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IF YOU THOUGHT the stone sported by Kate Winslet in Titanic was the stuff of dreams, you may be surprised a stone has just been found that makes it look like a pebble.
Diamond vendors Lucara have just announced the recovery of a 1,111 carat rock from one of its mines in Botswana.
The stone is the world’s second largest gem quality diamond. It measures 65mm x 56mm x 40mm. You would struggle to fit it on a standard engagement ring to say the least.
It is, frankly, ludicrously big.
President of Lucara William Lamb said the “significance of the find cannot be overstated”.
This historic diamond recovery puts Lucara amongst a select number of truly exceptional diamond producers.
The value of the stone is not yet known, but AFP quotes mining analyst Kieron Hodgson as saying it has “the potential to be one very expensive diamond”.
Valuation will depend on potential inclusions, how it would behave in cutting, optimal shape, as well as final colour.
The only known diamond larger than Lucara’s find is the Cullinan diamond which was recovered in South Africa in 1905.
This new diamond is the first of its size to be uncovered using a modern processing facility.
The new diamond isn’t even the only huge stone that Lucara have recovered this week.
The company have suggested on their site that the Karowe Mine, where the huge stone was found, has also this week turned up an 813 carat and a 374 carat stone.
Contains reporting by AFP
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Seeing them all up on shoulders cheering over the weekend was cringe-worthy. Especially Alan Kelly.
Shocking indictment of Irish politics to see Lowry get brought back with such a large vote..
Heather Humphreys can’t be too popular with the Cavan Fine Gaelers. Apparently she canvassed Cavan after Joe O’Reilly stayed mostly clear of Monaghan for her. May well have cost him his seat. For shame.
I hear that there was a full on agreement that they’d stay out of each other’s canvassing areas. Joe totally stayed out of Monaghan and Heather came into Cavan and swiped nearly 3000 votes off Joe. She had all of Monaghan to herself where the Fine Gael vote is 9500 and would have been enough to see both Joe and herself elected. Disgraceful treatment of a party colleague. Self interest ahead of everything else.
Richard you seem to be overlooking the fact that a large slice of Heather’s vote comes from a loyal Cavan & Monaghan Presbyterian following. Joe will never get a look in with those voters. Niabh Smyth broke the mould because she is a Cavan native employed in Monaghan, she also competed with other FF candedates for every vote across a broad territory.
What you seem to be saying Chris is that Heather Humpreys rather than being popular gets a sectarian Protestant vote in Cavan and Monaghan that won’t vote for a catholic candidate. That’s seems pretty ironic given the fact that she is Minister over 1916 which was an event which was trying to end the discrimation against Catholics in Irish Society. If that is the case and she has a solid base that the other candidates have no access to why did she also feel the need to swipe votes from Joe O’Reilly by ignoring an agreement not to canvass his area of Cavan and in turn leaving him losing his seat?
Richard you obviously know very little about how politics works in the border region. When Heather Humpheys entered politics as a FG councillor she succeded a retiring man who was also a protestant and brought with her his traditional vote. Heather is an exellent candidate and is well liked across a broad territory, but never forget where her roots lie.
Jaysus Chris, I can’t hear you over the banging of that drum.
In fairness given the choice of candidates we had in Tipperary I don’t believe anyone can honestly say they could have come up with a top 5 of candidates that would achieve something for the county and not having it include Michael Lowry!
Democracy sucks
I have to admit, the healy-rays must do trojan work in kerry. From the ballot they are dearly respected.
Not so sure about Ireland’s single transferable voting system. Ireland and Malta are the only two countries in the world that use this system for Parliamentary elections. For example, I don’t think there was any other candidate unelected to this Dáil with more votes than FFs Jennifer Murnane of Carlow yet she didn’t get through because of the STV. I am not affiliated with any political party and I am not a FF voter, but surely a candidate with the most first preference votes in her own county should be elected and not eliminated because of transfers from party loyalists? The electorate of Carlow is more or less 40000 so under present rules it doesn’t justify a 3 seat constituency so are a two country constituency with Kilkenny which makes the STV seem even more unfair. Or maybe it’s time the rules were changed to allow for a 2 seat constituency and let the people down in Carlow vote for who they truly want.
The problem with first past the post is that without it if you are a voter for a minority party who doesn’t enjoy much support you might as well not bother voting. Our system means every vote matters
I agree John. But the STV system tends to favor the larger parties in the smaller constituencies, and larger ones help minor parties.
You make a very valid point there Paul!.
Starting to worry about all the ‘opposition’ to our perfectly fine system, here on the journal
. Beware of orchestred requests for change that would purely suit the establishment!
I have never voted for any of the ‘establishment’ parties, and I never will. Neither am I part of any “orchestrated” movement. It just seems fairer that whoever gets the most first preference votes in an election wins and what happened in Carlow is a good case in point. In smaller electorates like Carlow “our perfectly fine system” actually benefits the established parties more.
With regards to transfers, do the voters tell them they could transfer to whoever they liked? Seems nonsensical.
There were plenty of big-hitters who lost their seat, due to transfers. Kevin Humphreys being case in point,
MHR may be a gombeen but I have to admire his achievement!
That man is in fact dangerously smart. He is also ridiculously hard working by all accounts. Remember though when he was caught having his secretary call in votes for him to some RTE reality TV show from his own office!! Gas man
I wonder are the Soc Dem leaders regretting not having running mates with them, could have had 5 seats not 3
Lowry and Kelly, WTF , the worse of the worse .Whats in the water in Tipp ?
5 in a row for Lowry and in fairness he is great to the people of Tipperary
He’s also a corrupt crooked individual
People keep claiming this but could you please explain to us what is it Michael Lowry has done that makes him suck a crook so ???
I’m from Tipperary. I’d vote for the DUP and shout for Kilkenny before I’d vote for that s(umbag Lowry. Shame on the bogmen that did!
13000 first preferences say he does work for Tipperary!!
No it says that he attracts the gombeen vote
Explain for us so Anthony what Michael Lowry has done to not deserve first choice in Tipperary ???
Great to see John Halligan IA topping the poll in Waterford.
A victory for socialism and common sense.
Paudie Coffey FG eliminated also.
Halligan didn’t top the poll in Waterford. Mary butler FF did. Anyway halligan got feck all votes outside the city as he doesn’t give a damn about us.
Is Stephen Donnelly an egg?
Those Healy-Rae’s are like Leprechauns.
And they know where the pot of gold is too.
Cute hooers.
It’s all a reality tv show. All you do is follow the money to see who really is in charge of this little island of ours. A vote for Pepsi or Coke will still taste like sugar water in the end it will rot your teeth.
A lot of good candidates lost out and a lot of nasty candidates got elected because of our voting system (kelly, burton etc). Perhaps we need to change this although it is interesting to watch.
so they are a two county constituency with Kilkenny*
If your Pisd£d of with tipperary, don’t buy their water.
Surely it’s the percentage of the electorate that is more relevant!
Lowry actually hasn’t been “brought back”…. Since Fine Gael expelled him in ’96 he has ran as an independent and has kept his seat ever since….
have your say