Fixed-term for the long-term on MetroLink media job
A recently advertised media-relations job at Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) could be one of the longer-term fixed-term jobs of our time given it relates to a project mooted more than 20 years ago that has yet to secure planning permission.
MetroLink’s press office lead, on a salary of €104,971-€129,841, will be hired on a fixed-term contract until “three months post commencement of passenger services” on the rail system.
The job is to ensure “effective communication with the media, employees and the public” and a key qualification is an “ability to identify issues and develop effective solutions to keep the project on track”.
The project has been attempting to get on track for quite some time, with TII in September 2022 applying for permission for the 18.8km line, running from Swords to Charlemont via Dublin Airport. A second phase of public consultation on MetroLink closed in October, and a decision on whether it proceeds is awaited from An Bord Pleanála, but nobody knows when it will come.
The person currently fielding media queries for TII probably had a busy day last Sunday after project director Sean Sweeney told the Business Post the line was unlikely to be completed by 2035, could cost 20 per cent more than its projected €9.5 billion budget and would be a source of “grievous” disruption during its construction.
Any bets on when the end of those three months “post commencement of passenger services” might be?
Squash club makes a racket to try save its Ballsbridge home
Many observations rolled in before the deadline in a Dublin planning case where Old Belvedere Rugby Football Club is seeking to demolish the home of Old Belvedere Squash Club to build what would, presumably, become the home of Old Belvedere Padel Club.
The squash club has a 100-strong membership and a large number served up a €20 fee to tell Dublin City Council of their displeasure about the RFC’s proposal to raze their two courts and replace them with three courts for padel, a tennis-like game played with solid bats.
Several observers argue the “destruction of an established community sporting facility” would be contrary to the council’s policy objective GI49: to protect existing and established sporting facilities. Demolishing the squash club would be “a gross and unnecessary act” that would hurt the Leinster squash scene at a time when the game is thriving ahead of its debut at the 2028 Olympics.
In its observation, the RFC says padel is one of the “fastest-growing sports globally” but is underserved in terms of infrastructure in Dublin. There is one court nearby, with businessman Dermot Desmond, an honorary life member and near-neighbour of the RFC, having added one to his Shrewsbury Road home during relatively recent renovations.
The RFC argues that padel is expected to become an Olympic sport, “further validating its long-term growth trajectory”, whereas squash, “while historically important – is a minority sport that has seen a decline in participation numbers in recent years, both in Ireland and internationally”.
It says its two squash courts have become a “financial drain” and that its plan could see usage rates rise from 20 per cent to about 80 per cent, helping to secure Old Belvedere’s “long-term viability”.
The ball is now in the council’s court, with a decision expected no later than May 27th.
Farewell to the ‘great O’Duffy’
A remarkable life that began in Dublin recently came to an end. Alan O’Duffy, a record producer and sound engineer, who worked with the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Rory Gallagher, Horslips and Eric Clapton, died last month aged 76.
Born in Clontarf, O’Duffy and his family moved to London when he was nine. He took an interest in music and, according to an obituary published in the Times, started working at Pye Studios in London when he left school in 1965 after his ambition of becoming a Catholic priest was dashed.
At a time when technology was limited and ingenuity was needed, O’Duffy found unique ways to deliver distinctive sounds. He had Slade record part of Cum on Feel the Noize in a concrete passageway leading to a studio lavatory.
McCartney, who he collaborated with on the 1975 Venus and Mars record, previously recalled his “fabulous time working with the great O’Duffy”, saying his technical skills and “wacky sense of humour created memories that to this day are golden”.
O’Duffy later worked on scores for TV and film, including An Irish Goodbye, which won an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film in 2023. A memoir, Music, Magic & Madness: Adventures Recording Music Legends, was published last year.
In a post on Facebook, Horslips said O’Duffy had a “formative” impact on their sound and was “a pleasure and an inspiration to work with – fun, inventive, tasteful, endlessly positive”.
Two principals come and go at Wilson’s school, but Enoch Burke remains
A saga is defined as “a long, involved story, account, or series of incidents”. It is unclear when it becomes an episode, but the dispute between teacher Enoch Burke and Wilson’s Hospital School in Co Westmeath, ongoing since 2022, is surely in saga territory now.
Burke was dismissed over a row sparked by his conduct in protesting about what he said was a requirement handed down by the then principal, Niamh McShane, to address a transgender pupil with “they/them” pronouns.
The evangelical Christian argues he was standing up for his beliefs on a matter that breached his constitutional right to religious freedom. The school, for its part, categorised the behaviour as “gross insubordination”.
If a principal’s tenure is regarded as an “era” for a school, this saga is about to enter its third, with Wilson’s Hospital currently seeking a new principal successor to Frank Milling, who in November 2022 took over from McShane but is departing for the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.
The job description says the successful candidate will be responsible for the “guidance and the direction of teachers” and establishing “an orderly, secure and healthy learning environment”. The school is seeking someone “self-aware enough to know when to seek support, particularly when dealing with challenging situations”.
Despite Burke having been jailed three times for contempt over his refusal to stay away from the school, and the High Court last month hearing some €40,000 had been seized from his bank account to enforce the payment of some of the fines imposed for same, he continues to return. Earlier this month, he recorded a video at the front gate about how Milling was planning to move on.
The saga continues.
Doireann Garrihy has listenership – and profits – to make up
“Radio is where my heart is,” said Doireann Garrihy when her return to the airwaves, taking on the drivetime slot on RTÉ 2FM, was announced earlier this year.
The latest listenership (JNLR) figures, published on Thursday, show Garrihy has ground to make up if the show is to match the highs The 2 Johnnies were hitting a year ago, with listenership down to 133,000 from the 151,000 commanded by the Tipperary duo back then.
The 2FM breakfast show, which Garrihy left last May to “pursue the projects I’ve been dreaming about”, added 5,000 listeners.
Her brief parting from RTÉ did not come without a cost. Latest accounts filed for her company, Doireann Enterprises Ltd, show a loss of €48,000 for the year to August 31st, compared with a profit of €9,000 a year earlier. Despite the loss, the company had healthy retained profits of €493,000.
2FM’s listenership is considerably smaller than Radio One’s, but it remains the most popular radio station for 15- to 34-year-olds. Getting back Garrihy, who turns 33 on Monday, was a good move by RTÉ as she falls into the right age bracket and target market for 2FM’s advertisers.
