ELECTRICIAN apprentice Niamh O’Dowd from Dunmore thinks more women should consider the trade. Niamh is enjoying every moment of her course, which contrary to popular belief features plenty of women. It is great to see more women getting into this type of work,” Niamh told The Tuam Herald. “If a man can do this work, a woman can do it at least ten times better. It might be a male dominated world, but there is plenty of opportunity for girls too, who will be treated just the same.”

A jury was sent home for the weekend in the trial of a retired superintendent and four serving gardaí accused of unlawfully squaring away traffic offence summonses for motorists. Mr Hanahoe told the jury that the main reason for attempts to get the motorists off was Mr O’Neill’s friendship or close connection with the individuals — Mr Hanahoe said these people were not on trial. It was a case of “who you are”, said Mr Hanahoe, and that Mr O’Neill allowed this “preference” and his “friendship” with others to dictate “who ought to be prosecuted”. Mr Hanahoe told the jury:The evidence is clear: What was happening was preference, pure and simple, and the appropriate verdict on all counts is guilty. Mr McEnroy said because GNBCI’s first investigation failed to damage Mr O’Neill, it had pursued him in a “vicious” way.

Robertson has started only four times in the Premier League this season. But there is also a compelling reason why Liverpool and Arne Slot might want him to stay. In a season when their Premier League title defence imploded, there are still major trophies up for grabs and a Champions League slot to be secured. Some observers would probably still rate Robertson ahead of Kerkez but whatever your take on that, one thing is certain. From a footballing point of view, it makes little sense for Liverpool to let Robertson leave at this moment.

Clondalkin woman (43), who was homeless and found unresponsive in a tent in Dublin, remembered at service by family and friends. This was where the funeral mass of Natasha Smith (43) took place on Friday morning, one week after she was found unresponsive in a tent on Pearse Street in Dublin city centre. A family member carries a photograph of Natasha Smith as she walks alongside her coffin at the funeral in Clondalkin on Friday. Photograph: Colin Keegan/Collins“We loved swinging around the pole on ropes but none of us could climb it like Tasha. Lee and Stephen were her life.”Her women relatives escorted Natasha “Tasha” Smith out of the church, to Tracy Chapman’s song Across the Lines.

Denise Quinn, Tourism Ireland; Barbara Smyth, of Silverline Cruisers in Offaly; and Owen Williams, Tourism Ireland, at the CMT Stuttgart travel fair in Germany. Offaly tourism business attends trade event in GermanyAn Offaly tourism business recently joined in a Tourism Ireland effort to attract German holidaymakers to the country. Silverline Cruisers, based in Banagher, was one of 11 tourism businesses from Ireland which this week attended the CMT holiday exhibition in Stuttgart. Barbara Smyth of Silverline Cruisers flew out to the event which is one of the biggest travel fairs in Germany, attracting around 300,000 visitors. Tourism Ireland said it will "continue to showcase Ireland’s iconic landscapes, culture and history, as well as our superb culinary offering and great festivals" over the course of 2026.

Architectural firm Deady Gahan has relocated to MacCurtain St: the latest arrival to a part of the city fast gaining a reputation as Cork’s most improved quarter. Frank Murphy's distinctive glass wall extensionDavid Deady, who leads Deady Gahan along with Eamonn Gahan, said they were delighted with the move to the Victorian Quarter. Eamonn Gahan and Dave Deady, Directors at Deady Gahan Architects outside their new MacCurtain Street offices in Cork city. Ger Naughton, Associate Director, Dave Deady , Director, Eamonn Gahan, Director and Liam Murphy, Associate Director. Deady Gahan are on ground floor level, with frontage onto MacCurtain Street, where Cork City Council has invested heavily in improvements to public realm over the past few years.

The United States has turned away from its long-time allies, the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, and thrown its support behind the new government of President Ahmad al-Sharaa. Seeking a way to fight the group without putting US troops on the front lines, the United States partnered with a Kurdish militia. The United States established close ties with al-Sharaa and sought to bring the two groups to work together. Al-Sharaa complained that the Kurdish side kept augmenting its demands while making no move to withdraw from Arab-majority areas. The Kurds, given their more secular outlook, could help dilute the Islamist character of Syria’s new government, Xelil said, a goal many thought that the United States shared.

Irish athlete Sarah Leahy first considered a career in engineering in secondary school. That trip really planted the seed of my interest in engineering.”Even though she was determined to study engineering, Sarah knew the path would not be easy. While pursuing her athletic career, she has also continued to grow in her professional engineering career. With internationally recognised qualifications from Engineers Ireland, Irish engineers are well-positioned to succeed internationally. For students with a passion for creativity and a desire to make an impact, engineering offers a world of opportunity.

The two sides cannot agree on the future of the Donetsk region, one of two regions which comprise Donbas. (Iryna Rybakova/Ukraine's 93rd Mechanized Brigade via AP)Most countries recognise Donetsk as part of Ukraine. Zelenskyy says surrendering full control of Donetsk would give Russia a platform to launch assaults deeper into Ukraine. In this photo provided by Ukraine's 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade press service, craters and ruined houses are seen near the frontline in the Druzhkivka direction, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (Iryna Rybakova/Ukraine's 93rd Mechanized Brigade via AP)A poll this month showed a majority of Ukrainians strongly opposed withdrawing troops from Donetsk in exchange for European and US security guarantees.

Ireland could become one of the most severe regimes in Europe for those fleeing war and persecution under proposed changes to immigration law, activists and lawyers have warned. Under the proposed changes, judicial reviews in immigration law would be moved from the High Court to the Circuit Court for the first time in the history of the State. Immigration judicial reviews are extremely complex, involving EU law, constitutional law, administrative law and international human rights law, Mr Malone said. “It’s an access to justice issue.”Family reunification rulesThe Government also plans to significantly tighten family reunification rules. Proposal to restrict family reunification 'would be unusually severe by European standards'.

Offaly’s Jack McEvoy surges forward with Louth’s Conall McCaul closing in to challenge during the 2023 Leinster SFC semi-final between the counties. At that stage current Offaly joint manager Mickey Harte was in charge of Louth. Louth test looks crucial to Offaly's overall hopesBy Kevin EganThese should be exciting times for Offaly GAA, with both the county’s flagship footballers and hurlers set to embark on a new adventure in the National League. The O’Byrne Cup campaign was relatively successful in that three games were played where Offaly were tested in plenty of respects. For Offaly to clear that bar, more than a few players will have to step up their game to a whole new level.

A few days later, he received the devastating news that this lump was advanced pancreatic cancer, and he was referred to palliative care. Mr Cooke hard at work as a plastererLouise added: 'It can happen to anybody. Dubbed the 'silent killer' due to its subtle symptoms, pancreatic cancer kills around 100,000 people in the UK every year. This is the equivalent to one death every hour, with pancreatic cancer believed to be one of 14 cancers on the rise. Pancreatic cancer can inhibit the gland from making enough of these hormones—which can lead to unstable blood sugar levels.

Staff at Ergo were told the news just after US investor Presidio completed an acquisition of the business for an estimated €100m. Mr Purdy was aged 63. Ergo, which Mr Purdy co-founded in 1993 with Tim Sheehy, initially sold ink and other supplies. Born into a working-class family in Dublin’s Finglas, his father was a shipwright with Guinness who died when John Purdy was still in his teens. Paul McCann told staff today: “It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of John Purdy.

Mikel Arteta said throwing Ethan Nwaneri in with the ‘sharks’ on loan at Marseille will do wonders for his development — and hinted other youngsters could follow suit in future. That has seen £67.5million signing Eberechi Eze have to contend with largely being on the bench for Premier League matches. And the last thing that we want is to cut his development because he's such a talent and loves and breathes football. And I think it fits the way of playing for the qualities that we want to see for Ethan. But one day you have to go, pack your bags, this is the flight tickets and you have to go to Marseille.

Radio reviewsIt was only after we’d changed our car about four years ago that I realised they weren’t putting CD players in them any more. I was poking around the dashboard where I thought the CD player should be, a disc of Al Green’s greatest hits at the ready to lighten my journey, slowly coming to the realisation that an era of in-car entertainment had ended. This is how the world works now, some Silicon Valley dude has a bright idea to take away something you like, the way that you like it, and replace it with something – such as Spotify – that he likes, the way that he likes it. And it’s all done and dusted ­before you can say, “democracy dies in darkness”.