Derek Brauders
@derekbrauders.bsky.social
Explorer of new horizons. Irish, EU, Retd Irish Military. Interests in politics, wine, photography, and really anything else of interest. On Mastodon, Threads, IG. Same name.
Reposted by Derek Brauders
Highlighting these one last time:
A keynote from Prof. Eliga Gould, 'Lord Carlisle’s Union: Making Peace in America, Ireland, and Britain, 1778-1783’.
Brings up an interesting counterfactual: What if America had gone the way of Ireland and remained within empire?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv4F...
A keynote from Prof. Eliga Gould, 'Lord Carlisle’s Union: Making Peace in America, Ireland, and Britain, 1778-1783’.
Brings up an interesting counterfactual: What if America had gone the way of Ireland and remained within empire?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv4F...
Ireland and the American Revolution Keynote Address | Prof Eliga Gould
YouTube video by Trinity Long Room Hub Arts and Humanities
www.youtube.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Highlighting these one last time:
A keynote from Prof. Eliga Gould, 'Lord Carlisle’s Union: Making Peace in America, Ireland, and Britain, 1778-1783’.
Brings up an interesting counterfactual: What if America had gone the way of Ireland and remained within empire?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv4F...
A keynote from Prof. Eliga Gould, 'Lord Carlisle’s Union: Making Peace in America, Ireland, and Britain, 1778-1783’.
Brings up an interesting counterfactual: What if America had gone the way of Ireland and remained within empire?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv4F...
Reposted by Derek Brauders
If you fancy buying my books this Christmas, please consider shopping local/supporting indie booksellers
#ONCEAYEAR is currently 20% off at Bookstation (Irish & family-run since 1989)
Free, fast & tracked delivery over €10
Same prices online/in-store
#spéirgorm 💙📚
bookstation.ie/products/onc...
#ONCEAYEAR is currently 20% off at Bookstation (Irish & family-run since 1989)
Free, fast & tracked delivery over €10
Same prices online/in-store
#spéirgorm 💙📚
bookstation.ie/products/onc...
Once a Year: A heart-warming, festive page-turner
'A charming festive story with a warm heart' Roisin Meaney'A delight to read. Beautifully written and a page turner. The characters are so real that you feel part of the story' Belfast TelegraphNow th...
bookstation.ie
November 25, 2025 at 1:51 PM
If you fancy buying my books this Christmas, please consider shopping local/supporting indie booksellers
#ONCEAYEAR is currently 20% off at Bookstation (Irish & family-run since 1989)
Free, fast & tracked delivery over €10
Same prices online/in-store
#spéirgorm 💙📚
bookstation.ie/products/onc...
#ONCEAYEAR is currently 20% off at Bookstation (Irish & family-run since 1989)
Free, fast & tracked delivery over €10
Same prices online/in-store
#spéirgorm 💙📚
bookstation.ie/products/onc...
Reposted by Derek Brauders
Ireland can’t receive messages from other country’s security services because it doesn’t have secure communications.
Must read FT piece today on neutral Ireland, the soft underbelly of European defence
By @judewebber.bsky.social and @helenwarrell.bsky.social
By @judewebber.bsky.social and @helenwarrell.bsky.social
How Ireland became the weak spot in Europe’s defences
With few ships and limited intelligence-sharing, some say the country cannot hope to protect itself or its infrastructure
www.ft.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Ireland can’t receive messages from other country’s security services because it doesn’t have secure communications.
Reposted by Derek Brauders
Our parent company @westcorkmusic.bsky.social is 30 years old and to mark the occasion WCM is hosting a special event in Bantry Cinemax on 30 Nov. A special screening of two 1998 documentaries with all proceeds going towards our exciting plans for a Bantry venue
www.westcorkmusic.ie/events/2025/...
www.westcorkmusic.ie/events/2025/...
Film Screening: Celebrating 30 Years of West Cork Music - West Cork Music
Join us for a special screening to mark 30 years of the West Cork Chamber Music Festival and its role in Bantry's past & future!
www.westcorkmusic.ie
November 25, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Our parent company @westcorkmusic.bsky.social is 30 years old and to mark the occasion WCM is hosting a special event in Bantry Cinemax on 30 Nov. A special screening of two 1998 documentaries with all proceeds going towards our exciting plans for a Bantry venue
www.westcorkmusic.ie/events/2025/...
www.westcorkmusic.ie/events/2025/...
Reposted by Derek Brauders
Our #BlackFriday sale is now on! 🖤 📚
Enjoy 25% off children's and YA books with the code 'BF25' - only at littleisland.ie until 2 Dec 2025.
#books #BlackFriday2025 #BlackFridayDeals #childrensbooks #kidsbooks #YAbooks #booksale #bookstagram #booktok
Enjoy 25% off children's and YA books with the code 'BF25' - only at littleisland.ie until 2 Dec 2025.
#books #BlackFriday2025 #BlackFridayDeals #childrensbooks #kidsbooks #YAbooks #booksale #bookstagram #booktok
November 25, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Our #BlackFriday sale is now on! 🖤 📚
Enjoy 25% off children's and YA books with the code 'BF25' - only at littleisland.ie until 2 Dec 2025.
#books #BlackFriday2025 #BlackFridayDeals #childrensbooks #kidsbooks #YAbooks #booksale #bookstagram #booktok
Enjoy 25% off children's and YA books with the code 'BF25' - only at littleisland.ie until 2 Dec 2025.
#books #BlackFriday2025 #BlackFridayDeals #childrensbooks #kidsbooks #YAbooks #booksale #bookstagram #booktok
Reposted by Derek Brauders
This guy was left in the library yesterday. 🪵
We don't know much about him but he keeps telling us
1) that he's Stick Man
and
2) that he's trying to get back to the family tree
If you left Stick Man behind you can collect him from reception.
We don't know much about him but he keeps telling us
1) that he's Stick Man
and
2) that he's trying to get back to the family tree
If you left Stick Man behind you can collect him from reception.
November 25, 2025 at 10:16 AM
This guy was left in the library yesterday. 🪵
We don't know much about him but he keeps telling us
1) that he's Stick Man
and
2) that he's trying to get back to the family tree
If you left Stick Man behind you can collect him from reception.
We don't know much about him but he keeps telling us
1) that he's Stick Man
and
2) that he's trying to get back to the family tree
If you left Stick Man behind you can collect him from reception.
Reposted by Derek Brauders
There's much more:
Why electrification, not repealing green laws, will save Europe's industry
According to Oxford professor of energy Jan Rosenow, rapid electrification of Europe's industry, not rolling back the EU's Green Deal, will save European industry.
euobserver.com
November 25, 2025 at 7:27 AM
There's much more:
“If our data spaces use technology stacks that are owned and governed outside Europe, we deepen – rather than reduce – our strategic dependencies.”
Very true.
Very true.
AI delay may affect Europe’s future, warns ECB chief
AI delay may affect Europe’s future, warns ECB chief
"We need to remove all the obstacles that stop us from embracing this transformation," she told a Bratislava conference
dlvr.it
November 25, 2025 at 7:35 AM
“If our data spaces use technology stacks that are owned and governed outside Europe, we deepen – rather than reduce – our strategic dependencies.”
Very true.
Very true.
Reposted by Derek Brauders
Did you ever racially abuse fellow pupils?
It was years ago.
Did you ever racially abuse fellow pupils?
Not in a hurtful way.
Did you ever racially abuse fellow pupils?
Not with intent.
Did you ever racially abuse fellow pupils?
Not genuine abuse.
😮🫣😬😱 ~AA
It was years ago.
Did you ever racially abuse fellow pupils?
Not in a hurtful way.
Did you ever racially abuse fellow pupils?
Not with intent.
Did you ever racially abuse fellow pupils?
Not genuine abuse.
😮🫣😬😱 ~AA
November 24, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Did you ever racially abuse fellow pupils?
It was years ago.
Did you ever racially abuse fellow pupils?
Not in a hurtful way.
Did you ever racially abuse fellow pupils?
Not with intent.
Did you ever racially abuse fellow pupils?
Not genuine abuse.
😮🫣😬😱 ~AA
It was years ago.
Did you ever racially abuse fellow pupils?
Not in a hurtful way.
Did you ever racially abuse fellow pupils?
Not with intent.
Did you ever racially abuse fellow pupils?
Not genuine abuse.
😮🫣😬😱 ~AA
Reposted by Derek Brauders
“Without sovereignty - military, health, financial and digital - we can no longer guarantee the rule of law.”
This is likely to increasingly become a topic.
This is likely to increasingly become a topic.
November 24, 2025 at 8:16 PM
“Without sovereignty - military, health, financial and digital - we can no longer guarantee the rule of law.”
This is likely to increasingly become a topic.
This is likely to increasingly become a topic.
Reposted by Derek Brauders
The situation these judges are being put in for doing their work is unbelievable. They can’t use any US services - and not just for work, in their private lives too.
November 24, 2025 at 8:13 PM
The situation these judges are being put in for doing their work is unbelievable. They can’t use any US services - and not just for work, in their private lives too.
Reposted by Derek Brauders
This story should be covered waaaaayy more than it is.
The US has sanctioned six judges if the international criminal court ICC, because Trump didn’t like them issuing arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant.
www.lemonde.fr/en/internati...
The US has sanctioned six judges if the international criminal court ICC, because Trump didn’t like them issuing arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant.
www.lemonde.fr/en/internati...
Nicolas Guillou, French ICC judge sanctioned by the US: 'You are effectively blacklisted by much of the world's banking system'
Six judges and three prosecutors at the International Criminal Court have been sanctioned by the Trump administration. In an interview with Le Monde, Guillou discusses the impact of these measures on ...
www.lemonde.fr
November 24, 2025 at 8:13 PM
This story should be covered waaaaayy more than it is.
The US has sanctioned six judges if the international criminal court ICC, because Trump didn’t like them issuing arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant.
www.lemonde.fr/en/internati...
The US has sanctioned six judges if the international criminal court ICC, because Trump didn’t like them issuing arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant.
www.lemonde.fr/en/internati...
Reposted by Derek Brauders
Exclusive: Meta has appropriated the names and likenesses of celebrities — including Taylor Swift, Scarlett Johansson, Anne Hathaway and Selena Gomez — to create dozens of flirty social-media chatbots without their permission, Reuters has found reut.rs/3JWb00R
Exclusive: Meta created flirty chatbots of Taylor Swift, other celebrities without permission
Meta has appropriated the names and likenesses of celebrities – including Taylor Swift, Scarlett Johansson, Anne Hathaway and Selena Gomez – to create dozens of flirty social-media chatbots without their permission, Reuters has found.
reut.rs
August 29, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Exclusive: Meta has appropriated the names and likenesses of celebrities — including Taylor Swift, Scarlett Johansson, Anne Hathaway and Selena Gomez — to create dozens of flirty social-media chatbots without their permission, Reuters has found reut.rs/3JWb00R
Reposted by Derek Brauders
100 Irish websites for all your Christmas presents: Shopping guide for the festive season
www.irishtimes.com/your-money/2...
www.irishtimes.com/your-money/2...
100 Irish websites for all your Christmas presents: Shopping guide for the festive season
A curated, all-Irish roundup of the best places to shop for gifts — online and on time
www.irishtimes.com
November 24, 2025 at 7:01 PM
100 Irish websites for all your Christmas presents: Shopping guide for the festive season
www.irishtimes.com/your-money/2...
www.irishtimes.com/your-money/2...
Reposted by Derek Brauders
Children aged 2 - 17 get the nasal spray flu vaccine for free.
Book an appointment with a pharmacy or with your GP.
Visit: www2.hse.ie/conditions/f...
Book an appointment with a pharmacy or with your GP.
Visit: www2.hse.ie/conditions/f...
November 24, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Children aged 2 - 17 get the nasal spray flu vaccine for free.
Book an appointment with a pharmacy or with your GP.
Visit: www2.hse.ie/conditions/f...
Book an appointment with a pharmacy or with your GP.
Visit: www2.hse.ie/conditions/f...
Reposted by Derek Brauders
It's #MapMonday!
This is a map of County Galway, divided into its ancient territories, from Beaufort's Ecclesiastical Map.
It is from the Ordnance Survey Letters Collection, deposited in the DRI by the Royal Irish Academy @ria.ie
Explore the collection: doi.org/10.7486/DRI....
This is a map of County Galway, divided into its ancient territories, from Beaufort's Ecclesiastical Map.
It is from the Ordnance Survey Letters Collection, deposited in the DRI by the Royal Irish Academy @ria.ie
Explore the collection: doi.org/10.7486/DRI....
November 24, 2025 at 4:49 PM
It's #MapMonday!
This is a map of County Galway, divided into its ancient territories, from Beaufort's Ecclesiastical Map.
It is from the Ordnance Survey Letters Collection, deposited in the DRI by the Royal Irish Academy @ria.ie
Explore the collection: doi.org/10.7486/DRI....
This is a map of County Galway, divided into its ancient territories, from Beaufort's Ecclesiastical Map.
It is from the Ordnance Survey Letters Collection, deposited in the DRI by the Royal Irish Academy @ria.ie
Explore the collection: doi.org/10.7486/DRI....
Reposted by Derek Brauders
Regardless of the outcomes of peace negotiations, Russian war criminals must face justice. This has not been ‘a few bad apples’; it has been a systemic approach to barbarity endorsed from the top. There can be no ‘get out of jail free’ card for them.
kyivindependent.com/russian-mili...
kyivindependent.com/russian-mili...
Russian military reportedly executes 5 Ukrainian POWs
Five Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) were executed by Russian soldiers, Ukrainian mapping and analytical organization DeepState reported on Nov. 22.
kyivindependent.com
November 23, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Regardless of the outcomes of peace negotiations, Russian war criminals must face justice. This has not been ‘a few bad apples’; it has been a systemic approach to barbarity endorsed from the top. There can be no ‘get out of jail free’ card for them.
kyivindependent.com/russian-mili...
kyivindependent.com/russian-mili...
Reposted by Derek Brauders
Will this be enough to stop the 9 countries (including 🇮🇪🇮🇸🇳🇱🇪🇸) threatening to quit the contest this year?
Seems unlikely. People around the world will still be able vote multiple times (though the number has been reduced from 20 to 10).
Seems unlikely. People around the world will still be able vote multiple times (though the number has been reduced from 20 to 10).
On Israel, Eurovision close to 'critical mass' that removed Russia
Over the last two years the EBU hasn't excluded Israel because countries didn't actually threaten to leave. In the past week, five have done so - close to the number that got Russia removed in 2022.
open.substack.com
November 23, 2025 at 10:14 AM
Will this be enough to stop the 9 countries (including 🇮🇪🇮🇸🇳🇱🇪🇸) threatening to quit the contest this year?
Seems unlikely. People around the world will still be able vote multiple times (though the number has been reduced from 20 to 10).
Seems unlikely. People around the world will still be able vote multiple times (though the number has been reduced from 20 to 10).
Reposted by Derek Brauders
New: Following broadcaster complaints about 🇮🇱government get-out-the-vote campaigns, #Eurovision has introduced new voting rules against "disproportionate promotion campaigns" carried out or supported by governments or state agencies.
Eurovision unveils major voting rule changes for 2026
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has announced a series of changes to the Eurovision Song Contest voting rules for 2026 in a move it says is designed to strengthen trust, transparency and audienc...
www.rte.ie
November 23, 2025 at 10:07 AM
New: Following broadcaster complaints about 🇮🇱government get-out-the-vote campaigns, #Eurovision has introduced new voting rules against "disproportionate promotion campaigns" carried out or supported by governments or state agencies.
Reposted by Derek Brauders
I'm less confident I understand what's happening with this Peace Proposal Saga than I was three episodes into Severence season 1.
Perhaps because like in that show, several of the key protagonists appear to be operating on about half a brain.
Perhaps because like in that show, several of the key protagonists appear to be operating on about half a brain.
What the actual fuck is going on.
America put forward a nearly carbon copy version of the Russian plan for Ukrainian conquest, admitted it and backtracked, then doubles down.
America put forward a nearly carbon copy version of the Russian plan for Ukrainian conquest, admitted it and backtracked, then doubles down.
November 23, 2025 at 10:45 AM
I'm less confident I understand what's happening with this Peace Proposal Saga than I was three episodes into Severence season 1.
Perhaps because like in that show, several of the key protagonists appear to be operating on about half a brain.
Perhaps because like in that show, several of the key protagonists appear to be operating on about half a brain.
Reposted by Derek Brauders
The Polish prime minister reacts
November 23, 2025 at 10:48 AM
The Polish prime minister reacts
Reposted by Derek Brauders
Reposted by Derek Brauders
“The U.S. economy in 2025 is split in two: Everything tied to artificial intelligence is booming. Just about everything else is not.” www.nytimes.com/2025/11/22/b...
The A.I. Boom Is Driving the Economy. What Happens if It Falters?
www.nytimes.com
November 22, 2025 at 12:22 PM
“The U.S. economy in 2025 is split in two: Everything tied to artificial intelligence is booming. Just about everything else is not.” www.nytimes.com/2025/11/22/b...
Reposted by Derek Brauders
“Every creator whom Fortune spoke with said their reach had increased sharply after Meta’s January policy shift, which came just a few months after President Donald Trump threatened to imprison Zuckerberg.” fortune.com/2025/11/20/g...
Mark Zuckerberg’s hate-speech gamble fuels Gen Z radicalization on Instagram as millions watch Hitler speeches and Holocaust denial clips | Fortune
The hottest far-right influencer right now isn’t Nick Fuentes—it’s Hitler. And his videos are appearing next to JPMorgan and U.S. Army ads
fortune.com
November 22, 2025 at 12:35 PM
“Every creator whom Fortune spoke with said their reach had increased sharply after Meta’s January policy shift, which came just a few months after President Donald Trump threatened to imprison Zuckerberg.” fortune.com/2025/11/20/g...