Gavan Reilly
@gavreilly.com
Politics guy @virginmedianews.bsky.social; one third of The Group Chat podcast; columns here and there; author of ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ญ ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐: linktr.ee/gavreilly
A serving Garda has today been arrested under organised crime legislation, as part of an inquiry into the alleged removal of a significant quantity of drugs from a Garda station in 2024. Five other non-Gardaรญ have also been arrested
November 19, 2025 at 9:51 PM
A serving Garda has today been arrested under organised crime legislation, as part of an inquiry into the alleged removal of a significant quantity of drugs from a Garda station in 2024. Five other non-Gardaรญ have also been arrested
Hildegarde Naughton will be new Education Minister. Simon Harris will take finance, Helen McEntee foreign affairs and defence. Emer Higgins will be the new FG super junior at Dept of Children. Frank Feighan will be a junior minister for public procurement. @virginmedianews.bsky.social
November 18, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Hildegarde Naughton will be new Education Minister. Simon Harris will take finance, Helen McEntee foreign affairs and defence. Emer Higgins will be the new FG super junior at Dept of Children. Frank Feighan will be a junior minister for public procurement. @virginmedianews.bsky.social
NEW: Paschal Donohoe is resigning as MInister for Finance, and as a TD, in order to take up a role with the World Bank in Washington. Announcement expected after this morning's Cabinet meeting. @virginmedianews.bsky.social
November 18, 2025 at 9:45 AM
NEW: Paschal Donohoe is resigning as MInister for Finance, and as a TD, in order to take up a role with the World Bank in Washington. Announcement expected after this morning's Cabinet meeting. @virginmedianews.bsky.social
Theyโre GPS units - thereโll be somebody logging how much running each player has done, for example, and tell the bench when someone is likely to start tiring so they can be substituted before they make a crucial error
November 18, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Theyโre GPS units - thereโll be somebody logging how much running each player has done, for example, and tell the bench when someone is likely to start tiring so they can be substituted before they make a crucial error
Broke: Watching Troy Parrott's winner with the Titanic music
Woke: Watching Troy Parrott's winner with the berserk Icelandic commentary from Euro 2016 (when Heimir Hallgrimsson was the manager!):
Woke: Watching Troy Parrott's winner with the berserk Icelandic commentary from Euro 2016 (when Heimir Hallgrimsson was the manager!):
November 17, 2025 at 8:57 AM
Broke: Watching Troy Parrott's winner with the Titanic music
Woke: Watching Troy Parrott's winner with the berserk Icelandic commentary from Euro 2016 (when Heimir Hallgrimsson was the manager!):
Woke: Watching Troy Parrott's winner with the berserk Icelandic commentary from Euro 2016 (when Heimir Hallgrimsson was the manager!):
Just posted it as a thread here
November 17, 2025 at 6:38 AM
Just posted it as a thread here
Finally, manyโs a slip etc, but hereโs the playoff pots as they stand right now:
1๏ธโฃ Italy, Turkey, Ukraine, Poland
2๏ธโฃ Slovakia, Scotland, Czechia, R Ireland
3๏ธโฃ Albania, N Macedonia, Bosnia, Kosovo
4๏ธโฃ Wales, Romania, Sweden, N Ireland
Note: Macedonia will replace Wales in pot 4 if they lose on Tuesday
1๏ธโฃ Italy, Turkey, Ukraine, Poland
2๏ธโฃ Slovakia, Scotland, Czechia, R Ireland
3๏ธโฃ Albania, N Macedonia, Bosnia, Kosovo
4๏ธโฃ Wales, Romania, Sweden, N Ireland
Note: Macedonia will replace Wales in pot 4 if they lose on Tuesday
November 17, 2025 at 6:37 AM
Finally, manyโs a slip etc, but hereโs the playoff pots as they stand right now:
1๏ธโฃ Italy, Turkey, Ukraine, Poland
2๏ธโฃ Slovakia, Scotland, Czechia, R Ireland
3๏ธโฃ Albania, N Macedonia, Bosnia, Kosovo
4๏ธโฃ Wales, Romania, Sweden, N Ireland
Note: Macedonia will replace Wales in pot 4 if they lose on Tuesday
1๏ธโฃ Italy, Turkey, Ukraine, Poland
2๏ธโฃ Slovakia, Scotland, Czechia, R Ireland
3๏ธโฃ Albania, N Macedonia, Bosnia, Kosovo
4๏ธโฃ Wales, Romania, Sweden, N Ireland
Note: Macedonia will replace Wales in pot 4 if they lose on Tuesday
The full line-up of teams in the playoff wonโt be certain until after the final qualifiers take place on Tuesday night.
The playoff draw is on Thursday, 12pm Irish time.
The World Cup draw, which will include vacant spots so that the playoff winners will know what awaits them, is on December 5th.
The playoff draw is on Thursday, 12pm Irish time.
The World Cup draw, which will include vacant spots so that the playoff winners will know what awaits them, is on December 5th.
November 17, 2025 at 6:37 AM
The full line-up of teams in the playoff wonโt be certain until after the final qualifiers take place on Tuesday night.
The playoff draw is on Thursday, 12pm Irish time.
The World Cup draw, which will include vacant spots so that the playoff winners will know what awaits them, is on December 5th.
The playoff draw is on Thursday, 12pm Irish time.
The World Cup draw, which will include vacant spots so that the playoff winners will know what awaits them, is on December 5th.
Thatโs why Ireland need Macedonia to avoid a loss to Wales - if they lose, Wales will leapfrog them into second place in that group, and Wales would be a higher-ranked side, pushing Ireland into Pot 3.
Likewise if Bosnia beat Austria, theyโll top their group; as runners up Austria would outrank us.
Likewise if Bosnia beat Austria, theyโll top their group; as runners up Austria would outrank us.
November 17, 2025 at 6:37 AM
Thatโs why Ireland need Macedonia to avoid a loss to Wales - if they lose, Wales will leapfrog them into second place in that group, and Wales would be a higher-ranked side, pushing Ireland into Pot 3.
Likewise if Bosnia beat Austria, theyโll top their group; as runners up Austria would outrank us.
Likewise if Bosnia beat Austria, theyโll top their group; as runners up Austria would outrank us.
If the groups all finished as they currently stand, Ireland would be in Pot 2 and would face a team from Pot 3: Albania, North Macedonia, Bosnia or Kosovo.
No matter their results, none of those four can surpass Ireland in the next FIFA ranking.
The risk is that theyโre replaced by a team who can.
No matter their results, none of those four can surpass Ireland in the next FIFA ranking.
The risk is that theyโre replaced by a team who can.
November 17, 2025 at 6:37 AM
If the groups all finished as they currently stand, Ireland would be in Pot 2 and would face a team from Pot 3: Albania, North Macedonia, Bosnia or Kosovo.
No matter their results, none of those four can surpass Ireland in the next FIFA ranking.
The risk is that theyโre replaced by a team who can.
No matter their results, none of those four can surpass Ireland in the next FIFA ranking.
The risk is that theyโre replaced by a team who can.
Pot 1 sides will be drawn against Pot 4, with the Pot 1 team having home advantage.
Likewise the Pot 2 teams have home advantage against Pot 3.
Each game is one leg only, with ET and penalties if needed.
Those ties (and the question of home advantage for the final) will be drawn this Thursday.
Likewise the Pot 2 teams have home advantage against Pot 3.
Each game is one leg only, with ET and penalties if needed.
Those ties (and the question of home advantage for the final) will be drawn this Thursday.
November 17, 2025 at 6:37 AM
Pot 1 sides will be drawn against Pot 4, with the Pot 1 team having home advantage.
Likewise the Pot 2 teams have home advantage against Pot 3.
Each game is one leg only, with ET and penalties if needed.
Those ties (and the question of home advantage for the final) will be drawn this Thursday.
Likewise the Pot 2 teams have home advantage against Pot 3.
Each game is one leg only, with ET and penalties if needed.
Those ties (and the question of home advantage for the final) will be drawn this Thursday.
The 12 teams are sorted by FIFAโs next set of world rankings, which are due this week, with the top four going into Pot 1, the next into Pot 2, and then Pot 3.
The four Nations League teams (which will include N Ireland) will be in Pot 4.
The four Nations League teams (which will include N Ireland) will be in Pot 4.
November 17, 2025 at 6:37 AM
The 12 teams are sorted by FIFAโs next set of world rankings, which are due this week, with the top four going into Pot 1, the next into Pot 2, and then Pot 3.
The four Nations League teams (which will include N Ireland) will be in Pot 4.
The four Nations League teams (which will include N Ireland) will be in Pot 4.
๐งต The playoffs will be held at the end of March next year, with 16 teams participating. Theyโll be drawn into four separate brackets, and the last team standing in each bracket gets a spot at the World Cup.
Of those 16 teams, 12 are group runners up (๐ฎ๐ช) and 4 are there through the Nations League.
Of those 16 teams, 12 are group runners up (๐ฎ๐ช) and 4 are there through the Nations League.
November 17, 2025 at 6:37 AM
๐งต The playoffs will be held at the end of March next year, with 16 teams participating. Theyโll be drawn into four separate brackets, and the last team standing in each bracket gets a spot at the World Cup.
Of those 16 teams, 12 are group runners up (๐ฎ๐ช) and 4 are there through the Nations League.
Of those 16 teams, 12 are group runners up (๐ฎ๐ช) and 4 are there through the Nations League.
๐ฎ๐ช LONG STORY SHORT ON IRELANDโS WORLD CUP PLAYOFFS:
We will have home advantage for our semi-final as long as:
โข Bosnia donโt beat Austria on Tuesday
โข Wales donโt beat North Macedonia on Tuesday
The seeding pots are based on FIFAโs world rankings and, as things currently stand, Ireland are pot 2.
We will have home advantage for our semi-final as long as:
โข Bosnia donโt beat Austria on Tuesday
โข Wales donโt beat North Macedonia on Tuesday
The seeding pots are based on FIFAโs world rankings and, as things currently stand, Ireland are pot 2.
November 17, 2025 at 6:37 AM
๐ฎ๐ช LONG STORY SHORT ON IRELANDโS WORLD CUP PLAYOFFS:
We will have home advantage for our semi-final as long as:
โข Bosnia donโt beat Austria on Tuesday
โข Wales donโt beat North Macedonia on Tuesday
The seeding pots are based on FIFAโs world rankings and, as things currently stand, Ireland are pot 2.
We will have home advantage for our semi-final as long as:
โข Bosnia donโt beat Austria on Tuesday
โข Wales donโt beat North Macedonia on Tuesday
The seeding pots are based on FIFAโs world rankings and, as things currently stand, Ireland are pot 2.
Footballโs coming Heim.
November 16, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Footballโs coming Heim.
Je telephone ร la airport police
Me listening to Zara King read airport dad @gavreilly.com for filth.
a woman in a suit is sitting in front of a crowd and says yahhh gurrrll you tell ' em
ALT: a woman in a suit is sitting in front of a crowd and says yahhh gurrrll you tell ' em
media.tenor.com
November 14, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Je telephone ร la airport police
Reposted by Gavan Reilly
Thatโs one for The Gathering tomorrow. Which is more ambitious: the housing plan or Armeniaโs 4-3-3?
November 13, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Thatโs one for The Gathering tomorrow. Which is more ambitious: the housing plan or Armeniaโs 4-3-3?
rmenia, whose only goals in the group are against us, can comfortably beat Portugal by threeโฆ
November 13, 2025 at 10:01 PM
rmenia, whose only goals in the group are against us, can comfortably beat Portugal by threeโฆ
Thereโs an easy answer to this: I have to watch Diogo Dalot every week.
"Gavan, what's emotionally broken you more - Ireland or Man Utd?"
November 13, 2025 at 9:56 PM
Thereโs an easy answer to this: I have to watch Diogo Dalot every week.
All of this emotional tumult, just for the right to slip to an underwhelming playoff semi-final away loss to Kosovo
November 13, 2025 at 9:48 PM
All of this emotional tumult, just for the right to slip to an underwhelming playoff semi-final away loss to Kosovo
Although if this jolt of national feelgood factor is too much for you, join us at 10pm where weโll take the housing plan down a peg or two
November 13, 2025 at 9:43 PM
Although if this jolt of national feelgood factor is too much for you, join us at 10pm where weโll take the housing plan down a peg or two
Pitch to write a Limerick a day
November 12, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Pitch to write a Limerick a day
TIME Magazine (!!!) asked me to explain what the wider world should know about Catherine Connolly:
time.com/7333194/irel...
time.com/7333194/irel...
The Meaning of Ireland's New Anti-Establishment President
Catherine Connolly has a change mandate that may put her at odds with Ireland's own governmentโand its allies in Europe and America.
time.com
November 12, 2025 at 12:41 PM
TIME Magazine (!!!) asked me to explain what the wider world should know about Catherine Connolly:
time.com/7333194/irel...
time.com/7333194/irel...