REVIEW OF THE YEAR: OCTOBER 2023

Dublin’s population hits 1.5 million 

Statistics from the Central Statistics Office show that Dublin now makes up 28.4% of the population of Ireland, as Ireland hit over 5 million people in last year’s census.
The stats show that Dublin’s population is now over 1.5 million, its highest level since the 1800s.
Commenting on the data, Cathal Doherty, Statistician in Population Estimates and Projections, said “Ireland’s population was estimated to be 5.28 million, rising by 97,600 people in the year to April 2023. This was the largest 12-month population increase since 2008 when the population rose by 109,200.”
Dublin now has a population on a par with Munich, and ahead of Milan and Prague.

Tributes paid to Cabra-born Michael Gambon

Cabra-born actor Michael Gambon passed away following a bout with pneumonia.
Gambon cut his teeth on the Dublin stage, before acting alongside Sir Laurence Olivier in the Royal National Theatre.
The actor was known for his roles on TV such as The Singing Detective, but gained international stardom in the 2000s for his role as Dumbledore in the Harry Potter films.
Gambon replaced fellow Irishman Richard Harris in the role, and his co-stars paid tribute to him.
Daniel Radcliffe called him “a wonderful man” who was “one of the most brilliant, effortless actors,” while Emma Watson thanked Gambon for “teaching us how to wear greatness lightly.”
Gambon amassed many awards over his career, winning multiple TV Baftas and Olivier Awards.

Amelia strikes gold at European Championships

A young local kickboxer recently won gold for Ireland at the European Championships.
11-year-old Amelia Lennon from Clarehall proudly represented her country in the WAKO European Junior Kickboxing Championships which were held in Istanbul, Turkey.
She was one of only three gold medal winners from Ireland after her excellent victory in the -37kg points fighting final against a strong Bulgarian fighter.

Illegal firework plans up in smoke amid new crackdown

Government announced that they would crack down on the usage of fireworks in the run-up to Halloween. 
The campaign was backed by Minister Jack Chambers, who said that social media sites were being used in a bid to reach out to aspiring pyrotechnicians.
“The messaging around the campaign will have a specific focus on social media platforms with a view to extending and amplifying its reach across a younger audience including Snapchat, YouTube and TikTok.”
“I believe education, awareness and enforcement can all play a role in addressing this issue It is not acceptable that the public should feel unsafe or insecure in their communities and I fully understand how the use of fireworks can be distressing, particularly for the more vulnerable people in society.”

On your bike, council tells Greystar

Plans for a contentious Build to Rent development in Monkstown have been refused permission by Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.
A subsidiary of US Real Estate giant Greystar proposed to build 10 blocks of apartments up to 9 storeys high on the grounds of historical Dalguise House.
70 objections were lodged against it and over 1200 people signed a petition calling for it to be rejected.
The council refused permission citing contraventions of the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Development Plan as being behind their decision.

Dublin to host Euro 2028 games 

Dublin’s Aviva Stadium was announced as one of the host stadiums for Euro 2028.
The joint UK/Irish bid will see Europe’s biggest football stars compete for glory in summer 2028.
The Aviva Stadium, along with Casement Park in Belfast, were selected alongside stadiums such as Wembley, Hampden Park, Etihad Stadium and St James’ Park. 
The Aviva Stadium was initially tapped to host games at Euro 2020, with the tournament delayed a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and when the tournament went ahead in 2021, Dublin had the hosting rights taken away as the Irish government could not ensure it could host a major sporting event in line with Covid-19 era regulations.

Abbie O’Leary from Finglas pictured at the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro

Local woman successfully climbs Kilimanjaro

Abbie O’Leary from Finglas, and her friend Sarah Lynch, from Cork successfully reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro on October 6 after a seven day climb to the summit.
The weather was treacherous and very challenging, the rain and artic conditions really required the pair to dig deep both mentally and physically.
At the summit of Kilimanjaro there is less than half the oxygen found at sea level, and this extremely high altitude only adds to the difficulty and challenge of the climb.
Abbie told her family that the dedication of the porters helped the girls achieve their goal.
She is currently in Africa volunteering at a local orphanage and primary school in Arusha, a city in Tanzania, located at the base of volcanic Mt. Meru.

In 2022, she raised over €2000 to buy much-needed school supplies and five children from the school were also sponsored with their educational needs.

Warhol exhibit opens

An exhibit showing off the works of American artist Andy Warhol opened at the Hugh Lane Gallery.
Andy Warhol: Three Times Out showcases the unique work of Warhol, with everything from his famous Campbell’s soup cans, his pop art portraits of Marilyn Monroe and art installations on show.
Dr. Barbara Dawson, who serves as director at the Hugh Lane Gallery, said the exhibition shows how Warhol “utterly changed the way the world experiences art.”
“His work explored the relationship between artistic expression and the flourishing consumer culture of the 1960s, new technology, and celebrity status, as well as mortality, in a diverse body of works that underpins his artistic genius.”