iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Very proud of my uncle John with his upcoming book Keeping the Faith, as well as creating & running the Mayo GAA Blog over the years (now Mayo Football Talk). I'm sure many of the books mentioned in this article will be on Christmas lists this year! #spéirghorm www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic...

irishtimes.com

All you read is love: The books about Mayo’s All-Ireland win that just had to be written

Never has one sporting moment inspired so much literary output so quickly

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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

If this was an example of something that was "well handled"by the FAI, I'd hate to see something that they'd describe as "badly handled" #spéirghorm

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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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Tony - Pod Guy - Groves @tonygroves.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Gavin Bazunu, fair play. That takes guts. Yup, Tallaght.

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The Foggy Jew @hmcevansoneya.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

"I would be willing to consider changes, such as changing the flag and anthem and joining the Commonwealth" Now why would you include the Commonwealth in the question but not the headline? And then paywall the article? This is deliberate, misleading, atrocious journalism and abuse of polling data

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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

This answer has been taken to mean a tougher immigration "regime" but that's not the question. The question states tougher enforcement of existing laws, not a tougher regime or new laws. It's hard not to read this as a deliberate misinterpretation to support the writer's view #spéirghorm

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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

This question conflates 3 separate issues. In my case I would be (reluctantly) willing to make changes to the flag and anthem if it meant achieving a united Ireland. But I wouldn't support joining the Commonwealth. That means I'd be a no, when I actually support 2/3 of the proposal #spéirghorm

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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Very misleading conclusions taken from this survey regarding the flag, anthem, and immigration. The Irish Times and Ipsos are very experienced in this area, which makes me think they deliberately designed questions to get a desire outcome #spéirghorm www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

irishtimes.com

Small minority prepared to consider new flag to make Irish unity acceptable to unionists

Irish Times/Ipsos B&A also asked about attitudes to immigration, with a small majority of voters seeing it, on balance, as a positive

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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

This is the change to the tricolour I'd advocate for

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Anna Pringle @annapr.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

This is such misleading polling. It's a compound question, asking 3 questions in one: "changes, such as changing the flag and anthem and joining the Commonwealth". Impossible to know which element people are disagreeing with.

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Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

This week on Origin Story: The life & ideas of John Rawls, the most celebrated liberal philosopher of the post-war period. These are some of the most beautiful arguments in progressive thought. We do it as a one hour crash course. Everything you need to know. podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/j...

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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Would love to see Subway Takes ahead of our elections. Just one radical idea from each party leader would be refreshing

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Gavan Reilly @gavreilly.com · 08/09/2026

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Darach Ó Séaghdha @darach.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

I’m not sure what raising the residency period from 5 years to 8 years will achieve for the common good. It’ll make it easier to deport children who’ve never lived anywhere else, and harder for applicants to prove unbroken periods of residency.

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Jen Keane @zenbuffy.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

A significant contributor to the gender pay gap and the continuing financial disparity between men and women is the undervaluing of all of the unpaid care work done by women in Ireland. Women all over Ireland get up early, every morning, and go to work, unpaid and unvalued.

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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

They're gonna get so cocky now that they caught a traitor for all the wrong reasons... #traitorsirl

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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Excellent article, but I'm surprised how little reference is made to FSG. FSG brought in the sponsors complicit in genocide before Bezos joined. Any protests at Bezos on these grounds should equally point the finger at FSG #lfc #spéirghorm www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer...

irishtimes.com

Why I have decided to quit supporting Liverpool after 50 years

Jeff Bezos’s links to Israel and his gutting of the Washington Post should be a wake-up call to all fans

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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

The @footballcliches.bsky.social podcast had a similar take in the past, relating to the combined age of defenders on a team (i.e. a team with 3x older defenders with a combined age of 100). They noted it's a totally pointless statistics, about as useful as assessing the combined height of a team

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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Collective time is one of my least favourite metrics. It turns every 1 second into 7 billion collective seconds. Which means 1 individual second equates to 222 years collectively. And that's only assuming human time, not including the collective time perceived by all animals #spéirghorm

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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

It was a fabulous evening last night for us in #birmingham2026 but the 23,000 spectators deserve a better explanation than this, when we were left without transport until midnight. We're baffled here as to how "fraud" explains the delays www.irishtimes.com/world/uk/202...

irishtimes.com

Man arrested in Birmingham after police incident delays Kate O’Connor medal ceremony

Transport returns to normal on Sunday after Saturday crowds faced long delays leaving stadium

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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

If they're following through with this, they need to look at the nicotine pouches as well. They're extremely potent and regulations are so far behind. One of the pouches companies was even a sponsor at All Together Now and no batted an eyelid #spéirghorm www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

irishtimes.com

New law could see young people barred from buying vapes and cigarettes

Government considering ban for anyone born after certain date

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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Can't believe the erasure of Les Lacs du Connemara from Galway sports songs chat. @philippeauclair.bsky.social should have a word open.spotify.com/track/3vHswu...

open.spotify.com

Les lacs du Connemara

Michel Sardou · Les Lacs Du Connemara · Song · 2004

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TG4 @tg4.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

Comhghairdeas le foireann peile Mhaigh Eo, Seaimpíní na hÉireann! 💚❤️

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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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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

Update for now: Andy Moran = Lionel Scaloni Depending on the next few years, I may alter this to Jurgen Klopp but Scaloni is a good fit for today given the emotion #speirghorm #gaa #mayo4sam

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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

You may think Lamine Yamal is the best young sportsperson in the world, but you didn't see him play in an All Ireland final in his debut season did ya. Yup Kobe. Up Mayo. #mayo4sam #spéirghorm

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Philippe Auclair @philippeauclair.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Vaccines are one of the things humans should be the proudest of.

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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

I agree with a lot of this, esp the 16-18 issue & targeting imports. For “[prohibit] the sale of scooters that do not meet the legal requirements for use on public roads”, that means the intention is that 70kmh scooters can't be sold. Legislation needs to be clear - no more disclaimers/loopholes

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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

The new law will also mean adults can't buy ones that go over 20kmh either. From the times article:

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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Because under the new law, no one (adults included) will be able to buy a scooter that goes more than 20kmh

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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

It's the non-compliant scooters X age that's hard to do right. Personally I saw children and parents buy ones that went up 70kmh when I bought mine. I've no idea if/how age verification will work, but taking the non-compliant ones off the shelf is significant and should reduce accidents

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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

But it's not banned to sell them to under 16s at the moment. It's only banned for under 16s to use them. When this change comes into play, it should close that loophole and the non-compliant scooters won't be as easy to buy. That should make a difference

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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Looks like sales will be targeted in new legislation - spot on. www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Happy to contribute to this piece today in the Indo. Thanks to @conor-feehan.bsky.social for the piece. Hoping it can help influence a solution to the current problems with e-scooters #spéirghorm www.independent.ie/irish-news/y...

Text from Irish Independent stating "Mr Mac Dhonnagáin said he understands Mr Martin’s and Mr Kelly’s concerns, especially given so many young people are sustaining head injuries, but he thinks there are other methods for controlling the age of users and the speed they travel at.

“When I bought mine, which is the compliant one, half the shop had compliant scooters and half had non-compliant ones. And it’s not illegal to sell a non-compliant one, and it’s also not illegal to sell them to people under 16,” he said.

Irish law dictates that e-scooters must have a maximum design speed of 20kmh and users must be at least 16 years old. Mr Mac Dhonnagáin pointed out that the legislation covers the use of e-scooters rather than the sale of them, in the same way cars can travel at a greater speed than the highest speed limits on our roads.

“Mine will stop accelerating at 20kmh, but there were ones in the shop that could do 70kmh. When you hear of gardaí seizing a non-compliant e-scooter, that will just get replaced because it’s not illegal to buy. That’s where I think there’s missing pieces in a lot of discussion,” Mr Mac Dhonnagáin said. "

Text from Irish Independent stating: “I don’t understand why they’d have one law for usage and no law for sale. The compliant scooters are very slow vehicles, and very useful for commuters when used in a safe way. The fast ones are clearly dangerous, and need to be gone."

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Chris Bertram @crookedfootball.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

Ian Wright saying we shouldn’t forget the way the Iranian team and the Somali referee were treated. Correct.

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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

Klopp maybe? The physicality of his Liverpool and Kiely's Limerick feel similar

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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

Easier to compare managers than teams when it comes to GAA & soccer: Brian Cody = Alex Ferguson Jim McGuinness = Mourinho Jim Gavin = Pep Guardiola #spéirghorm

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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

This is more like it: Registration, seize non-compliant e-scooters, ban sale/supply to under 16s, extend bike to work. All it needs is to ban the sale of non-compliant e-scooters (over 20km/h). They're easy to buy atm. Otherwise every seized scooter will just be replaced by a new one. #spéirghorm

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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

Much appreciated, especially targeting the sale to U16s. As an e-scooter user, I'd suggest extending that to ban the sale of scooters that are not compliant with usage laws (over 20km/h, over 400W). Otherwise any seized scooter is just getting replaced because they are readily available to buy

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Geraldine Herbert @gerherbert.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

They are currently illegal for under 16s to use so are banned already. The real issue is why the loophole that permits the marketing and selling of escooters for kids has not been closed.

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Kevin Hargaden @kevinhargaden.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Years ago, Peter McVerry noted to me the godsend e-scooters were to people trying to climb out of poverty. They were an accessible way to get to jobs that previously were out of their reach because they'd have to show up at ~4am. The class dynamics of government's response shouldn't be missed.

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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

It's a classic case of not actually consulting with people who use them. The most obvious problem (sale of scooters) is not legislated for, but they're inclined to lob everyone into the same bucket.

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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Scooters that are compliant with the law only go at 20km/h, slower than most bikes. But it's not illegal to sell ones that go 70km/h to under 16s. Surely they could ban the sale of the non-compliant scooters first before a total ban for everyone? #spéirghorm www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

irishtimes.com

Taoiseach ‘leaning towards’ ban on e-scooters

Dáil discusses problematic use of e-scooters and scramblers on roads following deaths and injuries

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Jay Van Bavel, PhD @jayvanbavel.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

Social media is increasingly anti-social Only 7% of Instagram time & 17% of Facebook time is spent on content from friends or followed accounts. The rest is algorithmic video from strangers. This is what happens when you condition algorithms on looking time rather than real social engagement.

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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

This has been a lovely little source of bemusement in group chats today. Joey D'Urso's reel states they both sailed and rowed. I wonder if the fan has a good rebuttal to this 🤔 #worldcup #norway

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Dexerto @dexerto.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

A Norway fan has gone viral for not taking part in their Row celebration after matches and won't do it if they win the World Cup "It’s factually wrong; they didn’t row, they sailed over the Atlantic”

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Dónal Hassett @donalh.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

So much to love about Pico waving the Irish flag, not least that he, a proud Irishman of African heritage and as Dublin as can be, embodies the kind of Irishness that the far right can't abide but is a thriving feature in communities across the island.

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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

At first glance, I read this wrongly as being of the cigarettes for 3 hours, 11 minutes! In all seriousness though, well done!

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Neil Mac Dhonnagáin @neilmacdh.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

I can't see this Dublin team win the All-Ireland this year, but the forwards are still so strong when fit and were brilliant in that second half. Bugler and Breathnach still to come back too. Would love to see an attacking midfielder emerge in this squad- would be a game changer for them #gaa

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