Linda O'Leary

[David McWilliams @davidmcw]

I must be living under a rock, but have to admit, I'd nevere heard of that Jason Arday chap until yesterday!

[PawsitiveVibes @UsefulIdiotHere]

How does Simon Harris have kids?
He clearly has no balls

#LateLateShow #LateLate

[BUCHANAN: Dublin Time Machine @RobLooseCannon]

On this day in 1984, a terrified, freezing 15- year-old schoolgirl called Ann Lovett was crouched in the fetal position, in agony, at the grotto of the Virgin Mary in Granard, Co. Longford.

But whilst this child is certainly innocent and worthy of help, and this is a place where pious people come to seek assistance from Our Lady, her desperate prayers will not be answered that lonely night.

Amid the darkness and cold, Ann will give birth to a stillborn baby. Compounding that unimaginable tragedy which occurred in this dreary garden of Gethsemane, just hours later, this teenage mother will also perish in Mullingar hospital.

Although barbaric scenes like this have played out countless times in "modern" Ireland, this instance captured the country's imagination. The 80s were a more media-savvy age than ever, and with the added symbolic poignancy of the grotto was impossible to ignore.

The town of Granard, then only a rural village of 1,285 souls, reacted in a variety of ways to these horrific events. Ireland, let alone rural Ireland, in 1984 was practically a religious theocracy. The Catholic Church and conservative outlooks born of generations of poverty stifled the lives of people in general but women and girls in particular.

Some locals were aware of Ann's pregnancy. Gardaí have never revealed how a visibly pregnant schoolgirl could leave a classroom on a freezing rainy winter's day. Everyone had failed this girl and baby boy, from the nuclear family unit all the way up to Leinster House.

Four months before that fateful night two-thirds of the country had voted in an abortion referendum to enshrine the "right to life" of the unborn in the constitution, without adequately clarifying what happened when this clashed with the constitutional "right to life" of the mother. Ann's deceased infant boy was posthumously baptised Pat. The two innocents, the child, and her child, were buried together in the same coffin.

It was obvious this very homegrown horror story would become a religious and political football for people who didn't give a damn about females or babies. But when the handful of female TDs and activists attempted to speak out for victims they were roundly ignored in favour of a soundbite from a bishop or a geriatric male politician.

Despite Minister of State for Women's Affairs and Family Law Nuala Fennell making a passionate plea in the Dáil for an inquiry, none materialised. However, amid the sanctimonious accusations and assignations of blame, real social progress took root. The closest Irish society came to openly dissecting the issue was on The Gay Byrne Hour radio show.

Hundreds of people, mostly women, wrote in to talk about their experiences and their hopes for change. And so bit by bit, around dinner tables and office desks, on barstools and in double beds stories are told.

Then, as now, progressive Ireland creeps forward. Becoming more and more humane and tolerant, we hope. Our compassion growing with our own experience of pain and loss.

[The Irish Politics Newsletter @IrishPoliticsNL]

Absolute zinger of a reply from Helen McEntee when asked a very strange question about Fianna Fáils Jim O'Callaghan "towering over her"

"Women all over the country will understand when men try to claim credit for their work."
#GE24

[Susie Dent @susie_dent]

Word of the day is ‘recrudescence’ (17th century): the return of something terrible after a time of reprieve.

[OLoughlin Gaels GAA & Camogie @oloughlingaels]

Get your Christmas tree from Phelans Tree Farm on the Old Golf Links Rd... Part proceeds of sales will be used to support O'Loughlin Gaels Camogie Club. 👏👏👏🌲

[OLoughlin Gaels GAA & Camogie @oloughlingaels]

Mark Bergin. What a game.. what a captain. What a speech!! It's a day for all club people and those who've helped build it. A tribute to Lou Leydon on his 3rd anniversary ..and a call out to club stalwart Richie Kearns that we're all rooting for him. Get well soon Richie

[Sarah Brennan 🤱🏼🤱🏽🤱🏿🤱🙏🙏🏾🙏🏿🙏🏼💗 @stabrennan]

Thank you, @LaLecheIreland , for 2 wonderful and inspiring talks to Open #NBW2023 #NationalbreastfeedingWeek
@DrHollysMum & @grainneevans1

Feeling joyous and grateful to be able to listen and learn from wonderful #breastfeeding journeys & experiences.

[Linda O'Leary @lindaeoleary]

@talktoBOI Any updates on when service will be operational?

[La Leche League USA @LaLecheLeagueUS]

Singer, businesswoman, and expectant mother @rihanna, nurses her 15 month old son, RZA, in an ad for her new maternity line. #breastfeeding #toddlernursing #pregnancy

[Irish Independent @Independent_ie]

RTÉ in crisis: ‘Disgusted’ judge overseeing TV licence cases slams ‘Godlike personalities’ and ‘freeloaders’ https://t.co/12rFOgrRzN

[Imbibe Coffee Roasters @garyimbibe]

I only need about another 11,900 followers to take over from 3fe as the biggest Irish coffee account on Twitter. If life expectancy rates are achieved I'll easily do this. Should realistically only take about 20 years. Slow and steady...

[ibreastfeed @ibreastfeed]

Breastfeeding Improves Mothers Health - outlined in clear language & great images in this wonderful infographic from Nancy Mohrbacher IBCLC @BFReporter

[Kat Mcilwee @McilweeKat]

Be extravagantly affectionate with your baby. Keep them close, comfort them when they cry, shower them with kisses, cuddle them to sleep. It only does them good. You cannot spoil a baby #IMHAW2023 #lalecheleague

[Elizabeth McCarthy @EMc_Carthy]

Please feel free to share!
@LaLecheIreland
@LauraMcHugh12
@Jen_CESI

[Pam Ayres MBE @PamAyres]

The Starship did not reach the stars,
It did not view the Moon or Mars,
But turning, twisting, in a spin,
A ball of fire, four minutes in.
It might have travelled further, higher,
Had six engines deigned to fire,
Heroic. But 3 billion could,
For sure have done a lot of good.

[Linda O'Leary @lindaeoleary]

@_AshleyRichmond Send , thank you

[Elizabeth McCarthy @EMc_Carthy]

Happy #InternationalWomensDay
#IWD2023
#breastfeeding
@roinnslainte
@greenparty_ie
@fiannafailparty
@FineGael
@sinnfeinireland
@SocDems
@PEEBKerry
@LaLecheIreland
@cuidiu @FriendsofBF @ALCIreland
@bflgireland
@JuliePSmith1
@Jen_CESI
@Pleahy_w
@HelenMulcahy2

[Kat Mcilwee @McilweeKat]

Healthy families spend time mismatched. It's normal and part of the rupture repair cycle. All that matters for long term health, is that you can get back to repair. I think all the parents in the room just breathed a sigh of relief @suzannezeedyk #LLLIrelandConference2023

[Anton Gerashchenko @Gerashchenko_en]

Instead of a thousand words.

"The moment when Demian realizes dad exists not just on the phone screen" - Ukrainian director Oleh Sentsov now defends Ukraine.

Glory to Hero!

📷: hromadske