iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 2h

This is a completely UK-informed take (and has some validity in that context). Ireland, for example, is at a different point in its economic cycle, hasn't elected any far right govts, and is better educated. Ireland has different problems with its 3rd level education. Let's talk about those.

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Mity Cheese @mitycheese.bsky.social · 22h

Existing FTC and CPA rules out to apply. If you bought a new TV and it crashed your microwave, you'd have recourse against the TV manufacturer. These products aren't rogue, they're faulty.

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

And this morning FM104 reporting that Mícheál Martin has finally come out and said he is against a united Ireland. There are anglophiles across Irelqnd getting antsy, albeit for no good reason.

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Fabulous straw man set-up here from Pat Leahy of the Irish Times 🙂 Who on earth is calling for a border poll to be held right now?! Otoh, we do need to get on with all the conversations for a united Ireland now. #spéirghorm www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2026...

irishtimes.com

Pat Leahy: Any Celtic crusade against the imperialists in London would be very unwise

Remember, flags and anthems and all that is the easy stuff

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Jan Rosenow @janrosenow.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

European gas is above €82/MWh - the highest since late 2022. Hormuz remains largely shut and gas storage is at 68% going into winter. None of this started in Europe but we pay for it. The only exit is using less gas. Heat pumps, electrified industry, insulation.

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Sadly, as a result of a requirement that much research in Ireland be part-funded by industry over the past couple of decades, there are many (I don't say a majority of) computer science researchers who have been sucked into the tech companies' vortex.

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

A former Taoiseach said (paraphrasing) that when it comes to Ireland the British aren't malign, but rather they are idiots. Whatever you think of that, it's a useful lens through which to view tech companies. Many, including some of the wealthiest, are not as smart as they may seem. 👇

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

"The report found that the Government should consider the feasibility of a new scheme to reduce prices for large energy intensive business users." Logic suggests the opposite: we're having difficulty developing our grid infrastructure so we need to discourage big users. www.rte.ie/news/busines...

rte.ie

Forum recommends tackling energy costs for businesses

Energy has been identified as the principal contributor to rising business costs by an advisory forum established by the Government.

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Indeed. So far the signs are that the UK doesn't intend to abide by its agreement. I understand the frustration of a UK leader being lumbered with a referendum when they want to do other things, of course. So we may have to pull some levers to get them to comply, in due course. Hopefully not though.

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

True. The polls are consistently moving in one direction, suggesting that in the next few years they may well indicate that a poll on a united Ireland would be successful. What he said today suggests that, as usual, the UK can't be trusted to honour its agreements. Where does that leave us?

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Green Collective @greencollective.io · 17/08/2026

Renewable generation and discharging storage equalled 23% of yesterday's electricity demand, with a peak of 41% at 11:45. Fossil fuel generation (mostly gas) equalled 57% of demand. 0% of generation was exported, 20% of demand was met by imports.

A stacked area chart of the electricity generation mix on the island of Ireland with the following fuel types: battery, pumped storage, biomass, waste-to-energy, hydro, solar, wind, oil, and gas. There is also a black line showing electricity demand.

Footnote reads: All-island figures. Excludes rooftop solar. Source: EirGrid, SEMO

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Green Collective @greencollective.io · 12/08/2026

Time for a little round-up of our July reporting... 🧵 First, the basics: how much of electricity demand each source (wind, solar, gas, etc.) meet? 🍃 ☀️ 🌊 🗻 🔋 🏭️ 🔥 bsky.app/profile/gree...

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Well, yes. What other assessment approach makes sense, apart from in-person invigilated exams? We need a serious hiring drive throughout education for this - probably mostly focused on the humanities. AI products can be let pay their way through tax for this. www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

theguardian.com

Danish pupils will have to orally defend essays in attempt to combat AI cheating

Government introduces several measures, including monitoring of computers, for pupils aged 16 to 19

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

I must say, the most obvious thing seems to me to be to just ban recommender algorithms. No threat to anyone's free speech, and easily regulated and overseen.

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

But of course they are. If the bans were going to be effective it is likely the social media companies would be fighting them much harder.

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Green Collective @greencollective.io · 27/07/2026

Renewable generation and discharging storage equalled 60% of yesterday's electricity demand, with a peak of 72% at 09:45. Fossil fuel generation (mostly gas) equalled 30% of demand. 1% of generation was exported, 11% of demand was met by imports.

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

So delighted with that result. So thoroughly deserved and well fought ... and what a moment in time. Wish I cudda been in Mayo for the match (though, as a 1st generation Jackeen, people would probably have just told me to feck off!)

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

Maigh Eo abú. An foireann is fearr inniu, gan amhras #KerMay

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

Of course, yes! In a simple system, and in the short term: indeed not many ethical frameworks would have any purpose otherwise. Stuff like long-termism fails this test completely though. Even Pascal's Wager can't be used.

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

It's the well known issue with any kind of consequentialist approach: we can't know the outcome of our actions. This whole idea of what we owe the future is nakedly self-serving to certain wealthy individuals who would like an ethical framework to justify acting in their own interests.

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Lovely thread. And as for What We Owe The Future ... please. That stuff fails even the most basic tests.

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

I had the misfortune to attend a talk by a senior academic who ignored the time and the Chair's instructions - even after the Chair literally stood in front of them on stage. It was kinda funny, but so disrespectful to the audience. The academic was female, but I don't think that changes the point.

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

Well that was hilariously bad 😅

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

It'd be so positive for the UK if it were to introduce education about the history between Ireland the UK.

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

Ah yeah - it's debatable. But that the Dubs got themselves in the position of knocking 4 or 5 easy, unpressured shots wide and were within 4 of Kerry at the end despite the ref makes me, on reflection, think they were better. I was prolly gonna be cheering for Mayo in 2 weeks anyway tho ...

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

Damn right - we should have shut this down ourselves before the EU even noticed. Where are our standards, our humanity?

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

Well, it's fair to say that (much to my amazement) the Dubs were the better team on the pitch today. I didn't think they had that kind of performance in them yet! Poor officiating, and some poor shooting denied us. Still. Sin mar atá sé. Anois. Up Mayo!! #GAA

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

Well, in fairness, the Dubs were the better team overall (which is amazing!), so it's defo good news for Mayo.

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

When I read that article all I could see was a piece demonstrating that the UK is in a very tricky position: aligning with whatever the US wants while trying not to annoy China. What are portrayed as UK decisions are ones not freely taken.

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Dr Abeba Birhane @abeba.blacksky.app · 06/07/2026

as genai proliferates, it has become difficult to avoid it. at @aial.ie, we're compiling a list of genai-free tools, libraries & websites to support research across tasks;grammar/spell check, coding/code review, data analysis (esp large scale text classification) & graphing/data visualisation recs?

static.klipy.com

Freemedou: We'd Love To Hear It

ALT: Freemedou: We'd Love To Hear It

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

Completely agree - the Irish media does need to move beyond 1972, and certainly 1992 and 2002, when European countries other than the UK became so much more important to us. And since 2016 the UK has been demonstrably significantly less important to us than, for example, France or Germany.

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Green Collective @greencollective.io · 23/06/2026

Ireland enjoyed clear, sunny skies on Sunday for the summer solstice ☀️ On the grid, winds and imports were low. This resulted in relatively little congestion, allowing solar farms handle over 30% of the island's electricity needs for a solid six hours straight -- a first on the Irish grid ☘️ 📊

A stacked area chart of the renewable electricity generation mix on the island of Ireland with the following fuel types: battery, pumped storage, biomass, waste-to-energy, hydro, solar, wind, and gas. The y axis indicates the percentage of demand being met by each source.

Footnote reads: All-island figures. Excludes rooftop solar. Source: EirGrid, SEMO

A map of Ireland with markers representing generation and dispatch down at solar farms. Markers are sized in proportion to the total available power at each farm and are divided in three segments: generation, energy lost to curtailment, and energy lost to transmission constraints.

Footnote reads: All-island figures. Excludes solar farms not registered with SEMO. Excludes rooftop solar.
Source: SEMO

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Thomas Duffy @taesaveslives.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

underfunded there was no alternative (Nightjet used to run Paris-Berlin but got cancelled). Without the sleeper the rest of the trip is impossible. I still needed to be in Warsaw for a conference so what were my options? Well at least @eurostarnews.bsky.social consider their passengers, I'll take 2/

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

I do prefer my mid-Summer to be in the middle of Summer.

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

It's curious how, when solar goes up during the day, the share of renewables doesn't seem to change much. It's like wind is curtailed when solar increases. I wouldn't have thought the anti-correlation between wind and sun is be that strong

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

I see that alright, but it makes it more difficult to appropriately place the interpretation of the law in the correct cultural context. That seems highly problematic: essentially we have interpretations appropriate within British culture being imposed in Ireland by Irish Courts.

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

Jaysus, that seems a bit weak of our Court system. It smacks of a post hoc rationalisation for not taking responsibility.

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

And why would an Irish Court look to UK Courts for guidance or precedent? I mean, I know the legal systems are similar but surely the role of rights etc is quite different in Ireland

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Green Collective @greencollective.io · 13/06/2026

Renewable generation and discharging storage equalled 65% of yesterday's electricity demand, with a peak of 81% at 14:45. Fossil fuel generation (mostly gas) equalled 31% of demand. 2% of generation was exported, 4% of demand was met by imports.

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Codfather #FBPE 🇫🇷🇪🇺 @codfather.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

This transition will affect roughly 2.5 million civil servants as part of a 2026 strategy to achieve "digital sovereignty." France already has a successful precedent; the national police force has operated 100,000 computers on Linux since 2008, proving that such a massive shift is feasible.

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

If Cuan did recommend something "similar to the UK" then that's appalling. Ireland is not the UK: we have a very much more educated, and less disadvantaged, population. VPNs will be widely used to circumvent this - regulate the companies, not the people. click.comms.irishtimes.com?qs=ABB7InYiO...

click.comms.irishtimes.com

Ireland could require digital ID to access porn websites

State agency suggests stricter age verification for online porn, similar to a law enacted in the UK in 2025

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

Jaysus. I'm not much of a soccer fan, but that was a hell of a 2nd half. Nice one Ireland #COYGIG

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Turlough Downes @tdownes.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

@researchireland.ie is continuing a path laid down by the old (and old-fashioned) SFI in failing to work to build a national research ecosystem. Their strategy is something one might expect from a sectoral agency, not a national one. And that's been noticed www.irishtimes.com/ireland/educ...

irishtimes.com

University staff say €4.55bn research fund ignores arts and humanities

Letter to Min Higher Ed

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