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Emmet Kirwan

@emmetkirwan.bsky.social
2.3K followers 956 following 85 posts

Playwright & Actor Reps. Writing: Curtis Brown. Acting: United UK & Lisa Richards IRL linktr.ee/Emmetkirwan?fbclid=PAAaat…

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Reposted by Emmet Kirwan
James Kelleher @jameskelleher.pilcrow.ie · 07/09/2026
Get some new material
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Dean Buckley @deanbuckley.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Mise Éire have announced the headliner for their "Risen People" event, and it's... Neil Oliver of GB News. apparently the Irish people need to learn how to be nationalists from a British unionist. you couldn't mock the Irish far right any harder than they mock themselves
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Alan Mulhall @laxan.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
"We need to charge for water to alleviate our narrow tax base" and yet not a single mention of FFG handing out tax cuts every single budget. Fundamentally unserious columnist.
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Emmet Kirwan @emmetkirwan.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
In a for profit water system data centres and corporations can consume as much water as they like cos they can afford it. People already struggling with utility bills will be disproportionately affected by costs. A system where access is determined by wealth has nothing to do with water conservation
irishtimes.com
Stephen Collins: Water rationing is probably inevitable unless people are made to pay for it
The existing system of unlimited free public water for all households is unsustainable in the long term and unfair
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Emmet Kirwan @emmetkirwan.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Collins always seems to be softening the ground for future government policies, writing about scraping the triple lock far in advance of it happening, i take from this the government are going to start floating the idea of privatising the water commons again. www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2026...
irishtimes.com
Stephen Collins: Water rationing is probably inevitable unless people are made to pay for it
The existing system of unlimited free public water for all households is unsustainable in the long term and unfair
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Frank O'Connor @frankoconnor.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
“So how do you explain that in a country frequently ranked as one of the richest in the world, public squalor dominates our public realm, infrastructure and services?” @judesherry.bsky.social & my thoughts in todays The Journal #DerelictIreland #RestPlayWork #PublicLuxury #SpeirGhorm
“So how do you explain that in a country frequently ranked as one of the richest in the world, public squalor dominates our public realm, infrastructure and services?”

@judesherry.bsky.social & my thoughts in todays The Journal

#DerelictIreland #RestPlayWork #PublicLuxury #SpeirGhorm
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Jane Clarke @janeclarke.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Delighted to read and talk about poetry at the inaugural Greystones Book Festival. Do join us - Sunday 9th August, 1pm Greystones Rugby Club Tickets €7.50
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Deirdre O'Shaughnessy @deshocks.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
"A judicial review is any case taken against any public body that may have broken the law — it's the separation of powers working as intended". Thanks to @cathalmalone.bsky.social for writing this for us www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...
irishexaminer.com
Judicial reviews are a fundamental part of democracy — not a dig at the Government by greedy lawyers
A judicial review is any case taken against any public body that may have broken the law — it's the separation of powers working as intended, writes Cathal Malone
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Paul Murphy TD @paulmurphy.pbp.ie · 29/07/2026
Really begs the question how much he has donated to 'Progress Ireland' to push his deregulation agenda doesn't it? Calls for wealth taxes on the super-rich are growing across the world and People Before Profit will renew our call for a tax on multi-millionaires in Budget 2027.
irishtimes.com
Irish entrepreneur Patrick Collison donated $7m to group opposing California wealth tax
Building a Better California opposes proposal that would require California’s billionaire residents to pay a one-off tax on their assets
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Mike McGrath-Bryan @mikemcgb.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
"Closing the book on the financial crisis" is not only reductive, but blatantly false. We're living with housing crisis and infrastructural deficits because the Irish upper crust wouldn't punish the people responsible or tax the people that could bear it. #spéirghorm #ireland archive.vn/PBg8f
archive.vn
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Louise @selkies.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
Is this a good time to mention that in college my History of Translation lecturer (Michael Cronin) told us that one of the first vernacular translations of The Illiad was into Irish, and the translator had to give the main characters dogs because in Gaelic society a free man had a dog
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Abbey Theatre - The National Theatre of Ireland @abbeytheatre.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
📣 Time To Write, now open for bookings! A free monthly gathering for playwrights and performance makers working on a writing project, Time To Write returns on August 10 with guest playwright Emmet Kirwan. ✍️Book your free spot now: www.abbeytheatre.ie/whats-on/time-t…
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Cathal Malone @cathalmalone.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
It is straight from the authoritarian playbook. "NGOs and courts shouldn't be able to get involved, we're elected, we represent The Will Of The People." Can they hear themselves, like.
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Chris Vannini @chrisvannini.com · 22/07/2026
What's a Futurama line that lives forever in your head? Mine is, "Oh, a lesson in not changing history from Mr. I'm My Own Grandpa."
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Stephen Bourke @anburcach.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Anyone making this argument should be asked to explain how the increased load of 25,000 public servants going back to full time commutes to central Dublin will be absorbed by the public transport system.
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Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies @ndirishstudies.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Scholars and writers gathered in Galway last month to explore how the lived realities as well as artistic and media portrayals of the Irish working class have shaped and been shaped by the socioeconomic and cultural dimensions of globalization. 👉 Read a recap: irishstudies.nd.edu/news/global-...
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Cian Ginty @cianginty.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
While The Irish Times marketed itself under the tagline "the story of why", they are doing their bit again of not giving context why someone like Government advisor Sean O’Driscoll might be against environmental legislation, so here's this article again: irishcycle.com/2026/01/17/w...
irishcycle.com
Who is Sean O’Driscoll? And why does the Government and media keep treating him as an infrastructure expert?
Comment & Analysis Long Read: Sean O’Driscoll is a member of the Government’s Accelerating Infrastructure Taskforce, which has a direct role in feeding into policy, and making the lead story on…
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Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies @ndirishstudies.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
The public is invited to this free symposium on 11-12 June at @uniofgalway.bsky.social. It aims to expand understandings of class in Ireland and bring local conditions into dialogue with global issues and international contexts. 👉 Register and see details here: go.nd.edu/irish-working-class
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Emmet Kirwan @emmetkirwan.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
Myself, Fran Lock, Lisa McCinerney, & Scott McKendry will take part in a writers round table as part of this symposium. It takes place next Friday, June 12th at 4PM in Galway. You can register for tickets at the link below.
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The Author, Séamas O'Reilly @seamas.bsky.social · 30/03/2026
At long last, the cover launch of my debut novel PRESTIGE DRAMA is here! It's a funny, angry book about Derry, history, memory and Troubles-scented television. I think it's quite good, however I can *confirm* that it's quite short. And you can pre-order it everywhere NOW: geni.us/Prestige_Drama
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Dublin Inquirer @dublininquirer.com · 04/03/2026
A new film documents Dubliners’ resistance to subordination of social life to profit. “The market is a monster,” says filmmaker James Redmond. “It turns living spaces into dead space.”
dublininquirer.com
New film documents Dubliners’ resistance to subordination of social life to profit
“The market is a monster,” says filmmaker James Redmond. “It turns living spaces into dead space.”
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Faine Greenwood @faineg.com · 06/01/2026
little-flying-robots.ghost.io/rejecting-re... We live in an age where the Internet and LLMs are encouraging ever more people to reject reality entirely. Here's my thoughts on why this is happening, and why the Terminally Online turn amongst the powerful is so dangerous.
little-flying-robots.ghost.io
Rejecting Reality in the Age of AI
The Internet and AI are encouraging more and more people to deny reality itself. Here's why that's bad.
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Orla Hegarty @orla-hegarty.bsky.social · 02/12/2025
“5 year legal odyssey came to end in High Court with a couple vindicated in full in their battle over mobile phone mast In sticking to their guns, they did the State & fellow citizens an enormous service-one likely not appreciated” @ciananbrennan.bsky.social www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...
irishexaminer.com
Kilkenny couple did the public an enormous service in bringing State to heel over phone mast decision
Kilkenny couple Peter and Doreen Thomson have also shown that, in the Government’s current attempts to stifle access to review of questionable decisions made by State actors, we are heading down a ver...
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John Scalzi @scalzi.com · 02/12/2025
The real question is not "Why is Bluesky so left-coded," the real question is "Why can't the right exist in a social media environment without algorithmic assistance, where people can ignore them"
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Orla Hegarty @orla-hegarty.bsky.social · 29/11/2025
“Apartment Vat cut makes no sense and won’t boost housing supply” “A Vat cut meant to boost apartment construction has instead exposed a circular, ineffective policy that neither lowers costs nor increases supply” @mickcliff.bsky.social www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...
irishexaminer.com
Mick Clifford: Apartment Vat cut makes no sense and won’t boost housing supply
A Vat cut meant to boost apartment construction has instead exposed a circular, ineffective policy that neither lowers costs nor increases supply
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Frank O'Connor @frankoconnor.bsky.social · 29/11/2025
16,766 without a home This is f*cking scandalous A result of shameful government policy with empty homes everywhere Me & @judesherry.bsky.social updated the numbers on our dereliction billboard yesterday with music by Meryl Streek Lower John St, Cork City #DerelictIreland #HousingCrisis #SpeirGorm
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Joe Noonan @joenoonan.bsky.social · 28/11/2025
“I do fear that if attempts are made to cut back on rights of participation and to cut back on the right of access to the courts, people will still find a way and it might well be a way that’s going to be a lot more difficult to control.” - Prof Áine Ryall #Law www.irishtimes.com/environment/...
irishtimes.com
Plan to raise cost of judicial reviews could lead to people representing themselves in court
Law professor warns move could leave courts even more congested
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🌎🐎John Hyphen🎮🤠 @johnhyphen.bsky.social · 28/11/2025
buying a farm that straddles the cavan-fermanagh county border to run contreband intermezzos into the occupied 6
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Aoḋán Ó Conġaile @tinydonkey.bsky.social · 28/11/2025
So this is a thing you'll see a lot about immigration. The process is incredibly slow, the systems are overworked. If you have applied you will overstay before your decision is made. The system is designed such that you will be breaking the law, by their own design. This is arguably on purpose.
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James Kelleher @jameskelleher.pilcrow.ie · 28/11/2025
Sweating at Heathrow border control because I’ve swallowed 15 copies of uncut Intermezzo
thejournal.ie
Sally Rooney's books may be pulled off UK shelves due to her support for Palestine Action group
The author said it was “unclear” whether any UK company can make payments to her.
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AAAAHH-lex Plante 🐀👑 @aplante.com · 28/11/2025
i know WHY this is but that just makes it even more of a kick in the pants lmao
screenshot of a tumblr post from user “wildmansters”

The thing that really boils my potatoes about Al in general is that I have been a creative professional for over a decade now and the devil has ALWAYS been in the details. Big and small, I've had single-person businesses rip me to shreds over how their colors turned out on newsprint, and have worked with huge companies with THICK brand guidelines with every detail of their brand identity laid out and enforced with an iron fist.

But I guess all of that stuff doesn't matter anymore? Who gives a fuck if this Al generated baby has six fingers, that mom-and-pop shop is still going to use it. That rug from Temu says Happy Thanksgivirg? Oh well haha it's just a silly funny thing now (nevermind that you never would have given a B-grade item from a craft show the same consideration). I don't actually care that the Al Coca-cola ad has a truck that changes size every scene, but I can't help but think about how, if it had been some poor underpaid artist, they would have been laughed out of the building.

I don't really know how to put it in a succint way but it just feels all the more obvious how much more grace and flexibility has always been possible but never offered.
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Eoghan Daltun 🌍 @irishrainforest.bsky.social · 27/11/2025
Despite a 16% jump in nitrates levels in Irish rivers in the last year alone, it's looking like the derogation (special dispensation to pollute more) will *still* be extended by another 3 years. Help farmers financially if needs be, but killing our rivers is just WRONG. share.google/EpaRcLKnsnPZ...
share.google
Nitrates derogation could be extended by three years after proposal backed by European Commission
Too much nitrogen in a river can lead to an over-growth of algae, which causes damage to, and can even kill, wildlife and plants.
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Orla Hegarty @orla-hegarty.bsky.social · 27/11/2025
🏗️ Ireland’s fire safety standards for apartments we need to talk about de-regulation & safety of future apartment residents (🧵 below was originally posted on 29 Feb 2020 )
image of an apartment fire breaking through to balcony & a person on a window cill
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Attracta Uí Bhroin @attractaub.bsky.social · 26/11/2025
Wake up call and reality check for all concerned with delivery of decent #housing, and positive societal outcomes from #planning Lorcan Sirr talkimg sense, stats and evidence, incl on scapegoating #JR #JudicialReview www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2025...
irishtimes.com
Lorcan Sirr: Judicial reviews are not the problem – and deregulation is no answer
We have seen before how cutting ‘red tape’ leads to disaster, especially in planning and housing
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Green Party / Comhaontas Glas @greenparty.ie · 26/11/2025
Today's transport plan delivers a stark message to commuters. Expect more years stuck in traffic with no viable public transport alternatives. Read our response here 👇 greenparty.ie/news/act-nat... @feljin.ie @rodericogorman.bsky.social
greenparty.ie
“An act of national self-sabotage” - Government transport plan fails commuters and climate, say Greens | Green Party
“An act of national self-sabotage” - Government transport plan fails commuters and climate, say Greens
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Feljin Jose @feljin.ie · 26/11/2025
Four months after it was promised, we finally have the government's transport investment plan between now and 2030. It's bad. Roads are in, public transport is out. A lot of public transport projects being put on the long-finger to make funding available for new roads.
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More Perfect Union @moreperfectunion.bsky.social · 26/11/2025
BREAKING: RealPage is suing New York, challenging a new state law that bans landlords from using algorithms to set rents. RealPage claims that its software, which landlords have used to collude on rents, is protected by the First Amendment.
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Dave Levitan @davelevitan.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
Google at its peak was basically the best information retrieval system in human history and they and every competitor decided going from there to “you didn’t want answers you wanted half-assed auto-complete 80%-wrong hallucinations” in a few years was the right idea
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Zeddy @zeddary.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
First Secretary of Defense you could defeat by painting a tunnel on the side of a boulder.
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Emmet Kirwan @emmetkirwan.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
So they lobbied the government intensely, got what they wanted and now they’re happy. Imagine the reverse of this headline ‘renters happy with new rent reforms’ that would and will never happen as long as we have these agents of capital reping for the lads. www.irishtimes.com/business/202...
irishtimes.com
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Dave Mathieson @tinydbass.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
Excellent piece by Sadhbh o'Neill about the car-centric approach to transport. I have absolutely no doubt that virtually none of our elected reps rely on public transport to go about their daily lives. www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2025...
irishtimes.com
Climate: Imagine how different things would be if politicians had to use public transport
Long lead-in times, a lack of sustained policy commitment, and start-stop approaches to big projects all contributed to where we are now
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Emmet Kirwan @emmetkirwan.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
This article offers zero evidence that landlords are going to “stampede” out of the rental market, other than an estate agent saying, “trust me, bro.” www.limerickleader.ie/news/nationa...
limerickleader.ie
Landlords 'stampede' out of rental market ahead of new changes coming next year
The new rules and regulations will not affect tenants that have been in place before March 1 and after that date, they will see a six-year tenancy agreement put in place
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Aidan Fitzmaurice @fancyvegaspro.bsky.social · 24/11/2025
In Ireland, every season is Landlord Migration season
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Uilliam Mac G ᚒᚔᚂᚂᚔᚐᚋ @uilliammac.bsky.social · 23/11/2025
When Dunnes staff refused to handle S African goods they were denounced by politicians from FF/FG, as well as "business leaders". The same groups blocking the OTB today. They were spat on, beaten by Gardaí and followed by Special Branch. It took 3 years to shame the govt. into acting. Reluctantly.
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Daryl 𝘊𝘰𝘨𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘯 𝘗𝘩𝘶𝘪𝘮𝘤í𝘯 🎃 Feehely @darylfeehely.com · 23/11/2025
"philosophical financial framework" is a very kind way of describing neoliberalism there from Mícheál. #IrishPol
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Emmet Kirwan @emmetkirwan.bsky.social · 24/11/2025
Kaspar Aiden Cantwell Strattra (23) – replied after charge and caution at Ennis Garda station: “The use of Shannon Airport by the US military breaks Irish neutrality. The US is a belligerent power complicit in the genocide of Palestinians.” www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/co...
irishtimes.com
Army personnel draw weapons as pro-Palestinian activists spray-paint US plane at Shannon
Three people in court in Ennis charged with criminal damage of US military aircraft at Shannon on Saturday
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Donncha O’Connell @donnchalaw.bsky.social · 24/11/2025
Excellent piece by my colleague, Professor Ciara Smyth: The real migration crisis is not the one you’ve been hearing about – The Irish Times www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2025...
irishtimes.com
Opinion: The real migration crisis is not the one you’ve been hearing about
‘Politics of affect’ stokes anxieties about immigration, allowing Government to then respond
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Sue Kirk @suekirk.bsky.social · 23/11/2025
Another 'Landlords leaving the market' story. First, has this not consistently been proven to be completely false? Second, if true, why would this be bad? Third, if Landlords are 'leaving the market' in droves because new rules mean their tenants have a more secure lease, well, ok then. Off you pop.
Chyron that says 'landlords leaving market due to new tenancy rules'
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Elaine Burke @elaineburke.bsky.social · 22/11/2025
The Irish Times published and lauded John Collison's op-ed, but did they fact-check it? Andrew Jackson did. Thoroughly. If you spent time reading the original, you'd want to give time to this counterpoint as well.
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Emmet Kirwan @emmetkirwan.bsky.social · 22/11/2025
Breakneck by Dan Wang is worth a read. McWilliams takes the wrong lessons from it & passes it off as his own homework. In short China is run by engineers, that see all problems including humans as engineering problems, the book warns against this, not for it. www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2025...
irishtimes.com
David McWilliams: To get things done, Ireland needs more engineers and fewer lawyers
A country run by engineers will build and accelerate into the future, while one run by lawyers will litigate and decelerate
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