Mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor has weighed in on the Irish whiskey debate.
“The Notorious” claims his is the most Irish of all whiskeys.
Reacting to the news that Irish whiskey sales reached a total of $1bn in the US last year, McGregor took the opportunity to highlight the Irish credentials of his own whiskey brand, Proper No. Twelve.
“I’m gonna toast on this fine Thursday this amazing news,” he posted on Twitter. “Sláinte to the only true Irish whiskey we have left, @ProperWhiskey! Irish-owned for ever.”
Will he now take the next step and join grain growers in demanding that Irish whiskey uses only Irish grain?
McGregor would have felt at home at some of the meetings at the height of the IFA/Irish Grain Growers feud.
Big Phil set for new term in Europe
Phil Hogan is set to receive another term in office at the European Commission.
The current Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development is expected to be re-appointed to the Commission – but not in the agriculture portfolio.
I hear he has his eye on the trade position currently held by Cecilia Malmström, but other member states may not be too happy with an Irishman negotiating a Brexit trade deal.
Hogan was appointed Commissioner for Agriculture in 2014.
While his five-year spell at the helm is a good stretch, it pales in comparison with some former agriculture commissioners.
Sicco Mansholt from the Netherlands was in the post for 14 years through to 1972, and, more recently, the Austrian Franz Fischler was in office for nine years until 2004.
A commissioner’s basic monthly salary is fixed at 112.5% of the top civil service grade, working out at almost €270,000 annually.
No wonder Phil wants to keep going.
Goodman profits from sale of INM
I see beef baron and billionaire Larry Goodman has made a handsome €800,000 profit on the sale of Independent News and Media (INM).
The Irish Times reports that Goodman has a 2.14% stake in INM.
INM owns the Irish Independent, the Sunday Independent, Herald, Belfast Telegraph and several regional newspapers.
It is to be bought by Belgian company Mediahuis for €146m, it was announced on Monday.
Goodman will receive some €3.1m from the sale, having acquired his shares for around €2.3m.
This equates to a return of 35% on his investment. Not bad going.
Ballyhaise fortifications put to the test
There was a moment of panic minutes before the arrival of European Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan for a visit to Teagasc’s Ballyhaise College in Co Cavan on Saturday.
Heavy metal shutters securing the front door of the 300-year-old house hosting the college’s head office wouldn’t budge.
It took a few hefty shoulders from some of the stronger farmer representatives in attendance to open it, just in time for Big Phil to make his big entrance.
On a previous visit to Ballyhaise, The Dealer heard that the bulletproof shutters were installed over 100 years ago by the local landlords and then-owners of the 220ha estate, wary of being shot at by the local partisans of Irish independence. It doesn’t seem that the original plan was to keep European Commissioners out.
Supper Theatre in Waterford
The 12th annual West Waterfrod Festival of Food took place this week, featuring a range of talks, farm visits, markets and even the 'Supper Theatre' in Dungarvan Mart. The play showcased the life of Artic explorer Tom Crean, as told by Aidan Dooley. \ Karen Dempsey
Two elections and one meeting
There was a serious show of electioneering at last week’s IFA hustings event in Claremorris for MEP candidates in the midlands-northwest, and I’m not just talking about the MEP candidates themselves.
Thomas Cooney, Padraic Joyce, Angus Woods and Brian Rushe were all in the room for the meeting, some confirmed to be running in the next IFA election and some mooted to run for one position or another.
There’s nothing wrong with attending meetings away from the home turf, but you would know well it is election season in the IFA, never mind Europe.
No broadband for Microsoft boss
Farmers deprived of broadband may find some comfort in a comment from Microsoft Ireland boss Cathriona Hallahan. She was launching a new pilot wireless internet scheme, using the Airband technology that is capable of delivering reception through hills and buildings at Teagasc’s Ballyhaise College.
“I have connectivity problems at my home in Dublin 18, so maybe this technology will help me.”
ICSA election developments
I hear a few names being mentioned as would-be ICSA president. Connacht-Ulster vice-president, Galway woman Mona O’Donoghue Concannon; Cork man Dermot Kelleher, current Munster vice-president; and Meath man Jimmy Cosgrave, Leinster vice-president, will likely throw their names into the hat. Other names mentioned include Cavan man Hugh Farrell and current beef chair and Monaghan man Edmund Graham.
Mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor has weighed in on the Irish whiskey debate.
“The Notorious” claims his is the most Irish of all whiskeys.
Reacting to the news that Irish whiskey sales reached a total of $1bn in the US last year, McGregor took the opportunity to highlight the Irish credentials of his own whiskey brand, Proper No. Twelve.
“I’m gonna toast on this fine Thursday this amazing news,” he posted on Twitter. “Sláinte to the only true Irish whiskey we have left, @ProperWhiskey! Irish-owned for ever.”
Will he now take the next step and join grain growers in demanding that Irish whiskey uses only Irish grain?
McGregor would have felt at home at some of the meetings at the height of the IFA/Irish Grain Growers feud.
Big Phil set for new term in Europe
Phil Hogan is set to receive another term in office at the European Commission.
The current Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development is expected to be re-appointed to the Commission – but not in the agriculture portfolio.
I hear he has his eye on the trade position currently held by Cecilia Malmström, but other member states may not be too happy with an Irishman negotiating a Brexit trade deal.
Hogan was appointed Commissioner for Agriculture in 2014.
While his five-year spell at the helm is a good stretch, it pales in comparison with some former agriculture commissioners.
Sicco Mansholt from the Netherlands was in the post for 14 years through to 1972, and, more recently, the Austrian Franz Fischler was in office for nine years until 2004.
A commissioner’s basic monthly salary is fixed at 112.5% of the top civil service grade, working out at almost €270,000 annually.
No wonder Phil wants to keep going.
Goodman profits from sale of INM
I see beef baron and billionaire Larry Goodman has made a handsome €800,000 profit on the sale of Independent News and Media (INM).
The Irish Times reports that Goodman has a 2.14% stake in INM.
INM owns the Irish Independent, the Sunday Independent, Herald, Belfast Telegraph and several regional newspapers.
It is to be bought by Belgian company Mediahuis for €146m, it was announced on Monday.
Goodman will receive some €3.1m from the sale, having acquired his shares for around €2.3m.
This equates to a return of 35% on his investment. Not bad going.
Ballyhaise fortifications put to the test
There was a moment of panic minutes before the arrival of European Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan for a visit to Teagasc’s Ballyhaise College in Co Cavan on Saturday.
Heavy metal shutters securing the front door of the 300-year-old house hosting the college’s head office wouldn’t budge.
It took a few hefty shoulders from some of the stronger farmer representatives in attendance to open it, just in time for Big Phil to make his big entrance.
On a previous visit to Ballyhaise, The Dealer heard that the bulletproof shutters were installed over 100 years ago by the local landlords and then-owners of the 220ha estate, wary of being shot at by the local partisans of Irish independence. It doesn’t seem that the original plan was to keep European Commissioners out.
Supper Theatre in Waterford
The 12th annual West Waterfrod Festival of Food took place this week, featuring a range of talks, farm visits, markets and even the 'Supper Theatre' in Dungarvan Mart. The play showcased the life of Artic explorer Tom Crean, as told by Aidan Dooley. \ Karen Dempsey
Two elections and one meeting
There was a serious show of electioneering at last week’s IFA hustings event in Claremorris for MEP candidates in the midlands-northwest, and I’m not just talking about the MEP candidates themselves.
Thomas Cooney, Padraic Joyce, Angus Woods and Brian Rushe were all in the room for the meeting, some confirmed to be running in the next IFA election and some mooted to run for one position or another.
There’s nothing wrong with attending meetings away from the home turf, but you would know well it is election season in the IFA, never mind Europe.
No broadband for Microsoft boss
Farmers deprived of broadband may find some comfort in a comment from Microsoft Ireland boss Cathriona Hallahan. She was launching a new pilot wireless internet scheme, using the Airband technology that is capable of delivering reception through hills and buildings at Teagasc’s Ballyhaise College.
“I have connectivity problems at my home in Dublin 18, so maybe this technology will help me.”
ICSA election developments
I hear a few names being mentioned as would-be ICSA president. Connacht-Ulster vice-president, Galway woman Mona O’Donoghue Concannon; Cork man Dermot Kelleher, current Munster vice-president; and Meath man Jimmy Cosgrave, Leinster vice-president, will likely throw their names into the hat. Other names mentioned include Cavan man Hugh Farrell and current beef chair and Monaghan man Edmund Graham.
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