Watch Out Beatles About

Beatles Anniversary Windows

A stunning display of the suits worn by The Beatles during their promo tour for A Hard Day’s Night, instruments and other original Beatles memorabilia.

All day | Arnotts, Henry Street & Middle Abbey Street | Free

Music, CD & Record Fair

Vinyl, CD, DVD and Memorabilia Fair –browse, buy, sell and exchange. Free valuations with Beatles Days. With ‘pop-up’ live music performances. In association with Irish Records Fairs.

5.00pm-9.00pm | Filmbase, Temple Bar | Free to Dublin Beatles Festival ticket holders/€3 (three days)

Fab Friday

Contemporary and tribute bands, DJs, art and memorabilia across four areas. Music includes: Revolver (Scotland), The Beatelles (England), Beatles for Sale(Ireland), The Newspaper Taxi Men (Ireland), The Gandhis (Ireland), The iKonics, and The Rockets (Ireland). DJs: Jacqui Carroll (Ready, Steady, Go) and ShotGun! Art: Graphite Beatles artist Georgina Flood (Ireland) creating a new Beatles portrait live. Memorabilia: Beatles Days (England).

7.00pm-2.30am | The Grand Social, Lower Liffey Street | €20 |www.entertainment.ie/dublinbeatlesfestival

All the above information can be sourced here.

Beatlemania

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Beatles In Dublin

On this day 50 years ago the famous Liverpool band, The Beatles arrived in Dublin Airport ahead of performing at Dublin's Adelphi Cinema. The Dublin schedule was part of the band's 1963 Autumn tour. It was the only time that the group played in the Republic.

Harry Lush, the manager of the Adelphi summed up the mood of the time:

So the Beatles finished their first show and the crowd just shouted for more, more, more. The Beatles just could not get off the stage, they had to stay put. By this time there were 2,304 people looking for encore after encore. Time marched on and the crowd outside gathered for the late show. The crowds met leaving and entering from Abbey Street. I thought the doors of the Adelphi would collapse with the crowds, and the Hideout upstairs would come tumbling down. The police arrived to keep a kind of order. Fighting started because some wanted to get out and others clambered to get in. Cars were overturned and one car set on fire.

I can also recall people on top of the roof taking photographs of the commotion below in Abbey Street. The crowds spilled out into O'Connell Street and windows were broken in Clearys, leaving a trail of damage in O'Connell Street. We were at a loss for future shows. What would we do? We never thought they would be so popular.

For future shows an answer was found. After the first show we would let the crowd out through Prussia Street at the back of the Adelphi and up to the Capitol Cinema, which was owned by the Farley brothers. That was the way the Beatles escaped that night.

The crowds still gathered during the second show. Many just to get a glimpse or photograph. Well, they [The Beatles] were in our care and we had to look after their welfare.

We asked the Independent [newspaper] to help out. They said the easiest thing would be to use one of their vans, so the boys could walk up the stairs and jump into the van and be taken to the Gresham.

The Beatles were all so nice, courteous and answered all the questions. They had respect for their seniors and called you sir. I look back on the day The Beatles came to Dublin as one of the shiniest days in my career.

Beatles land at Dublin Airport on this day 50 years ago

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Sligo Rovers Cup Winners

Sunday's FAI cup final at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin, proved to be one of the most exciting Irish cup finals of recent times. Sligo Rovers were billed as favourites given their cup winning performances in this competition in previous years, but they were pitted against a determined and at times aggressive Droheda United side.

With one goal each from either side in added time, allowing Sligo to take the lead, the match reached a pulsating climax.  Sligo Rovers emerged as 3-2 winners for the third time in four seasons. It was a great game to attend and memories of one of the most hotly contested cup finals will stay with me for many years to come.

1957 Sligo Rovers team

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Death of Former Garda

A retired garda has died in hospital after being assaulted in his Dublin home. 57 year old Seamus Marren was attacked in Clonsilla and died from his injuries a few days later. He had a long service with the Gardai and retired two years ago. During his career he was assigned to Áras an Uachtaráin and had worked at a nunmber of stations in Dublin.

Gardai are said to believe the dead man was savagely beaten by a man he knew and their inquires are continuing.

Garda passing out parade in 1961

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Dark Days

The North's violent past has once again come to the centre of media discourse as a result of a bomb attack that took place 20 years ago this week.

In October 1993 the Provisional IRA planted a bomb in a busy fish shop on Belfast's Shankill Road. The device exploded prematurely and ten people died including one of the IRA members responsible for the attack. On the 20th anniversary, relatives of the dead gathered with local residents and first responders in memory of the innocent who died.

On occasion violence from the North's violent conflict spilled over into the Republic. In May 1974 more than thirty civilians lost their lives in a coordinated loyalist no warning car bomb attack.

Rescuers searching for survivors of a 1974 bomb attack in Dublin

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Budget Fall Out

Last week's budget has seen the coalition government come in for a lot criticism, particularly in the area of health where cuts were considered particularly stringent.

One national newspaper reported that government ministers were 'fightling like cat and dog' in the wake of the budget with Health Minister James Reilly being particularly isolated.

Meanwhile, Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams called on Taoiseach Enda Kenny to resign.

Finance Minister Ray McSharry on Budget Day 1988

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Gilligan Free

Crime boss John Gilligan has been released from prison. Suspected by Gardai of having ordered the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin, he was later acquitted. However he was convicted for involvement in the drugs trade and went on to spend a total of 17 years behind bars.

Gilligan arrived in Clondalkin, West Dublin, having being sped away from Portlaoise Prison. There, enjoying a beer, he maintained his innnocence and accused journalists of having blamed an innocent man.

Irish Cell block where Paul Singer was held after his arrest in 1959 for fraud. 

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McIlroy Putts them in the Dock

Golfer Rory McIlroy is embroiled in a legal battle with the Dublin company Horizon Sports Management and two other companies. The former World No 1 is trying to recover millions in fees he paid.

McIlroy claims he was exploited and misled.


The Belfast born golfer, whose first major was the US Open, expects the case to be heard later this month.

Irish Dunlop Golf Tournament at Tramore, Co. Waterford. J. Craddock, Foxrock, watches as his partner H.F. Boyle plays his second shot down the fairway in the second round. Boyle finished his first round in 66.

19.08.1967

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Hoping to Return to the Glory Days

Liverpool coach Brendan Rodgers is riding the crest of a wave at the moment. His side's strong start to the season holds out the potential for a top four finish that would allow the team to progress to European competition. Liverpool have been crowned champions of Europe on 5 separate occasions.

Rodgers credits much of the success to an inform Luis Suarez back in the side after suspension:

That attitude from Luis to demand the best is exactly what we want. We can't accept just winning and say it's all right.

Members of the 1978  Liverpool European Championship winning side meeting Taoiseach Jack Lynch on 2 August 1978.

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Wallop

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has described the referendum outcome as disappointing, stating that 'sometimes in politics you get a wallop in the electoral process.'

According to the Irish Independent the result has 'led to blame and recrimination within the Coalition, including ministers, who demanded answers as to why the vote was lost. '

The decision to retain the Seanad against the wishes of the government while based on a slender margin, was nowhere more felt in the capital, Dublin, where all 12 constituencies cast their vote against 

abolition.

Enda Kenny celebrating his election to Dail Eireann in 1975

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Seanad Retained

Ireland, or the largest part of it, has voted by referendum to retain the Seanad. It was a crushing blow to the governing coalition of Fine Gael and Labour which had campaigned for abolition. The main opposition party Fianna Fail which campaigned to retain the institution has emerged as the real victor. The junior opposition party, Sinn Fein, sided with the governing parties on the issue.

The government is now on the horns of a dilemma, seeking as it must to reform and keep in existence a Senead it believed had no function.

11 October 1983. For Irish senators enjoy a rare autumnal sun 

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Crisis in the North ... Again

The North’s Power Sharing Executive is said to once more be in crisis. The allegation this time round has come from Sinn Fein’s Gerry Kelly. Speaking on a Belfast radio programme broadcast on Wednesday, the 30th anniversary of the Maze/Long Kesh escape during which a prison officer was shot in the head allegedly by Mr Kelly, the current parliamentarian accused the DUP of bringing matters to the verge of collapse.

Siren calls have been made in the past from the North’s politicians but this time it comes against a background of considerable unease and disquiet over a range of polarizing issues. In a bid to try and lance the boil that continues to fester the US diplomat Richard Haass is engaged in talks with many of the North’s politicians and community leaders.

History was made in 2007 when the Gerry Adams led Sinn Fein and the DUP, led by Ian Paisley, agreed to enter into an executive tasked with administering the North’s internal political affairs. Many people were surprised that both men, long viewed as implacable opponents enemies, could eventually reach agreement.

Ian Paisley is a former leader of Ulster Resistance while Gerry Adams served as a leading member of the Provisional IRA.

1978 Ian Paisley at prayer meeting in Dublin's Mansion House

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All Ireland Final

The 2013 all Ireland football championship has been won by Dublin. In what was a lackluster game the men from the capital over came Mayo by a margin of one point.

A crowd estimated at just over 82, 000 watched the game at Croke Park Stadium.


It is the second time in three years that the Dubs have taken the Sam Maguire back with them. Overall they have won the title on 24 occasions. Mayo have not yaken possession of the trophy in just over half a century, 1951 being the last time the side set their hands on the coveted silverware.

1955 Mayo semi final side

1955 Dublin semi final side

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Struck Off

A high-profile Dublin solicitor has been found guilty of professional misconduct by the Irish Law Society. The body has now recommended that Greg O'Neill be struck off. During a tribunal hearing yesterday the three person panel concluded that Mr O'Neill 'was not a fit person to be solicitor.'

O'Neill had established a public profile for himself through campaigning on behalf of the families of victims killed in two horrendous events: the Dublin Monaghan bombings of 1974 and the Stardust fire disaster in 1981.

'The tribunal heard that Mr O'Neill now 'suffers from severe depression and has debts of about €500,000.'

Aftermath of Stardust fire in 1981.

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Banning Libel Bullies

A number of Irish writers have written an open letter to the North's First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, calling for the libel reform law to be extended from the UK to Northern Ireland. In their letter the writers demand that 'libel bullies' should not be made welcome in Belfast. There has been resistance in the North to the law being extended there and the leading libel lawyer Paul Tweed has argued in defence of tighter censorship legislation. Censorship was for long a pervasive factor in Irish life. The former Minister for Posts and Telegraphs, Conor Cruise O'Brien stringently opposed air time being given to members of Sinn Fein during the Provisional IRA's campaign and tried to:

use Section 31 to censor coverage of the troubles in Northern Ireland, which could have been seen as pro-nationalist, in papers such as The Irish Press, the editor, Tim Pat Coogan, published editorials attacking the Bill.

21 January 1962: Conor Cruise O'Brien and his new wife Maire McEntee
return from honeymoon

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US Gun Scourge Continues

Despite many appeals for something to be done to halt the scourge of gun crime in the USA in the wake of last December's school massacre at Sandy Hook, the phenomenon has claimed the lives of 12 more people at a Washington Navy Yard. Police later shot dead the attacker bringing to 13 the number of fatalities resulting from the incident.

For the US the incident marked the 'deadliest mass shooting since 20 children and six adults were killed at a Connecticut school in December.'


Despite undertakings by US President Barack Obama to curb the ease with which US citizens can access guns he 'has been powerless to get legislation passed despite a string of mass shootings during his presidency.'

US President with Taoiseach during a 2011 visit to Ireland

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British rule out Omagh Bomb Inquiry

The British Government has ruled out a public inquiry into the 1998 Omagh bombing that claimed 30 lives. Theresa Villiers the British Secretary of State for the North said: 

I do not believe that there are sufficient grounds to justify a further review or inquiry above and beyond those that have already taken place or are ongoing.

It is a move which has angered relatives of those killed. Michael Gallagher who lost a son expressed his disappointment:

The reality is that Aiden need not have died ... Both the British and Irish governments failed to protect the human rights of those people ... I think it’s important to note that this is a government who are actually holding other governments to account over human rights abuses ... Last week they wanted permissions from Parliament to go to war, or to launch attacks on Syria. Over a year ago we gave this Government a report which showed that state agencies had failed and 31 people had died and 250 were injured unnecessarily.

The British government has also proved reluctant to make available to Irish authorities its files pertaining to the Dublin Monaghan bombings of 1974 when 30 people lost their lives. 

Scene of May 19874 bomb attack in Dublin

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Trapped by Failure

The Ireland soccer coach Giovanni Trappatoni has been dismissed as from his position after two defeats which effectively means the team can no longer progress to the FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil next year.

Trap as he is known and his assistant Marco Tardelli, a 1982 World Cup winner with the Italian side of 1982, had failed to deliver successs with line ups that compared poorly against earlier sides such as that coached by Jack Charlton in 1988.

Trappatoni said: We leave this country with emotion because we understand the Irish supporters who have a well-deserved international reputation and they have our utmost respect.

Martin O'Neill the former Northern Ireland international is amongst the front runners to take up the vacated position.

Ireland versus Spain in November 1955 at Dalymount Park

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Death of Seamus Heaney

The death has occurred today of renowned Irish poet, Seamus Heaney at the age of 74.  A former teacher from the the North of Ireland, in 1995 he won the Nobel prize for literature

Leading tributes, fellow poet the Irish President Michael D Higgins said:

generations of Irish people will have been familiar with Seamus' poems. Scholars all over the world will have gained from the depth of the critical essays, and so many rights organisations will want to thank him for all the solidarity he gave to the struggles within the republic of conscience.

Seamus Heaney who died today

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Going Dutch

The Irish Times has reported that the 'Dutch photonics company FAZTech Research is to open a global research centre in Dublin with the potential to create 25 jobs.'

Although only a drop of relief in the ocean of austerity it will be welcome news to a city ravished by unemployment and cut backs.

The industrial giant is expected to enage in a joint projcts with research centres at a number of Irish universities.

The move has been hailed by the Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton, who claimed that it  'demonstrates once again Ireland’s strengths as a hub for innovation, research and development.'

It is not the first time that Dutch industry has made the headlines in Ireland. In 1975 Tiede Herrema the Dutch industrialist shot to international prominence when he was subjected to a kidnapping ordeal at the hands of republicans whose number included a Portlaoise prison escapee.

Fugro chief executive Paul van Riel, seemnigly confident that there will be no repeat of Herrema's Monasterevin siege stated that the reasons for selecting Ireland for the jobs initiative were that:

key intellectual property was developed in Ireland by Irish researchers and engineers, the vision and enthusiasm of the current workforce and the outstanding professionalism and support by IDA Ireland.

Dr Herrema showing Bullet at Press Conference 08/11/1975

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The Wrong Prisoner

Catherine Teeling a 64 year old grandmother has been jailed for four months. The horrific crime that earned her this bout of incarceration was a failure to pay a fine of 4,000 Euros.

A country ravished by the unethical behaviour of bankers, to which it has for the most part turned a blind eye, can nevetheless imprison people whose misdemeanours pale by comparison.

Mrs Teeling who only six months ago found her sister dead after a fall from an apartment owed a fine resulting from a breach of casual trading laws.

The jails are filling up with the wrong people while those who should be under lock and key are in charge of the country's financial health.

The female win in Mountjoy Prison

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Dundon Down

With the conviction last week in the Special Criminal Court in Dublin of John Dundon, hope has arisen in Limerick that a corner has been turned in the city's long struggle against gang related violence. Gardai have spoken of the force's capacity to deal with serious crime.

Dundon was found guilty of murdering rugby player Shane Geoghegan in a case of mistaken identity.

Violence in Limerick has been to the fore in recent years with incidents like the Moyross incendiary attack on young children in a family car causing much public outrage.

The city has a history of poverty which has fueled much of the city's crime and drugs epidemic.

Limerick street scene, 1962

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Death Of Brian Stack

The Provisional IRA has admitted that it shot dead prison officer Brian Stack in the 1980s. Stack, the only prison officer to be killed as a spin off from the Northern Irish conflict, died from his injuries a year after he was shot in the head while leaving a Dublin boxing match in 1983.  Portlaoise Prison given its maximum security status has frequently featured in news coverage either for its escape attempts or nature of the regime prisoners are held under.

Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams along with a former IRA leader met with the family of Brian Stack at which it was confirmed that the IRA was responsible for the death of Mr Stack. Mr Adams said he would not call on the IRA to assist the Garda in solving the killing.


Portlaoise became the main penal holding centre for IRA prisoners, replacing Mountjoy, in the mid 1970s.

The female win in Mountjoy Prison

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Violence in Pakistan

Last week a suicide bomber was reported to have killed 30 people during a funeral service for a police officer in Pakistan. The type of attack has been a frequent occurrence in the country.

Pakistan is subject not only to the violence of Islamic radicals who are normally blamed for being behind the suicide bomb attacks, but also faces the infliction of US military violence which is often delivered by means of drone attacks.

Benazir Bhutto was one of the more prominent Pakistani pliticians ot have been killed in suicide bomb attacks.

Benazir Bhutto during a 1994 visit to Ireland

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Unsafe Passage

Despite the public's taken for granted expectation to travel safely by road or rail and end up in one piece at their destination, events in recent weeks in Continental Europe serve as grim reminders of the hazards that sometimes face travellers and beg us to consider whether the requisite level of safety awareness is at the centre of the minds of the people tasked with operating the vehicles in which we travel. When a fatal car crash occurs the deaths are usually low. In trains and buses they can be significantly higher.

After the Spanish rail disaster which claimed around 80 lives, Italy fell prey to a transport disaster when a coach carrying pilgrims to Naples plummeted into a ravine, leaving almost 40 dead.

Ireland's bus service has not been fatality free. In March 2005 an incident involving a school bus saw five pupils on bard the vehicle lose their lives.

CIE Bus in Dodder River after a crash in 1996. 

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