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Inside star-studded life of King of Slane Castle, how Rolling Stones gig was ‘game-changer’ & why no one called him Lord

SLANE Castle legend Lord Henry Mount Charles has been remembered as the man who put Ireland on the music map.

The 8th Marquess Conyngham passed away on Wednesday, aged 74, after a long battle with cancer.

Lord Henry Mountcharles at Slane Castle, arms outstretched.
Slane Castle owner Lord Henry has passed away aged 74
Slane Castle/PA Wire
Aerial view of a massive crowd at a Queen concert at Slane Castle.
He’s been remembered as the man who put Ireland on the music map
Independent News And Media/Getty Images
Mick Jagger performing on stage.
The move to host the Rolling Stones at Slane was described as a ‘game changer’
Chris Doyle/News Group Newspapers Ltd

And Peter Aiken — who staged some of the biggest shows at the iconic Co Meath venue — said that his pal never bothered with formality.

The famed music promoter told The Irish Sun: “No one called him Lord, he was just Henry.

“We met him when he was still a young man and through the years Henry was such a hugely positive thing for music in Ireland.

“What helped was Henry’s huge interest in music. He understood it and he was a great frontman for the Slane concerts.

“He enjoyed the fame and the media loved him. When he stood up at the front gates of Slane, all the punters going in all knew him.”

The Belfast man and his late father Jim put on Slane gigs including the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Queen, David Bowie and Bruce Springsteen.

And Peter said his dad’s decision to team up with Henry to host the Rolling Stones at Slane in front of 70,000 fans in 1982 was a “game changer”.

Peter told us: “Back then, no one had done gigs of this scale in Ireland. People like Henry and my father had to make it up as they went along.

“The Rolling Stones doing Slane was a game changer — they were coming off a huge tour and the place went crazy. That turned Slane Castle into an iconic venue very quickly.”

He also recalled how Henry’s warm personality and charm helped to get big acts over to play in Ireland as the IRA brought their bombing campaign to the British mainland.

Peter said: “They were tricky times when you think about the Hyde Park bombs, which happened before the Stones played.

“But we got the big acts over and Henry was positive and charming. He always got on and liked musicians.”

Lord Henry previously recalled the time Stones frontman Mick Jagger turned up to recce the castle a year before they played there in 1982.

The Castle owner remembered: “I got a call from my father, who was still in residence, saying, ‘I’ve got some chap coming to dinner. A Mick Jigger? I think he might be a musician.’ I was like, ‘Do you mean THE Mick Jagger?’ It turned out it was.

‘I TOOK HIM FOR A FEW JARS’

“I took him for a few jars in the nightclub we used to have at Slane and one of the locals, spotting him in his white suit, went up and said to Mick, ‘Has anyone told you you’re the spit of that Rolling Stones fella!’”

Henry’s ancestral home has played host to everyone from Helena Christensen to Johnny Depp.

And those who made it over saw some bizarre sights — including the Rolling Stones playing table tennis, or David Bowie typing on an old fashioned typewriter before his concert in 1987 on his Glass Spider tour.

While massive names like Bruce Springsteen headlined his huge stage, other rock royalty would jet in to sneak a peek at their music rivals, sometimes to the shock of locals.

DRIVE WITH PETE

Henry recalled: “When Bruce Springsteen played in 1985, Pete Townsend from The Who arrived over to stay with me.

“The day after the concert we went out for a drive in my car.

“I can remember the two of us picking up a hitchhiker. The poor guy was still a little worse for wear and thought he was dreaming when he got into the car and found I was driving and Pete was in the back seat. All he could say was, ‘Jaysus’.

“And he still looked a bit shook when we left him up the road in the village of Slane.”

SPRINGSTEEN NERVOUS

Henry recalled Springsteen was so nervous performing his show for the crowd in 1985, he insisted on everyone coming in to watch rehearsals.

He said: “Bruce had played to big crowds before, but none as massive as the 80,000 attending Slane — and he was nervous.

“To alleviate those nerves, he rehearsed his entire set — it must have been heading towards 30 songs — in the dining-room to a small gang of us, which was every bit as extraordinary as it sounds.

“Rather touchingly, he came back a few years ago with his family to revisit what turned out to be the scene of his triumph. After Slane, it just got bigger and bigger for him.”

GALLAGHER CONVENTION

Oasis turned out to have local roots when the Gallagher brothers showed up to support REM in 1995.

Henry said: “Everyone knows about their connection to Mayo, but the Gallaghers’ roots are actually from up the road in Duleek.

“A few days before Oasis came back and headlined Slane in 2009, we had an event in the castle nightclub, and every Gallagher in Ireland must have been there.

“I had to go out and when I returned there was a plastic bag hanging off the door, and inside it a bottle of whiskey and a note from one of the family saying, ‘Thank you!’

TOUGH TIMES TOO

“They were crawling out of the woodwork that night.”

There were tough times for Henry through the years as well.

The dad of three told The Irish Sun last December how U2 star Adam Clayton helped him overcome his fight with alcohol addiction.

The concert boss told us how he had stayed sober for the past decade after a long battle with booze, which he admits was triggered by the brutal death suffered by Tim Kidman, a gamekeeper at Slane Castle in September 1989, which was followed by watching his home  go up in smoke in 1991.

BOOZE BATTLE

Henry told us: “The thing about alcohol is that it can be used to numb pain and I was in a lot of pain back then.

“There is a history of drinking in my family. I was a binge drinker more than anything.

“There is nothing wrong with admitting you had some good times but I knew I was damaging myself and it had to stop.”

The landowner recalled how he had “hit rock bottom” drinking alone in London and sought the help of one time fellow hellraiser Adam Clayton who he became friends with when U2 recorded their Unforgettable Fire album at Slane Castle in 1984.

‘SOMETHING HAD TO BE DONE’

Henry said: “There is nothing in admitting you had some good times (drinking), that was one of the things that Adam and I used to discuss.

“But we both knew something had to be done and Adam, having been through this himself, put me in touch with a good friend who is in AA.

“I’d been through rehab before and it hadn’t worked, but I was so determined that when I attended an AA meeting Adam’s friend later told me that ‘I got it’, (both in acknowledging I was an alcoholic and I had to stop).

Henry revealed he hadn’t had a drink for a decade or more, adding: “Adam says the fact that I could set up a whiskey company in my home, was proof of how well I had done (recovering from alcoholism).”

THE MAN WHO SAVED SLANE CASTLE

Henry will be remembered as the man who saved Slane Castle after the devastating fire at his home in 1991.

During the blaze, he attempted to save priceless family heirlooms as his home burned, and staff later feared Henry might abandon the ruined castle and sell up.

However, the feisty owner said: “I was determined, come hell or high water, I was going to have to find a way to rebuild Slane.”

Black and white photo of Freddie Mercury performing at Slane Castle with another band member.
Queen were among the huge acts to play Slane down the years
Independent News and Media/Getty Images
Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses performing on stage.
Henry’s ancestral home has played host to everyone – including Axl Rose
News Group Newspapers Ltd
Madonna performing on stage.
Henry will be remembered as the man who saved Slane Castle
Chris Doyle/News Group Newspapers Ltd

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Meghan’s kids will be SO annoyed when they grow up & realise how they were used by her on Instagram, experts say

MEGHAN Markle’s children will be so annoyed when they grow up and realise how they were used by her on Instagram, experts have said.

The Duchess of Sussex, 43, will suffer a “terrible revenge,” according to royal watchers who appeared on The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry with their children at Disneyland.
Instagram
Archie and Lilibet featured in a social media post during a family day out to Disneyland[/caption]
Three people sitting on a talk show set, discussing a newspaper article.
The Sun
The Sun’s royal editor Matt Wilkinson, right, talking to Hugo Vickers and Samara Gill on our royal exclusive show[/caption]
Meghan Markle and a man at a Beyoncé concert.
Not known, clear with picture desk
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also posted images on social media of the couple attending a Beyonce concert[/caption]

Discussing how Prince Harry and Meghan’s children Lilibet and Archie had been featured in social media posts, with their faces obscured were author Hugo Vickers and Samara Gill, a presenter and journalist.

Mr Vickers told the paper’s royal editor Matt Wilkinson: “I just think there’s gonna be a terrible revenge when those children grow up.

“I mean, I don’t know about you but I would be very annoyed if I found that I’d been used in all these posts in a strange way by my parents.”

The prince and princess were recently featured in a social media post during a trip to Disneyland.

Mr Vickers added: “Equally they’re also going to grow up at one point and discover that they never knew their grandparents, their grandfathers.

“I mean Mr Markle, of course he’s a broken man, but he’s a rather sweet man actually and he did a lot for that girl when she was growing up don’t you think?”

Ms Gill said: “I spoke to him a couple days ago actually and he’s just absolutely still distraught about the fact that he still doesn’t have contact with Meghan.”

Mr Vickers said: “And then of course they will also wake up to realise that they could have been the cousin to Prince George, a future king and they could have been over here having a nice time and with the other children their cousins they aren’t gonna know them.”

Talking about the apparent change in social media strategy from the Sussexes, Ms Gill said: “I mean it’s pretty interesting this new Instagram PR strategy though I must say.

“I know we talk about the backs of the children’s heads.

“The children’s faces were front and centre of those videos, so it seems like this new PR team has just chucked everything that she previously had out the door and said no we want you twerking we want the kids faces and we want everything out there and we want the public to be able to dissect it.

“So that’s a very interesting sort of shift for that brand Meghan and Harry and I really think that it’s tragic that the King and Thomas Markle senior were not included at all and not in the children’s lives.

“It’s really a tragedy.”

Elsewhere in our exclusive chat, Matt noted how he was stunned at Meghan’s latest podcast interview where she asked people to “tell the truth about her”.

Samara added that perhaps the “revolving door of staff” the Sussexes have employed may shed more light on “truth”.

Countless staff members have joined a long list of people who over the years no longer wish to associate with the mum-of-two.

Samara also referenced bullying allegations levelled at her from staff during her time at Kensington Palace.

The royal expert added: “I don’t want to listen to this woman about truth.

“The fact of the matter is that she is a constant liar.”

The Duchess of Sussex recently appeared on her podcast alongside friend Emma Grede, CEO of Good American, where she seemed to take several digs at the Royal Family.

On the podcast, Meghan revealed that she wanted people to “tell the truth” about her, when asked “if you you could rewrite your public narrative from scratch, is there anything you would do differently?”

The Duchess went on to share advice that she had received from Serena Williams regarding how she was viewed in the public after falling love with Prince Harry.

“My dear friend Serena, she told me years ago: ‘A lie can’t live forever,'” said Meghan.

But Hugo, agreed with Samara on the issue and questioned how accurate Meghan’s accusatory comments actually were.

He said: “I think Samara and I, as well as others, do tell the truth about her and I don’t think she likes it very much.”

The royal expert added: “No one would actually listen to Meghan Markle if it wasn’t for the fact she married Prince Harry.

“It’s because she’s married to Harry it gives the soap opera quality that seems to appeal to everyone.

“Otherwise would not really care about her, a lot of other people are doing stuff similar to her on social media anyway.”

It comes after the Duchess broke her silence on her cringey twerking video after it sparked wild conspiracy theories.

The Duchess of Sussex, 43, posted the footage earlier this month showing her and Prince Harry dancing in a hospital room as she tried to induce daughter Lilibet’s birth in 2021.

Prince Harry and a child on a ride at Disneyland.
Instagram
Harry and Meghan’s children featured in a number of photos posted to social media[/caption]
Meghan Markle smiling during a podcast interview.
YouTube
Meghan has been pushing her podcast[/caption]
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and their children at Disneyland.
Instagram
The family put on Mickey Mouse ears for their fun day out at Disneyland[/caption]

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Pregnant Morning Live star Michelle Ackerley reveals ‘miracle baby’s’ gender after fertility struggle

PREGNANT Morning Live star Michelle Ackerley has revealed the gender of her unborn baby.

The TV host, 40, announced her pregnancy live on air last month when she was presenting alongside Gethin Jones.

Michelle Ackerley at the 2018 BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards.
Getty
Michelle Ackerley has revealed the gender of her unborn baby[/caption]
Michèle Ackerley and her husband Ben.
BBC
Michelle announced her pregnancy on Morning Live last month[/caption]
Photo of Michelle Ackerley and her husband.
Instagram
Michelle with husband Ben Ryan, 53[/caption]

Sharing more details about her pregnancy, Michelle told Hello!: “I’m expecting a little girl in October and it feels very special.

“When I found out I was pregnant, I told my husband, and he said this is a baby miracle.”

Michelle married husband Ben Ryan, 53, last summer.

She previously praised her hubby, who is performance director at Premier League side Brentford FC, for his calm approach to becoming a first time dad.

“He has been so chilled,” said Michelle.

“The thing is, I’m not really sleeping well at the moment so I’ve been waking up in the middle of the night at 3am and I’ve been taking it upon myself to wake Ben up and say this is what we are going to have to get used to!”

The One Show and World’s Strongest Man presenter has also been open about her fertility woes and struggles with endometriosis.

The chronic condition sees tissues similar to the lining of the womb grow on the outside of it causing inflammation and pain.

She said: “I wanted to share though as my journey with endometriosis and infertility is something I finally felt confident to start speaking about more openly last year – realising how many other women were going through similar experiences.

“Feeling part of a community – especially when it comes to women’s health can really make a difference.

“Even at the very start of this year I was gearing up for yet another endo procedure and trying to come to terms with the mental & physical impact they can have.

“It has been quite the emotional rollercoaster.

“The news of falling pregnant really came as a massive surprise to both of us. We still can’t quite believe it.

“And so in October, the start of a new chapter begins for @benryan7s and I, albeit with nervous and cautious excitement.”

Ben and Michelle – who have a ten year age gap – had been dating for years before they got engaged in 2023.

Former rugby star Ben used to coach the Fiji National rugby team – helping them scoop a gold medal at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

Who hosts BBC Morning Live?

Morning Live has been a staple of BBC One's daytime schedule offering for the last four years and airs directly after BBC Breakfast each weekday at 9.30am. But who presents the show?

Ultrasound image of a fetus.
Instagram
Michelle’s due date is in October[/caption]

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‘Not realistic for this year’, Housing Minister says as Government unlikely to meet target of 41,000 new homes

THE target of building 41,000 new homes this year is “not realistic”, Housing Minister James Browne has admitted.

He conceded meeting the aim would be “extremely challenging” — with around 34,000 gaffs now expected.

Minister James Browne speaking at a housing development groundbreaking.
James Browne stated it is unlikely’the target for new builds this year will be met

But Minister Browne insisted he was committed to enacting a “step change” in the Housing Department and will clear “the dead wood out of the way so that homes can get delivered”.

Quizzed on this year’s target, he told Newstalk: “I think the challenge we have this year is we’re coming off a much lower base from last year than was expected.

“We had hoped for much higher figures last year. I think, looking at all of the ­different predictions, which are fairly consistent, I think 41,000 is not realistic for this year.”

He added: “My position as Minister is to maximise supply, maximise the delivery of new homes and, irrespective of what the housing numbers will be this year, I’m making a step change so we can get that housing supply increased.

“Because we need to get from 30,000 onto 50,000, onto 60,000 houses — 40,000 houses is nowhere near enough.”

The Central Bank has also projected the Government will miss its targets and revised its prediction down to 32,500 new builds for 2025.

Meanwhile, total investment of €122billion is needed by 2030 if Ireland is to meet its housing targets, Deloitte says.

This includes €16.4billion this year, rising to €24.1billion by 2030 to hit 60,000 gaffs a year.

Earlier this week, it emerged that the Government is branching out in its bid to solve the housing crisis with a new “Wood First” plan that will see timber become the main building material used to build our homes, schools and libraries.

Minister Martin Heydon brought forward the first report from the Government’s Timber in Construction Steering Group which calls on the State to use wood more when building homes.

Forestry Minister Micheal Healy-Rae has worked with the steering group on the report which notes that Ireland has excellent forest resources that are being underused in our construction sector.

The steering group believes that our forests have the capacity to supply the timber needed to build houses while also helping reach climate targets by reducing the need for steel and concrete.

‘INDIGENOUS RESOURCE’

A new “Wood first” procurement policy will be launched on the back of the report which will see State bodies ensure that timber is the “material of choice” in the construction of public buildings including schools, libraries and housing.

Forestry Minister Micheal Healy-Rae told the Irish Sun: “If we are trying to build twenty or thirty or sixty thousand houses – every one of those will need a roof and the most environmentally friendly way you can build a roof is not with steel or anything else – it is wood.

“Again with all the partitions in houses you have people who will want to use steel fixing or concrete but at the end of the day I am encouraging people to use wood instead.

“Timber framed houses made in a factory were very big during the Boomy Boom and people will tell you to use others instead like concrete but I think we should be promoting timber.

“We can grow it ourselves. It’s our own indigenous resource. It is renewable.

“You plant it and it grows here, you cut it down and use it and you plant it again and it creates work locally.”

Houses under construction on a housing development.
The new prediction estimates that 32,500 houses will be built by the end of 2025
� 2025 PA Media, All Rights Reserved

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Evil dad abused my boy so badly he lost both his legs… but here’s why I’d rather he be released from jail early

THE ADOPTIVE mum of a boy abused by his dad has revealed why she would rather he be released from prison early.

Anthony Smith, 53, faces a parole hearing today which could see him freed early.

Mugshot of a man.
Anthony Smith could be freed early following a parole hearing on Thursday
Mugshot of a woman wearing glasses.
It comes as Tony’s mum Jody Simpson is set to walk free from prison
Young boy kneeling in grass wearing a grey t-shirt with a logo.
Tony Hudgell had to have both his legs amputated in 2017 as a result of abuse

Smith and his partner Jody Simpson, 33, were both jailed for 10 years for the abuse of brave Tony, now 10.

Simpson faced her parole hearing on May 19, and was cleared for release from prison – despite showing ‘no remorse’.

Now Tony’s violent birth father is due to face his own hearing on June 19.

But, Paula Hudgell, 57, who adopted Tony when he was just a baby, said she would almost rather the monster was released early license as he face would regular checks.

This would not be the case if he reaches the end of his sentence in 2027 as he will face no conditions on his freedom.

It means the evil abuser could change his identity, as he did several times before his trial, move wherever he wants and even come into contact with more children.

Paula is now reiterating her plea to the government to introduce a child cruelty register, so monsters like Smith and Simpson will be tracked for the rest of their lives.

She said: “Ahead of Simpson’s parole hearing I felt angry, just so angry, but for this one I am scared.

“I doubt he has shown a single shred of remorse, there will have been no rehabilitation, he will remain a terrifying, dangerous man and he could be coming out in a matter of weeks.

“This may sound horrible, but I’d almost rather he was released now – that way I know he’ll be monitored, he’ll be on license.

“But, if they deny his parole and push it back to the end of his sentence in August 2027 he will be released without any conditions at all.

“I am terrified he will change his name and just disappear, because at trial it was shown he was using a number of aliases.

“Smith and Simpson even disappeared while they were on bail and no one knew where they were, they both clearly know how to game the system, and what is to stop them doing it again?

“Some people say they’re badly educated and didn’t know better, some people even say their crimes aren’t their fault because of that, but they are both clearly able to work the system.

“They both know exactly what to say to the authorities to get let out, they have legal representatives telling them how to comport themselves and so yet again, it is all about them and not about the victim – Tony.

“Smith will be free to hurt more children either this year or in a few years time all because there is no centralised register for child abusers.

“That’s why I am urging MPs to listen to what we have to say – they may think we have a centralised system because that would make sense – but we don’t.

“We need politicians to come together to protect children because otherwise monsters like Simpson and Smith and ones we haven’t even heard of will be free to live their lives exactly how they want – putting more innocent kids at risk of harm or even death.“

Smith was jailed in 2018 for 10 years after being convicted of causing or allowing a child to sustain an injury and neglect by failing to seek immediate medical attention

Doctors discovered baby Tony had multiple catastrophic injuries to his tiny body – with both his birth parents failing to get him help before it was almost too late.

The evil pair then waited 10 agonising days to get Tony the help he needed – with the tot almost dying due to infection.

Both of his legs were amputated and the brave 10-year-old faces ongoing struggles due to the severity of the injuries inflicted on him.

In June 2023, Smith launched an unsuccessful bid to be granted parole, with the Parole Board stating at the time he would not be released until 2027 – unless a suitable return to community arrangement was found.

At the time, the Parole Board said: “Having considered the index offences, relevant patterns of previous offending and the other evidence before it, the panel listed as risk factors those influences which made it more likely that Mr Smith would reoffend.

“At the time of his offending, these risk factors had included Mr Smith’s chaotic life, his abuse of drugs and his use of alcohol.

“He has acted recklessly and impulsively and has struggled to manage extreme emotions,” the ruling continued.

“The panel considered his relationships, isolation, boredom, poor decision making and an inability to deal with life’s problems to be further areas of risk. Specifically, he has no concept of the responsibilities entailed in caring for a child.”

His former partner Simpson, Tony’s birth mother, was released on license in February 2023, but was back in jail by May 2024 having breached her license by starting a relationship with a sex offender.

The abuser was due to be automatically re-released earlier this year, but Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood stepped in – forcing Simpson to face a parole hearing on May 19.

She will be released from prison in the coming weeks, with strict license conditions including reporting any new relationships to her probation officer, regular drug tests, a curfew and being fitted with a GPS tag.

A woman and a young boy with prosthetic legs.
Tony with adoptive mother Paula Hudgell
A boy with prosthetic legs speaks with two women and a man in red jackets.
Prince William and Princess Kate met Tony and Paula in 2021

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‘I wouldn’t let my kids go there’ – Senator rages as CHI bosses admit infertility & cancer risk for wait list kids

CHILDREN at risk of fertility issues or cancer because they were left waiting too long for surgeries have not been informed by the health service, CHI bosses admitted today.

It comes as politicians grilled Children’s Health Ireland execs over a series of scandals with one Senator telling officials: “If you were running Tayto Park I wouldn’t let my kids go there.”

Photo of Lucy Nugent, CEO of Children’s Health Ireland, arriving at Leinster House.
Children’s Health Ireland CEO Lucy Nugent arriving at the Leinster House for the Joint committee on Health
Collins Photo Agency
David Cullinane, Sinn Fein's health spokesperson, speaking at a press conference about their new health policy.
Sinn Fein’s David Cullinane said this was ‘extraordinary’
� 2024 PA Media, All Rights Reserved
Senator Tom Clonan signing the roll book.
Senator Tom Clonan said it was a ‘systematic failure that amounted to the sterilisation of disabled people’

CHI’s new CEO Lucy Nugent started the Health Committee hearing today by making a litany of apologies for the series of scandals that have rocked the organisation.

These include children waiting too long for scoliosis surgeries, non-medical springs being implanted in kids and hundreds of children undergoing hip operations that they may not have needed.

The latest scandal to hit CHI comes from an internal report which outlines waiting list minsmanagement, serious cultural and governance failures along with bullying allegations.

Questions were also separately raised about children in need of surgery for undescended testes were left waiting too long which may have impacted their fertility.

CHI bosses said they did not know how many children may have been impacted by this urology issue and revealed that their parents were never contacted.

Sinn Fein’s David Cullinane said this was “extraordinary” while Senator Tom Clonan said it was a “systematic failure that amounted to the sterilisation of disabled people.”

The Independent Senator, whose own son faced delays with his spinal surgery, told the CHI bosses: “If you were running Tayto Park I wouldn’t let my children go there.”

A HSE official told the Committee that she had referred this internal CHI report to An Garda Siochana for investigation due to concerns of improper use of finances.

CHI told the Committee that they did not believe the report did not meet the threshold for criminality.

Fianna Fail TD Martin Daly – who has been a GP for 40 years – grilled CHI over the hip dysplasia scandal after a report found that hundreds of children may have undergone surgeries that they did not need.

‘ABSOLUTELY SCANDALOUS’

He also took on the issue of non-medical grade springs being implanted in children during scoliosis surgeries that later rusted and needed to be removed.

The doctor turned TD said it was “absolutely scandalous” and slammed CHI for trying to throw a surgeon at the centre of the scandal under the bus.

He said: “This is a whole system failure” as he questioned whether the current CHI leadership team were fit to take on the move to the new €2.5 billion children’s hospital.

He said: “It would be like having a top of the range hardware for your computer but the software is rotten – there is no other way to put it.”

He criticised former CEO Eilish Hardiman who has moved to a new position within CHI as she oversaw the health service during all these scandals.

He said: “Ms Hardiman you were there – it looks like under your regime you were rewarded for substandard management of the hospitals and I am saying that strongly because all of this happened under your watch.”

Fianna Fail Senator Teresa Costello repeatedly questioned Ms Hardiman on whether she should remain in her position and asked “Do you feel you’ve been held to account?”

Ms Hardiman claimed she was being accountable by answering the Committee and tried to pass the buck by claiming some of the scandals raised were “pre-Children’s Health Ireland.”

‘LEGACY ISSUES’

She replied: “I have been answerable to this committee and apologise for the failures. We have accepted the report in relation to HIQA.

“But I think we also have a particular speciality that is a particular focus but we have 38 other specialties that are working to international practice and international benchmarks in relation to their clinical outcomes.

“There is definitely I believe within CHI…some of the issues were pre-CHI. They are legacy issues.

“Some of the issues are definitely with the massive change we are trying to implement and we accept those and we in a process of trying to improve them.”

The Committee heard that the HSE will create a panel of experts to review all 2,200 children who had hip surgeries in Ireland in recent years to check up on their condition and establish if they needed the operation.

Fine Gael TD Brian Brennan told the Committee that this could amount to the biggest medical negligence case in the history of the State.

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VP Sara Duterte Impeachment: New Senators Weigh In If It Will Proceed Or Not

This is what the new senators said about the impeachment trial of VP Sara Duterte. Midterm elections senators-elect will join the 20th Congress, and this is what they said about the impeachment trial of VP Sara Duterte. Senator Chiz Escudero is leaving matters regarding the impeachment trial of VP Sara Duterte to the presiding officer ... Read more

The post VP Sara Duterte Impeachment: New Senators Weigh In If It Will Proceed Or Not appeared first on PhilNews.

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SWERTRES RESULT Today, Friday, June 20, 2025

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‘Just smash into them’ – England U21s star Charlie Cresswell reveals his plan to bring pain to Spain in Euros showdown

CHARLIE CRESSWELL says England have nothing Tou-Louse and vowed to bring the pain to Spain and “smash” straight into them.

The Young Lions went down 2-1 to Germany on Wednesday in Slovakia to finish runners-up in Group B.

Charlie Cresswell of England in action during a soccer match.
Getty
Charlie Cresswell vowed to ‘smash’ into Spain on Saturday[/caption]
Nicolo Tresoldi and Charlie Cresswell during an England vs. Germany under-21 soccer match.
Shutterstock Editorial
The star says the Young Lions showed a lack of fight initially against Germany[/caption]

Lee Carsley’s side are now on a collision course with the much-fancied La Roja, the team they beat to win the U21 Euros in 2023, in Trnava on Saturday.

The boss revealed that he let his players have it as they trailed 2-0 to the Germans at the break but was pleased by the response as Alex Scott almost sparked a late rally.

And Cresswell, 22, insists that there won’t be a repeat of the “lack of fight” they started with when they go to battle with star-studded Spanish Armada.

The honest defender, who has starred for Toulouse in Ligue 1 since joining from Leeds last summer, said: “It wasn’t good enough from everyone, myself included, it was a collective thing. We just needed more fight, more determination. We can go press them high and get the ball back. We needed more of that and you saw that in the second half.”

On the content of Carsley’s dressing down, he continued: “Show some fight, you’re playing for England, let’s run harder than them, work harder than them. I was saying to the lads ‘just smash into them’, ‘I don’t know you’re there’ and ‘let them know they’re in a game’. 

“We showed that in the second half, but we’ve got to take that into the next game.

“You can’t give Germany that, otherwise look what they did. That’s the thing with European competitions, you get punished and you’ve got to be at your best game.”

Cresswell acknowledged that many will have England down as the underdogs.

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But he, along with Harvey Elliott, were part of the squad that toppled them in Georgia two years ago and he’s relishing another fierce battle.

He added: “We go into each game wanting to win. We respect every team. It’s going to be a different group from two years ago and they’ll be a good side and we’ve got to be at our game.

Omari Giraud-Hutchinson of England dribbling the soccer ball.
Getty
Omari Hutchinson is targeting a 2-0 victory over the Spanish[/caption]

“Of course Spain are a top side. The first team as well, it runs through their system. You know when you play against Spain what they’re going to be like. They’re going to pass it around and try to make you move. But we’ve got to stand strong and take the game to them. “We’ve got quality in that dressing-room. We know we can beat them.

“Everyone has their weaknesses, you know. We’ve got to make sure we’re at our A game.

“It was good [in 2023], I know it got a bit fiery at some points and I’m pretty sure it’ll be a fiery game. I enjoy that stuff though.

I was saying to the lads ‘just smash into them’, ‘I don’t know you’re there’ and ‘let them know they’re in a game’. 

Charlie Cresswell

“I said to the lads, it doesn’t get better than this. You’re playing for England Under-21s, against Germany and next will be against Spain. It doesn’t get better than this. We’ll look back on this time and want to live this point again so it’s important we stay right here right now and enjoy every moment.”

Ipswich winger Omari Hutchinson, whose trickery produced the assist for Scott, added: “They’re very good on the ball, so we want to be dominant. We’re gonna have to try to take that away from them. We can be physically better than them. We’ve just got to physically outrun them and take them to the final whistle.

“Cars is big on that. He said last time they played each other it was a tough game. We just want to be able to dominate and win by two goals really.

“It’s my biggest game for England so I’m looking forward to it.”

England's Under-21 Euros squad in FULL

ENGLAND are looking to retain their status as Under-21 European champions this summer in Slovakia.

Here is Lee Carsley’s full squad for the blockbuster tournament:

Goalkeepers: James Beadle (Brighton and Hove Albion), Teddy Sharman-Lowe (Chelsea), Tommy Simkin (Stoke City)

Defenders: Charlie Cresswell (FC Toulouse), Ronnie Edwards (Southampton), CJ Egan-Riley (Burnley), Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), Brooke Norton Cuffy (Genoa), Jarell Quansah (Liverpool)

Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Archie Gray (Tottenham Hotspur), Hayden Hackney (Middlesbrough), Jack Hinshelwood (Brighton and Hove Albion), Tyler Morton (Liverpool), Alex Scott (AFC Bournemouth)

Forwards: Harvey Elliott (Liverpool), Omari Hutchinson (Ipswich Town), Sam Iling Jnr (Aston Villa), James McAtee (Manchester City), Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal), Jonathan Rowe (Marseille), Jay Stansfield (Birmingham City)

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Dad shares staggering bill after taking family for Disneyland ‘Princess Breakfast’ & says ‘I nearly spat out my coffee’

A FAMILY breakfast at Disneyland has sparked widespread outrage after a dad shared a photo of his eye-watering receipt.

John Tolkien said he “almost spat out my coffee” when he received his family’s breakfast bill at the Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures experience in Anaheim, California.

A plate of food including prime rib, shrimp, asparagus, and deviled eggs.
X/@jrockandrollt
A family of five were in disbelief when they received their mega bill[/caption]
Receipt showing a $937.65 breakfast bill.
X/@jrockandrollt
The bill totalled almost $1000 for two adults and three kids[/caption]

Totalling almost $1000 for three children and two adults – including a $150 tip – the bill cost just over 20 per cent of the pre-tip cost.

John’s post left thousands in disbelief with many jumping online to share their shock.

“Please tell me you have 35 kids,” one person commented.

Another wrote, “That’s ridiculous. So torn about going to Disney — could literally go to Italy for a month for the same amount.”

The Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures costs $142 per person and is held at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa.

Guests can enjoy a three-course meal while interacting with Disney Princesses and according to the Disneyland website, the experience also features tiered appetizer towers.

Food options include lobster rolls, beignets, and cornbread.

Children can enjoy mains like waffles and macaroni and cheese, while adults can choose from scrambled eggs, braised short ribs, and deviled eggs.

Despite the hefty price tag, John admitted the overall experience was enjoyable, saying: “Service was attentive and enthusiastic.”

“Princesses were all trained pro-actresses and spent a lot of time with the kids. I enjoyed it,” he added.

The Disneyland saga comes as the firm’s granddaughter has slammed the entertainment giant for turning its legendary late founder into a “robotic grandpa”.

Disney is unveiling an animatronic Walt Disney to celebrate Disneyland California‘s 70th anniversary this July despite repeated pleas from his granddaughter Joanna Miller.

Joanna Miller told the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday that her beloved grandfather, who died in 1966, would have hated being turned into a talking mechanical replica.

“I think I started crying,” she said, recalling the moment she first saw the figure. “It didn’t look like him to me.”

Miller said she voiced her concerns early on, sending a letter to Disney CEO Bob Iger when the idea was first proposed.

She said she later met with Iger and the team responsible for creating the attraction, telling him: “I strongly feel the last two minutes with the robot will do much more harm than good to Grandpa’s legacy.

“They will remember the robot – and not the man.”

Despite Iger being “very kind” and despite his promises to protect her grandfather’s legacy, she said her request that they scrap the animatronic was ultimately ignored.

Miller added it “pains” her to call out the very company he created.

The icon’s granddaughter was speaking solely on behalf of her grandfather and mother, according to The LA Times.

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