Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

The 9 at 9 Nine things to know this morning: fears of more abuse victims in Donegal, Vatican denies telling Bishops to keep quiet on Cloyne, and the controversial t-shirt removed from a Sinn Féin website…

EVERY DAY, TheJournal.ie brings you nine things you really ought to know with your morning coffee.

1. #ABUSE: It’s feared that the Donegal school caretaker, who this week was convicted of sexually abusing four boys at a school, may have been part of a larger paedophile ring in the county, with many more victims yet to come forward. The school’s principal has meanwhile said caretaker Michael Ferry was not ‘employed’ at Ard Scoil Mhuire in Derrybeg.

2. #RACE FOR THE ÁRAS: The Irish Times’ first major opinion poll on voting intentions for the presidential election has given David Norris a four-point lead over Fine Gael’s Gay Mitchell – despite the senator’s difficulty in securing enough nominations to appear on the ballot paper. Today Norris writes for TheJournal.ie on how an independent can win the election – in response to Niall O’Dowd’s assertion otherwise.

3. #CLOYNE: The Vatican’s official spokesman has denied suggestions that the Holy See told bishops not to respond to the findings of the Cloyne Report – prompting rebukes from victims’ support groups. The Dáil will today debate the report’s findings and pass an all-party motion ‘deploring the Vatican’s intervention’.

4. #T-SHIRT: Sinn Féin’s online bookshop has removed a t-shirt anticipating the death of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher. The Irish News reports that the removal of the t-shirt came after the UUP described the shirt – which shows silhouetted people partying at the 85-year-old’s grave – as “grossly offensive”.

5. #PIEGATE: Anarchist comedian Jonathan May-Bowles – ‘Jonnie Marbles’ – has been charged with ‘behaviour causing harassment, alarm or distress in a public place’ after yesterday’s incident at a House of Commons committee in which News Corp chairman Rupert Murdoch was attacked with a shaving foam pie. The Labour Party, of which May-Bowles is a member, has suspended him.

6. #FACEBOOK: In a legal first for Ireland, a man has been charged with incitement to hatred for comments posted on Facebook. Patrick Kissane from Killarney posted the comments on an anti-Traveller page which has since been deleted. He’s been remanded on bail.

7. #EUROZONE: The IMF has upped the ante ahead of tomorrow’s crisis summit of EU leaders by urging greater action on dealing with the debt crisis – including, it proposes, putting even more money into the new permanent bailout pot. The debt crisis has eased slightly this morning with Spanish and Italian debt yields falling slightly.

8. #AFRICA: The United Nations has formally declared a famine in parts of Somalia, calling for a major humanitarian drive to help save the lives of those affected. The famine is set to be the worst in Africa since a quarter of a million died in the same country in 2002.

9. #SANDWRITING: Wouldn’t it be nice to be a rich world ruler? A member of Abu Dhabi’s ruling family has completed an unusual vanity project – carving his first name in giant letters that stretch over a mile wide. The Sun reports that the letters HAMAD are so big that some are even being used as waterways. Sheikh Hamad Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, 83, is worth around €16bn. Well for some…

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
9 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ross
    Favourite Ross
    Report
    Aug 5th 2020, 10:33 PM

    Thistle go down well in the comments I’m sure..

    308
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Linehan
    Favourite Paul Linehan
    Report
    Aug 5th 2020, 10:36 PM

    @Ross: there’ll be a sting in the kale….

    168
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
    Favourite Fiona Fitzgerald
    Report
    Aug 6th 2020, 3:55 PM

    @Paul Linehan: Chapeau, Sir!

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mattress Dick
    Favourite Mattress Dick
    Report
    Aug 5th 2020, 10:38 PM

    CO OP? Nisa? Have I just woken up in a different country?

    169
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jen
    Favourite Jen
    Report
    Aug 5th 2020, 10:49 PM

    We have Co Ops in the Republic?!

    102
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute RiainOg
    Favourite RiainOg
    Report
    Aug 5th 2020, 10:52 PM

    @Jen: Seriously

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ríain HenC
    Favourite Ríain HenC
    Report
    Aug 6th 2020, 6:47 AM

    Been happening with years this , only brought to everyone’s attention by a Thistleblower

    90
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Liz O'Neill
    Favourite Liz O'Neill
    Report
    Aug 6th 2020, 7:58 AM

    @Ríain HenC: Brilliant

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
    Favourite Fiona Fitzgerald
    Report
    Aug 6th 2020, 3:57 PM

    @Ríain HenC: Bravo !

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tony Gordon
    Favourite Tony Gordon
    Report
    Aug 5th 2020, 10:43 PM

    Someone spiked the kale

    63
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joe Toner
    Favourite Joe Toner
    Report
    Aug 6th 2020, 6:08 AM

    I found kale in a bag of thistles on several occasions but did I complain?
    … No, I just got on with it!!

    29
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Quiet Goer
    Favourite Quiet Goer
    Report
    Aug 5th 2020, 10:50 PM

    An auld bit of thistle never harmed anyone. Few nettles good too

    32
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Charles Shelly
    Favourite Charles Shelly
    Report
    Aug 5th 2020, 10:54 PM

    I wonder if they spoke Irish/English when they were picked

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute BriP75
    Favourite BriP75
    Report
    Aug 6th 2020, 5:15 AM

    @Charles Shelly: maybe Scottish

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Liz O'Neill
    Favourite Liz O'Neill
    Report
    Aug 6th 2020, 8:00 AM

    Thistle be hard to swallow for the vegan smoothie brigade.

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute BriP75
    Favourite BriP75
    Report
    Aug 6th 2020, 5:14 AM

    That’s a stinger

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Deirdre Gosson
    Favourite Deirdre Gosson
    Report
    Aug 6th 2020, 9:50 AM

    Buy Irish

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Beanstalk
    Favourite Beanstalk
    Report
    Aug 6th 2020, 9:49 AM

    och! gnaw…

    3
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds