Contemporary Ireland #2

Fighting: Steve Buscemi

Best known for his roles in ‘Reservoir Dogs’ and ‘The Big Lebowski’, actor Steve Buscemi hopped in the middle of a scrap between two lads, that started outside of Bubba’s Fish Market in South Dublin, in an attempt to cool things down.

Reports have it that Buscemi was slipping under the radar in the restaurant until he tried to intervene in the near-brawl, at which point, he was recognised. Fair play, Steve!

Tunes: Coldplay

On the third night of three consecutive gigs in Croke Park, Dublin, Coldplay surprised everyone by inviting Irish band Aslan on stage to their sold-out show of 80,000 fans. The bands performed an emotional rendition of Aslan’s classic hit, ‘Crazy World’, as a tribute to Christy Dingham—the late lead singer of Aslan, who passed away last year.

Fashion: London Fashion Week

This year marks London Fashion Week’s 40th anniversary, and amongst the ranks at the iconic event are plenty an Irish name.

Loads of in-the-know folks have their eyes on Irish designer Sinéad O’Dwyer, who’s included in the LFW lineup after her smashing success at Copenhagen Fashion Week earlier this year. Her designs feature super stretchy, silicone-based textiles which accentuate and celebrate curves—making luxury designer wear more accessible to body shapes that have historically been excluded from the industry.

Craft: Irish Made Awards 2024

Every year, Irish Country Magazine hosts the prestigious Irish Made Awards, a publicly voted competition which showcases the very best of creative makers in Ireland. The 2024 finalists have just been revealed, spanning categories in fashion and accessories, beauty, pets, food, jewellery, textiles, and more.

The public will be able to vote for their favourites over the course of the next couple of weeks, and the winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at the beginning of October. Check out the full list of finalists and cast your votes here!

Cruising: The Odyssey

Sure, wouldn’t you be raging yourself if you’d paid 27k per month for a luxury world cruise and ended up awash on the shores of Belfast for three months? I mean, we do love a bitta Belfast but in fairness, now. 

Well, that’s what’s been happening to passengers of ‘The Odyssey’, whose ship ran into engine trouble and left them all stranded off the coast of Northern Ireland all summer. It’s looking like the necessary repairs have been made, though, and sea trials for the vessel start this week. Cross your fingers for the poor divils.

Scribbling: Irish Fiction Awards

Ireland’s national postal service, An Post, has just put forth the results of this year’s well-regarded Irish Book Awards. 20 emerging writers have been named in the world of fiction, including Aingeala Flannery (known for her critically acclaimed 2022 work, ‘The Amusements’), short story aficionado Cathy Sweeney, and Belfast’s Louise Kennedy.

Running About: Larne Make Soccer History

They didn’t make it easy for themselves but Larne FC, reigning champions of the Irish Football League, made history by becoming the first team from the north to qualify for the Uefa Conference League group stages.

Trailing 2-1 from the first leg, and despite going a goal behind on the night and being reduced to 10 men, a sublime hat-trick from star striker Andy Ryan saw the Invermen win 3-1 on the night to book their place in the draw in Monaco.

And in a twist for the ages, Larne were drawn against Irish champions Shamrock Rovers, setting up the first ever North v South European soccer game on 24 October. That will surely be worth tuning in to.

Highlights here.

Influencer: Black Paddy

Having moved to Ireland from Nigeria, the influencer known to most as ‘Black Paddy’ has earned himself a massive Instagram following of over 110k. He’s what we’d call a gas man; hilarious, not afraid of having an aul boogie on social media, and ridiculously good at pulling off an Irish accent.

He was just featured in the Irish Times in a truly heartwarming article about his journey as an immigrant, his struggles with homelessness, and finding happiness and joy with his kids and their mother.

Suppin’: Irish Spirits

Despite being on the other side of the world (and having a strong drinks culture of their own), the demand for Irish spirits is at an all-time in China at the moment—excellent news for companies like Jameson, who’ve been soaking up the Chinese market for many years now.

The Chinese middle class is growing by the millions every year, and that means the demand for tasty Irish beverages is only going up over in the Far East. No wonder Bord Bia have ploughed over a million euro into the ‘Spirit of Ireland’ campaign over the past four years, a mission to promote Irish drinks to customers around the world.

Winning Medals: Orla Comerford Wins Bronze

Dublin native Orla Comerford graduated with a visual arts degree in 2022 and has been practising as a professional fine artist since then. This summer, she took to the track on her third appearance at the Paralympics and smashed the women’s 100m sprint, winning a bronze medal for Ireland.

Although Orla was diagnosed with a rare genetic eye condition as a child, her determination has propelled her towards roaring success—both in the studio and on the Olympic track. G’wan ya good thing!