An Italian agronomist-turned-detective seeks to preserve Italy's agricultural heritage to save fruit varieties that could help farmers withstand the vagaries of a changing climate.

Bhí an-bhrón orm nuair a léigh mé an scéal seo - sílim gurbh é Michael D an t-uachtarán a raibh an tionchar is mó aige orm, agus tá grá agus meas mór agam dó. Bhí mé bródúil as gurbh é ár n-uachtarán é. Go n-eirí an bóthar libh, Miggeldy agus Sabina!

"Essential services are now digital by default, leaving many older people feeling locked out of their own lives." As more of our lives move online by default, digital ageism has quietly become one of the last unchallenged prejudices, writes Fiona Daly. jrnl.ie/6864189

President Michael D. Higgins has left Áras an Uachtaráin for the final time this evening, closing the chapter on 14 years in office. Before departing, President Higgins was presented with flowers by a member of the Sanctuary Runners, of which he was a patron. #VMNews

Over the next few months, there will be sessions on creative writing, bookselling, librarianship, publishing, book event management, and much more. If you have a bookworm aged 13-19 years old in your life, be sure to share this with them. Book here: www.eventbrite.ie/e/booked-up-...

Wed: “Our migration numbers are too high”-Simon Harris Thurs: “Taoiseach and Donohoe back Tánaiste’s remarks that numbers migrating to Ireland are ‘too high’” Fri: ”migration numbers too high outside of international protection…as well”-Simon Harris *Arson attack on infants in IPAS centre.*

What a day for a walk to Andy Goldsworthy’s extraordinary Hanging Stones on the North York Moors #AndyGoldsworthy

In fairness Heather Humphreys gave a gracious concession speech, congratulating Catherine Connolly, and wishing her well as President. In a democracy the losing side accepting the outcome is vital. #aras25

On the night we elect his successor, this man, this artist, is in my thoughts. What service he has given us. Not only as President but as our first Minister for the Arts. This photo I took on Inis Oirr in 2021 is one of my most treasured. Go raibh maith aige. #Aras25

My Choices for Children’s Booker Winner (for a book published in the previous year: 2025 Fia and the Snow Deer by Eilish Fisher, illustrated by Dermot Flynn See the other years on my blog here: www.sarahwebb.info/blog

Sionnach vs Madra Rua irishlanguage.ie/sionnach-vs-... #irishlanguage #gaeilge #gaelic

This. Show. Is. A. Joy. www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...

No matter who you’re voting for in #Aras25, sensationalised attack ads are just grim, especially at a time when politicians repeatedly (and rightly) call for reducing toxicity in discourse and an end to personalised attacks. Nobody wants this stuff. It sours an electorate that desires civility.

Sending support across the pond to those joining the No Kings protests today with this upbeat and determined ducky ✊ Your action matters! #nokings

Get the washing on peeps, great day for solar after this week’s heavy cloud cover #spéirgorm #speirgorm

The BBC are accidentally running the subtitles to Mrs Marple over the Mercury Prize, and it’s rather wonderful. A few of lines could plausibly have been written by Jarvis.

That Irish writing should stop looking backwards.

Ah Tipperary, another day without water this week - off Monday, Weds, Saturday and again today. No notice until after the water is off. #spéirgorm

A dramatisation of 'Star of the Sea' by Joseph O'Connor, Professor of Creative Writing at UL, will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 beginning this Saturday at 3pm & continuing on 18 October Ahead of part one, Colm Tóibín & John Yorke discuss the critically acclaimed novel www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Oil being delivered next door. My 3 year old was in our garden. As the delivery man was dragging the oil hose through next doors garden, she roared over to offer him “a wee go of the baby’s dummy?” He replied dead seriously, “no you’re grand I’m only after one” Both were delighted with themselves

I'm moderating this discussion in Dublin, Tuesday Oct 14th at the Irish Arts and Human Rights Festival, on freedom of artistic expression, censorship, and the global crackdown on artists who are speaking out on Palestine. Featuring Dan Lambert and Clare Mc Evoy. Tickets here:

Just to be clear, an English degree - learning to critically assess texts - is actually one of the most dangerous for people such as Badenoch. An educated population, able to bring hundreds of years of context to statements in a dawning age of AI slop and attention-seeking dishonesty is also vital.

The mystery of medical diagnosis!

Just learned the Arte.tv website existed & I've already found a short on women Romani rappers, a documentary on post-communist but pre-reunification East Germany, dance performances, a Finnish opera, & an MC Solaar concert.

“The behavior was pure misogynistic abuse, and it’s a growing movement in American culture right now.” www.glamour.com/story/the-mi...

Took the 4yo to the library and he found his favourite book that we already have at home, and insisted on borrowing it because that’s how much he loves it

The most quotable movie EVER was released #OTD in 1987. The Princess Bride, directed by Rob Reiner, was based on the 1973 fantasy romance novel by William Goldman. #FilmSky #BookSky 🎬📚

@louiestowell.bsky.social Hello, picked up a signed copy of your latest Loki from our local friendly bookshop @halfwayupbooks.bsky.social The boy loved it, he’s grown up with your books and they’re like going back to an old friend

Loki author @louiestowell.bsky.social presenting her Lokifesto about reading – this is brilliant!

Anna’s Lola books listed as “banned in classrooms” in one US county – purely because they feature a black character

Lovely mural up on the North Strand today. There's a few people about the place who like to think it belongs to them and them alone, but it belongs to us all. Thanks to @dwmalone.bsky.social for the pic!

#painting "Wicklow Sunrise" is another of my new paintings that sold last month. Once upon a time I sat up all night in Wicklow town and watched the sun rise over the Irish Sea. You don’t really need any more of a reason than that for why I painted this. #ArtYear #SpeirGhorm #scape

Have I told you about the first time I let my daughter walk alone to piano practice? She had to cross a (big-ish) street, so I told her I would walk behind her and observe. At the zebra walk my daughter, like a boss, puts out her palm to signal the oncoming driver to stop. And Björk stops her car.

For the first time ever, more than 5,000 children have been recorded living in emergency homeless accommodation (Dept of Housing, July 2025) Another new record of 16,058 people in homeless accommodation was also recorded.

Foreign doctors have been serving as medical volunteers, but must be approved by Israel to enter Gaza. The World Health Organization says denial rates have increased by 50% since March.

FYI, 13-22-year-olds in Ireland: www.youth.ie/articles/hav...

The new tariffs are going to hit artists particularly hard if it means losing customers in the US, so I'd ask Irish people to please consider buying local, from Irish makers, where at all possible. Support that means little to a huge business makes a massive difference to small creators. We need ye.

This They Might Be Giants TONIGHT SHOW performance of "Birdhouse In Your Soul" from 1990 remains firmly lodged in my noggin thanks to the Tonight Show Band's full commitment and Doc Severinsen's incredible trumpeting... It took an already great song and made it transcendent.

The AI-generated image of world leaders waiting at the White House: How did it, and the understanding it was fake, spread around the world? We went through 250+ copies yesterday. BBC Verify live page: www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cx... W/ @robcorp.bsky.social and @olgar.bsky.social.

Please keep on sharing! Let’s see what is possible to achieve in these last two days. @sineadohart.bsky.social

In February 1896, two men ploughing a field unearthed one of the greatest prehistoric treasures ever found on the island of Ireland – the Broighter Hoard. #Archaeology 🏺 #SpéirGhorm #Ireland

Irma Bandiera b. 8th April 1915, Bologna d. 14th August 1944, Bologna

One of the less known aspects about the Easter Rising is that Indian students at UCD also took part & were then deported by the British authorities for it. Among those students was V.V. Giri who became president of India and said “when I am not an Indian, I am an Irishman”

Unconscionable