2 weeks agoBioGraphiComments Off on Teachers should listen to both sides like lawyers do – Former GES boss advises
Following a violent clash between students and residents of a community, former Director General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Charles Aheto-Tsegah, has urged parents to work closely with schools to maintain discipline among students. Speaking in an interview on Starr FM, Aheto-Tsegah emphasized the importance of communication between parents and school authorities when disciplinary […]
2 weeks agoBlogsComments Off on Fans rip Raiders over Pete Carroll’s airplane seat going to NFL Combine
NFL scouts and executives arrived in Indianapolis on Monday for the annual Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Among them was Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll, whose flight from Seattle was quickly noted on social media, with even details like his seat location making the rounds online. According to Sports Illustrated’s Grant Cohn, […]
2 weeks agoBlogsComments Off on Three stabbed in mass brawl during sex party at mansion where Bonnie Blue slept with 1,057 men in 12 hours
THREE men were stabbed during a mass brawl at a sex party staged by self-style Lord Eddie Davenport.
A bloodbath erupted at his notorious Marylebone Mansion in Portland Place, central London.
SuppliedConvicted fraudster Davenport, 58, last year managed to stop police from shutting down his parties at the £15 million mansion[/caption]
Olivia WestThe mansion block was used by 25-year-old Bonnie Blue- real name Tia Bellinger[/caption]
InstagramBonnie Blue recently slept with more than a 1,000 men in 12 hours at the sleazy address[/caption]
Olivia WestLord Eddie Davenport’s famous Sex Party Mansion[/caption]
The trouble is suspected to have involved drug dealers operating at the sex party.
A group of men used knives to stab party-goers during the fight at 7am on Sunday.
Cops and paramedics were called to the sleazy address, where Bonnie Blue recently slept with more than a 1,000 men in 12 hours.
Emergency workers were confronted with a bloodbath when they arrived.
One source said: “There was blood everywhere with people lying injured all over the place.
“It looked like a battle scene rather than a sex club.”
Four men were taken to hospital with injuries.
Three of them had stab wounds though none of the injured were left in a life-threatening condition.
Police arrested three men on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm and drug supply offences.
A Met Police spokesperson said: “Police were called to an address at Portland Place, W1 at 07:00hrs on Sunday, 23 February following reports of an assault.
“Officers attended with the London Ambulance Service and four men were taken to hospital.
“Three of the victims had sustained stab wounds. Their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
“Police arrested three men, including one man on suspicion of GBH and possession with intent to supply, one man on suspicion of GBH and another man on suspicion of possession with intent to supply.”
It is understood the arrested men have been bailed.
Police have taken out a Section 76 Closure Notice on the property to prevent access to it and the risk of further disruption.
Convicted fraudster Davenport, 58, last year managed to stop police from shutting down his parties at the £15 million mansion.
Officers had been called 63 times to incidents involving his property following parties, thanks to noise complaints, alleged drug use, and rowdy partygoers.
The mansion block was used by 25-year-old Bonnie Blue – real name Tia Bellinger – to sleep with more than 1,000 men in 12 hours.
She revealed how she was left covered in bruises and bite marks from the controversial sex marathon.
Davenport told The Sun this week: “The whole day was the craziest I’ve ever experienced.
“Men queued from the basement to the top floor in balaclavas and a lot lost their virginities that day.”
Davenport – also known as Fast Eddie – made his name by organising Gatecrasher Balls for wealthy young toffs in the late 1980’s.
He was convicted in 2011 of an advance-fee fraud and jailed for seven years and eight months.
The socialite later set up his sex party business at the mansion block formerly owned by the Sierra Leone government.
Davenport controversially acquired a lease on the building for £50,000 in the late 1990’s and later began staging orgies there.
2 weeks agoBlogsComments Off on My tiredness was blamed on ‘hay fever’ – then I collapsed and nearly died after I got ‘true diagnosis’
WHEN Ben Parker started to feel tired his GP told him it was “seasonal allergies”.
It was April 2018 and prime time for hay fever, but when his symptoms failed to budge, he returned to the doctor and was given a life-changing diagnosis.
SWNSWhen Ben Parker started to feel tired his GP told him is was seasonal allergies[/caption]
SWNSBut tests revealed he had a rare autoimmune disease – complement 3 glomerulopathy (C3G)[/caption]
The 42-year-old dad was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease that affects the kidneys.
Back when his symptoms began, Ben had just returned from a holiday in Australia when he noticed he was “lethargic” but put it down to a chest infection.
While his GP initially told him it was “seasonal allergies”, further tests revealed his kidneys were only functioning at around 15 to 20 per cent.
Ben was diagnosed with complement 3 glomerulopathy (C3G) – an immune system disorder that causes severe damage to the kidney and affects just one in every 500,000 people in the UK.
Ben was able to have a kidney transplant six years ago but has now deteriorated again and is back on dialysis.
He has now opted for at home dialysis – but is currently having to use his seven-year-old daughter Aveline’s room for treatment.
The family are fundraising to convert their garage into a treatment room.
Ben, an NHS Admin Assistant from Barnsley, South Yorks., said: “I just felt really tired and lethargic.
“I went to see my GP who initially said it was seasonal allergies.”
His partner Sam Parker, 39, a teacher said: “Our daughter doesn’t have a bedroom now, she can’t get to any of her stuff.
“I think she’d like it to go back to how it was, she often talks about when the machine is moved out.”
Ben received his diagnosis in June 2018.
After a year of travelling to the hospital for dialysis, Ben got the call that he had been approved for a kidney transplant in April 2019.
He said: “I came home from work and received a call saying I needed to come to the hospital immediately, it was the most stressful drive I’ve ever had.
“It was rush hour, and we had to get there as soon as possible.
“You just have to drop everything and go.”
Our daughter doesn’t have a bedroom now, she can’t get to any of her stuff
Sam Parker
The transplant gave Ben four years of improved health but by late 2023, his health began to deteriorate again and he was facing the reality of returning to a life on dialysis.
This time, Ben and his partner Samantha opted for home dialysis to allow him to be closer to his family.
When he applied for funding to convert the garage into a treatment room, Ben was told he didn’t meet the criteria.
Sam said: “We got a letter saying we’re not getting any funding because we already have a room we can use.
“We were like, yeah, but it’s our daughter’s bedroom – that was a temporary solution.”
Ben’s daughter now has to sleep in her parent’s bedroom when he uses the dialysis machine late in the evening.
SWNSBen was able to have a kidney transplant six years ago but has now deteriorated again and is back on dialysis[/caption]
SWNSHe has now opted for at home dialysis – but is currently having to use his seven-year-old daughter Aveline’s room for treatment[/caption]
SWNSThe family are fundraising to convert their garage into a treatment room[/caption]
The couple has since launched a GoFundMe page that has raised over £6,500.
Sam said: “It got to the point where we thought, we’re not waiting anymore, this could take months.
“The page has been really successful, it’s just taken off, we’ve got enough money to do the build now.”
Ben’s daughter was just nine months old when he was first diagnosed, and he says his health has prevented him spending time with her in the way he’d hoped.
Sam said: “After having biopsies, Ben wasn’t allowed to do any heavy lifting, so he couldn’t even pick her up for six weeks, she didn’t understand why he couldn’t pick her up.
“That obviously led to difficulties at home because I had to feed her and be there all the time to do everything for her because he couldn’t pick her up.
He was lucky strangers found him. If he’d stayed at home, he would probably have died
Sam Parker
“Also when his health is deteriorating, he doesn’t have the energy to play with her. He can’t go swimming because he’s got a catheter line.”
One afternoon, Ben took his daughter for a walk alone and suddenly suffered a seizure in due to fluid build up on his brain due to his chronic kidney disease.
Sam said: “He was lucky strangers found him.
“If he’d stayed at home, he would probably have died.”
Those who wish to donate to Ben and Samantha’s fundraiser can do so by clicking here.
What are the signs and symptoms of C3G?
Complement 3 glomerulopathy (C3G) is a rare kidney disease caused by an overactive or faulty complement system.
The complement system is part of the body’s immune system that helps fight infections.
According to the National Kidney Foundation. common signs and symptoms are:
Blood in the urine (hematuria)
Excess protein in the urine (proteinuria)
Reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR; reduced ability of the kidney to filter the blood and make urine), elevated creatinine
Fatigue
Swelling (edema) of hands, feet, ankles
Speak to your GP if you experience any of these symptoms.
2 weeks agoBlogsComments Off on Towie’s Jodie reveals results of her boob job as she details exact size after getting back together with Diags
TOWIE star Jodie Wells has gushed over the results of her recent boob job after reuniting with boyfriend James “Diags” Bennewith.
The mum of one admitted she was “over the moon” with her breast augmentation, before proceeding to give her Instagram fans further detail.
InstagramTowie’s Jodie Wells has showed off the results of her recent boob job[/caption]
InstagramIt comes following her reunion with James ‘Diags’ Bennewith[/caption]
InstagramJodie posed for a series of snaps uploaded to her Instagram grid[/caption]
Jodie, 33, who was a TOWIE extra before joining the cast full-time, uploaded two similar snaps showing her stretched out on a bed.
She donned a brown skin-fit strappy vest with a plunging neckline to show off her new chest to best effect.
The ITVBe favourite flashed a pout in her first image, taken from above, which saw her poker-straight brunette locks flowing over her shoulders.
In her second snap, she gave a smile as she looked straight into the camera lense.
In her caption, Jodie admitted: “I am still absolutely over the moon with how my [cherry Emoji] augmentation turned out with @myacosmeticsurgery.
“I have had so many questions about it and here are some answers for you!!”
She then posted: “Surgeon – Mr Samouris. Size- 325cc. Whole experience- 11/10.”
In a separate video, posted to MYA Cosmetic Surgery’s YouTube page, Jodie spoke about the reasons for going under the knife.
She told how she had “always wanted to have my boobs done” and added: “I have been thinking about and wanted a breast enlargement for a long time, because I have had a baby, and I feel like the elasticity in my boobs has slightly gone.
“I just want to feel my confident self again.”
HAPPY CHAPTER
It comes after The Sun was first to reveal how Jodie and Diags are back on after their heartbreaking split – with their reunion playing out on TOWIE’s Bali trip.
Yet after deciding to give their romance another stab, they now have the full cast backing them.
A source told us: “Jodie and Diags have had some time apart to reassess things and have realised that they want to give their relationship another go.
TOWIE STARS SPIN OFF
WITH the announcement TOWIE will return in 2025 for two new series, it's good news for some former ITVBE stars, too
TWO of the show’s best loved former stars will celebrate their own big life moments with a spin off series featuring Tommy Mallet and Georgia Kousoulou.
Their new show title is currently unconfirmed.
The pair, who first met and found love on TOWIE back in 2014, finally say ‘I Do’ in a three part special produced by Objective Entertainment.
The show will follow on from the success of their Baby Steps series.
“It’s still early stages but they are hoping to reconcile properly and work things out.
“Jodie has a young child and wants to do the best for him.
“She believes Diags still loves her and if they both put the graft in, they believe it will work.
“The pair are dating again and have the full support of the rest of the Towie cast.
“It’s complicated but they’re ready to iron out any issues after getting advice from their friends and having some time apart.”
Reality show fans will get to see how their romance plays out on the next series.
ITVJodie told how her chest lost ‘elasticity’ after having a child[/caption]
instagram/diags_She split with Diags in January[/caption]
Lime PicturesTheir reunion will play out on the next TOWIE series[/caption]
2 weeks agoBlogsComments Off on Mum-of-6 reveals epic Asda haul as supermarket slashes stock on ‘reduced to clear’ despite long shelf lives – saving £92
A MUM-OF-SIX shared the impressive haul she picked up for a steal at her local Asda.
The bargain hunter revealed that she saved a whopping £92 on her grocery shop.
ExtremeCouponingAndBargainsUKA mum-of-six shared the extensive haul she picked up from the ‘reduced to clear’ section at Asda[/caption]
ExtremeCouponingAndBargainsUKThe bargain hunter explained that her children go through toiletries at a ‘crazy’ rate[/caption]
According to the mum, she found some of her bargain buys on “the normal shelves”, while others could be found in the reduced section.
“Apparently they have a number of lines they are no longer stocking so are reduced to clear,” she told her fellow Facebook users.
And despite the shockingly low prices, the poster said all her Asda buys had “really long dates”.
Her haul included everything from cereal and snacks to cleaning buys and toiletries.
“I bought all the Radox Shower gel bottles on the shelf as it’s the one I use but the rest, there were loads left on the shelves,” she explained.
“It may seem a lot to buy but I have six children, including four teenagers, so we get through a lot of food and the amount of shower gel we get through is crazy.”
The photos in the post showed the size of her impressive shopping spree.
She picked up 10 bottles of Radox Shower Gel, which normally retails at £1.44, for just 50p each.
The mum also purchased four Radox Shower Gel refill pouches at 88p each, these are available on Asda’s website for £1.73.
She said: “Asda often has an alcohol offer on: buy six bottles and save 25%.
“The offer includes selected bottles with red, white and rose options, as well as prosecco. There are usually lots of popular bottles included, for example, Oyster Bay Hawkes Bay Merlot, Oyster Bay Hawkes Bay Merlot and Freixenet Prosecco D.O.C.
“Obviously, the more expensive the bottles you choose, the more you save.”
Join Facebook groups
The savvy saver also recommends that fans of Asda join Facebook groups to keep in the know about the latest bargains in-store.
Eilish said: “I recommend joining the Latest Deals Facebook Group to find out about the latest deals and new launches in store.
“Every day, more than 250,000 deal hunters share their latest bargain finds and new releases.
“For example, recently a member shared a picture of Asda’s new Barbie range spotted in store.
“Another member shared the bargain outdoor plants she picked up, including roses for 47p, blackcurrant bushes for 14p and topiary trees for 14p.”
The mum also nabbed a six-pack of Appletiser, which normally costs £3.24 for just 25p.
An eight-pack Rice Krispie Squares was reduced from £3 to 75p, with the Facebook user adding three to her trolley.
She also picked up six boxes of Cheerios, which normally cost £3.50 a-piece for just 28p each.
There were six boxes of Pop Tarts in the haul, reduced from £3 each to just 75p.
And while her two 500 gram tins of KP Nuts only cost her £1.05 each, a 250 gram bag would set you back £3.25 on the Asda Website.
The mum also picked up seven 32p Quakers Oats Pots, which normally retail for £1.29.
Finally, she added two tins of Bisto Gravy Granules to her trolley for just £1.86, a half-off special.
In total, a shopping haul that should’ve set the mum back £136.09 only cost her £44.11, saving her a whopping £91.98.
Facebook users shared their thoughts on the impressive savings in the comments section.
“What an amazing shop,” wrote one impressed commenter.
“Wow this is excellent. I wish we had an Asda near,” said another person.
“From a family of four, two of them being teenagers. That is not a lot. Congratulations on your bargains,” commented a third Facebook user.
ExtremeCouponingAndBargainsUKThe Facebook user made significant savings on snacks as well as toiletries and cleaning supplies[/caption]
ExtremeCouponingAndBargainsUKOverall, the mum saved a whopping £92 on her Asda grocery haul[/caption]
2 weeks agoBlogsComments Off on Princess Diana’s ex lover James Hewitt tells feuding William & Harry she would get them to make up if she were alive
PRINCESS Diana’s former lover James Hewitt has spoken out about the ongoing feud between Prince William and Prince Harry.
In a rare TV interview, the 66-year-old claimed the late Princess of Wales would have done “her best to try and get them together.”
RexJames Hewitt appeared on ITV’s Good Morning Britain this morning[/caption]
Camera PressDiana and former cavalry officer James had a five-year affair between 1986 and 1991[/caption]
GettyJames claims Diana would have wanted William and Harry to patch things up[/caption]
The two brothers feud has been ongoing since the Duke of Sussex’s departure from royal life in 2020, with Harry making scathing remarks against his brother in his Spare memoir.
The former cavalry officer appeared on ITV’s Good Morning Britain and said the late royal would have had the ability to “make a rapprochement possible” between her sons.
James told host Richard Madeley: “I think any mother would be worried and concerned about such a rift, as you put it, and she’d do her best to try and get them together.”
Princess Diana had a five-year affair with James between 1986 and 1991 after they met at a Mayfair party, and she asked him to help her overcome her fear of horses by giving her riding lessons.
After marrying the then-Prince Charles in 1981, the royal couple separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996 – with Diana confessing to her affair with James during her BBC Panorama interview in 1995.
In the chat she admitted the extramarital liaison, saying: “Yes, I adored him. Yes, I was in love with him.”
James said he was left suicidal after the princess dumped him in 1991.
Diana also told interviewer Martin Bashir she was desperately unhappy after Charles rekindled his own romance with Camilla Parker-Bowles, following the birth of second son Prince Harry.
James has kept a low profile since a near-fatal heart attack in May 2017 when doctors gave him a ‘slim chance’ of survival but has previously said he has regrets over the affair.
“I loved Diana,” he previously said. “I love her still, but part of me wished it had never happened.”
However, he appeared on Good Morning this morning to chat about his involvement in Operation Safedrop, which is sending humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
He also spoke about Diana’s Panorama interview and said: “It was a stitch up job.
“It was appalling of Bashir to inveigled, lied to her, criminal activity, absolutely appalling.
I think any mother would be worried and concerned about such a rift, as you put it, and she’d do her best to try and get them together
James Hewitton Good Morning Britain
“As I’ve said, I hate bullies and bullying and arrogant people and I think it’s appalling.”
James was also asked when he last spoke to Diana, and he claimed “just after” [that], but admitted it was a “distant” chat.
He also admitted the interview “did create problems”, but he is trying to “move on from that.”
Diana stunned the nation in 1995 in her BBC Panorama interview when she admitted to her affair with JamesAFPPrince Harry openly criticised Prince William and Princess Kate in his Spare memoir[/caption]
A timeline of Prince Harry's family feud
The first hints of friction reportedly came after William was introduced to Meghan when she was staying at Kensington Palace.
Once she’d returned home to Canada, William and Harry sat down for a brother-to-brother chat.
He knew Harry was already head-over-heels for her but it has been claimed he advised him to take it slowly.
The younger prince reportedly didn’t take too kindly to the advice, with one royal source saying he “went mental”.
The Royal Foundation will be divided between the Sussexes and Cambridges as the couples focus on their own separate charitable endeavours.
Prince William and Prince Harry first established the Royal Foundation in 2009 before Kate joined two years later shortly after their engagement was announced.
The trio would often appear together at events and the Foundation had huge successes with projects like the Invictus Games for injured veterans and the mental health Heads Together campaign.
The Royal Foundation said the decision was made following the conclusion of a review into its structure – but added both couples will continue to work together in the future.
Harry and Meg were living in close proximity to Kate and Wills within the Kensington Palace estate, but they switched to Frogmore Cottage in Windsor before baby Archie was born.
The move further increased rumours of a fallout.
Harry also hinted in his ITV documentary “Harry and Meghan, An African Journey” that he and his brother had grown apart.
In 2021, Harry and Meghan give their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey where Harry accused his dad of cutting him off financially.
Harry then jetted back to UK to join William in unveiling a statue to their mother Princess Diana in the grounds of Kensington Palace. But sources claimed William didn’t want to attend the memorial amid their ongoing rift.
In Spare, Harry said William branded Meghan “rude” and “difficult” during a row.
Harry alleged William “grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and … knocked me to the floor”.
He said he was left with a visible injury to his back following the argument in 2019 at Nottingham Cottage on the grounds of Kensington Palace, where he was living at the time.
Harry flew back to the US the following day – without seeing Wills.
In May he visited the UK for a three-day visit without seeing King Charles or Prince William.
Prince Harry claims
Over the years, James has been forced to deny numerous false rumours over the years he is Prince Harry‘s dad.
In a interview with Australian Channel Seven’s Sunday Night host Melissa Doyle, Hewitt was asked if he was the royal’s dad and he replied: “No I’m not.”
James said he was left suicidal after the princess dumped him in 1991Rex Features
He said: “A simple comparison of dates proves it is impossible for Hewitt to be Harry’s father. Only once did I ever discuss it with her, and Diana was in tears about it.
“Harry was born on September 15, 1984, which means he was conceived around Christmas 1983, when his brother, William, was 18 months old.
“Diana did not meet James Hewitt until the summer of 1986.
Diana’s former butler Paul Burrell has insisted the claims are “farcical”.
Royal affair
In his biography, Love and War, Hewitt claimed he had actually met Diana before, shortly after her 1981 wedding, but that she had changed dramatically during the five years between.
“When we had first met five years before [the affair], she had been fun, charming, flirtatious,” he wrote.
“She could make the sullen waters of the Serpentine sparkle just by riding past them. But now she was sad… She was a hurt, lonely married woman and I became obsessed with her.”
At the time of their affair, the then-25-year-old Princess was on a 39 day “trial separation” from Prince Charles.
Getty Images - GettyAfter marrying the then-Prince Charles in 1981, the royal couple separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996[/caption]
The infidelity began shortly afterwards, at her apartment in Kensington Palace, after she invited Hewitt, then 28, for dinner.
“She was tall, willowy, strikingly beautiful and utterly adorable,” he wrote. “She smelled fresh and very English.”
Diana reportedly told him: “I need you. I can’t stand it when I’m away from you.”
Hewitt revealed that the couple made love on her four poster bed and the bathroom floor, and had claimed it was Diana who initiated the affair.
Speaking to Zoo in January 2013, he said: “The situation that Princess Diana and I were in made it exciting and sexy because it was risky.
“The danger spiced it up a bit, if you know what I mean.”
Charles ‘betrayal’
Diana was said to have wanted an affair due to Charles’ ‘betrayal’ with Camilla
Former royal bodyguard Ken Wharfe has since revealed that the princess “was ready for an affair” because of her “husband’s betrayal”.
“Hewitt, a natural womaniser, gave her the attention and affection she relished, and then the passion she yearned for,” he said.
As the affair carried on, the venue for the lovers’ liaisons shifted to Ebford Cottage in Devon, owned by Hewitt’s mum, Shirley.
I loved Diana. love her still, but part of me wished it had never happened
James Hewitt
Diana would phone Shirley to make arrangements, using the code name Julia and, sometimes, a mock cockney accent.
“She could have been an SAS commander, such was her skill and ingenuity at managing our very secret affair,” said Hewitt.
Ken would drive his ward to the 17th century cottage and cook the couple Italian food while they snuggled up on the sofa drinking orange vodka, “purloined from the cellars at Highgrove”.
RexDiana met James at a Mayfair party, and she asked him to help her overcome her fear of horses by giving her riding lessons[/caption]
Diana would then don her marigolds and wash up – relishing the chance to “play house” away from the servants and ladies in waiting of her royal life – before playing cards late into the night.
James claimed the affair only ended after he decided to cooperate with the controversial book Princess in Love, by Anna Pasternak, that revealed the affair.
He wrote: “Diana seemed unconcerned, but it was the biggest mistake I have every made in my life.”
He said the decision marked the end of the affair and his Army career, and he considered suicide.
“I got in my car and loaded a few things up to get on the ferry to go to France – to shoot myself,” he told US TV show Edition.
She [Diana] was tall, willowy, strikingly beautiful and utterly adorable
James Hewitt
“Then my mother insisted on coming with me. If she hadn’t, I would probably have shot myself. So I owe her my life really.”
Princess Diana, who died in a car crash in Paris in 1997, told the Panorama interview she felt “very let down” by his part in the book but Hewitt seemed to suggest he didn’t feel he had betrayed her.
Hewitt went on to open a golf club and bar in Marbella, in 2009, which closed four years later.
He has also appeared in various reality TV shows including Hell’s Kitchen and X Factor – Battle of the Stars.
Everything you need to know about Princess Diana's final years
In 1997, Princess Diana spent her summer in the south of France and Italy. During August, she visited Sarajevo, Bosnia, to highlight the fight against landmines.
By the end of the month, the Princess of Wales and Dodi Al-Fayed travelled to Paris together.
Her funeral was held on September 6, 1997. As her coffin made the journey from Kensington Palace to Westminister Abbey, Prince William and Prince Harry walked behind their late mother.
2 weeks agoNews 1Comments Off on Full list of 1,542 locations as gardai launch 24-hour speeding crackdown & over 145k drivers fined for breaking limit
GARDAI will ramp up their efforts on road safety and launch a 24-hour crackdown on speeding, it has been confirmed.
Officers warned that the consequences of speeding can be “devastating” and confirmed that the national speed enforcement operation, marking National Slow Down Day, will begin tomorrow.
A road sign in County Meath which now means 60kmh instead of 80kmhBrian Lawless/PA WireGardai will be out on force for National Slow Down Day tomorrowGetty Images
The number of speed checkpoints will be dramatically increased while the operation is in place, with gardai hoping to shine a light on the dangers of speeding and ensure more people stick to the limits.
A garda spokesperson explained: “An Garda Siochana conducts a number of high profile National Slow Down Days every year.
“The aim of National Slow Down Days is to remind motorists of the dangers of speeding, encourage a national conversation on the impact of speeding, to increase overall compliance with speed limits in place nationwide and to deter and detect those that are intent on driving at excessive or inappropriate speed.
“To date in 2025 there have unfortunately been 24 fatalities on Irish roads in 23 Fatal Road Traffic Collision’s.
“This is a reduction of 12 deaths on the same period in 2024.”
In 2024, cops issued over 145,000 Fixed Charge Notices to motorists driving in excess of the speed limit, meaning nearly 400 people were detected breaking the limit by Garda and GoSafe every single day.
And the speed operation comes just a few days after new speed limits were introduced on hundreds of roads across the country.
Default speed limits on rural local roads decreased from 80kmh to 60kmh while national secondary roads saw limits fall from 100kmh to 80kmh.
Gardai today warned that breaking the speed limit endangers lives.
A spokesperson said: “Driving in excess of the legal speed limit, and/ or driving at an inappropriate speed for the prevailing road, weather and traffic conditions not only puts you at risk but also endangers the lives of others around you.
“When you speed, it reduces the potential reaction time to react to something unexpected on the road and there is an increase in the likelihood of losing control of your vehicle, which could lead to a serious or fatal accident.”
SPEED ENFORCEMENT ZONES
The crackdown tomorrow involves speed enforcement zones – and there are over 1,542 of them dotted across Ireland.
The speed enforcement zones were selected based on fatal and serious injury collision data from the last number of years after all roads nationally were assessed.
This determined the road sections in which safety cameras have the best opportunity to prevent future death and serious injury to road users.
You can view a full list of each zone’s location on the Garda website, with dozens of zones located in every single county.
Dublin’s M50, M1, M2, M3, M4 and M11 all have zones while other busy roads across the country such as the N40, the N7, the N12, the N13, the N14 and the N3 all feature on the list.
Drivers could also be caught speeding on the busy N55 in Cavan, N63 or N61 in Roscommon, N19 in Clare, N69 in Kerry, N24 in Limerick, N25 in Cork or on the N80 in Kildare.
Lesser-used roads like the R312, R374, R569, R440 and the R395 also feature on the map outlining the zones.
‘DEADLIER CONSEQUENCES’
Gardai warned people that the higher the speed, the greater the impact if you crash and said inappropriate speed is as much of a problem on Ireland’s roads as speeding over the limit.
A spokesperson explained: “National Slow Down Day encourages a conversation on speed and road safety.
“Conversations on road safety should not only take place in the aftermath of fatal road traffic collisions, this is too late; These conversations should take place every day.”
Officers urged employers to have a Road Safety conversation with their employees today, adding that they should foster good driving practices and allow sufficient time for work journeys.
Gardai told how one in 10 pedestrians hit by a car at 30kmh an hour will die while 50 per cent will die if the speed is increased to 50kmh.
Some nine out of 10 people hit by a car travelling at 60kmh will die.
Gardai said: “The faster the speed > the more severe the impact > the deadlier the consequences.
“Inappropriate Speed – for prevailing weather/traffic/ road conditions – is a problem as much as exceeding the speed limit.
“An Garda Siochana remains committed to improving road safety on our roads, but An Garda Síochána alone will not stop all Fatal Road Traffic Collision.
“An Garda Síochána continues to actively work with relevant partners as per the Government’s Road Safety Strategy 2021–2030 ‘a strategic, coordinated and multi-sectoral approach to road safety across government and key stakeholders will be critical to achieving a safer, better Ireland for all’.”
2 weeks agoNews 1Comments Off on ‘Hard to believe’ says RTE’s Miriam O’Callaghan as she admits ‘only happy part’ of tragic family loss with emotional pic
RTE star Miriam O’Callaghan has paid an emotional tribute to her late sister.
The Prime Time presenter beloved sister Anne passed away after her battle with cancer in 1995.
Miriam shared a throwback snap her late sister and their daughtersinstmiriam/InstagramMiriam’s sister died 30 years agoBrian Lawless/PA WireMiriam and her niece LizzieInstagram
Anne was just a year younger than Miriam and they both gave birth to their second daughters, Clara and Lizzie, around the same time.
Miriam took to Instagram today to post a heart-melting throwback of herself and Anne holding their babies.
The 65-year-old got emotional as she wrote the caption saying: “Today is my adored sister Anne’s anniversary – she died aged 33 from cancer. Hard to believe it’s 30 years.
“This is my favourite photo of us both, wrecked new mums holding our baby daughters.
“The only happy part of all of this is that those two little cousins are now best friends.”
Miriam’s friends and fans all loved the sweet picture and flooded the comment section with love and support.
Sarah McInerney said: “That’s a beautiful photo Miriam.”
Anna Daly commented: “Sending love Miriam.”
Barbara wrote: “This is haunting and beautiful at the same time. Anne was so young. I’m so sorry you both deserved many more years together.”
Kate remarked: “Can’t believe it’s 30 years. I remember Anne had the most beautiful smile. Thinking of you and your lovely family.”
Anne’s daughter Lizzie is a producer at Piranha Bar and was nominated for an IFTA recently.
Miriam accompanied her niece at the glamorous event and gushed over how proud she was of her.
The popular presenter shared a stunning photo of them on the red-carpet together on Instagram.
She captioned her post: “It was joyous to be at the@iftaacademyawards last night which was a brilliant show, with my beloved niece@lizziejayyya nominee with@piranhabar_instaas VFX producers on the Netflix series Bodkin.
“I love Lizzie to the moon and back and her mum would have been so proud last night.“
The RTE Radio 1 presenter is mum to eight kids – four girls with her first husband Tom McGurk and four boys with her current husband Steve Carson.
Georgia works for sport and entertainment platform BSE Global in New York and Alannah has extended her holiday for the family reunion.
In an interview with the Irish Mail on Sunday, Georgia revealed that they are all “so excited” to see each other.
She said: “Mum didn’t find out till quite last minute, so the three of us are so excited. We have a WhatsApp group talking about it.”
As well as being on hand for any support the team might need, the two girls will get to watch their mum behind the camera.
Georgia added: “[It’s] so nice for us to be able to be a part of that and share that moment with Mum, but also to see her in action.
“[If she] needs a hand or resources or runners, we’ll be there. I don’t know how much access we’re going to get, but we’ll be there watching her doing her thing. We’re always super proud of her in those moments.”
