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Demonising the downtrodden – blog

Taking voluntary redundancy was not an easy decision, but I figured I needed a change after 22 years with the same newspaper.

In recent weeks, I completed a 12-week Build Your Own Online Business course which alllowed me to construct this Word Press website from scratch.

The enthusiasm, talent, and desire make a ‘go’ of things in that room was phenomenal, and yet we had a Government Minister talk about unemployed people who were “allergic” to work recently.

That’s why I wrote my latest blog: http://ciarantierney.blogspot.ie/2015/05/demonising-downtrodden.html

At least I’ve woken up … !

Attending the ‘funeral’ of Irish Water in Galway city centre

A lot of people seem to be amazed that Irish Water has caused so much controversy in a country in which the bailout of the bondholders, new taxes, and a property tax went through with a minimum of fuss.

And, in many ways, it seems strange that a tax on water has caused the biggest mass protests Ireland has seen in decacdes.

In this week’s personal blog, though, I argue that many people have just had enough. They didn’t speak out before about the imposition of austerity measures, but that did not mean they believed they were right.

The blog is written from the perspective of someone who has seen so many cuts over the past seven years, and yet has only begun to speak out.

With water meters being installed in estates throughout Ireland, and the first bills arriving through the letter-boxes, this controversy is far from finished.

You can read the blog here

Shining lights in the darkness

My latest blog is about Galway’s wonderful sporting heroes, who made inspirational speeches at the launch of Darkness Into Light at the Galway Bay Hotel.

Connacht Rugby manager Pat Lam, Galway United manager Tommy Dunne, and Galway GAA star David Collins spoke movingly about losing friends and team-mates to suicide.

#DIL2015 takes place in the early hours of Saturday, May 9

Here’s the link

The pain of those caught up in direct provision

My latest blog addresses direct provision, a subject of a recent exhibition which ran for a month at the Galway Arts Centre.

In the week in which so many Irish people were celebrating St Patrick’s Day, it was harrowing to see the testimonies of people who are virtually imprisoned.

Here’s the link

Darkness Into Light

The annual fundraising walk for Pieta House will take place in the early hours of Saturday, May 9. It begins at 4.15am and walkers enjoy the sight of the sun rising over Galway Bay as they make their way around the scenic 5km route.

Last year’s walk attracted over 4,000 people and the organisers are expecting to at least match that figure this year. Suicide prevention is a huge issue in the West of Ireland right now and taking part in the Darkness Into Light walk is a fantastic way to ensure free counselling is available to people in distress at Pieta House West, in Tuam.