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Colm Byrne

@colmpbyrne.bsky.social
2K followers 2.7K following 37 posts

Geriatrician. Research into Air Pollution and Health. Frailty at the Front Door. Active travel. Lilywhite. All views my own. He/him.

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Reposted by Colm Byrne
UN Environment Programme @unep.org · 04/10/2026
The electric mobility shift is already happening in Africa. ⚡ 🚌 From buses to motorbikes and bicycles, e-mobility is taking to the streets across the continent, helping #BeatAirPollution and cut emissions. Read on: www.unep.org/news-and-sto...
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Social Democrats @social-democrats.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Statement from Daniel Ennis TD on Republic of Ireland squad's decision to proceed with tomorrow's Nations League game against Israel.
socialdemocrats.ie
Statement from Daniel Ennis TD on Ireland squad’s decision to play Israel - Social Democrats
“The decision by our international squad to fulfil Ireland’s fixture against Israel in the Nations League tomorrow is disappointing – but our players should never have been put in such a difficult pos...
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Smooth Dunk @smoothdunk2.bsky.social · 05/02/2026
The Struggles Of Elon Musk 😔
A cartoon made in response to an Elon Musk tweet that reads “Whoever said “money can’t buy happiness” really knew what they were talking about 😔”

The black and white cartoon shows Musk standing against the wind. There is a distant expression on his face and a single tear being blown from his left eye.
He wraps his arms around himself, trying to keep warm. The world is so cruel to him. Punishing him for the meagre crime of hoarding massive amounts of wealth and showing no empathy for the vulnerable. Also, he uses his platform to boost racism, misogyny, and white supremacy but seriously guys who would hold that against a fella?

Next to him a caption reads “Being a shit person is ruining my life”
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Gavin Cooney @gcooney93.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Big read here on an abject, rancorous, extraordinary day. The potential scale of fallout to come is the stuff of Saipan 2.0 Ireland v Israel: Day of infamy exposes serious lack of leadership in FAI www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer...
irishtimes.com
Ireland v Israel: Day of infamy exposes serious lack of leadership in FAI
Gavin Bazunu has been left brutally isolated as any semblance of squad unity has been utterly sundered
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Joe Noonan @joenoonan.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
‘The FAI hoped to wing their way through this fortnight but today collided with its brutal reality. The fallout is only beginning. Irish football has once again shown the world the importance of leadership by its unforgivable absence.’ - Gavin Cooney @gcooney93.bsky.social
irishtimes.com
Ireland v Israel: Day of infamy exposes serious lack of leadership in FAI
Gavin Bazunu has been left brutally isolated as any semblance of squad unity has been utterly sundered
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Philip O'Connor @philipoconnor.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
I think it's only right & proper that each player tells the Irish public - the people they are there to represent - how they voted & whether or not they support the principled stance taken by their team-mate, Gavin Bazunu. But, cowards that they are, they won't speak to the media in this window.
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Dermot Looney @dlooney.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Gavin Bazunu is a national hero. Those who turned on him are national disgraces.
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Gavan Reilly @gavreilly.com · 26/09/2026
Brian Kerr on Virgin Media: “I’ve been in touch with [Gavin Bazunu] this evening, and he’s feeling quite low, and shunned by some of the players and by the FAI… (🧵)
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Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign @ipsc.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Gavin Bazunu's statement on pulling out of tomorrow’s game against apartheid Israel. We salute him, he will go down in history for this, a legend. And we hope more of the players will take such a principled stand. There is still time for the FAI to do the right thing. #StopTheGames
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Wendy Lyon @wendylyon.eurosky.social · 26/09/2026
“Some [of the Irish players] turned on Bazunu, one of whom is understood to have abused him directly to his face” 🔪🔪🔪🔪 www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer...
irishtimes.com
Ireland v Israel: Day of infamy exposes serious lack of leadership in FAI
Gavin Bazunu has been left brutally isolated as any semblance of squad unity has been utterly sundered
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Leana Hosea @leanahosea.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Mario Panteli talks to BBC North West about his feelings on learning he has high levels of PFOA in his blood. How many more families will be exposed to forever chemical pollution before the government brings in stronger regulations on PFAS?
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Joe Noonan @joenoonan.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
After Sheeran, use of a threat like this cannot be ruled this out.
Daniel Lambert @dlLambo
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Hearing from several sources around Ireland hotel that agents are telling players you must play our you'll never play for a US owned team the UK.
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How grim and predictable from faceless agents profit in the background.
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15:00. 26/09/2026 from Earth . 196K Views
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Simon Oldridge @sioldridge.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
It’s extraordinary that as we breach 1.5° - which only in 2018, the IPCC said wouldn’t be reached until 2040 - that the PM is still holding up net zero by 2050 as an adequate response!

 The threat level has changed dramatically since the UK adopted its NZ by 2050 aim. Just a few examples: 🧵
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Colm Byrne @colmpbyrne.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
I was delighted to present on Positive Ageing in a Changing Climate at @eugms.bsky.social. The decisions we take now will determine the climate we age into. Urgent action is required to mitigate and adapt to the climate change happening now.
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Zack Labe @zacklabe.com · 18/09/2026
The latest observations of monthly-averaged greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O)... Access the data at gml.noaa.gov/ccgg/trends/
Graphic shows three line graph time series of monthly carbon dioxide abundance in ppm (blue line), monthly methane abundance in ppb (red line), and monthly nitrous oxide in ppb (purple line). Graphs are all shown from January 1984 through May 2026/August 2026. Current levels of CO2 are 428 ppm. Current levels of methane are 1939 ppb. Current levels of nitrous oxide are 340 ppb. All graphs show long-term increasing trends along with some interannual variability and seasonality.
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Ketan Joshi @ketanjoshi.co · 16/09/2026
HEY EVERYONE - NEW REPORT!!! NVIDIA is the largest company by market cap on the planet. But it hides key climate data, while claiming AI is going to be a 'net benefit' for climate. We (8 groups) put together the first ever broad critique of NVIDIA's climate record: ketanjoshi.co/2026/09/16/n...
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Dr Panti Bliss-Cabrera @pantibliss.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
I don't say this lightly or flippantly: I honestly think this is the most incompetent government we've had in my lifetime and this is a really bad time for it. None of these guys are *anywhere near* qualified for their important ministerial portfolios. An embarrassing shambles of a cabinet
Darragh O'Brien
Minister for Climate, Energy, and Environment
Minister for TransportJim O'Callaghan
Minister for Justice, Home Affairs, and MigrationPatrick O' Donovan
Minister for Culture, Communications, and Sport
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Colm Byrne @colmpbyrne.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Ireland says no to more data centres. The fightback starts here in Naas.
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The Irish Times @irishtimes.com · 04/09/2026
Naas has a message for the Bond villains: We don’t want your data centres
irishtimes.com
Naas has a message for the Bond villains: We don’t want your data centres
Clondalkin is a cautionary tale – but it’s not too late for Naas, town meeting hears
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Una Mullally @unamullally.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
At a public meeting about a planned data centre in Kildare, more than double the number of expected attendees turned up.
irishtimes.com
‘We just don’t want them’: hundreds gather in a Kildare town over data centre plans
Noise issues in Clondalkin are a cautionary tale – but it’s not too late for Kildare, town meeting hears
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Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
The richest man owns X. The second and fourth richest men control Google. The third richest man owns The Washington Post. The sixth richest man owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. And now the seventh richest could soon take over both Paramount and Warner Bros. See the problem here?
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Emily Atkin @emorwee.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
AI is not just consuming a lot of fossil fuels. It it also enabling the fossil fuel industry to drill more, faster. These applications create far more climate pollution than data centers — 3.3x to 13.3x more, according to new peer-reviewed research. We *have* to start talking about this.
heated.world
AI’s climate problem is worse than we thought
A new study reveals that AI’s climate impact extends far beyond its massive data center footprint.
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Oliver Moran 🌻🇮🇪🇪🇺 @oliver.ie · 29/07/2026
The wildfire in Tipperary covered 700 hectares. The smoke could be smelled 100km away at Cork Airport. Fianna Fáil/Fine Gael have spent the summer setting the climate act aside, saying it has been "weaponised" by NGOs.
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Simon McGarr @tupped.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
You sometimes see Government TDs pointing out that Ireland isn’t unique in the world in having a housing crisis. But this graph in today’s Financial Times shows just how extreme ours is compared to the places elsewhere, which also describe themselves as a in a housing crisis.
The share of young adults living with their parents is climbing in many countries and cities, with Ireland leading the way % of people aged 25-34 who live with their parents. National averages vs major regions

[5 line graphs. Ireland’s is sharply above 40% since 2010. The rest show US, U.K., Canada and Australia. The next highest result is the US at just over 20%]
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Gavan Reilly @gavreilly.com · 26/07/2026
“The famine is over! The curse be damned!! Hit the nuclear button! Mayo have won the All-Ireland!!” An all-time great sports commentary moment from Stephen Grealis and Martin McHugh on Mayo’s Midwest Radio. #gaa
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Prof Scarlett McNally @scarlettmcnally.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Woo-hoo! My new @bmj.com article On how to fix health. By enabling physical activity eg active travel + public transport. Discusses #motonormativity, incentives, culture www.bmj.com/content/394/... x @livingstreets.bsky.social @ianwalker.bsky.social @walkwheelcyclet.bsky.social @fsem-uk.bsky.social
bmj.com
Scarlett McNally: The NHS rewarding walking doesn’t go far enough to encourage physical activity
NHS England recently announced plans to launch a new incentive scheme that will reward people who achieve 30 minutes of walking a day, adding up to a “marathon in a month.”1 I see several weaknesses i...
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Prof. Ian Walker @ianwalker.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Great article from Scarlett here. A short, clear call-to-action that you'll want to share with your local decision-makers
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Ola Løkken Nordrum @olaln.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
New research shows direct link between traffic and crime. They theorise that the root cause is a breakdown in community ties. When cars are allowed to dominate, people retreat indoors, lose trust in their neighbourhood, and stop looking out for one another. #ReimagineDublin
theconversation.com
Does traffic drive street crime? Our study investigated
Motor traffic makes residents feel less safe from vandalism, burglary and violence.
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Geraldine Herbert @gerherbert.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Micheál Martin says he's "leaning towards" banning e-scooters because of rising injuries and the misuse of e-scooters and scramblers by criminal gangs. But those are two completely different problems. One is public health. The other is criminality.
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Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
Director of a Gaza Hospital, Dr Hussain Abu Safiya is in horrific danger to his life. The Foreign Secretary must demand Israel provides urgent treatment and releases him. He's been detained by Israel without charge since 2024 and reported to have new life threatening injuries.
Free Dr Hussam Abu Safiya now!
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Pádraic Fogarty @whittledaway.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
Another one bites the dust as new advice from @icesmarine.bsky.social for plaice in the Irish Sea is that fishing for it should stop entirely - advice which will be ignored as it has been for other species. Another casualty of destructive bottom trawling.
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Joe Noonan @joenoonan.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
"Neither my credit card, which I use to pay, works, nor can I make transfers; my health insurance has been canceled, and I can't book hotels. I feel like Pablo Escobar. All because I said, 'In Gaza, Israel is committing genocide.'" Francesca Albanese UN Special Rapporteur (Palestine)”
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Den M @mousketeer.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Lets have a wee off the top of my head look at some of the Highlights of 'The RCC is at it again'. 🧵 12th Century : Pope Adrian 'gives' Ireland to Henry II of England. Now, while the Papal Bull 'Laudabiliter' is considered a later forgery, the 'gift' did occur. Why? Doctrine? Kinda. Money? Oh yes.
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Eoghan Daltun 🌍 @irishrainforest.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
A native forest completely choked and dying from infestation by rhododendron. I still hear some say that the invasive species problem is "exaggerated", that "it's all just nature". They're very wrong. Invasives are a *human* impact, and one of the top causes of biodiversity loss on Earth.
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Social Democrats @social-democrats.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
New EPA report provides a worrying snapshot of Ireland’s water quality. There was little change in water quality indicators in 2025, with nutrients from agriculture and wastewater presenting the greatest challenge. Only 54% of rivers and lakes were found to be in good or better biological quality.
socialdemocrats.ie
Government and Uisce Éireann must up their game following EPA’s latest water quality report - Social Democrats
A new report published today by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides a worrying snapshot of Ireland’s water quality that requires immediate Government attention, according to Social Demo...
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Benjamin P Taylor @antlerboy.com · 16/06/2026
How eight beavers solved a decades-old Tube flooding problem
independent.co.uk
How eight beavers solved a decades-old Tube flooding problem
The creatures were reintroduced in 2023 after being hunted to extinction 400 years ago
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Ketan Joshi @ketanjoshi.co · 10/06/2026
I've been a broken record on this for three years and I'll be a broken record for as long as that fucking website exists: X is a viciously racist far-right organising platform that ONLY WORKS because a huge number of centrists, lefties and progressivs cannot stop propping it up
yahoo.com
Elon Musk accused of fuelling unrest after Belfast knife attack
The use of social media in planning violent protests over the Belfast knife attack has drawn condemnation, with Britain's ruling Labour Party accusing Elon Musk of stoking divisions. The tech billiona...
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Trisha Elliott @trishaelliott.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
Wise words from @helensalisbury.bsky.social on AI medical chatbots… From the @bmj.com last month. #MedSky #AI Link: www.bmj.com/content/393/...
Picture of Dr Helen Salisbury with text:

Artificial intelligence has been shown to outperform doctors in medical exams, with ChatGPT achieving more than 95% accuracy in the US Medical Licensing Exam, and in correctly identifying conditions from written scenarios. A recent study has shown, however, that when chatbots are required to interact with real people, they arrive at the right diagnosis in only 35% of cases.
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Eoghan Daltun 🌍 @irishrainforest.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
All across the northern hemisphere, beavers are coming back, bringing astonishingly positive results for nature, flood reduction, local economies, and other benefits. The glaring exception is Ireland.
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ICARUS Maynooth @icarus-maynooth.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
ICARUS researcher Dr Claire Bergin @clairebergin.bsky.social appeared on RTÉ Prime Time last night, discussing her work with @wasitusie.bsky.social and how record-breaking May temperatures are linked to human-caused climate change. Claire's segment begins at 29:14. www.rte.ie/player/serie...
rte.ie
Prime Time 2026-06-04
An in-depth analysis of current issues and topical reports. Watch Prime Time 2026-06-04 on RTÉ Player for free
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Viktor Köves @viktorkoves.com · 31/05/2026
You can go into a car dealership and finance a car you can barely afford, but that'll cost you tens of thousands over the lifetime of the car, but since cargo ebikes typically don't have financing, they _feel_ more expensive!
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Dr Ciarán O'Carroll @climateciaran.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
🔥𝐌𝐲 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲’𝐬 𝐈𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬: why should a family in Ireland pay more for electricity so a billion-dollar tech company can pay less? 💵
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WWN @waterfordwhispers.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
Quote of the day.
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Simon McGarr @tupped.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
Listen, I’m so very very weary this evening, but I just wanted you to know that the Irish Government has introduced a Bill to justify biometric police surveillance that doesn’t follow EU Law and their idea is based it on having a definition of biometric processing different from in the AI Act.
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Alisha Grauso (She/Her) @alishagrauso.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
Our entire economy is being artificially propped up by astrology for men: AI, crypto, sports betting, and prediction markets. It's an economy shaped entirely by male insecurity and lack of impulse control, and we'll all pay the price.
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IrishCycle.com @irishcycle.com · 26/05/2026
Bicycles can replace every single car trip on the planet irishcycle.com/2026/05/25/b...
irishcycle.com
Bicycles can replace every single car trip on the planet
Comment & Analysis: “Why every American family should have an e-bike at home” was the title of an article published last week by electric vehicle website Electrek.co, but even with …
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The Intellectualist @theintellectualist.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
The Justice Dept. says it released millions of Epstein files. But NPR reports FBI logs reference interviews tied to allegations against President Donald Trump that were not visible in the public archive. theintellectualistofficial.substack.com/p/fbi-interv...
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Cathal Malone @cathalmalone.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
Nobody wants electronic voting here. And with all of the potential for hacking or even the allegation of tampering, the old-fashioned, analogue, but incorruptible method is still best. (Plus I'd miss the theatre of it. But pretend I didn't say that.) www.irishtimes.com/opinion/edit...
irishtimes.com
The Irish Times view on election counts: an unnecessary endurance test
The theatre of democracy is all very well in principle. But every playwright needs an editor
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Dr Charlie Gardner @charliejgardner.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
I feel these two headlines should be shown together more
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Colm Byrne @colmpbyrne.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Healthy ageing is predominantly a political, not a personal, choice.
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