Recent CSO data found 72,000 vacant homes empty, connected to services & ready to go So why are they still empty? Record homelessness, children being traumatised 'Cos of ideology Introducing compulsory rental & sales & custodian squatting would be transformative #derelictireland #speirgorm

1. Some good news at last. This week’s column is about the amazing thing a couple of us stumbled into three years ago, which we’ve now developed into a global research programme. It doesn’t change everything, of course, but it could help change quite a lot. + 🧵 www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

If we do not get big money out of UK politics we are doomed. There should be strict (and enforced) rules on the funding of political parties.

The shift to EVs is happening—fast. Manufacturers can either embrace the long-term transition or chase short-term gains by clinging to petrol and diesel. China is choosing the long view. Many in Europe aren’t. The risk? Ending up with cars no one wants, lost market share, and shuttered factories.

Ireland's green image is largely a fabrication. That could be turned around in a decade, with enough political and societal will.

This is scary. "Three of the five worst harvests on record have now occurred since 2020, leaving some farmers asking whether the growing impacts of the climate crisis are making it too financially risky to sow their crops." www.theguardian.com/environment/...

This is wild. How can we tackle polycrisis when politicians & institutions are beholden to a cabal of corporations rather than working in interests of citizens & societies who elect them? No wonder world is regressing on #climatecrisis #biodiversitycrisis #humanrights #socialjustice #speirgorm

Tomorrow 24 humanitarian volunteers face 20 years in prison in a Greek court for saving lives at sea. One, Seán Binder, grew up in my local town, Castlegregory, Kerry. #SolidarityIsNotACrime #StandWithSeán #DropTheCharges #FreeHumanitarians #NotMyEurope #speirgorm www.politico.eu/article/sean...

If Ireland's emissions are "too small to matter" then I might as well evade my taxes and eat doughnuts for lunch. Read my latest column about the laziest excuse in the climate debate: www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

Maharees looking moody in the November gloaming, with Brandon brooding in the background! #Kerry #sunset ##WildAtlanticWay #Dingle #Dinglepeninsula #speirgorm

We never talk about, when there is such a feel-good factor around such fundraising drives, and we marvel at the amounts raised, how the State should be fully funding many of these organisations to do this work. OR PROVIDING THESE SERVICES ITSELF. Because we have a right to public services.

Two things can be true at the same time: Israel is a rogue state engaged in genocide, and antisemitism is real and thriving. And because of the latter it's understandable that Ireland's small but proud and storied Jewish community might be feeling particularly sensitive right now

Sickening record homeless numbers again this month so heres reminder that @judesherry.bsky.social & I found derelict properties within 2km of Cork city centre If Government wanted change things they could bring in compulsory sales, compulsory rental & legalise squatting #DerelictIreland #SpeirGorm

We should not have 184 thousand empty homes like We're driven by this desire and passion to make the world better We get so upset and fustrated when we see inequality and social injustice #DerelictIreland #VacantIreland #everyoneshouldhaveahome #spéirgorm

Irish govt slaughters (“culling” is such a cop-out word!) innocent badgers because farming practices are causing rampant bovine TB. The irony of them being a protected species…. It’s cruel, lazy and stupid - shd have been outlawed years ago. #spéirgorm #spéirghorm www.thejournal.ie/badger-culli...

A few weeks ago, a local walking along Bray seafront came across a leathery, pouch-shaped object with tendrils on each corner. It turned out to be a flapper skate egg case - a find so rare in the Irish Sea that scientists have been left astonished. www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

Saw a LinkedIn post today from a Serious Person who hailed progress on Ireland's planned LNG import terminal, and hilariously suggesting the gas could be sourced from cheap overseas biomethane. Sadly, they weren't joking. It might as well be powered by vibes.

Simple Ban evictions, unless tenant in situ, which the state/local authorities should be purchasing but of course the government cut that funding earlier this year Wonder why? Because its a government of landlords who don't give a shit about tenants #EvictionBan #DerelictIreland #SpeirGorm

"We all have a role in shaping our future" ... I may just be a drop in the ocean but "an ocean is a multitude of drops"-powerful words from @chrisgpackham.bsky.social Who needs to be involved to get an Irish National Emergency Briefing off the ground? #speirgorm #climatecrisis #ireland #polycrisis

Have I mentioned I love where I'm from? Why screen just 1 short documentary on #Maharees when we have 4?! If you're #Dingle or #Kerry based, join us at Spillane's Bar, Dec 3rd. Email [email protected] (so we have enough mince pies....🎄) #speirgorm #climate #wildatlanticway

This is an absolute disaster. Taking away money from ready-to-go public transport projects so that they can chuck more cash at new roads. The exact opposite direction we should be going. (Plus: the more you delay projects, the more they cost. Every time.)

The solution? "Science is crystal clear here. Our only chance to recover back to a stable and safe climate is to accelerate the phase-out of fossil-fuels, remove carbon and invest in nature (...), and do that without trading off between them." Or more succintly, what he said ➡️ @jamesgdyke.info

The problem: "We are now at a critical juncture. We are at or very close to human caused environmental change that will fundamentally unpick the life-sustaining systems on Earth." @jamesgdyke.info @pik-potsdam.bsky.social The solution ... easy right?! ...

Join us, the Energy Policy and Modelling Group @ucc.ie, and guests including former climate ministers Eamon Ryan and Denis Naughten, in a morning dedicated to discussing climate action and energy security: 📆 December 15th 📍 Engineers Ireland, Dublin 🔗 Register: www.eventbrite.com/e/ucc-energy...

Interested in #climate and #energy policy in Ireland and/ or how energy systems models can help inform policy? In Dublin & free on Dec 15th? Come along to connect with key stakeholders and hear more about work of UCC Energy Policy & Modelling Group www.eventbrite.com/e/ucc-energy... #speirgorm

Join us for the latest research insights from the UCC Energy Policy and Modelling Group, focused on the themes of #ClimateAction and #EnergySecurity. 📅 Date: 15th December 2025 📍 Venue: Engineers Ireland, 22 Clyde Road, Dublin 🔗 Register via Eventbrite (free)

Researching this week's column, I stumbled across something that amazed me: the near-absence of reliable data about climate impacts over most of the world. Due to the rich world's failure to fund research. We don't know because our governments don't care. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Climate breakdown is driven by a storm of lies. This lying is systemic, funded and coordinated, and operates across almost all media, old and new. This week's column argues that we cannot fight the climate crisis without also fighting the epistemic crisis. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

I wouldn't board an aircraft, a bus, a train, a ship or even get in a car that had a 5% chance of crashing. Now AMOC collapse is closing in on over 25% probability we are all being boarded to a mad future. Excellent eye opener of a presentation. Educate yourself, watch it. youtu.be/ULJXqOZuY-8

Must-read in @theguardian.com from my friend @georgemonbiot.bsky.social: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

The more you know! Atmospheric methane increased 7.22 ppb from July 2024 to July 2025. However, due to methane's short lifetime (about 110 months), it required over 153 ppb of new methane to cause the atmospheric level to rise by 7.22 ppb. As for the 'Global Methane Pledge'...

Car Size xkcd.com/3167/

The new 2025 Global Carbon Budget finds that fossil fuel emissions will reach a new high in 2025. Total CO2 emissions (including land use) remain flat at 2024 levels. While the land sink is up from 2024, carbon sinks are weakening: www.carbonbrief.org/...

Global CO₂ emissions from fossil fuels are likely to increase this year, while those from land-use change will fall

"every year, bottom trawling releases 370 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere" www.euractiv.com/opinion/the-...

CEO of Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management: "There is a very low level of ecological literacy being displayed by ministers. Nothing I have seen or heard gives me comfort that Rachel Reeves understands the importance of nature to economic and social wellbeing. Nothing."

Any Op Ed insisting that Ireland should integrate militarily with the EU, and that avoids confronting EU complicity in genocide in Palestine, can only be seen as propaganda. Look out for it. #neutrality #TripleLock #Áras25

Julie Rea was convicted of killing her son largely on the testimony of bloodstain-pattern analysts. She was later acquitted and exonerated, joining a growing community of Americans wrongly convicted with bad science. From the ProPublica archives:

Who's Funding the War on Trans Inclusion? “The stated goal of strategic litigation is rarely to win every case. It’s to make the target behaviour—in this case, implementing trans-inclusive policies—expensive, risky, and exhausting”

Millions of black plastic pellets, toxic to marine and terrestrial life, that volunteers are spending days raking, but with no chance of removing all... Southern Water seems the main suspect but is also the investigator 🥸 and claims that "there is no impact to environmental water quality"...

The Maharees is a community seeing the growing impact of climate change, and they are working together to mitigate and adapt. They are our future. #speirgorm - it’s also one of the most beautiful places in Earth!

Brilliant evening at #Kerry museum in Tralee to launch new podcast on #Maharees. Have a listen if interested in #resilience, coastal communities tackling challenges of #climatechange through artistic practice or just exploring a stunning part of #Ireland #speirgorm m.soundcloud.com/will_it_stay...

ICE deported him anyways. They literally put a man who was at death’s door on a plane to Costa Rica. Doctors there found he had encephalopathy, rhabdomyolysis and the inability to eat on his own. What happened to him in ICE custody to cause this? He died a few weeks after deportation:

The problem with housing is not building enough social housing, allowing vulture funds control and take over the market and property and land be hoarded. Thousands of houses in unfinished estates because FF screwed the economy etc etc etc. NOT asylum seekers, a very small number of people.

Twas a damp, dirty morning in #Dublin's fair city! Clearing now, but @irishferries.bsky.social captain just announced we're in for a windy crossing 😬 🤢 Hopefully the ferry stabilisers do their job! #speirgorm #climateaction #sustainabletravel #nofly

Pandering to the far-right is both dangerous and ineffective. We already know from Germany, France and the UK that it only legitimises fascists. We need a positive alternative vision instead m.independent.ie/irish-news/p...

Most of Ireland's uplands are commonage, ie co-owned by local farmers. The ONLY real income from commonage is via subsidies, almost always for ecosystem-killing sheep. This is why Irish mountains are all empty wastelands, kept that way by your taxes. Why are we STILL not paying farmers to rewild??

Murder most foul in #Maharees ... a sinister start to #Samhain in the wilds of West Kerry. Happy #Halloween everyone 🎃👻🧙‍♀️ #speirgorm #speirscamallach