Blogs

SHANE Lowry was spotted playing indoor golf with American folk-pop sensation Noah Kahan.

The two were spotted playing together in an indoor golf experience centre on Dawson Street in Dublin 2 yesterday.

@pitch.ireland

The two boys joking around during their golfing session[/caption]

@pitch.ireland

Kahan signed album cover for the indoor golfing centre[/caption]

@wendyirislowry

Indoor golf is hungry work as Lowry and wife Wendy went on a pizza date[/caption]

The golfing hot-spot is no stranger to Lowry who was hosted there along with fellow Team Ireland ace Leona Maguire back in December.

Rugby stars Bundee Aki, Rory Best and Conor Murray have also visited the inner-Dublin city virtual golf centre.

Kahan was playing in Marlay Park last night to over 40,000 people but had just enough time to squeeze in a virtual golf session Irish golfer Lowry.

The Vermont native flew over to Ireland following his Sunday Glastonbury performance and wasted no time in retaking the stage.

Kahan is most famous for his song ‘Stick Season’ which has over one billion streams on Spotify.

Lowry made time for both a golf session with a global superstar and also a pizza date with his wife Wendy.

18th in the world Lowry has two weeks of preparation ahead before he competes in Portrush – where there is a mural painted of him – in the Open Championship.

The Clara-born superstar won the competition in 2019 with six strokes to spare, joining Padraig Harrington (twice), Darren Clarke and Rory McIlroy as the only Irish golfers to win it.

He came sixth place last year just five shots behind winner Xander Schauffele after finishing the first round in second place.

Lowry is coming off the back of a very disappointing US Open having not made the cut after the second round with a score of 17-over.

His two rounds were summed up by his rookie-mistake on the 14th hole which cost him a penalty shot.

The 38-year-old fared better in the Travellers Championship last week where he tied 45th with an even score.

BRITS have been warned that their fake lawns could be harming their children and pets.

Artificial grass traps traces of animal wee and poo, with the resulting bacteria a risk to people, cats, dogs and other wild critters, say experts.

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Artificial grass could be a danger to kids and pets (stock image)[/caption]

The report said: “While synthetic lawns are a popular low-maintenance option, they don’t clean themselves.”

It added: “Many households don’t realise that artificial grass must be cleaned regularly – especially when pets are involved.

“Artificial grass can trap pet urine and faecal bacteria, if not rinsed and sanitised.

“That build-up can release harmful vapours and bacteria, posing risks to your pet’s health.”

It said the recent heatwave had turned mock turf into “a breeding ground for pests and a source of serious bacterial contamination”.

The report commissioned by Decking Superstore went on: “Pet urine doesn’t soak into the ground like it would with natural grass – instead it lingers on the surface or underneath, especially if left untreated.”

Researchers found fans of astroturfed back yards had suffered maggot and fly infestations, ammonia build-up from pet urine, E. coli and salmonella exposure, and unpleasant pongs during hot temperatures.

While pets had been hit with skin infections and paw irritation.

Lawn Tips

If real grass is more your thing in the garden, there’s a good chance the scorching weather recently has been turning your lawn yellow.

But don’t worry, there’s a simple fix.

You can transform your grass this summer with a completely free step.

Scattering grass seed is the only way you can boost growth in sparse patches of lawn.

However, this solution often faces a significant problem when it comes to wildlife.

Birds often feed on grass seeds, swooping into your garden to peck them from your lawn.

To protect your grass seed while you wait for growth, one gardening fanatic suggests: “Cover your grass seeds with grass cuttings to protect them from the birds.

“Grass cuttings hold a lot of water so [they] will make it grow faster, proper green fingers.”

More gardening hacks

An everyday £3 household item also helps to fertilise your flowerbeds this summer.

Another budget buy will leave your lawn looking healthier than ever in a matter of days.

And another hack helps to fertilise your soil this summer season.

Plus, a B&Q gadget that will elevate your lawn for just £8.50.

A 30p food item can also help to keep your garden nourished this summer.

JUVENTUS manager Igor Tudor has revealed TEN of his players asked to come off in the Club World Cup defeat to Real Madrid.

Tuesday’s last-16 game in Miami was played in hot and humid conditions, with the temperature reaching 30C.

AFP

Juventus crashed out of the Club World Cup last-16 after losing 1-0 to Real Madrid[/caption]

Reuters

As many as TEN players asked to come off during the game due to the extreme weather[/caption]

Club World Club rules allow up to five subs in regular time and it goes up to six during extra-time.

Tudor made the maximum of five substitutions for his Juventus team during the 1-0 defeat.

He said afterwards: “In the end, ten players asked to be substituted, the exhaustion was incredible.

“There’s the tension of this match, which burns your energy.

WATCH EVERY MATCH OF THE CLUB WORLD CUP 2025 LIVE ON DAZN

“Then there’s this heat, which really gets to you, and the third thing that completes the conditions is playing in this humidity.”

Gonzalo Garcia’s powerful header in the 54th minute gave Real Madrid the lead courtesy of a crossed whipped in by Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The assist was his first since his move from Liverpool in May.

Jude Bellingham was also impressive for Xabi Alonso’s team.

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Trent Alexander-Arnold celebrating with goalscorer Gonzalo Garcia after getting his first assist for Real Madrid[/caption]

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Juve will regret their missed opportunities with Kolo Muani missing a golden chance just six minutes into the game.

The young French striker was one-on-one with Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois as he lifted his shot over the bar.

Extreme heat in the US has affected many games so far, with the temperature reaching a high of 36C during Benfica’s group stage win over Bayern in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Training has also been proved difficult with Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca saying it was “impossible” to organise a normal session in Philadelphia.

Cooling breaks have become mandatory once it reaches 32C and they have been used in 33 out of 56 matches.

The US will host next year’s World Cup.

A leading specialist on the effects of extreme temperature on the human body told BBC Sport this week that Fifa should consider starting the final at 9am local time should there be similar conditions to those at the Club World Cup.

PARANG, MAGUINDANAO DEL NORTE, Philippines — Three suspected terrorists surrendered to the Marines on Wednesday, July 2, turning in high-powered weapons. Two of them belonged to a faction of the Islamic State-inspired Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) under Kagi Karialan, while one is from the Dawlah Islamiyah (DI)-Hassan Group. They brought with them two 60mm

THE most and least expensive seaside destinations to buy a house have been revealed – and the cheapest place is a charming town in Scotland.

The town of Saltcoats in Ayrshire is officially the cheapest place by the sea to buy a house, according to Rightmove.

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Saltcoats is a popular seaside town in Scotland – and affordable when it comes to buying a house[/caption]

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The town has views over the Firth of Clyde[/caption]

Saltcoats is known for having soft sandy beaches and beautiful sunsets over the Firth of Clyde sea front.

The town was given its name from when it made its money by harvesting salt from the seawater.

Saltcoats Beach was even picked as a top coastal spot by Sun readers last year.

One happy beach goer wrote on Tripadvisor: “We loved this beach, beautiful sunsets and our dogs allowed to run around freely. Would recommend.”

Another added: “Saltcoats is a great wee place lovely sandy beach for children and dog to play, smashing views to Arran also good for cycling.”

Saltcoats is also very close to Scotland’s Glasgow and can be reached in under an hour with Scotrail.

So it’s a great seaside stop to have whilst on a trip to the city.

Saltcoats is the cheapest seaside location to buy a house with the average asking price of a house being £122,208 – which is over £250,000 below the national average.

Saltcoats is experiencing the fastest price growth of any coastal area, with the average asking price up 13 per cent compared to last year.

Just up the road from Saltcoats is Ardrossan, where there’s a historical castle that sits on a hill over the town.

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From Saltcoats you can see the Isle of Arran[/caption]

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There’s even a viewing tower on the promenade to take in the sights[/caption]

It dates back to the fifteenth century and you can still see its ruins.

Ardossan’s South Beach offers free deckchair hire through their Community Deckchair Project which is great for a sit down on a sunny day.

Across the bay is the Isle of Arran which one Sun writer described as being ‘Scotland in Miniature’.

The little island has mountains, rolling hills and even more sandy beaches.

There’s even a new sauna on the island called Stonethrow which is right on the sand and is great for having a steam before plunging into the chilly water.

As for other popular beach towns to visit, Which? recently revealed the UK’s best seaside destinations with the likes of Bamburgh, Beer and Sidmouth making the top 10.

While Sun reader favourite Bognor Regis was the least favourite – but here’s why we think it’s one of the best.

Plus, our favourite seaside towns that are less than 90 minutes from London with Banksy art and award-winning beaches.

And the pretty historic city near two popular beaches is just 90 minutes from London.

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Saltcoats in North Ayrshire is the cheapest place in the UK to buy a house[/caption]

WIMBLEDON is well underway at the All England Club – with Oliver Tarvet facing Carlos Alcaraz RIGHT NOW after play was delayed for two hours because of rain.

Emma Raducanu features on Centre Court this evening as she faces Marketa Vondrousova in round two.

Before that, reigning men’s champion Alcaraz takes on British star Tarvet, while the likes of Cameron Norrie, Katie Boutler and Taylor Fritz are also in action on a star-studded Day Three.

On Tuesday, Jack Draper and Novak Djokovic made it into round two but top seeds Coco Gauff and Alexander Zverev both crashed out

• Start time: From 11am BST / 6am ET
• TV channel: BBC One & Two (UK) / ESPN (US)
• Live stream: BBC iPlayer / ESPN+

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Follow our live blog below…

THREE Sky Sports channels have been added to the TV guide on millions of screens at no extra cost today.

Viewers have gained a total of six new channels totally free in the latest boost for Sky Glass and Sky Stream.

The Sun / Jamie Harris

Look for the new channel numbers below[/caption]

Although Sky Q customers won’t find them on their TV guide, they can access the channels another way instead.

The broadcaster has decided to add a series of so-called FAST (Free Ad Supported TV) channels to the main selection screen.

However, you can get to them even quicker by using your voice or keying into the channel number on your remote.

Among them is Sky Sports Classics, home to Sky Sports Premier League archives with the likes of Premier League Icons and Premier League Legends.

The full list of six channels are:

• Sky Sports Classics
• Sky Sports Vault
• Sky Sports Stories
• Pick Monkey Rescue
• Emergency 24/7
• Sky Artist of The Year

Elsewhere, Sky Sports Vault revisits a whole host of archive darts, EFL and boxing content including 30 Years of The PDC World Darts Championship and Fight Night.

And Sky Sports Stories is the place for sporting documentaries, from EFL Rivalries to Her Huddle.

If you recognise the channels you’re not mistaken.

They were first made available a year ago via the little-known Xumo Play app, where you can find about 70 free extra channels.

Today’s changes put Sky’s own six channels from the Xumo app directly onto the TV guide like any other channel.

The free Sky Sports channels can be found on 1001, 1002 and 1003 respectively.

Pick Monkey Rescue, on number 1004, shows episodes from the Monkey Life series.

And on 1005 it’s Emergency 24/7 with programmes such as Highway Cops, Air Ambulance ER and Stop Search Seize.

Finally, Sky Artist of The Year, on number 1006, allows viewers to catch up on Sky’s Portrait Artist of the Year and Landscape Artist of the Year.

Rival Virgin Media has been dabbling in a similar move with FAST channels.

So, although Sky Q customers won’t find them directly on their TV guide they can still watch them via the Xumo app.

AFP

Three new channels available now[/caption]

A CONVICTED Brit paedophile allegedly took a nine-year-old “child bride” and her mum on holiday a year before arranging a grim wedding ceremony.

Jacky Jhaj, 39, attempted to marry the young Ukrainian girl in Disneyland last month before the “dangerous sexual predator” was arrested.

MET Police

Convicted Brit paedophile Jacky Jhaj allegedly took his nine-year-old ‘child bride’ and her mum on holiday[/caption]

revistacrescer.globo.com

Jhaj, 39, attempted to marry the young Ukrainian girl in Disneyland last month[/caption]

Peter Allen

His sick plan was foiled by Vitalijs – a former Russian special forces paratrooper[/caption]

Jhaj reportedly spent over £111,000 on the sick wedding plans as he hired more than 100 actors to play guests at the staged event.

One of those recruited through a social media callout was told he would play the “father” of the bride.

Devastated Vitalijs, 54, said he had no idea what he had signed up for prior to turning up in Paris.

The former Russian special forces paratrooper was one of the first to raise the alarm about the sickening marriage plot.

Vitalijs says one major warning sign of Jhaj’s true intentions came after he spoke to the bride-to-be’s mum.

She revealed the London-born predator had been in constant contact with the family for over a year.

Jhaj had spoiled the mum with money and gifts and even paid for a family holiday, Vitalijs claimed.

He told The Telegraph: “This Ukrainian woman [the mother] told me that she had known this Jacky for a year.

“He paid her money and helped her family.

“They went somewhere together to relax, the three of them. I think he won her over with gifts.”

Vitalijs, who only uses his first name for security reasons, also revealed he was offered £550 to play “the father of the bride”.

But he was lied to as he signed up to give away the girl’s 41-year-old mother.

He soon realised inside the theme park the “bride” was instead an underage girl as he immediately refused to be a part of the bizarre act.

Vitalijs then hatched a plan to get the ceremony cancelled as he broke into the park without a pass on the morning of the planned event.

Vitalijs approached the wedding stage and handed a note to Disney staff, who saw a “scared and confused” child in a big dress with four-inch heels taped to her feet.

Staff managed to stop the wedding immediately and called the French cops.

Several suspects were arrested within minutes – including Jhaj and the girl’s mum.

Jean-Baptiste Bladier, the Meaux prosecutor, confirmed the Ukrainian child had not suffered “any violence, neither physical nor sexual” and had “not been forced into playing the bride”.

The mum was later released without charge but Jhaj was held after being labelled the “mastermind” behind the operations.

It was then revealed that he had rented the resort outside of its opening hours to host the fake wedding.

His sick acts landed him charges of fraud, breach of trust, money laundering and identity theft.

He was also placed under assisted witness status for corruption of a minor.

After his arrest, the convicted paedophile told the examining magistrates in Meaux: “I’m just a simple actor who took part in a film shoot”.

His dark past was soon uncovered as in 2016 Jhaj was found guilty of sexual activity with two 15-year-olds in Britain.

The investigation into the fake wedding continues.

Instagram/bfmtv

A bracelet given to guests at the fake ceremony showed the name ‘Jack’ as the pretend husband on behalf of paedophile Jacky[/caption]

LIDL Ireland are set to release limited-edition Oasis inspired jacket’s – just in time for the bands reunion gigs.

The budget supermarket is releasing a brand new “Lidl by Lidl” jacket this week.

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Lidl Ireland

The supermarket said the jackets are designed to help fans relive some 90s nostalgia[/caption]

Lidl Ireland

They come with drink cooling pockets and a bottle opener as zips[/caption]

It costs just €35 and comes with drink cooling pockets, a bottle opener zip and branding that looks like it fell out of Liam Gallagher’s wardrobe.

Oasis are playing two sold-out shows in Dublin’s Croke Park on August 16 and 17 marking one of the biggest reunions in years.

It’s the first time in over a decade that fans will see the Gallagher brothers back on stage together and demand for tickets has been massive.

The jacket drop comes after fans joked last year that Liam’s Berghaus jacket looked suspiciously like a Lidl collab.

Social media flooded with people asking where they could get a “Lidl by Lidl” version and now they can.

The jacket has two insulated pockets for cans, a zip that opens bottles, an embroidered Lidl patch and even a tambourine for good measure.

It goes on sale online at 10am on Wednesday, July 9 at lidlbylidl.com, and Lidl says stock is limited.

All money raised will go to Lidl Ireland’s charity partner, Family Carers Ireland.

Eimear O’Sullivan from Lidl Ireland said the jackets are designed to help fans relive some 90s nostalgia.

She said: “The Croke Park gigs are the most hotly anticipated gigs of the summer and now Oasis fans can relive 90s nostalgia and commemorate a piece of Irish rock and roll history with the limited-edition Lidl by Lidl jacket.

“Not only does it look the part, but it comes with fun features to enhance your live music experience including insulated pockets to keep drinks cool and a handy bottle opener attached to the zip.

“We’re thrilled to launch the ultimate throwback jacket that’s sure to be a hit with both Oasis and Lidl fans.

“We can’t wait to see fans fill Croke Park kitted out in this summer’s must-have merch.”

Fans who want to guarantee a jacket are being encouraged to set a reminder for the online launch as stock is limited and likely to sell out quickly.

And last month, Lidl Ireland launched a “Jepic” new summer festival range with items starting from just €1.49.

JEPIC SUMMER RANGE

The men’s and women’s fashion range include blue and yellow crocs-inspired clogs for just €3.99.

Get the Jepic sliders from the same affordable price and branded t-shirts at only €3.49.

No festival is complete without the extremely popular bucket hats at only €4.99 as well as the Lidl socks for €1.49.

Other items available in this creative collab include short sets, mugs, joggers and much more all below €15.

The famous X Factor duo said: “We’ve grown up with Lidl and getting to front a campaign with such bold looks is absolutely Jepic!

“You’ll definitely spot us at this summer’s festivals in our matching bucket hats and branded shirts.”

Lidl Ireland

The jackets are set to sell out fast[/caption]

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Lidl chiefs are releasing limited-edition jackets inspired the band[/caption]

A MUM has clapped back at trolls who slammed her for letting her seven-year-old daughter get a spray tan.

The fiery parent took to TikTok to share a sweet moment between her and her little girl, explaining that her daughter had asked for a spray tan and so she booked them both in for one.

TIKTOK @_THE1STNOEL

In the video, Tiktoker Noel LaPalomento explained her pamper day plans, which included heading with her seven-year-old to Glow Lab, an airbrush tanning salon in West London.

And while some viewers thought it was adorable, with comments like “Mum goals!” and “This is exactly what I want to do with my future daughter”, others were less than impressed.

One wrote: “Sorry but you’re a bad mum. Let the child be a child.”

Another snapped: “Kids grow so fast nowadays – uhm idk, maybe because you let them? She’s 7, she doesn’t need a spray tan.”

Others chimed in: “I didn’t even know what a spray tan was at seven.”, arguing “She should be tanning by playing out in the sun“ and that “It shouldn’t even be a subject at that age.”

But Noel wasn’t having any of it.

She clapped back, posting a follow-up video declaring: “She’s just a girlllll!!!” and reminding critics that her daughter’s confidence matters more than their opinions.

Her TikTok bio reads “Mind your business” – a pretty clear message to anyone judging her parenting.

She even shared a behind-the-scenes clip of her daughter giggling as she got her tan sprayed on.

Still, the backlash kept coming, with more parents commenting things like “Please stop” and “Why are we normalising this?”

But some were quick to defend her, pointing out that a spray tan is a safer alternative to sunbathing, which exposes skin to dangerous UV rays.

One supporter wrote: “Spray tan better than getting a sun tan and skin cancer – I say go for it!”

Experts warn that there’s no such thing as a “safe” tan from the sun and any darkening of the skin is actually a sign of cell damage, which can even lead to skin cancer.

So a spray tan seems like a safer option.

But the row taps into a wider debate on whether kids are growing up too fast.

According to a study by the Department for Education, 88% of parents believe children are being pressured to mature too early – pointing fingers at celebrity culture, adult-style clothing, and social media.

This mum isn’t the first to come under fire for letting her child embrace beauty trends.

One mum admitted she lets her six and seven-year-olds wear make-up and false nails, calling it “harmless fun”.

And in the US, 10-year-old Naiya White, who started wearing make-up at age three, now calls herself a “Sephora kid”, with a nine-step skincare routine, 200+ beauty products, and over £1.5k spent on cosmetics.

Her mum, a former Ulta make-up artist, insists it’s all about encouraging self-expression and looking after your skin.

As for this spray-tan-loving mum, she’s made it clear, she’s raising her daughter her way, and the haters can kindly scroll on.