Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Donncha O’Connell @donnchalaw.bsky.social · 3h

The Ivan Yates ‘smear the bejaysus out of her’ clip going mainstream and featuring on the likes of RTÉ News is seriously damaging to the FG presidential campaign…in the same way that seeing sausages being made is seriously damaging to sausages #Áras25

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Reposted by Donncha O’Connell

Illan wall @illanwall.bsky.social · 10h

I'm so happy that this is now live. We have a new book series, edited by Henrique Carvalho, Christine Schwöbel-Patel, Daniel Matthews and I.

Bristol University Press have been a dream to work with, so please do send in your proposals

criticallegalthinking.com/2025/10/10/n...

New Book Series: Law, Culture and Justice (Bristol Uni Press)

We are delighted to announce a new series to foster critical, theoretically and methodologically innovative, culturally informed work on law and justice.

criticallegalthinking.com

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Reposted by Donncha O’Connell

Adam Schwarz @adamjschwarz.bsky.social · 14h

The Nobel Peace Prize 2025 has been awarded to Venezuelan democracy activist María Corina Machado.

The Nobel Committee recognised her “struggle to achieve a just & peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.”

In other words, exactly the opposite of what Trump is doing to the United States.

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Donncha O’Connell @donnchalaw.bsky.social · 16h

Have a feeling the negative campaigning tactics employed by FG won’t draw voters towards their candidate who, let’s face it, is well below par. It may result in an even lower voter turnout while emboldening Catherine Connolly’s base, especially younger voters. Great work! #Áras25

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Donncha O’Connell @donnchalaw.bsky.social · 1d

Spent this morning training staff in Leinster House on judicial oversight of parliamentary processes, really enjoyable experience, great to come into contact with professionals who have to make practical sense of superior court decisions in a challenging environment…

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Donncha O’Connell @donnchalaw.bsky.social · 1d

Fair to say that FG did more for banking interests in this country over many years than one jobbing barrister on the Western Circuit ever did in the course of discharging elementary professional and ethical obligations. Get a grip, Blueshirts, you’re looking desperate! #Áras25

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Donncha O’Connell @donnchalaw.bsky.social · 2d

Puerile nonsense #Áras25

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Donncha O’Connell @donnchalaw.bsky.social · 2d

Between this and yesterday platforming the opinion of a high-profile randomer with an agenda that the election should be called off I am seriously running out of road with the paper of record! Such tendentious nonsense.

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Donncha O’Connell @donnchalaw.bsky.social · 2d

Is there a barrel bottom that hasn’t been scraped yet in the determined drive to attack the character and professionalism of the Left candidate who’s doing well in polls? Of course Catherine Connolly BL acted for clients on a normal disinterested basis!

www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

Catherine Connolly did ‘all types of work’ as barrister and represented banks during crash

Presidential election candidate says she was ‘obliged as a lawyer to act on behalf of variety of clients’

www.irishtimes.com

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Donncha O’Connell @donnchalaw.bsky.social · 2d

Insufficient capacity to train 1,000 gardaí in Templemore. Recruitment Training Capacity Group was expected to make decision on whether a second Training College should be established but recommended that another group be established to consider that matter:

www.rte.ie/news/2025/10...

No capacity to train 1,000 gardaí each year - report

A working group set up to consider how to increase garda recruitment has found that the Garda College at Templemore, does not have the capacity to train 1,000 new gardaí every year.

www.rte.ie

Donncha O’Connell @donnchalaw.bsky.social · 2d

I sniff the emergence of a formidable ‘Centrist Dads for Connolly Campaign’… #Áras25

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Donncha O’Connell @donnchalaw.bsky.social · 2d

Almost half of people in Ireland fear they won’t be able to pay their bills – survey. IHREC research finds a country being pulled in different directions and in need of leadership on key issues…

www.irishtimes.com/ireland/soci...

Almost half of people in Ireland fear they won’t be able to pay their bills – survey

Research finds a country being pulled in different directions and in need of leadership on key issues

www.irishtimes.com

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Reposted by Donncha O’Connell

Irish Legal News @irishlegal.com · 3d

Applications are now open for the legal access internship scheme jointly run by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Law Reform Commission, the Office of the Attorney General, the Chief State Solicitor’s Office and the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Legal access internship scheme opens for applications

Applications are now open for the legal access internship scheme jointly run by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Law Reform Commission, the Office of the Attorney General, the Chief State Solicitor’s Office and the Houses of the Oireachtas.

www.irishlegal.com

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Donncha O’Connell @donnchalaw.bsky.social · 3d

Carna 50 – bhí Charlie Haughey ann in am an ghátair. Déanfar ceiliúradh i gCarna anocht ar an tSaotharlann Taighde Mara i Maínis i gCarna, nó ‘an Lab’, atá 50 bliain ar an bhfód

tuairisc.ie/carna-50-bhi...

Carna 50 – bhí Charlie Haughey ann in am an ghátair

Déanfar ceiliúradh i gCarna anocht ar an tSaotharlann Taighde Mara i Maínis i gCarna, nó ‘an Lab’, atá 50 bliain ar an bhfód

tuairisc.ie

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Donncha O’Connell @donnchalaw.bsky.social · 3d

Watched this last night, the beautiful, joyful and at times wild funeral service of the wonderful Manchán Magan. Well worth taking some time to behold:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8--...

Manchán's Funeral Service

YouTube video by The Coop Dublin

www.youtube.com

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Donncha O’Connell @donnchalaw.bsky.social · 4d

DPP calls for re-examination of disclosure policies and practices

www.irishlegal.com/articles/dpp...

DPP calls for re-examination of disclosure policies and practices

Disclosure policies and practices should be re-examined in response to the "relentless growth in digital data", the director of public prosecutions has said. Writing in the foreword to her office's la...

www.irishlegal.com

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Donncha O’Connell @donnchalaw.bsky.social · 5d

Colin Murphy: Catherine Connolly’s air of authenticity is making her a real contender for the Áras. The left-wing populist’s surprisingly frank answers carry the message: ‘You don’t have to like me, but I’m not hiding who I am’

www.independent.ie/irish-news/p...

Colin Murphy: Catherine Connolly’s air of authenticity is making her a real contender for the Áras

On Thursday on RTÉ Radio 1, Claire Byrne started her interview with Catherine Connolly with the kind of question that could be a death knell for an ordinary presidential campaign: “Is it true that you...

www.independent.ie

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Donncha O’Connell @donnchalaw.bsky.social · 5d

New book profiles life and work of two exceptional Galwegian women academics, Anderson and Tinney - Connacht Tribune - Galway City Tribune

connachttribune.ie/new-book-pro...

New book profiles life and work of two exceptional Galwegian academics - Connacht Tribune - Galway City Tribune

New book profiles life and work of two exceptional Galwegian academics

connachttribune.ie

Donncha O’Connell @donnchalaw.bsky.social · 5d

Paul Gillespie: President Michael D Higgins spoke truth to the powerless as well as the powerful. His prolific speeches and writings are a highlight of his two-term presidency - The Irish Times

www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2025...

Worldview: Michael D Higgins chose to speak truth to the powerless as well as the powerful

His prolific speeches and writings are a highlight of his two-term presidency

www.irishtimes.com

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Donncha O’Connell @donnchalaw.bsky.social · 6d

FF vote in #Áras25 will be very interesting. Suspect those not too enthused by the Gavin candidacy may also not fancy switching their vote to FG or voting for Gavin as a FG sweeper. Ó Cuiv-minded FFers and those of a stronger republican persuasion may well vote for Connolly…

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Donncha O’Connell @donnchalaw.bsky.social · 6d

Lots of Undecideds to be won over but great momentum for Connolly and no sign that negative campaigning is benefiting those targeting her. Gavin seems to be going the way of Gay Mitchell in 2011. #Áras25

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Donncha O’Connell @donnchalaw.bsky.social · 6d

‘Better quality’ planning decisions would mean fewer judicial reviews - Bar council chairperson

www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/co...

‘Better quality’ planning decisions would mean fewer judicial reviews - Bar council chair

Seán Guerin SC says decision-making failure over planning for Dublin drainage project ‘not the fault of judicial review’

www.irishtimes.com

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Donncha O’Connell @donnchalaw.bsky.social · 6d

Lawyers on collision course with Justice Minister over reforms to judicial review process

www.independent.ie/irish-news/c...

Lawyers on collision course with Justice Minister over reforms to judicial review process

The head of the representative body for barristers has expressed concern about major proposed changes to the judicial review process.

www.independent.ie

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Reposted by Donncha O’Connell

Martin Doyle @martindoyle.bsky.social · 6d

Seamus Heaney’s Ribbons: A beautiful poem about his sisters, published for the first time and astutely analysed by Dr Rosie Lavan, co-editor of his Colleced Poems with Bernard O’Donoghue, out next week
www.irishtimes.com/life-style/p...

Seamus Heaney’s Ribbons: A beautiful poem about his sisters, published for the first time

The reader is transported by Heaney’s illuminating memory: we’re in a school, a photographer is visiting and the girls are having their picture taken

www.irishtimes.com

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