Protesters throw crumble and custard at Crown Jewels in Tower of London
Two supporters of Take Back Power smother dessert over the cabinet containing the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London. Photograph: Take Back Power/PAFour protesters have been arrested after custard and apple crumble was thrown at a display case containing the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London. Footage shared by the group showed one demonstrator removing the large foil tray of crumble from a bag and then slamming it against the glass protecting the Imperial State Crown. King Charles, pictured with Queen Camilla, wears the Imperial State Crown during the state opening of the UK's parliament in 2023. London’s Metropolitan Police said: “Four protesters have been arrested following criminal damage at the Tower of London.
Source:The Irish Times
December 06, 2025 20:03 UTC
Letters to the Editor, December 6th: On RTÉ’s Eurovision boycott, taxis, drones and commuter woes
RTÉ’s decision, along with three other countries, not to enter next year’s Eurovision Song Contest because of Israel’s participation has received world attention and widespread support here in Ireland. Sir, – It is disappointing to hear that RTÉ intends to boycott the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, now that Israel’s involvement has been approved. Sir, – The decision by RTÉ to boycott next year’s Eurovision Song Contest is the wrong decision. Sir, – I admire and applaud the RTÉ decision regarding non-participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. Sir, – RTÉ’s decision not to broadcast the Eurovision Song Contest will measurably improve the overall standard of music broadcasting in this country in 2026.
Source:The Irish Times
December 06, 2025 19:45 UTC
Ashling Murphy memorial: ‘We’re doing this to keep her memory alive’
Ashling Murphy was a musician and fluent Irish speaker who had a close affinity with two Gaeltacht areas, said her father, Ray Murphy. Photograph: Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann/PA WireAshling Murphy’s father has thanked the public for their support, saying a memorial fund aims to “keep her memory alive”. Her family have set up the Ashling Murphy Memorial Fund to raise money for causes she believed in. Launching a Gaeltacht scholarship and distributing funds in Tullamore on Saturday, Ray Murphy said: “We’re doing this to keep Ashling’s memory alive and her legacy alive. “The people have been giving us substantial amounts of money for Ashling’s memorial fund and the generosity of people is overwhelming,” he said.
Source:The Irish Times
December 06, 2025 18:51 UTC
Returning home to Syria after 13 years: A writer reflects on her journey to Damascus after fall of Assad
We took our place in the queue, my senses on alert, unsure what to expect. People celebrate in central Damascus a year on from the fall of the Assad regime. This was causing frustration and delays while the country took baby steps towards building a new Syria. Despite government promises and multiple attempts to enforce the law, preventing Syria from going down a darker route will take time, effort and collective wisdom. “I love Syria, I just don’t want to leave my friends in Ireland.” He wants both worlds, just like me.
Source:The Irish Times
December 06, 2025 18:01 UTC
This Donegal toad is not welcome in Dún Laoghaire
I spotted this creature at Killygarvan graveyard, Rathmullan, Co Donegal in July – a toad – but it doesn’t match the pictures of Irish toads. Francis McNichollThat is because it is not our native natterjack toad but a common toad, a species that is native in Britain and in continental Europe. There is also a colony of the same species of toad in south Co Dublin where it was first recorded in 2013 in Barnacullia. It is considered to be an invasive species by Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council. A pair of wasps mating.
Source:The Irish Times
December 06, 2025 18:00 UTC
Ian O’Riordan: Why Grand Slam Track is paying a high price for excluding field events
With a reported investment of $30m, Grand Slam Track also claimed to have sold a TV deal to around 180 countries. Andrew Coscoran of Ireland is pictured smiling after winning 3000m long distance during Grand Slam Track. An investigation by The Athletic also found Grand Slam Track had received only $13m in investment, not the €30m originally claimed. The lack of any field events wasn’t the only reason Grand Slam Track has failed so spectacularly, seemingly already facing financial ruin, but it surely didn’t help. Duplantis has proved field events are far from a just sideshow, although that realisation may come too late to save Grand Slam Track.
Source:The Irish Times
December 06, 2025 16:53 UTC
Gráinne O’Brien: ‘I was anxious about things most authors wouldn’t even dream could happen’
I never really even needed to say: Daisy is a musician, she is this good, she does this, she does that. Family life often takes a back seat in YA, compared with friendships or love interests. But it also meant I was anxious about things going wrong most authors wouldn’t even dream could happen. I love books about books. Solo (Little Island) is the Irish Book Awards Teen & YA Book of the Year
Source:The Irish Times
December 06, 2025 16:21 UTC
The Ashes: Australia close on second Test triumph as England struggle
The way the first five days of this series have played out – the way Starc has taken residence in English minds and painted the walls fuchsia pink – this is the stuff of fantasy. The tourists were still 43 runs away from simply making Australia bat again and Sunday will surely see that scoreline locked in. Mitchell Starc of Australia celebrates dismissing Joe Root of England. England’s captain will walk out alongside Will Jacks on the fourth day, while Australia will be eyeing a quick kill. At this stage Australia were 418 for eight, with a lead of 84 runs that still needed further embellishment.
Source:The Irish Times
December 06, 2025 16:06 UTC
Could Ireland follow Australia and ban under-16s from social media?
The first question they asked him was what he was going to do about a social media ban. Research is demonstrating that children who have access to social media are presenting behaviours consistent with addiction to the internet. On Wednesday Australia will become the first country in the world to impose a social media ban for children under 16. This week, social media company Meta started shutting down hundreds of thousands of Instagram and Facebook accounts suspected to be operated by under-16s in Australia. There are already differing opinions emerging between member states on what a social media age limit should be.
Source:The Irish Times
December 06, 2025 15:01 UTC
‘You can hear the stress in people’s voices’: St Vincent de Paul’s 900 calls for help in a single morning
Sinead Gill of St Vincent de Paul: 'We are up 7 per cent on the number of calls since last year.' No don’t apologise,” she adds “Look, I have you down for the Christmas help. God bless.”Another mother calls. I really do ... No problem at all, love; don’t be worrying.”An older woman in north Dublin calls. Unfortunately, we cannot visit everyone who calls for help this Christmas because we just don’t have enough volunteers,” she says.
Source:The Irish Times
December 06, 2025 15:01 UTC
Social workers fear increasing numbers of young people are being drawn to anti-immigrant violence
Three years ago Aisling Golden was attending a conference in Sweden on the grooming of young people into violence and criminality. However, she paid little attention in the second half, which addressed teenagers being groomed into far-right and anti-immigrant violence. Garda sources said in some cases young people were being actively groomed by criminals to carry out anti-immigrant violence such as that seen recently in Citywest in Saggart, west Dublin, where there were riots in October. Becoming involved in the anti-immigrant movement gives young people “position, power and status which they do not usually have in their lives”, she said. When teenagers post their own anti-immigrant content, they are called “heroes” and “patriots”, giving them a status they never had before, said Golden.
Source:The Irish Times
December 06, 2025 15:01 UTC
Rising youth unemployment in Ireland: ‘You apply for 100 jobs and 95 don’t get back to you’
“You apply for 100 jobs and 95 don’t get back to you,” says 18-year-old Conor Maxwell, who lives locally and regularly comes to the centre, where his mother, Janis, works. [ Unemployment in State at 4.9% in NovemberOpens in new window ]“It used to be you just had to have a Junior Cert but now you need your traditional Leaving Cert. Starting off, that’s too much to ask.”There are still routes into these programmes without the Leaving Cert but in reality almost all successful applicants have the Leaving Cert. The more practical nature of courses he has taken since leaving school make far more sense to him, he says. Nathan Ronan (20) did just that: he became embroiled with “the wrong crowd” after leaving school at 16 with no qualifications.
Source:The Irish Times
December 06, 2025 15:01 UTC
The WFH parents balancing work and childcare: ‘I struggle with it. The two things don’t mix at all’
“I don’t think it’s professional to have children in the same room as [you when] you’re trying to work. “I’m trying to throw out some activity to try and buy myself more time … but sometimes it’s with the little fingers on the laptop beside me. “I’ve got a good relationship with managers, so they know that I’m getting the work done. I try to get work done when they’re at school, and catch up when they’re in bed. I’m working in the car while the children are at their sports training”, she explains.
Source:The Irish Times
December 06, 2025 15:01 UTC
New digital wallet to be tested within months to restrict social media access in Ireland for under-16s
The digital wallet, based on the existing MyGovID online identity system, is the first step in Government plans to set an age limit for children on social media. This week, Australia will become the first country in the world to impose a social media ban for children aged 16 and under. Many European countries also favour new age limits for social media, though some feel that parents should still have the choice to allow a child aged between 13 and 16 to have a social media account. Speaking at the British Irish Council in Wales on Friday, Mr Martin said “outright bans” for children on social media “need to be examined in considerable detail”. “I am very supportive of the idea of social media being restricted to people above a certain age,” Mr Harris said.
Source:The Irish Times
December 06, 2025 15:01 UTC
Cash is king in Ireland, but Sweden shows investors a better way
The Irish are a reluctant bunch when it comes to stock market investing. Photograph: Chris Ratcliffe/BloombergThe Irish are a reluctant bunch when it comes to stock market investing. Irish households keep 38 per cent of their financial assets parked in cash and deposits, according to a Central Bank report, well above the EU average of 30 per cent. Europeans themselves are hardly a benchmark of boldness: in the equity-friendly US, households hold just 11 per cent in cash. Irish households do have equity exposure through pensions but, overall, there is a missing sense of the risk of doing nothing.
Source:The Irish Times
December 06, 2025 15:01 UTC