Reposted by OrlaPhilip Boucher-Hayes @philipb-h.bsky.social · 03/10/2026Ireland imports 80% of its wheat. Not great food security. Concentration on livestock farming elbowed Irish wheat out. Imported wheat and flour add considerably to the cost of living crisis. But new crop science opens the door to Irish grown wheat. Listen: 👉 www.rte.ie/listen/clip/...rte.ieFood Security: BreadOnly the tiniest fraction of the flour needed to bake the 50kg of bread we eat a year is grown and milled in Ireland, and the cost of what we import is sky rocketing. We take a look at what needs to b... 824976
Reposted by OrlaDarach Ó Séaghdha @darach.bsky.social · 04/10/2026This week for my #calling353 series in @thejournal.ie I look at Seán Ó Cuirínn’s translation of Dracula into Irish. (I’m doing all spooky topics for October!) The tale behind the Irish translation of Dracula is something to really get your teeth into jrnl.ie/7180942jrnl.ieThe tale behind the Irish translation of Dracula is something to really get your teeth intoThe scholar who carried out the translation was so respected that he was approached by the government and asked to take his pick of novels. 23815
Reposted by OrlaCarol Ballantine @cballantine.bsky.social · 04/10/2026This is written to fly under the radar, from today’s Sunday Independent (Ireland). The press council upheld a complaint about an offensive and transphobic opinion column by Brenda Power. Sindo was required to publish the decision. @mams4transrights.bsky.social @jesalady.bsky.social 413394
Orla @somebogwitch.bsky.social · 04/10/2026There are many things to resent weaselly AI bros for but today's is making me side with the Pope again. I'm a traumatised Irish person, I shouldn't have to sit here saying "well he is making one of the stronger intellectual public contributions" or "actually he is technically elected" FREE ME 46414
Reposted by OrlaDavid Smyth 🦇🌳 @david-smyth-eco.bsky.social · 04/10/2026There's something resetting about woodlands you can get lost in 0276
Orla @somebogwitch.bsky.social · 21/09/2026The last of the honeysuckle flowers on @wildacres.bsky.social nature reserve #wildflowerhour 1354
Reposted by OrlaJohn Doyle @johndoyle.bsky.social · 14/09/2026Just a week until Before the Vote is available. It's heartening to be hearing positive feedback already from the advance copies. Looking forward to discussing the research further with people at the launches in Dublin on Sep 30th, Belfast Oct 1st, Derry and Cork later that month. Event links below 284
Reposted by OrlaIrish Environmental Network @irishenvnet.bsky.social · 14/09/2026PEACEPLUS CORE project launched to strengthen cross-border environmental cooperation www.ien.ie/peaceplus-co...ien.iePEACEPLUS CORE project launched to strengthen cross-border environmental cooperation - Irish Environmental NetworkLeft to right in the photo are: Karen Ciesielski, CEO of Irish Environmental Network; Liam Caffrey, Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht; Gina McIntyre, CEO of SEUPB; John ... 011
Reposted by OrlaDr. SkySkull @drskyskull.bsky.social · 14/09/2026This is just a spectacular unintentional self-own 10065511391
Reposted by OrlaLouise @selkies.bsky.social · 08/09/2026Sorry something must have been lost in translation, they're saying you don't need to speak Irish to be Minister for the Gaeltacht (representing the native Irish speakers of Ireland and their very specific interests), but you DO need to speak Irish if you just want to live in Ireland and are foreign 319850
Reposted by OrlaSiobhán McElduff @siobhanmcelduff.bsky.social · 23/08/2026Eoin O'Malley lecturing about other people getting positions and being promoted widely on what they represent, rather than their own ability and achievements, is really something to see. 1182
Reposted by OrlaJack Kennedy @jackkennedy.ie · 31/08/2026I noticed last week that O'Malley signed the open letter supporting Nathan Cofnas because of course he did 1254
Reposted by OrlaClaire Mullaly @clairemullaly.bsky.social · 29/08/2026Andy Burnham ruling out a border poll promised in the Good Friday Agreement while UK Home Office deploy racist packs of Border Force to Grand Central Station in Belfast tells you everything you need to know about an immoral, dangerous, UK Gov pushing hate, division & borders in a tinderbox. [1/n] 411342
Reposted by OrlaEmma Patterson @humnutter.bsky.social · 22/08/2026"The infinite scroll is little more than a well you can drink from forever but never be quenched, like something from an Irish myth that ends in much the same way: children suffering cruel fates at the hands of cruel gods." Oof. 02415
Orla @somebogwitch.bsky.social · 17/08/2026The gutting of professional journalism can be seen all over. No copy editing, copy pasting press releases in place of articles, wholesale (and ironic) plagiarism, but also a fundamental lack of ethics. It goes beyond "look out a window" if its a outspoken eugenist telling you it's raining. 16714
Reposted by OrlaJohn Doyle @johndoyle.bsky.social · 17/08/2026This is clearly personal for Micheál Martin, but his position is unpopular with the party membership. The grassroots do not expect him to demand that the UK call a referendum, but Fianna Fáil are now the only party in the Dáil who actively oppose planning. www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...irishtimes.comMicheál Martin says talk of Border poll makes him go ‘bananas’Taoiseach said party colleagues should concentrate on the benefits of the Shared Island initiative 1176
Reposted by OrlaJohn Doyle @johndoyle.bsky.social · 14/08/2026I had a few mesages in response to this. My take is that if someone who was involved at a senior level in loyalist groups during the conflict can see themselves, their community and their identity welcomed in a traditional Irish music event, then we can together design a new inclusive Ireland 162
Reposted by OrlaKarl McDonald @karlusss.bsky.social · 02/08/2026Hate to admit this person from Non-Dublin has some points here. Nowhere is the Dead Dublin Theory better illustrated than the proliferation of new pubs done up to look like old pubs imo. Toxic to native fauna but serving the customer base it seeks. www.westernpeople.ie/opinion/dubl...westernpeople.ieDublin is now a shell of its once former self - opinion - Western PeopleDublin is now a shell of its once former self - opinion - Western People 45929
Reposted by OrlaPádraic Fogarty @whittledaway.bsky.social · 29/07/2026I spoke to @newstalkfm.bsky.social yesterday about fires, land use and the urgent need for native forests on our hills www.newstalk.com/podcasts/hig...newstalk.comWhat needs to be done to prevent future wildfires? | NewstalkA wildfire on Slievenamon in Co Tipperary has "reduced significantly", according to Tipperary Cou... 03213
Orla @somebogwitch.bsky.social · 17/07/2026There's this undercurrent of grief in a lot of the local folklore that feels like the shadow of the famine but is hard to pinpoint 150
Orla @somebogwitch.bsky.social · 17/07/2026Only one generation ever lived in that house, I'm on one side and the other side is still standing but the haunted one has been abandoned for 60 years. The stories are often about fairies, the sound of music, but also ghosts. Like how its both when fairies take sick children or carry drowned sailors 120
Orla @somebogwitch.bsky.social · 17/07/2026My mam's planning a PhD (possibly) on the subject next year, buts there's a lot of strangely disjointed folk memory here even though it was less severely affected by the famine than say Connemara. 130
Orla @somebogwitch.bsky.social · 17/07/2026She could speak to it better than me. But specifically the folklore about coffin rests just doesn't match what we see on the ground. I've been removing gunnera from what I think is part of the route and we live next to a "haunted" ruined house that the land commission built on a coffin rest. 230
Reposted by OrlaNeil Jackman @neiljackman.bsky.social · 17/07/2026Barry Heneghan is just pulling the same old stunt that Mattie McGrath and the Healy Raes always do. 1. Say something stupid. Ideally in the summer when the papers are hungry. 2. Everyone talks about you non-stop=🙌attention🙌 @ciaraioch.bsky.social had a perfect diagramme of this for the Healy Raes 2294
Orla @somebogwitch.bsky.social · 17/07/2026static.klipy.comFairly Odd Parents: Congratulations CheerALT: Fairly Odd Parents: Congratulations Cheer 010
Reposted by OrlaNikki M @powderedsugarbear.bsky.social · 17/07/2026Rebecca Black was right, it’s Friday. 4257
Orla @somebogwitch.bsky.social · 17/07/2026No riots for Natasha. None for my two friends who separately had male family members abuse them and both got less than 3 years custodial. One judge said he didn't want to ruin the abusers life as he began the abuse while he was also underage. He was also a cadet. 28541
Reposted by OrlaJohn Doyle @johndoyle.bsky.social · 17/07/2026It was encouraging to see Irish political leadership from Simon Harris, Mary-Lou McDonald, and @cianocallaghantd.bsky.social. It was gratifying to hear all three cite my work on the subvention as well as the work of my colleagues in Ulster University, the ARINS project and ESRI's Seamus McGuinness. 042
Orla @somebogwitch.bsky.social · 17/07/2026There's an interesting example of this phenomenon out in Achill that my mother has been studying, with a coffin path that was possibly actual a pilgrimage not a coffin path (or not exclusively) and there's that blurring of fairy lore with ghosts that happens sometimes 140
Orla @somebogwitch.bsky.social · 16/07/2026What influence do you think the famine had on that changing understanding? 240
Reposted by OrlaJohn Doyle @johndoyle.bsky.social · 16/07/2026The Dáil is currently giving statements on the fiscal implications of a United Ireland, Táinste Simon Harris opened with a positive message that well received by Mary-Lou McDonald who spoke after. Both referenced research by myself and others from DCU and Ulster University on the all island economyoireachtas.ieOireachtas TV liveThe Oireachtas TV channel relays the business of our national parliament to over 1.1 million homes across Ireland 051
Reposted by Orlathe Mountain Goats @themountaingoats.bsky.social · 03/07/2026the excommunication of the convert JD Vance 251229119
Orla @somebogwitch.bsky.social · 30/06/2026I've gotten so used to video formats, I don't feel like I'm funny in writing anymore 020
Orla @somebogwitch.bsky.social · 29/06/2026Catholic. Consider: - typified by shame and suffering that should be hidden - made evil from creation but can be redeemed in certain circumstances - the symbolism of transfiguration 060
Reposted by OrlaShamim Malekmian @shamimmalekmian.eurosky.social · 24/06/2026Even as Ireland gets harsher with people seeking asylum, anti-immigrant groups rail against new asylum law Academics and politicians say that’s because, for a small cohort, there’s an existential risk in admitting to their audience that the rules have hardened. www.dublininquirer.com/even-as-irel...dublininquirer.comEven as Ireland gets harsher with people seeking asylum, anti-immigrant groups rail against new asylum lawAcademics and politicians say that’s because, for a small cohort, there’s an existential risk in admitting to their audience that the rules have hardened. 02515
Reposted by OrlaDaithi @daithig.bsky.social · 18/06/2026How many would support the idea of handing over your passport or your child's passport, or other ID, to a tech company. That's the real question and not one likely to be asked in polls like this 815770
Reposted by OrlaJack Kennedy @jackkennedy.ie · 18/06/2026"lobbyist says that doing what their clients want is the most important thing in the universe" is not news. It would be news if they said anything else 0114
Reposted by OrlaRob @robosullivan.bsky.social · 24/05/2026You could address the environmental impact of AI and I still wouldn't use it because of the plagiarism. You could pay those whose work was stolen and I still wouldn't use it because it's unreliable. You could make it reliable and I still wouldn't use it because I value my cognitive abilities. 18327
Orla @somebogwitch.bsky.social · 16/06/2026The temptation to be Captain when I was buying filler cannot be overstated 140
Reposted by Orlaah lads @popeurbanfox.bsky.social · 16/06/2026screwfix dot ie you have ideas above your station 66615
Orla @somebogwitch.bsky.social · 16/06/2026Tragic to hear that all the journals in the world spontaneously disappeared and British parents are being forced to work out their homophobia towards their own adult children in the national press 1161