Someone at the Cannes Film Festival has a sense of humor ...

The live motorway map of Ireland. Green means traffic flowing freely.

A hopeful update: For the first time in six days, Transport Infrastructure Ireland is reporting no tractor/truck blockages on any of the motorways. Are we done, or is this just a lull? The current motorway map is all green; that's free-flowing traffic. Up to yesterday, it was red all over.

While Dublin's back to normal, there's no sign this morning that protesters intend to stop disrupting the supply chain and wider society. At the moment, Dublin-bound traffic on the M3 between Kells and Navan is blocked, and slow-moving convoys of trucks and tractors are snarling other motorways.

Kildare Street, 8am.

On my morning walk through Dublin, I saw more gardaí on O'Connell Street than at any time since the weeks following the November 2023 riot. And even though parliament doesn't reconvene until tomorrow afternoon, the fuzz had locked down all roads approaching Leinster House and Government Buildings.

Ireland cuts tax on motor fuel as protests grip the country The unrest has wreaked havoc on Ireland’s fuel supply network over the past week.

This package of tax cuts and deferrals, designed to lower the price of petrol and particularly diesel through July, won't be enough for most protesters--but the target is winning back the wider public. www.politico.eu/article/irel...

My report on the first security response to five days of road blockades. The protesters plan demos nationwide tomorrow, covering all 26 counties for the first time. Other key ports (Rosslare, Foynes, Galway) remain obstructed as police observe but do not intervene, so fuel shortages will persist.

My latest from Dublin, which remains an extremely walkable city.

Ireland’s leader defends Starmer from Trump insults in White House meeting Micheál Martin avoided the trap that snared Germany’s chancellor by politely pushing back as Donald Trump slammed Keir Starmer, NATO and migration to Europe.

My latest on Micheál Martin's annual tiptoeing through the Trump minefield. www.politico.eu/article/irel...

The Social Democrats issued this apology to ex-Justice Minister Alan Shatter around 5:45pm Friday (in an obvious bid to minimize news coverage). This comes two weeks after one of their TDs reposted a far-right slander of Shatter, who for many years was Ireland's most prominent Jewish politician.

Ireland pushing to free citizen held by ICE in Texas Irish PM Micheál Martin is wary of provoking the U.S. administration, but behind-the-scenes efforts to free Seamus Culleton from ICE custody have proven fruitless, an Irish official tells POLITICO.…

Seamus Culleton and his family long feared that speaking out could make his ICE ordeal even worse. Their interviews to the Irish Times and RTÉ have put his case squarely on the Irish political agenda. Will it still be there when the Taoiseach visits the White House? www.politico.eu/article/irel...

The current seating plan for this afternoon's Screen 13 presentation of 'Melania' at Dublin Cineworld (the biggest cinema in Ireland). One seat sold, only 136 still available ...

Federal law enforcement agents shot and killed a man in Minneapolis on Jan. 24 according to local police officials. DHS told Fox News that the man was “armed with a gun”. A video of the shooting appears to show that a gun was taken from the man before the first shot was fired. x.com/BillMelugin_...

If there was a child porn factory down the road, it’d be closed immediately.

The Govt’s response wouldn’t be “hang on, they let us print flyers there too”.

Front pages of American newspapers after Jan. 6, 2021, with headlines like "Capitol Chaos," "Assault on Democracy," "Pro-Trump mob storms Capitol."

Five years ago.

That claim of Irishness confused me. The Irish Times did a better description of the novel in a 2010 article: "The book has not withstood the test of time. It is neither read now nor overly worth reading."

The full spiked 60 Minutes CECOT package, clean & subtitled. 1/5

Ireland unveils €1.7 billion plan to beef up its weak defenses The non-NATO member wants to erect drone defenses in time for next year’s EU presidency.

Ireland was already committed to spending €1.1bn on military projects for 2026-30, so today's announcement represents a €600m hike. Much will go on radar and sonar, even more on aircraft. Recruitment and retention remains a fundamental problem. www.politico.eu/article/irel...

Zelenskyy's hand-written message in the visitor's book on arrival at Áras an Úachtaráin, where he's meeting Ireland's newly elected president, Catherine Connolly: "I express my sincere gratitude for Ireland's steadfast support during our fight against Russian aggression."

Eurogroup President Paschal Donohoe quits as Irish finance minister Donohoe will become managing director and chief knowledge officer at the World Bank.

Paschal Donohoe won credit from colleagues for easing friction inside Ireland's coalition government. Now his diplomatic skills go to Washington. He leaves Fine Gael with no obvious successor in Dublin Central, where Sinn Féin could win a second seat beside Mary Lou. www.politico.eu/article/euro...

Ireland elects left-wing president in anti-government landslide Catherine Connolly’s lop-sided victory to be Ireland’s next head of state was accompanied by a surge in vandalized ballots from right-wing voters.

My latest on Catherine Connolly's even bigger-than-expected win. It was interesting to see her share the stage at Dublin Castle with the FF and FG leaders she's just humbled. Good grace shown by all. Next up: a byelection to fill Connolly's Galway West seat. www.politico.eu/article/irel...

My latest on the imminent coronation of Catherine Connolly, and yes I've included a hyperlink to her keepie-uppies.

Micheál Martin’s future as Irish PM in doubt as his presidential pick crashes out Political novice Jim Gavin quit the election race to become Ireland’s next head of state after being accused of being a rip-off landlord.

My latest on Martin's misguided pick of Jim Gavin for president. This week's meeting of Fianna Fáil TDs and senators should provide a platform for those seeking a new leader before Martin's due to step down as Taoiseach in Dec2027. Who takes the fall for Calamity Jim? www.politico.eu/article/mich...

Dr. Jane Goodall filmed an interview with Netflix in March 2025 that she understood would only be released after her death.

Ireland’s presidential election will be a 3-way fight A Catholic conservative from Ireland’s outgunned right, Maria Steen, fails in her last-ditch bid to join Catherine Connolly, Jim Gavin and Heather Humphreys on the Oct. 24 ballot.

After months of no-hopers declaring they'd run for president, we're left with 3 candidates backed by the heavyweights: Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Sinn Féin. It'll be one leftie vs the broad-church parties of government. The top choice of the right can't make the cut. www.politico.eu/article/irel...

In my defense, I did decline references to the political Octagon, to cages and to various types of chokehold (the Peruvian necktie being my favorite).

My latest on the Irish presidential race. Unsurprisingly, Conor McGregor won't be on the ballot. By submitting now, he avoids what would have been his first real political test: seeking a nomination from Dublin City Council. He never bothered to come back to Ireland before throwing in the towel.

Gaelic football legend wins spot on Ireland’s presidential ballot Jim Gavin — a former air force pilot and successful Dublin football manager — is the PM’s pick to compete in the Oct. 24 election.

Here's my latest on Fianna Fáil picking political newcomer Jim Gavin to run for president. The backbenchers' sizable anti-Gav vote doesn't bode well. It's such a wildcard pick. He may be a strong campaigner. But will the GAA grassroots deliver goodwill outside Dublin? www.politico.eu/article/irel...

Mairead McGuinness quits Irish presidential race Ex-EU commissioner cites health reasons as her Fine Gael party calls move “an awful shock.”

Catherine Connolly's bid for the Áras just got an unexpected boost. Much depends on whether FF and SF both run candidates. If either opts out, their councilors are more likely to put wildcard candidates on the ballot. The threshold for nominations via councils is low.
www.politico.eu/article/mair...

My latest on the opening moves of Ireland's presidential race. Will Micheál run? No. Will Mary Lou? Possibly, but risk aversion likely wins out. The election-tilting wild card, if either FF or SF can play it: a 'celebrity' candidate from outside established political ranks. Brace for disappointment!

Immigrants to Northern Ireland face new wave of terror Police seek reinforcements to protect homes this weekend from racist mobs spurred by an alleged crime in Ballymena.

Here's my latest on the Ballymena rioting and its spread this week to other loyalist quarters. Context for U.S. readers: There's been more real trouble in Northern Ireland this month than in Los Angeles (with its three briefly burning, endlessly broadcast Waymos). www.politico.eu/article/immi...