Links to peruse at your leisure, presented in no particular order.
-
French Prez Sarkozy will visit Dublin Monday
- After the defeat of the Lisbon Treaty in Ireland, Sarkozy has been downright intimidating about Ireland’s role in the EU. His visit to Dublin to meet with government officials (and possibly representatives of the opposition to Lisbon) should make my neighbourhood fairly exciting on Monday.
-
Don’t miss this tourism survey
- This report is essential reading. Its findings are substantiated by BBB&B’s own data.
-
Rumours flying that Obama will visit Ireland
- Anita heard, on the radio, that Obama would/could/might visit Ireland during his European trip. I can’t find any solid information on this, except that some political grandstanding may have started the buzz.
-
Our recession can beat up your recession
- Do the following news reports sound familiar? A credit crunch is contributing to crashing home values. Massive numbers going unemployed. A civil service that seems unprepared for any of it. There is little confidence in the current government’s ability to handle the economic crisis.
-
Oxegen festival a great success
- Dublin was dead quiet this past weekend — most people between the ages of 18 and 30 were at the Oxegen festival. The lineup was so amazing that Anita and I were tempted to camp with the young’uns — but only tempted. Good news in the aftermath, too: young folks know better than to drive home drunk.
-
Oregon cop causes outrage in Ireland
- A young Irish man was killed by a police officer in Oregon on 30 June. His mother, living in Dublin, can’t get information about the shooting. This is causing some outrage in Ireland, especially after the officer was charged with child sex abuse as well. As far as I know, neither national government has taken notice yet.
-
Immigration laws create extraordinary problems for families
- I visit the US embassy a lot, and I see many families trying to work out visas, passports, etc, for their children or themselves. A Galway family had a particularly hard time of it, since it took a complex lawsuit to move back home.
-
Independent: Americans still not visiting
- “The number of wealthy US tourists travelling to Ireland has dropped by almost 15pc — and those who do travel are spending less.” Come on! What will it take to get you to enjoy our glorious Irish summer?
-
Can’t get enough Lisbon Treaty?
- Look into the anguish of a thoughtful Irish voter just before the vote. Observe the contempt engendered by the campaigns. Nod sagely as Germany’s Spiegel analyzes the vote.
-
Another Irish lawyer on the run
- Is it that these cases don’t make the papers in the US, or is it something about this time and place? First Michael Lynn and now this Thomas Byrne guy — up millions of euros, and on the lam.