Sunday Independent (Dublin, Republic of Ireland) back issues from May 2008:
the plot's the thing Finishing a book and building a house at the same time is a huge undertaking -- and novelist Fiona O'Brien reckons it left her with some form of post-natal depression, she tells Mary O'Sullivan. Photography by Tony Gavin.
May 04, 2008 ... the plot's the thing Finishing a book and building a house at the same time is a huge undertaking -- and novelist Fiona O'Brien reckons it left her with some form of post-natal depression, she tells Mary O'Sullivan. Photography by Tony Gavin Mirrors are a big feature ...
Pat Byrne.
May 04, 2008 ... Pat Byrne PAT Byrne's career straddled the financial services, aviation and IT sectors and to this day he is actively involved in those areas. Pat is a serial entrepreneur who created enterprises in the insurance investments sector, in specialist software and in aviation. ...
A piece of paradiso Mary O'Sullivan finds beauty all around an island favoured by film directors.
May 04, 2008 ... A piece of paradiso Mary O'Sullivan finds beauty all around an island favoured by film directors WHEN you hit a certain age, you realise there are particular qualities a holiday destination has to possess before you consider it your kind of place. I may not be ...
The king of 'can do' When Jack Canfield was a small boy he was terrified of his alcoholic, abusive father. But his difficult childhood didn't prompt him to write a misery memoir. Instead, he took control of his life and is now living it beyond his wildest dreams. The author of Chicken Soup for the Soul, who has sold more than 80 million copies, tells Barry Egan how to stop living life as a victim.
May 04, 2008 ... The king of 'can do' When Jack Canfield was a small boy he was terrified of his alcoholic, abusive father. But his difficult childhood didn't prompt him to write a misery memoir. Instead, he took control of his life and is now living it beyond his wildest dreams. The author of ...
England, '38m.
May 04, 2008 ... England, '38m Looking for a proper trophy home? Try a nine-bed monster in Cadogan Place, Kingsbridge. There's plenty of room for staff and the indoor swimming pool should seal it for many. May be out of the reach of some readers. Further information from ...
Can you fill Strongbow's shoes?
May 04, 2008 ... Can you fill Strongbow's shoes? I'm always a little surprised by tiny, tiny homes with very large names. Calling your one-up-one-down in Drogheda "Chez Acropolis" smacks of the sort of mindless optimism that we Irish do so very well. Big homes don't need to do big ...
Battle-hardened veterans laying our ghosts to rest The opening of the new Battle of the Boyne site marks a last date for the political old guard, says Jerome Reilly.
May 04, 2008 ... Battle-hardened veterans laying our ghosts to rest The opening of the new Battle of the Boyne site marks a last date for the political old guard, says Jerome Reilly IT began as a cultural adornment of the Good Friday Agreement amid the hard politics of ...
Gwyneth is back in the groove After lying low for six years, Gwyneth Paltrow has stepped into the spotlight once more, writes Evan Fanning.
May 04, 2008 ... Gwyneth is back in the groove After lying low for six years, Gwyneth Paltrow has stepped into the spotlight once more, writes Evan Fanning THESE past few weeks might eventually become known as the period when Gwyneth Paltrow got her groove back; the time when the ...
REAL CHARACTER.
May 04, 2008 ... REAL CHARACTER This is Wicklow's finest, baa none Is Wicklow the best county in Ireland? Any sheep I've spoken to over the years swear it is, and most claim to be happy to spend their entire (short) lives there munching grass and thinking of the old days. Wicklow is ...
It's visa-vis finals on TV.
May 04, 2008 ... It's visa-vis finals on TV Who would have thought it, but it seems fanatical supporters of sporting teams are ripe for exploitation? An unwavering desire to be in an alien city on a certain date, a need for accommodation while there, and an uncontrollable desire to ...
Smurfit MBAs start on $115k.
May 04, 2008 ... Smurfit MBAs start on $115k SHINY new MBA graduates from the Michael Smurfit Business School can now expect an average starting salary of $114,610 ('73,751) on entering the rat race, according to new figures. The soaring entry pay level indicates that newly qualified ...
Arming the police is not just a right-wing fantasy Violent crime is on the increase, and the only effective deterrent is a fully armed police force, writes John O'Keeffe.
May 04, 2008 ... Arming the police is not just a right-wing fantasy Violent crime is on the increase, and the only effective deterrent is a fully armed police force, writes John O'Keeffe THE hum is getting ever louder. The association which represents 11,000 rank and file gardai up ...
Pauline holds court with her Midnight prints.
May 04, 2008 ... Pauline holds court with her Midnight prints Art, like life, consists of drawing the line somewhere. Some people are luckier than others and get to draw the line in all sorts of exotic places. Take Pauline Bewick; she has drawn the line in places as far flung as the Cook Islands ...
Press hound licks wounds.
May 04, 2008 ... Press hound licks wounds Is it possible his grumpy -- to say nothing of misogynistic -- comments about Lisa Murphy at the VIP Women Of The Year Awards at the Shelbourne Hotel have come back to haunt VIP Magazine publisher Michael O'Doherty? You see, his two ...
N'eau place like Ronan's French home.
May 04, 2008 ... N'eau place like Ronan's French home THE chattering classses are chattering about nothing else this last week. The on dit (French for gossip) is that your favourite, and mine, property tycoon Johnny Ronan has bought, or is about to buy, the French Embassy on Ailesbury Road in ...
When the Heaton is on Pippa gets out of kitchen.
May 04, 2008 ... When the Heaton is on Pippa gets out of kitchen You're A Star judge Michelle Heaton won't win many popularity contests with beautiful Irish model Pippa O'Connor (or with many others, come to think of it). Pippa attended the races at Punchestown last Saturday with ...
Mullingar yummies Khan beat metropolis movers 'n' shakers.
May 04, 2008 ... Mullingar yummies Khan beat metropolis movers 'n' shakers I don't suppose there's anybody out there who still thinks high fashion is the monopoly of the metropolis. But just in case there is, I am here to tell you that the real chic takes place in a hidden Ireland, where women ...
From the cradle to The Gate minibus tour.
May 04, 2008 ... From the cradle to The Gate minibus tour NOBODY could ever accuse Michael Colgan of having even a passing acquaintance with what some cynics call the malice of time and chance. Happiness and celebration is all that he has ever eked out of time and chance. This year ...
We can't blame the wicked speculators for all our woes Rising food costs are stirring up the old anger against 'evil' financiers but the price trend was always going up.
May 04, 2008 ... We can't blame the wicked speculators for all our woes Rising food costs are stirring up the old anger against 'evil' financiers but the price trend was always going up FOR a long time -- a century at least -- "speculator" was one of the dirtiest words in the ...
Senior doctors in revolt against co-location plan Brother of HSE chief Brendan Drumm in group who say strategy will bring social division.
May 04, 2008 ... Senior doctors in revolt against co-location plan Brother of HSE chief Brendan Drumm in group who say strategy will bring social division The brother of HSE Chief Executive Professor Brendan Drumm is leading a revolt by more than 40 hospital consultants who have told ...
Amnesty for the auctioneers.
May 04, 2008 ... Amnesty for the auctioneers CONFESSION time: A few weeks ago, I broke bread with an auctioneer. Throughout lunch, the words of US essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson kept ringing in my ears: "The louder he talked of his honour, the faster I counted the spoons." ...
New backer at Channel 6.
May 04, 2008 ... New backer at Channel 6 CHANNEL 6, the slick entertainment TV station backed by Feargal Quinn, the Barry's Tea family and Domhnal Slattery's Claret Capital, is understood to be in advanced negotiations to raise up to '10m from a new strategic investor. Well-placed ...
McEvaddy lands big RAF deal.
May 04, 2008 ... McEvaddy lands big RAF deal ULICK McEvaddy, the man who surprised the business world by his opposition to the Lisbon Treaty, has landed a huge air-refuelling contract with the UK's Royal Air Force. Industry sources said that Omega Air, the firm owned by Ulick and his ...
Problem child was destined to succeed A hugely successful rap star and entrepreneur, Jay-Z learned from the school of hard knocks, writes Barry Egan.
May 04, 2008 ... Problem child was destined to succeed A hugely successful rap star and entrepreneur, Jay-Z learned from the school of hard knocks, writes Barry Egan TALK about booty. And I'm not just referring to his partner's derriere. Jay-Z's estimated worth is more than $420m. ...
Smart bosses in all-out war over Murtagh rescue Fanning claims dubbed 'insidious' and 'repugnant'.
May 04, 2008 ... Smart bosses in all-out war over Murtagh rescue Fanning claims dubbed 'insidious' and 'repugnant' A DRAMATIC legal battle between one of Ireland's leading entrepreneurs, Brendan Murtagh, of Kingspan, and former Smart Telecom boss Oisin Fanning is set for a full ...
Why law and order is next major political battleground There's peace in the North and Bertie has been hounded out, now it's time to tackle crime, says Brendan O'Connor.
May 04, 2008 ... Why law and order is next major political battleground There's peace in the North and Bertie has been hounded out, now it's time to tackle crime, says Brendan O'Connor So it would appear that enough is enough. And you have had enough. Law and Order and Back to Basics ...
Non-jury courts for gangs: poll.
May 04, 2008 ... Non-jury courts for gangs: poll People are angry and fearful at the escalation of gangland murder and want the government to take decisive action using non-jury courts to tackle organised crime, a Sunday Independent poll has found. It would mean jailing the crime ...
Actor are all liars on horseback: Gabriel.
May 04, 2008 ... Actor are all liars on horseback: Gabriel HE can't sing and he can't dance -- but that hasn't stopped Gabriel Byrne taking the starring role in a new version of the musical Camelot which opens on Broadway on Thursday. When asked if he was nervous about making his ...
Saints' fall from grace continues It's a thin line between Premiership riches and League One poverty, writes Aidan O'Hara.
May 04, 2008 ... Saints' fall from grace continues It's a thin line between Premiership riches and League One poverty, writes Aidan O'Hara DERBY COUNTY supporters in need of a rare smile could do worse than take a look at the relegation zone of the league to which they are heading. ...
'It was one of the From one republic to another, the Irish have always had a wonderful welcome in America, writes Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. Photos by David Conachy.
May 04, 2008 ... 'It was one of the From one republic to another, the Irish have always had a wonderful welcome in America, writes Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. Photos by David Conachy Tuesday Afternoon/Evening My journey commences from Government Buildings. With my last ...
'Villainous' Holland back in familiar surroundings.
May 04, 2008 ... 'Villainous' Holland back in familiar surroundings Career criminal Patrick Dutchy Holland -- the Dublin thug named in court by a garda officer as the man who shot dead Sunday Independent journalist Veronica Guerin 12 years ago -- will see out much of his old age in the same way ...
Credit rolls at the End of the Bertie Era Lousy history and great drama summed up the closing scenes of the Bertie show, writes Gene Kerrigan.
May 04, 2008 ... Credit rolls at the End of the Bertie Era Lousy history and great drama summed up the closing scenes of the Bertie show, writes Gene Kerrigan HOW are you enjoying the Bertie show? We're watching a real-life drama. And, in all drama there's a thing called "suspension ...
Mahon in U-turn on Bertie house sale Tribunal retreat a tragic irony for Taoiseach on eve of his departure.
May 04, 2008 ... Mahon in U-turn on Bertie house sale Tribunal retreat a tragic irony for Taoiseach on eve of his departure THE future of the Mahon tribunal's investigation into the Taoiseach's controversial house purchase is set to end prematurely, as key witnesses have been told ...
zeitgeistthe revolting student.
May 11, 2008 ... zeitgeist the revolting student The singsong inflections and verbal exclamation marks, which, through cultivated habit, Elaine now adds to the end of each sentence lend even her mildest conversation the character of rabid soapbox rhetoric. A lot of things ...
colour fix Architect Greg Tisdall and his wife, Catherine, have shunned fashionable, muted white tones in favour of a decor that reflects their family and lifestyle -- big, colourful, interesting and full of energy, writes Mary O'Sullivan. Photography by Tony Gavin.
May 11, 2008 ... colour fix Architect Greg Tisdall and his wife, Catherine, have shunned fashionable, muted white tones in favour of a decor that reflects their family and lifestyle -- big, colourful, interesting and full of energy, writes Mary O'Sullivan. Photography by Tony Gavin ...
'One of the party who'd been in Munich before took us to the oldest beer hall, the biggest beer hall, the smallest brewery. It was practically archaeology'.
May 11, 2008 ... 'One of the party who'd been in Munich before took us to the oldest beer hall, the biggest beer hall, the smallest brewery. It was practically archaeology' THURSDAY SO, there's Salman Rushdie walking into the Merrion Hotel, and just as he's heading in the door, the ...
Supersize isn't everything ... Food for thought rather than of the super-sized junk type is served with Morgan Spurlock's new film, says Evan Fanning.
May 11, 2008 ... Supersize isn't everything ... Food for thought rather than of the super-sized junk type is served with Morgan Spurlock's new film, says Evan Fanning MORGAN Spurlock is aware that he has spawned a large number of imitators. The man behind Super Size Me -- the ...
The summer nature of a city COUNTRY MATTERS.
May 11, 2008 ... The summer nature of a city COUNTRY MATTERS IN Dublin, a kitchen window opens to a sunlit garden. It is a height-of-summer morning. Days previously, the chill of lingering winter-spring ensured openings remained sealed. Now a plump queen wasp has entered in her ...
TARA, AND MONACO PULSES RACING.
May 11, 2008 ... TARA, AND MONACO PULSES RACING THERE will always be someone who will be pits off -- but the rest of us are glad that Tara Leniston is off to the Monaco Grand Prix. Lets hope the Irish actress doesn't bump into Prince Albert's girlfriend when she is in the south of France. Royal ...
Wedding album will have to wait.
May 11, 2008 ... Wedding album will have to wait SHOWBIZ or a showbiz wedding? What's a boy and girl to choose? Brian McFadden and Delta Goodrem seem to know what they want -- and have put their wedding plans on hold. The gorgeous couple were supposed to tie the knot later this summer in ...
Angels' 10th birthday is soaraway success.
May 11, 2008 ... Angels' 10th birthday is soaraway success IT'S hard to believe that the annual Angels Quest Ladies Lunch (at the Four Seasons last Thursday) was the tenth, which is perhaps why some hardy souls were still there until 10 o'clock at night, but I digress. As always, the event was a ...
Sean Boylan.
May 11, 2008 ... Sean Boylan SEAN Boylan's CV in Gaelic football management is enviable. Four All-Irelands, three National Leagues and eight Leinsters for Meath in a career that spanned 23 years to August 2005. Not bad for a former hurler who said of himself: "I'm just a guy who was ...
Elaine Dundy Novelist who wrote The Dud Avocado in a vain bid to save her marriageEXTRAORDINARY: Elaine Dundy in Dublin Photo: Gerry Mooney.
May 11, 2008 ... Elaine Dundy Novelist who wrote The Dud Avocado in a vain bid to save her marriageEXTRAORDINARY: Elaine Dundy in Dublin Photo: Gerry Mooney Elaine Dundy, the American writer who has died aged 86, shot to the top of the best-seller lists in 1958 with The Dud Avocado, a ...
FG's sack-the-minister mantra won't solve our problems Enda Kenny's helpful hints to the new Taoiseach just didn't go far enough.
May 11, 2008 ... FG's sack-the-minister mantra won't solve our problems Enda Kenny's helpful hints to the new Taoiseach just didn't go far enough IN a spirit of helpfulness, no doubt, the Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny advised Brian Cowen as to what should be his first three decisions ...
Shay longs for ballad revival.
May 11, 2008 ... Shay longs for ballad revival He may be known as the writer of the Eurovision winner What's Another Year but at heart Shay Healy is an old folkie. Now he's trying to revive the 'ballad boom' by teaming up with the sons of some of his old colleagues from the glory ...
It's good to be the king in an all-singing revue Gabriel Byrne is having a jolly time as King Arthur, says Barry Egan.
May 11, 2008 ... It's good to be the king in an all-singing revue Gabriel Byrne is having a jolly time as King Arthur, says Barry Egan MR G Byrne's importance as a key figure in modern Irish film, as one of the bona fide great Irish actors, is surely unassailable as this stage. 'Tis ...
Blame falls on rain again as beach quality flags.
May 11, 2008 ... Blame falls on rain again as beach quality flags TYPICALLY, they waited until the sun was shining to tell us that our beaches are full of shit. And unfortunately that's literally what they're full of. The authorities had a long winter -- one that has seemingly lasted for about ...
Johnny has Depp feeling for Donleavy classic tale.
May 11, 2008 ... Johnny has Depp feeling for Donleavy classic tale IN at the Depp end? I should hope so -- for JP Donleavy's sake at any rate. American movie star, Johnny Depp is due in Ireland in mid-June to meet writer JP Donleavy, about finally adapting his book The Ginger Man for ...
To Fagan's it is for Drumcondra Mafia's bye-bye Bertie bash.
May 11, 2008 ... To Fagan's it is for Drumcondra Mafia's bye-bye Bertie bash SCENES of jubilation tinged with real sadness were the order of business as Bertie Ahern walked into Fagan's on Tuesday night for his farewell Bass -- I mean bash. Our Taoiseach (he will always be the real ...
Portuguese heaven at a great price.
May 11, 2008 ... Portuguese heaven at a great price You have to hand it to companies like Splash International. When all around are losing it and blaming it on anything from global warming to Mr Brennan's bread, these guys just get on with what they do best -- delivering quality product in a ...
Peaches Geldof has finally made it to Rock Rebel status It's not surprising that Paula Yates's daughter is following in her tragic footsteps, writes Larissa Nolan.
May 11, 2008 ... Peaches Geldof has finally made it to Rock Rebel status It's not surprising that Paula Yates's daughter is following in her tragic footsteps, writes Larissa Nolan Peaches Geldof must be feeling pretty pleased with herself at the moment, contrary to how things might ...
Jaguar's latest near 'purr-fect' The XF saloon feels like a machine dreamed over then delivered in the waking hours of passionate designers and craftspeople, writes Campbell Spray.
May 11, 2008 ... Jaguar's latest near 'purr-fect' The XF saloon feels like a machine dreamed over then delivered in the waking hours of passionate designers and craftspeople, writes Campbell Spray IT WOULD be hard to dislike the Jaguar XF saloon. It is so classy inside with the sort ...
Three to buy in Thai Baan Chlay '249,000.
May 11, 2008 ... Three to buy in Thai Baan Chlay '249,000 Say goodbye to Finglas and move to a truly tropical lifestyle at Baan Chlay in Thailand with its panoramic ocean views. A perfect destination for your second home to unwind and indulge in an unspoiled part of the island. ...
RAPID RISE.
May 11, 2008 ... RAPID RISE Prepare for an Indian summer that pays for itself My top friends in Overseasproperty.com advised me last week that recent research they have undertaken reveals that one of the biggest movers and shakers on the emerging markets front was India, moving up ...
Breeding and brains of Brian.
May 11, 2008 ... Breeding and brains of Brian LAST Thursday morning, rumours of panic among a key group of mandarins spread in Leinster House. At 8.15am all the Sir Humphreys at the Department of Finance had arrived at work early. They were sitting comfortably, waiting for the new ...
PROPERTY MATTERS.
May 11, 2008 ... PROPERTY MATTERS Get to the point at Seapoint Hands up who knows when Seapoint train station first opened? 1066? 1916? None of the above, children. It was July 1, 1862 to be exact, eerily, the exact same day that United States president Abraham Lincoln signed into ...
DEVOUT DWELLING.
May 11, 2008 ... DEVOUT DWELLING Onward Christian buyers There's something comforting about a religious welcome in a home. Ask the artist formerly known as Taoiseach -- he liked it so much he even had his workplace in Drumcondra named after a saint. Saints have their charms, but why ...
Who put these people in charge? It wasn't us As Cowen led his Cabinet into the Dail, says Jody Corcoran, it was an Establishment triumph, but end of a golden era.
May 11, 2008 ... Who put these people in charge? It wasn't us As Cowen led his Cabinet into the Dail, says Jody Corcoran, it was an Establishment triumph, but end of a golden era Now that Fianna Fail's elite, the Establishment, is in charge again, we will come, sooner rather than ...
Ahern can't let it all end like this, he must rise above the bitterness The backslapping and eulogising by the media makes you wonder why Bertie left office at all, says Brendan O'Connor.
May 11, 2008 ... Ahern can't let it all end like this, he must rise above the bitterness The backslapping and eulogising by the media makes you wonder why Bertie left office at all, says Brendan O'Connor By the standards of any politician, Bertie Ahern's send-off has been ...
Leak-wary bookies close betting early on formation of Cowen's cabinet.
May 11, 2008 ... Leak-wary bookies close betting early on formation of Cowen's cabinet IVAN Yates of Celtic Bookmakers and Paddy Power both closed the betting early when it came to the formation of the new cabinet. The rival bookies became jumpy on Tuesday when the smart money poured ...
Royal family in decline A lack of leadership and unruly players have put Reading on the brink of relegation, writes Aidan O'Hara.
May 11, 2008 ... Royal family in decline A lack of leadership and unruly players have put Reading on the brink of relegation, writes Aidan O'Hara IT'S an expression made famous by the Queen but for the Royals of the Premier League, 2008 has been nothing short of an annus horribilis. ...
Over-the-counter addictions soaring, doctor warns.
May 11, 2008 ... Over-the-counter addictions soaring, doctor warns IRELAND spent a staggering '21m on the codeine-based painkiller Solpadeine last year and experts are warning of a growing addiction to the drug. Sales of Solpadeine are rapidly increasing every year here -- it's a '3m ...
Drink and drive scourge continues.
May 11, 2008 ... Drink and drive scourge continues THE death toll on our roads reached 100 dead last week -- as new statistics showed that some weeks see as many as nearly 600 drink-driving arrests by gardai. Garda figures showed that 576 people were arrested for drink-driving in the ...
We've reduced politics to a soap opera Ahern's exit and Cowen's election was treated like a plot-line in Coronation Street, says Gene Kerrigan.
May 11, 2008 ... We've reduced politics to a soap opera Ahern's exit and Cowen's election was treated like a plot-line in Coronation Street, says Gene Kerrigan On Thursday night, a TV3 News bulletin sought to comfort worried citizens. Although Bertie Ahern had left office, it ...
End comes for brave Nuala in cancer battle Writer dies just weeks after public revelation that she had disease.
May 11, 2008 ... End comes for brave Nuala in cancer battle Writer dies just weeks after public revelation that she had disease THE end when it came for Nuala O'Faolain was mercifully swift. The writer, broadcaster, and feminist left the country spellbound with a brutally ...