up and hope to move up through the grades with her.' In Ballinrobe, Sean Flanagan, on his second day back after injury, provided Barry Connell with a double, courtesy of 4-6 shot Net Boy, who survived a last flight mistake to take a division of the Sheridan Electric Maiden Hurdle, and Tannery Park (9-1) in the FBD Handicap Hurdle. On a night when four odds-on favourites obliged, the biggest shock came when the Willie Mullins-trained 8/13 shot Last Kingdom was outpointed by 66/1 shot A Snow White Park, a four-year-old filly and racecourse debutante, ridden by Danny Mullins for his mother Mags. Janes Harbour justified 8-11 favouritism in the opener for Joseph O'Brien and Mark Walsh while the Bill Durkan-trained Fairbanks will head to Royal Ascot on the back of his all-the-way success in the second division of the Sheridan Electric Maiden Hurdle. And hotpot Doctor Steinberg bolted-up in the bumper for Willie and Patrick Mullins.
Boston Globe
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
David Souter remembered in New Hampshire as ‘brilliant, thoughtful, kind'
'David was a private person, but he wasn't reclusive at all,' said Advertisement A Republican former state attorney general before becoming a New Hampshire Superior Court judge in the state where he grew up, Souter drew admiration throughout his home state's legal profession, which mourned his death. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'The New Hampshire Supreme Court conducts its business in the Souter Conference Room in Concord,' New Hampshire Supreme Court Chief Justice Gordon J. MacDonald said in a statement. 'There, we are reminded daily of Justice Souter's deep intellect, his reverence for the law, his love for our state, and perhaps most of all, his humility,' MacDonald said. Paul J. Twomey, a defense attorney in New Hampshire, called Souter 'one of only three human beings I've ever considered a hero in my life. I admire him immensely.' Advertisement Though Souter came to be considered part of the Supreme Court's liberal faction, he was appointed in 1990 by a Republican president, George H.W. Bush. And many of Souter's New Hampshire friends thought he didn't stray from his Republican roots. 'David was a judicial conservative,' Glahn said, adding that the change in public perception had more to do with the entire Supreme Court's ideological shift, rather than with Souter himself. 'David always thought of himself as a moderate,' Glahn said, 'and as the court moved further and further right, that middle position began to seem more liberal.' Twomey recalled that as a state Superior Court associate justice, Souter had a reputation for being extremely conservative and hard in his sentencing — but at the same time he was 'just the fairest person you could ever meet.' Twomey said Souter's US Supreme Court work, including building a coalition of justices that reaffirmed abortion rights in 1992's Planned Parenthood v. Casey ruling, 'is just of incredible importance.' Twomey said he and Souter had discussed abortion. 'I knew that he personally did not believe in abortion, but he was the deciding vote,' Twomey said of the 5-to-4 Casey ruling. Twomey said Souter worked to keep in place the abortion rights the court had established in Roe v. Wade 'because he felt it was compelled by the law, even though it was against his personal beliefs. You don't find people that do that very often.' Advertisement Kuster's father, Malcolm McLane, was on the Rhodes Scholarship selection committee when Souter was selected from New Hampshire. He subsequently studied in Oxford, England. After returning home and graduating from Harvard Law School, Souter began his career at Orr & Reno, the same law firm as Kuster's father, and served alongside her mother on the Concord Hospital Board of Trustees. Over the years, Kuster said, Souter maintained a close and personal friendship with her family. 'My parents just became very, very fond of him,' she said, adding that her mother, in particular, became his confidant. Glahn, who worked for Souter in the attorney general's office decades ago, described him as a brilliant man with an 'encyclopedic' mind — a generous boss and warm friend who had a dry sense of humor and a deep love of books and reading. He spoke about hiking up some of New Hampshire's 4,000-plus foot peaks with Souter and inviting him over for dinner with his wife and children. Glahn also recalled that he and colleagues would seek book recommendations from Souter, an avid reader. The two remained close until the end, and Glahn last saw Souter earlier this week. They were beginning to discuss alternative living arrangements for Souter, who was still living alone. 'It's going to leave a big hole in my life. David was a brother to me,' Glahn said. 'You couldn't have a better friend.' Amanda Gokee can be reached at
Reuters
12-03-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Trump's Justice Department shakeup hits bankruptcy watchdog
March 11 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's purge of government employees has hit the Justice Department's bankruptcy watchdog, with the firing of the director of the Office of the U.S. Trustee. Tara Twomey was removed from her position on Friday, along with other senior DOJ officials, opens new tab, including the head of a task force that combats drugs and organized crime and officials who handled presidential pardon and public records requests. Twomey was appointed to the position in February 2023 by then-attorney general Merrick Garland. Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, a former bankruptcy law professor, said that Twomey was a public servant "who cared deeply about safeguarding families and served with great integrity." "President Trump's decision to fire our nation's bankruptcy watchdog will leave families in financial crisis unprotected from abuse and allow giant companies to cheat the system and skirt accountability," Warren said in a statement. The Office of the U.S. Trustee is tasked with promoting integrity and efficiency in U.S. bankruptcy cases, working to ensure that rules are followed and that bankruptcy courts work for the benefit of debtors, creditors and the public. That work can often be administrative, such as appointing official committees to represent creditors who are most at risk in bankruptcy. But the office sometimes takes on a major role — its objections to Purdue Pharma's proposed settlement of opioid lawsuits resulted in a Supreme Court ruling that re-set the boundaries of how mass tort cases are handled in bankruptcy. The Justice Department did not respond to requests for comment. Twomey did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. The job is seen as relatively non-partisan, and Twomey had a reputation of being 'exceedingly competent,' according to Anthony Casey, a bankruptcy expert who teaches law at the University of Chicago. 'I think the firing is very troubling,' Casey said. 'There is nothing normal about it.' Twomey's predecessor, Cliff White, held the job for 17 years, working under Republican presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump, in his first term; as well as under Democratic presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden. White said the position was "less political" than others within the government, and the bankruptcy watchdog's role did not change dramatically from administration to administration. Twomey's firing comes amid other Trump administration moves to remove or sideline career Justice Department officials, who typically keep their positions across presidential administrations. Twomey was a member of the senior executive service, a group of civil servants whose job protections Trump has tried to limit. One of Trump's first official acts as president was to issue a memorandum, opens new tab to 'restore integrity' to the senior executive service, saying that the 'power to remove subordinates' was a core part of his authority as president. Before taking her position at the office of the U.S. Trustee, Twomey had more than 20 years of experience working on bankruptcy and consumer credit issues. She served as executive director of the National Consumer Bankruptcy Rights Center, and worked as an attorney for the National Consumer Law Center.
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Labour warning on Reform UK gaining ground in London
The Labour leader of an east London council has said that the Labour Party should not "be complacent" about the rise in support for Reform UK in the capital. The comments by Dominic Twomey, the leader of Barking and Dagenham council, come after national YouGov opinion polling suggested that Nigel Farage's Reform UK was one point ahead of Labour in voting intentions. The borough is among the areas where Reform UK did well in London in the General Election last year. Reform UK's London Assembly member Alex Wilson said his party's rise is "because of the establishment's continued failure to deliver for working people". Mr Twomey took over running the east London borough last year after his predecessor Darren Rodwell stepped aside as leader after being forced to withdraw as a parliamentary candidate for Labour. Speaking to Eddie Nestor for BBC Radio London's "Meet the Leader" hot-seat, a series about the capital's newest council leaders, Mr Twomey recalled the part he and other Labour Party members played in countering the rise of the British National Party (BNP) back in 2006 in Barking and Dagenham when it won 12 council seats. He said: "We learnt the lesson from 2006 to 2010 and onwards and ever since. Do not become complacent. "Do not allow a void to come where you don't talk to your residents, because someone will fill it." Mr Wilson says any comparison between his party and the BNP is "ridiculous". "Nobody in frontline politics has done more to destroy the rise of the BNP than Nigel Farage," he added. "We have a mayor who is more focused on diversity officers and mean tweets, rather than focusing on tackling real issues that matter to people," he added. Mr Twomey said he thought Sir Keir Starmer was on the "path to improve the country", but that Labour had to take political challenges seriously. He said: "Never be complacent ever, ever. Once you start to be complacent and think that that sort of change can't happen, is when it happens." He will face his first council election as leader in May next year. You can listen to Cllr Twomey's full Meet the Leader interview on BBC Sounds. Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to Barking and Dagenham residents: 'We feel forgotten' Nigel Farage claims Reform can win power - but how realistic is that? Red Wall Labour MPs want tougher message on immigration
