David smith
David smith
@davidivorsmith.bsky.social
Tech, Ireland, ecosystems, partnerships, M&A, VC, PE, iNED, scaling adviser, Corporate Development. 🇮🇪 ☘️
Reposted by David smith
So today I found out that my TED talk ‘This is What a Digital Coup Looks Like’ was TED’s most watched talk of the year.

It’s sort of amazing & terrifying. Because this *is* what a digital coup looks like.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZOo...
This Is What a Digital Coup Looks Like | Carole Cadwalladr | TED
YouTube video by TED
www.youtube.com
December 9, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Reposted by David smith
Good on NHS leader, Daniel Elkeles, calling for a revival of mask-wearing during the current “tidal wave of flu.”

That trying to save lives is going to be highly controversial - and No. 10 are already sitting on the fence - is deeply depressing. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
People urged to wear masks when they are ill as UK faces ‘tidal wave’ of flu
NHS Providers boss says those who are ‘coughing and sneezing’ should wear face coverings on public transport
www.theguardian.com
December 9, 2025 at 7:41 PM
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Impact of demographic change in one image.
December 9, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Reposted by David smith
Great culture can save lives. Literally.

Amazing letter in today’s @thetimes.com about Tom Stoppard
December 2, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Hi all
My daughter school’s is doing a fundraising raffle
Euro 10 for 5 tickets
The draw closes today !
If you want to enter do send me cash via Revolut today
Revolut link revolut.me/davidi5e
wicklowdemocraticschool.ie
They are a charity if can claim it as a tax deduction
Charity number 20206025
December 7, 2025 at 3:18 PM
@boltapp.bsky.social I had a prebooked taxi. Driver cancelled. I miss my lunch as no taxis available. And you are "sorry" .......
December 5, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Winter fair. Rathnew. Wicklow democratic school. Today 2 to 4. Concert till 6
November 29, 2025 at 11:36 AM
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Another outcome for which the Kremlin worked, lest we forget. Described in "Road to Unfreedom."
Still reeling from the Stanford report on Brexit. Reduced GDP by up to 8% and investment by as much as 18%. The UK Treasury would have £40 billion more each year if Britain had remained in the EU. Devastating self-immolation.
The Economic Impact of Brexit
Other
siepr.stanford.edu
November 28, 2025 at 8:22 PM
2 down with flu like symptoms in house. Did flu and covid test an both negative. Symptoms worse than covid. Mask up. Wash hands. Stay home if unwell. Good short podcast on it. open.spotify.com/episode/7ghx...
Should the UK brace for a brutal flu season?
open.spotify.com
November 27, 2025 at 9:08 AM
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That’s quite an own goal by Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien delaying the Finglas Luas by two years, and stalling on DART+ South West till 2030, on World Sustainable Transport Day, no less. Who needs Judicial Reviews when Fianna Fáil’s running the show?
November 26, 2025 at 7:03 PM
So worth the read
Breaking my "No mention of Christmas til Christmas" rule to bring you this; the greatest Christmas story ever told
The most stressed out I've ever been about Christmas was when I was 16 and I got my first ever job, working at M&S in Dundrum. As soon as I started I kept hearing these myths about the Christmas Eve Waste Sale, where all the food that wasn't sold on the 24th was marked down 90%.
November 27, 2025 at 8:52 AM
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Four months after it was promised, we finally have the government's transport investment plan between now and 2030. It's bad. Roads are in, public transport is out. A lot of public transport projects being put on the long-finger to make funding available for new roads.
November 26, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Reposted by David smith
Major public transport projects at risk as Govt priority shifts to roads; funding committed to Galway’s second ring road with “€1bn+” cost

Under pressure from rural TDs supporting it, the Government is shifting its transport spending priorities from sustainable transport to road building -- the…
Major public transport projects at risk as Govt priority shifts to roads; funding committed to Galway’s second ring road with “€1bn+” cost
Under pressure from rural TDs supporting it, the Government is shifting its transport spending priorities from sustainable transport to road building -- the funding ratio between public transport and roads is set to change from 2:1 to close to 1:1. Between 2026 and 2030, public transport is expected to get €10.1 billion, while roads is to get €9.7 billion, while active travel and greenways are expected to get €1.8 billion.
irishcycle.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:31 PM
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I've written to the CEOs of the NTA, Dublin Bus and Go Ahead Ireland: here's 6 things they need to sort out.

More homes have been built here than any other part of Ireland, but our public transport users are treated like dirt.
oisinoconnor.com/public-trans...
Letter to our public transport CEOs
Open Letter to CEO of the National Transport Authority, Anne Shaw, CEO of Dublin Bus Billy Hann, Managing Director of Go Ahead Ireland Dervla McKay
oisinoconnor.com
November 21, 2025 at 8:54 PM
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November 11, 2025 at 2:32 PM
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Closing for the day and even 1 online sale overnight would tip us past the rent line (and honestly no harm in 2 sales just to play it safe!)

littledeercomics.ie
November 11, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Reposted by David smith
Writing about Elon Musk’s pay package without leading with this is like profiling John Wayne Gacy’s booming party clown career.
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
The Shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. Has Already Killed Hundreds of Thousands
The short documentary “Rovina’s Choice” tells the story of what goes when aid goes.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
November 7, 2025 at 2:44 AM
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November 4, 2025 at 5:44 PM
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Waymo is doing 250,000 driverless rides per week in America and plans to be at 1m rides per week within the next year.

Number of paid driverless cars rides in the EU meanwhile is stuck at 0.

techcrunch.com/2025/11/03/w...
Waymo's robotaxi expansion accelerates with 3 new cities | TechCrunch
Waymo said Monday it will launch a robotaxi service in Detroit, Las Vegas, and San Diego as the Alphabet-owned company hits the accelerator on its expansion plans.
techcrunch.com
November 4, 2025 at 11:50 AM
On Nov 8th, I will walk the 25jm Moonlight Challenge to raise funds for the Glen of Imaal Mountain Rescue Team, a volunteer mountain search and rescue services
When my Dad died it was their sister group that took him down the mountain
Donation here wmr.enthuse.com/pf/david-smi...
Moonlight Challenge 2025
Hi, On November 8th, 2025, I will be taking part in the Moonlight Challenge to raise funds for the Glen of Imaal Mountain Rescue Team. When my Dad died it was their sister group that took him down the
wmr.enthuse.com
November 1, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Reposted by David smith
What could be better than free books delivered to your home for your young child? Sign up for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library today!

action.everylibrary.org/dolly_parton...
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Is Changing the Lives of Young Readers around the World
What could be better than free books delivered to your home for your young child? Sign up for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library today!
action.everylibrary.org
November 1, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Reposted by David smith
Spooky season at Collins Barracks!
👻 Mask-making (Oct 31, 11–1)
🦴 Dead Zoo Lab drop-ins (Oct 30 & Nov 1, 11–1)
🕵️‍♀️ Fright at the Museum Trail (Oct 24–Nov 9)
🎟️ Free & drop-in
📍 National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks
🔗 www.museum.ie/en-IE/News/H...
October 26, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Reposted by David smith
Now this is a project I can get behind...
October 27, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Naomh Olaf in Leopardstown on a Friday..... Maybe in sandyford
"At a time when we never have to know who grew the food on our plates, McNally’s is a reminder of what’s possible – that even in a capital city, it’s possible to know the name and the story of the woman, her husband and their children, who have laboured so we can eat well."

This is brilliant!
The rural Dublin family farm where the best chefs in Ireland source their produce
McNally Family Farm turned their backs on big supermarkets 30 years ago, opting to sell directly to consumers instead. Now, it’s where top Dublin chefs source their produce
www.irishtimes.com
October 26, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Reposted by David smith
"At a time when we never have to know who grew the food on our plates, McNally’s is a reminder of what’s possible – that even in a capital city, it’s possible to know the name and the story of the woman, her husband and their children, who have laboured so we can eat well."

This is brilliant!
The rural Dublin family farm where the best chefs in Ireland source their produce
McNally Family Farm turned their backs on big supermarkets 30 years ago, opting to sell directly to consumers instead. Now, it’s where top Dublin chefs source their produce
www.irishtimes.com
October 26, 2025 at 8:58 AM