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Irish Times
12 hours ago
- General
- Irish Times
Other burial sites must be identified, says survivors' advocate after exhumation preparation begins in Tuam
Further work must be carried out to identify burial sites of those who died in the care of religious institutions as part of the nation's healing process, the special advocate for survivors, Patricia Carey, has said. Welcoming the preparatory exhumation works now under way in Tuam, Ms Carey said she had been approached by institutional survivors who said they wished to know where their children had been buried. 'There is a need for further forensic regulations to identify the burial grounds for all those who died in institutions,' she said. Ms Carey was speaking at an event in Tralee, Co Kerry, on Thursday where she met survivors of industrial schools, reformatories, mother and baby homes and other institutions. READ MORE She said there had been deaths in all of Ireland's institutions and it was important such burial grounds were identified. Since her appointment in March last year, Ms Carey has been approached by mothers and siblings of those who were born and subsequently died in mother and baby homes and other institutions but were never told where they were buried. She said they were not looking for exhumations but simply to find out where children were buried so they could visit. Will the Tuam excavation finally bring closure to families? Listen | 20:07 'Tuam is very welcome and it has taken a long time for the works to commence,' she said. 'However – and I've said this to Minister [for Children Norma] Foley – we are an honourable and kind nation, and as an Irish people we honour and respect our dead. So why can't we respect the dead in our institutions?' She has contacted Ms Foley, requesting that all such sites be memorialised. [ Analysis: How Tuam, synonymous with a dark side of Irish history, can finally 'do the right thing' Opens in new window ] 'The burial grounds must be identified,' she 'strongly' pointed out to the Minister. Ms Carey also called for the centralisation of related records, saying there was no reason for them to remain in the custody of religious orders.
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Irish Times
Former football coach to be sentenced later for indecent assault of boy over 50 years ago
A man who was indecently assaulted by his football coach over 50 years ago has described him as 'vile', 'evil' and a 'danger to children'. Joseph Thorpe (73) was a coach with a Dublin club when he sexually assaulted the injured party on a date between September 1974 and September 1976, during a club trip to Co Kerry. The complainant was aged 12 to 14 at the time. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that the victim wishes to retain his anonymity, but has no difficulty with Thorpe being identified. Thorpe, with an address at Glenbeigh Park, Cabra, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty to one count of indecent assault on a trial date earlier this year. READ MORE Defence senior counsel Tony McGillicuddy told the court that Thorpe is currently living on a mobile home site in Co Meath. Thorpe has five previous convictions, including three for indecently assaulting another teenage boy in the 1980s, for which he was given a two-year suspended sentence in 1990. Reading his victim-impact statement on Wednesday, the complainant said Thorpe had 'posed' as football manager and coach 51 years ago. 'Football managers build dreams and instil confidence and self-belief in players. [Joseph Thorpe], you were no football manager.' He said Thorpe 'thrashed his dreams' of being a footballer, 'wrecked' his confidence and mental health and 'destroyed' his school and family life. He said the offending had 'destroyed my trust in mankind' and affected his ability to sustain a close physical relationship with a partner. The injured party said he had undergone a 'lifetime of therapy' to deal with the impact of the abuse. 'You are a dirty man, a vile man, an evil man,' he said, later describing Thorpe as a 'danger to children'. He asked Thorpe to take any help offered 'for your attraction to young boys'. 'Please take it, it may save the life of a young child.' An investigating garda told Ronan Prendergast, prosecuting, that the then teenager had an involvement with the club where Thorpe was a coach. Thorpe took him to matches, on fishing trips and also bought him football gear. The incident took place during a club summer trip to Co Kerry during which participants, including many children, stayed in a caravan and a tent. Thorpe sexually assaulted the teenager in a makeshift bed they were sharing in a caravan. The boy told Thorpe to stop. Two others were also sleeping in the same bed and other children were in the caravan, the court heard. The complainant made an initial complaint to gardaí in 2017. The investigating garda outlined during cross-examination that there was a hiatus in the investigation due to a high volume of murder investigations being dealt with by Mountjoy Garda station during this period. Investigating gardaí approached Thorpe in 2019 and while he initially indicated he would agree to a voluntary interview he later declined following legal advice. The investigating garda agreed with Mr McGillicuddy that this was a single incident, which occurred while others were sleeping in the caravan. It was further accepted that Thorpe was previously married and is estranged from his adult children. Mr McGillicuddy noted that this case involved a 'grave breach of trust', adding that he had been instructed to apologise. He said Thorpe lives 'a fairly lonely and solitary life'. Counsel said Thorpe's marriage had broken down after he was charged in relation to his previous offending, and his relationship with his children had been 'sundered' following some media coverage about these convictions around 2007. Mr McGillicuddy said his client was a postal worker, but this employment also ended due to his previous convictions. He submitted that Thorpe had paid a price for his conviction in 1990 and had suffered a 'personal and human cost in that his life effectively crumbled'. A number of medical reports were handed to the court. Mr McGillicuddy outlined that his client has complex medical issues, some of which are being managed on an ongoing basis. He asked the court to take into account his client's guilty plea, willingness to engage with the Probation Service and expression of remorse. Counsel asked the court for as much leniency as possible for his client. He asked the court to adjourn the case as two testimonials had been provided for his client, but these were not accompanied by affidavits. Judge Martina Baxter said the court would adjourn the case for one week, and remanded Thorpe in custody until June 25th. The judge directed that Thorpe should receive all required medical treatment while in custody.
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Irish Times
Brews with a view: The best bars around Ireland for a sunny day pint
Sunny weather isn't just great for drying clothes – it's also prime beer garden weather. But not all outdoor spots are created equal. We've all followed signs to a 'terrace' that's really a bin store or a scruffy car park with pallet chairs. No thanks. These are the cream of old-school pubs around the country perched in stunning coastal spots with plenty of seating and great views. The Glyde Inn Annagassan, Co Louth; This gorgeous redbrick pub and restaurant has unbeatable beachside views over Dundalk Bay, the Cooley and Mourne Mountains. The Harbour Bar Downings Co Donegal; The Harbour Bar, Downings. Photograph: Ali Dunworth Inside, a cosy, memorabilia-filled traditional pub; outside, the views are the scene-stealer, with a terrace overlooking long stretches of beach. The Blue Light Barnacullia, Sandyford, Dublin 18; A buzzing beer garden in the foothills of the Dublin mountains with an unparalleled panorama of the city and sea. READ MORE Helen's Bar Kilmackillogue, Co Kerry; Sitting on a pier overlooking Kilmackillogue Harbour, this remote pub on the Beara Peninsula has bench seats stretching along the water. Murphy's Bar Brandon, Co Kerry, V92 T680; This well-loved Kerry institution, perched on Brandon pier and at the foot of Mount Brandon, offers mountain and sea views of the Dingle Peninsula. Tigh TP Baile na nGall, Murreagh, Co Kerry, V92 EE39; Tigh TP, Baile na nGall. Photograph: Ali Dunworth Located by a small sandy beach near the Ballydavid Cliff Walk, Tigh TP is a basic pub, but the views, out over the last edge of land to the Atlantic, rival anywhere in Ireland. The Tin Pub Ahakista, Co Cork; The Tin Pub, Ahakista. Photograph: Ali Dunworth Through this unassuming pub lies possibly the best beer garden in the country – a well-kept lawn slopes to a stone wall, then a beach, with beautiful views across Dunmanus Bay. The Jolly Roger Sherkin Island, Co Cork; Hop on a ferry from Baltimore to enjoy a pint at this cheery island pub, where the beer garden looks back over the craggy Cork coastline. O'Sullivans Bar The Pier, Crookhaven, Co Cork, P81 CF78; O'Sullivan's bar, Crookhaven. Photograph: Ellie O'Byrne Known as 'The Most Southerly Pint in Ireland,' the busy waterside outdoor seats here are sought after for pier views and a pint with a crab sandwich. Bushe's Bar Baltimore, Co Cork Prime seats in picturesque Baltimore village for watching sunsets over the harbour and soaking up maritime vibes. The Strand Inn Dunmore East, Co Waterford Dunmore East, Co Waterford. Photograph: Getty Hear waves lap the wall as you enjoy a drink on the terrace of this Dunmore East institution by the beach with views across to Hook Head. Tigh Uí Mhuirithe/Murrays Pub Helvick, Co Waterford; Tigh Uí Mhuirithe, Heilbhic Nestled in the coastal Gaeltacht of An Rinn, Tigh Uí Mhuirithe boasts a beloved beer garden with stunning views over Dungarvan Harbour that truly comes alive in the sunshine. Tigh Ned Inis Oírr, Co Galway; Tigh Ned, Inis Oírr. Photograph: Ali Dunworth Arguably one of the finest spots for a pint in Ireland, Tigh Ned is the local pub on Inis Oírr, with a beer garden stretching down to the sea and the stunning landscape of Galway Bay. Sweeney's Strand Bar and Shop Claddaghduff, Co Galway; Sweeney's is a pub, shop and post office offering fresh seafood and sweeping views of Omey Island – watch the tidal road appear while sipping a creamy pint.
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Thousands of holiday lets will need planning permission due to Rent Pressure Zone changes
Thousands of short-term holiday lettings on the west coast and elsewhere will require planning permission as a result of emergency laws extending Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) nationwide by the end of this week. Under a 2019 law designed to get holiday lettings back into the private rental market, properties rented out for short periods in RPZs are required to have planning permission. Minister of State Michael Healy-Rae said it is a 'big concern' for him that Airbnb -style rentals all over Co Kerry would need planning permission because of one of the Government's big housing policies. The Coalition could face a backlash from more of its own senior ministers, some of whom had already raised concerns about the impact regulations on short-term lettings could have on rural tourism. READ MORE At the moment, tourism hotspots such as Listowel, Tralee, Dingle and Kenmare in Co Kerry, Belmullet and Ballina in Co Mayo, and Bantry and Skibbereen in Co Cork are not classed as RPZs. As a result of this, short-term holiday lettings do not require planning permission in these places. A spokeswoman for Minister for Housing James Browne said: 'Currently, any time we designate an area as a Rent Pressure Zone, the provisions related to short-term letting automatically apply to that Rent Pressure Zoned area. This will be the case when we apply Rent Pressure Zones nationally.' Mr Healy-Rae, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, said he was concerned about the impact the changes would have. 'It's a thing I'm acutely aware of and extremely concerned about,' he said, adding that he was 'hoping to work within Government to try and address' it. The consequence of the law means short-term lets in several ministers' constituencies are required to apply for planning permission. Among the ministers whose areas stand to be impacted are Mr Browne, Minister for Children Norma Foley, Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary, Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke and Minister of State Timmy Dooley. Earlier this year, Ms Foley raised concerns about a separate proposal to ban planning permission for short-term lets in towns with populations of more than 10,000 people. On Tuesday, a spokesman for Ms Foley declined to comment, as did a spokesman for Mayo-based Mr Calleary. Also on Tuesday, the Cabinet agreed to rush through the emergency legislation extending RPZs to the entire country, with Ministers planning to have the legislation passed through all stages in the Oireachtas and ready to be signed into law by Thursday. It is understood that some people who lease out short-term holiday lets have already been in touch with TDs to complain about the impact the legislation will have on their businesses and to ask for pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill. Mr Brown confirmed there will be no special exemption for students under the new rental regime . He was due to meet Minister for Further and Higher Education James Lawless on Tuesday over his concerns about students and other people who move regularly facing higher rents. However, that meeting has been deferred until next week. Mr Browne told reporters that special protections for student tenants in the private market would be 'unworkable' and 'unenforceable'. Labour's housing spokesman Conor Sheehan claimed on Tuesday that he had seen 'anecdotal' evidence of landlords in areas not yet covered by RPZs trying to increase their rents before the law was passed.
Irish Times
10-06-2025
- Irish Times
Cyclist (80s) dies after collision with vehicle in Co Kerry
A cyclist in his 80s has died following a collision with a vehicle in Kilgarvan, Co Kerry . The fatal incident occurred shortly after 1.40pm on the R569 road. Gardaí and emergency services responded, and the man was pronounced dead at the scene. A post-mortem examination is due to take place, a Garda spokesperson said. The road remains closed at this time. Drivers travelling to and from Kenmare are advised to travel via Killarney and Moll's Gap on the N71. READ MORE Gardaí are appealing for any road users with camera footage, including dash-cam, who were travelling in the area between 1pm and 2pm to make this footage available to them. Anyone with any information is asked to contact gardaí.
