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Ireland

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Ireland. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Dublin

Head of State

President Michael D. Higgins

Head of Government

Taoiseach Simon Harris

last updated:

29 November, 2024

Meta Platforms’ Irish arm has been fined by the country’s data watchdog. Photo: Reuters

Cybersecurity

Ireland fines Facebook owner Meta €251 million for data breach

The tech giant infringed EU’s General Data Protection Regulation, according to the country’s data watchdog.

18 Dec 2024 - 10:07AM

Food and Drinks

Drink in Focus: Irish coffee at The Diplomat

18 Dec 2024 - 12:01AM

Israel-Gaza war

Israel to close embassy in Ireland over Gaza tensions as war death toll mounts

16 Dec 2024 - 2:26PM

TikTok

TikTok Shop opens in Spain, Ireland in e-commerce expansion as US ban looms

The Spain launch is TikTok Shop’s first foray into continental Europe, coming three years after opening in the UK, its first European market.

11 Dec 2024 - 5:03PM

TikTok Shop has opened in Spain, marking the first expansion of the service in Europe in three years. Photo: Shutterstock

Science

Xinjiang power swing threatened China’s nationwide electricity supply in August

‘Severe threat’ to grid’s stability this summer may be linked to the region’s large-scale renewable energy sources.

6 Dec 2024 - 4:16PMvideocam

Donald Trump

Irish centre-right parties seek coalition deal as Trump threat looms

Ireland’s election is over, but the country faces weeks of talks before there’s a government.

3 Dec 2024 - 11:13AM

European Union

Ireland’s 3 biggest parties battle for first place

Exit polls suggest the contest is a close-fought race between the centre-right Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, and the leftist Sinn Fein.

30 Nov 2024 - 9:11PM

Ballot papers as they are counted at the Dublin RDS centre, in Dublin, on Saturday. Photo: AFP

TikTok

Exclusive | TikTok Shop expands to Spain, Ireland amid global e-commerce push

The short-video app and its owner ByteDance is under pressure to search for new revenue sources amid slowing growth.

27 Nov 2024 - 9:00PM

Britain

Storm Bert causes power outages, disrupts travel in UK and Ireland

Tens of thousands in Ireland suffered power outages, while some rail lines and roads were closed in Britain due to a ‘multi-hazard event’.

23 Nov 2024 - 11:18PM

Sexual harassment and assault

Mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor sexually assaulted woman, jury finds

The Irish fighter must pay victim Nikita Hand nearly US$260,000 in damages.

4 Dec 2024 - 12:47PM

Irish mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor arrives at court for his civil trial in Dublin on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters

European cinema

Cillian Murphy on what he’s done since Oppenheimer, and his Oscar

Actor produced and stars in Irish historical drama Small Things Like These. He hopes Oscar win helps him tell stories with a point of view.

9 Nov 2024 - 4:15AM

Cillian Murphy with hist best actor Oscar for his role in Oppenheimer. Photo: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

Espionage

Russian activity in Ireland ‘should come as no surprise’, PM says

Ireland’s Simon Harris responds to report that Russian intelligence allegedly used a ‘honeytrap’ to recruit an Irish politician as an agent.

7 Oct 2024 - 10:29AM

Israel-Gaza war

Thousands march for Palestinians ahead of October 7 anniversary

Pro-Palestinian supporters gathered in cities in the UK, France, South Africa, Ireland and Switzerland to demand an end to Gaza conflict.

6 Oct 2024 - 1:28AMvideocam

China-EU relations

China EV tariff vote leaves EU relieved yet wary of retaliation

Decision to slap duties of up to 35 per cent on mainland imports lays bare divisions in European leadership as complex negotiations continue.

6 Oct 2024 - 6:15AMvideocam

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Books and literature

Normal People author Sally Rooney on new novel, old anxieties

Irish author is growing with her characters, as fourth novel Intermezzo shows, but she is yet to grow used to how much attention she gets.

25 Sep 2024 - 4:15PM

Writer Sally Rooney examines modern love in all its glory and friction in her fourth novel Intermezzo. She is still not used to how much attention she receives, she has told interviewers. Photo: AFP

Google

Google wins EU ads abuse case, overruling €1.5 billion fine

The EU’s Google cases marked the centrepiece of antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager’s bid to rein in Silicon Valley.

19 Sep 2024 - 10:10AM

Banking & finance

HSBC to issue US$2.5 billion in convertible securities before Fed rate decision

HSBC said it would issue a total of US$2.5 billion in convertible securities, adding to a global flurry of investment-grade bond issuance.

5 Sep 2024 - 5:25PM

European Union

Residential cruise passengers wait for months to board a 3-year cruise

The residential cruising business has proved a troubled one, with just one ship of its kind, MS The World, launched in 2002, in operation.

31 Aug 2024 - 6:50PM

The Odyssey, a US cruise liner operated by Villa Vie Residences, docked at Harland & Wolf ship repair facility in Belfast Harbour, Northern Ireland, on August 30, 2024. Photo: AP

China-EU relations

China says EU brandy being dumped on local market, but holds fire on duties

Beijing’s decision may calm trade tensions for now, but a key vote on whether to slap tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles is looming.

29 Aug 2024 - 9:31PMvideocam

Fame and celebrity

Meet Nicola Coughlan’s rumoured new beau, Jake Dunn, star of Renegade Nell

Bridgerton fans may have been disappointed that actress Nicola Coughlan wasn’t dating her co-star Luke Newton – aka Colin Bridgerton – IRL, but it seems someone else may have caught her attention ...

27 Aug 2024 - 6:00PM

Britain

UK government calls on Musk to act responsibly after provocative posts on riots

Provocative tech billionaire Elon Musk has weighed in on the unrest in the UK, drawing condemnation from the British government.

7 Aug 2024 - 10:32AM

Elon Musk, owner of X, formerly known as Twitter. File photo: Twitter

Britain

Sinead O’Connor’s cause of death is revealed a year after Irish singer died

O’Connor died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma, according to a report citing her death certificate.

31 Jul 2024 - 2:03PM

The late Irish singer Sinead O’Connor in 2014. Photo: AP

Fame and celebrity

Sinead O’Connor wax figure her own brother called ‘hideous’ is withdrawn

Irish singer’s brother likens Dublin museum’s waxwork of O’Connor to a cross between a shop dummy and ‘something out of the Thunderbirds’. Museum apologises to her family and pledges to do better.

28 Jul 2024 - 10:11AM

Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Sports minister pledges ‘any assistance’ Hong Kong athletes need in Paris

Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Kevin Yeung tours Olympic Village and says city is ‘proud of its athletes’.

25 Jul 2024 - 11:22PM

Fame and celebrity

Who is Alexander Smurfit, the hunky scion spotted with Alessandra Ambrosio?

The Brazilian Victoria’s Secret supermodel – who was previously linked to Richard Lee – sat out in the Ibiza sunshine with a buff mystery man, who has been revealed as businessman Alexander Smurfit

11 Jul 2024 - 7:00PM

Is Alessandra Ambrosio really dating businessman Alexander Smurfit? Photos: @alessandraambrosio, @alexandersmurfit/Instagram

Fame and celebrity

What is Boyzone alum Ronan Keating up to in 2024?

The singer-songwriter – who has seven albums with Boyzone and 12 solo projects under his belt – is a father of 5 and was recently a judge on The Voice of Germany

19 Jun 2024 - 5:00AMvideocam

Boyzone alum Ronan Keating was recently a coach and judge on The Voice of Germany, although he shocked the internet by announcing he would not return for a second season. Photo: @rokeating/Instagram

Fame and celebrity

Who is Barry Keoghan’s ex Alyson Sandro, with whom he shares a son?

Keoghan and Sandro welcomed their son Brando in August 2022 while the actor was filming Saltburn – so where is Sandro now, and what do we know about her?

13 Jun 2024 - 4:49AMvideocam

China-EU relations

Irish lawmaker and China supporter Clare Daly loses European Parliament seat

Daly was one of Beijing’s staunchest EU defenders since first being elected MEP in 2019.

12 Jun 2024 - 5:51AM

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