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Ireland

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Ireland. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Dublin

Head of State

President Michael D. Higgins

Head of Government

Taoiseach Simon Harris

Meet TV show host Graham Norton’s husband, Scottish documentarian Jonathan “Jono” McLeod. Photos: Getty Images

Fame and celebrity

Meet Graham Norton’s husband, Scottish documentarian Jonathan ‘Jono’ McLeod

Before settling down with McLeod, talk show host Norton dated RuPaul’s Drag Race star Tina Burner and fashion consultant Trevor Patterson, who alleged Norton put his dogs before their relationship.

3 hours ago

European Union

EU fines TikTok €530 million for China data transfer

2 May 2025 - 7:49PMvideocam

TikTok

TikTok confirms plans to build €1 billion data centre in Finland

1 May 2025 - 1:00PM

China-EU relations

EU’s ‘trade bazooka’ was meant for China. Could the US be hit instead?

Bloc turns some of the weapons it had trained on Beijing towards Washington for potential use in the erstwhile allies’ worsening trade war.

17 Apr 2025 - 5:01PMvideocam

US President Donald Trump has threatened untold consequences if Europe dares retaliate against his tariffs, leading some to observe that the bloc’s experiences with China last year may have provided an unlikely dry run for dealing with the two-time American president. Photo: Getty Images

Architecture and design

A cherished Irish tradition is dying out. New school aims to fix that

At the Donegal Thatching School, master thatchers teach their skills to help preserve Ireland’s long tradition of thatched-roofed cottages.

10 Apr 2025 - 7:55AM

Celebrity Families

Meet Peggy Gallagher, mother of prickly Oasis pair Noel and Liam Gallagher

Ireland-born Peggy raised her 3 sons away from their abusive father in a council house in Manchester, where she still lives – for her 80th birthday, her wish was for Liam and Noel to make up.

8 Apr 2025 - 6:00PM

Apple

Apple stores see rush of iPhone shoppers ahead of US tariffs

The atmosphere feels like the busy holiday season, store employees say, as panicked customers splurge on Apple products.

8 Apr 2025 - 5:06PMvideocam

The Fifth Avenue Apple Store in New York. Photo: EPA-EFE

China-EU relations

EU frets over flood of Chinese imports as Trump stokes tariff war

Advocates for easier trade with Beijing, including Spain, face off against Poland and others backing protections against Chinese imports.

8 Apr 2025 - 2:07AMvideocam

Mergers & Acquisitions

Hutchison says it is evaluating spin-off of global telecoms business

‘From time to time, the [group] receives proposals and explores and evaluates opportunities that may be available,’ Hutchison said in a statement.

31 Mar 2025 - 10:40PM

Wellness

Meet the Irish farmer using alpacas for animal therapy for the elderly

With their ‘huge brown eyes’, camelid therapy animals ease anxiety among nursing home residents and those with special needs, farmer says.

29 Mar 2025 - 5:15PM

Joe Phelan feeds some of his herd on his alpaca farm near Dublin, Ireland. Photo: Reuters

Hong Kong economy

Letters | Raise a glass to Ireland-Hong Kong ties

Readers discuss the relationship between the two places, protection of Victoria Harbour, and regulation of ride-hailing services.

13 Mar 2025 - 11:30AM

People attend a parade celebrating St Patrick’s Day in Central on March 15, 2015. Photo: David Wong

Donald Trump

Trump criticises Ireland on trade during St Patrick’s Day visit

US president levelled accusations against Ireland and the European Union, despite diplomatic pleasantries.

13 Mar 2025 - 10:26AM

China-EU relations

EU trade chief plans China visit amid soaring tensions with Trump

Bilateral grievances sure to be on the agenda, although problems between Europe and US could provide space for positive discussions.

27 Feb 2025 - 8:43AMvideocam

Celebrity Families

SAG Awards 2025: meet Colin Farrell’s beautiful producer sister, Claudine

Colin Farrell gave a rare shout-out to his sister Claudine at the SAG Awards on Sunday; she’s worked alongside him on everything from Daredevil and Total Recall to Alexander.

26 Feb 2025 - 6:00PMvideocam

Claudine Farrell and Colin Farrell at the Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, in 2016. Photo: WireImage

Banking & finance

HSBC to raise US$1.5 billion in perpetual convertible bonds

The bonds will be issued on Thursday and carry an interest rate of 6.95 per cent a year.

25 Feb 2025 - 4:39PM

Pedestrians walk past a lion statue outside HSBC’s Hong Kong headquarters. Photo: Elson Li

Israel-Gaza war

Israel refuses entry to 2 EU lawmakers, accuses 1 of promoting boycotts

Lynn Boylan, who chairs European Parliament EU-Palestine delegation, and French politician Rima Hassan ordered to return to Europe.

25 Feb 2025 - 11:18AMvideocam

TikTok

TikTok to expand e-commerce in more countries as US business remains in limbo

TikTok Shop is expected to enter Italy, Germany, France, Japan and Brazil this year, according to sources.

19 Feb 2025 - 7:00AMvideocam

China-EU relations

Wang Yi heads to Dublin as Ireland’s role in US-China rivalry comes into focus

Chinese foreign minister likely to press case for maintaining ties despite Ireland’s vulnerability to US policy shifts under Donald Trump.

13 Feb 2025 - 4:27PMvideocam

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s coming trip to Dublin has analysts speculating what Beijing’s priorities concerning Ireland are. Photo: Kyodo

Food and Drinks

Holy places Christian, Buddhist, Jewish and Sikh inspire cookbook

From Asia to Europe, Africa, US and Canada, a food writer toured the kitchens of Buddhist and Catholic monasteries, a synagogue and gurdwara.

11 Feb 2025 - 7:15AM

Britain

UK, Ireland start clean-up after record-breaking Storm Éowyn

Wind snapped telephone poles, toppled a wind turbine, and left one person dead and more than a million without power.

25 Jan 2025 - 8:00PM

Britain

UK, Ireland Storm Éowyn leaves hundreds of thousands without power

Many people have been advised to stay at home, with schools closed and public transport halted in some areas.

24 Jan 2025 - 8:57PMvideocam

A man attends to a fallen tree in Dublin, Ireland, as the entire island braces for Storm Eowyn. Photo: AP

US-China relations

US ‘TikTok refugees’ spark global rush of sign-ups to China’s RedNote platform

The Shanghai-based app is topping the charts as the No 1 free-to-use platform in more countries, from Britain and Italy to Canada.

18 Jan 2025 - 12:07AMvideocam

A social media influencer films a video in New York’s Times Square to announce his departure from TikTok for rival Chinese app RedNote. Photo: Reuters

Biomedicine: Companies

China’s WuXi Biologics to sell Irish vaccine facility to Merck as US curbs loom

US passed Biosecure Act which would ban federal contracts with targeted firms and their business partners. Legislation explicitly names WuXi.

7 Jan 2025 - 3:36AM

TikTok

TikTok expands e-commerce operation into Mexico amid potential US ban

TikTok Shop’s geographic expansion south of the United States shows it is undeterred by Washington’s ‘sell-or-ban’ law.

6 Jan 2025 - 6:00PM

Hong Kong transport

Hong Kong’s air passenger traffic soars to pre-pandemic levels over Christmas

Secretary for Transport Mable Chan says the number of flight movements on a single day peaked at about 1,150 during Christmas period.

2 Jan 2025 - 8:41PMvideocam

The city’s transport minister has pledged to increase flight frequency. Photo: Elson Li

Fame and celebrity

Meet Patrick Gibson, star of Dexter: Original Sin and Maude Apatow’s boyfriend

Gibson was first linked to Apatow early this year and the pair went Instagram official in the summer; now he’s turning heads as a young version of fictional serial killer Dexter Morgan

30 Dec 2024 - 5:00AM

Patrick Gibson is dating Maude Apatow. Photo: @paddygibson/Instagram

Cybersecurity

Ireland fines Facebook owner Meta €251 million for data breach

The tech giant infringed EU’s General Data Protection Regulation, according to the country’s data watchdog.

18 Dec 2024 - 10:07AM

Food and Drinks

Drink in Focus: Irish coffee at The Diplomat

This winter warmer, reportedly born at an airport in Ireland in the 1940s, gets a sumptuous upgrade at SoHo hotspot, The Diplomat.

18 Dec 2024 - 12:01AM

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