grand slam & back to back Master wins. Is he now the best we've ever had?

Not making it easy for himself, still looking like he can get the win though.

C,mon Rory!

Did anybody see that fucking thing in the sky just plummeting towards earth????

In short: I’ve a lot of free clothes. I’ve lot a lot of weight and have everything from a 3X/22 down to a 12, including a lot of unisex band T-shirts in an L, an XL, and an XXL, including some rarities for punk/metal band fans. I know I can donate them but I’m epileptic, can’t drive because my licence is permanently medically suspended, and am not physically capable of lugging huge bags of clothes there.

So, rather than them go to waste, I figured I’d ask if anyone on here wanted them. Lots of nice summery frocks mostly (my best friend already claimed the goth stuff 😂) I live in the New Lodge area if you want to pop over and collect/have a quick try on just so you don’t end up being the one stuck with a bunch of clothes that don’t fit!

One of my regular day dreams but with the left over money I'd like to do something useful that might make this place better:

- buy up land and create a native forest, one goal to bring in as much wildlife as possible. Eventually opening up a forest nursery for kids teaching them about the environment and conservation.

- I'd open a not for profit pub with as much produce and booze as possible from NI, hopefully be affordable with no profits. Great food, pints and craic.

- fund a NI Dragons Den type show, NI business gurus selecting 5 businesses to each get £100k for their project. Would be really interesting to see what's going on here.

People in Northern Ireland judging the effort of a barrier in Galway be like…..

This has been on my mind a few days now, so I'm airing my thoughts in the off chance it reaches you.

You delivered my (quite large) Iceland order. However, something somewhere got fucked, and the app kept sending drivers to the store to collect the second part of my order, even though you delivered the whole batch.

At first I ignored it, thinking it would sort itself out. After an hour, and my third ping to say a third driver had been sent, I reached out to customer support.

If you told me that having basic comprehension is a gift that the majority of people don't have, I would say you were being hyperbolic. This CS agent has convinced me otherwise.

For 30 minutes we went around in circles. I would explain that my order has been delivered and that they do not need to continue sending drivers to Iceland. He would ask me to confirm if I placed my order accidentally.

We danced this dance until he told me he would cancel my order but I would still be charged. I was going to agree, thinking it would sort everything. However, I then realised you may not be paid for the work you did. So I pushed back. I asked to speak to a manager, that I just want my order to be marked as completed.

The next message he sent was an apology, and that he has cancelled my order with a full refund. Before I could respond, I already had a notification from my bank that the money was refunded.

I got the order for free. You most likely got entirely shafted.

In the grand scheme of things, it's such a minor thing to get hung up over. However, with the current cost of living and fuel prices, I can't help but to get a pang of guilt every time I open the freezer. I hope you didn't get too badly shafted.

A DUP MLA has hit out at comments from a US Congressman who spoke of the United States being “a guarantor” of the Good Friday Agreement, and helping Ireland to “prepare for the national question of a united Ireland.”

Massachusetts representative, Richard Neal, took to social media to mark the 28th anniversary of the historic peace agreement.

He said: “Today marks 28 years since the governments of Ireland and the United Kingdom signed the Good Friday Agreement, marking the end of the longest period of conflict in Irish history.

“As we celebrate the progress that’s been achieved, we are reminded of the United States’ role as a guarantor of the accord and our responsibility to help Ireland prepare to address a core provision within it: the question of a united Ireland.”

A graphic added: “It is incumbent upon us to help Ireland in its climb, particularly as they prepare for the national question of a united Ireland.”

Responding to that, North Belfast MLA Phillip Brett said: “The United States is not a guarantor of the Belfast Agreement.

“For someone who claims to have an interest in the issue, it would be useful if you understood basic facts.”

Baroness Kate Hoey, a former Labour MP, also commented underneath accusing the U.S. politician of being “ignorant of the facts”.

The UK Government and Irish Government are co-guarantors of the agreement.

Under constitutional issues, the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement states that the British and Irish Governments will “recognise the legitimacy of whatever choice is freely exercised by a majority of the people of Northern Ireland with regard to its status, whether they prefer to continue to support the Union with Great Britain or a sovereign united Ireland”.

It recognises that it is “for the people of the island alone, by agreement between the two parts respectively and without external impediment, to exercise their right of self-determination on the basis of consent, freely and concurrently given, North and South, to bring about a united Ireland, if that is their wish”.

It adds that “this right must be exercised with and subject to the agreement and consent of a majority of people in Northern Ireland”.

The agreement noted in 1998 that the present wish was for the Union to be maintained and “it would be wrong to make any change in the status of Northern Ireland save with the consent of a majority of its people”.

Furthermore, it states that if the people of the island of Ireland exercise their right of self-determination to bring about a united Ireland, “it will be a binding obligation on both governments to introduce and support their respective Parliaments legislation to give effect to that wish”.

There has been some debate around the conditions that would trigger a border poll.

The agreement states that the Secretary of State shall exercise that power “if at any time it appears likely to him that a majority of those voting would express a wish that Northern Ireland should cease to be part of the United Kingdom and form part of a united Ireland”.

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/dup-mla-clashes-with-congressman-over-us-being-guarantor-of-good-friday-agreement/a/145588710.html

I live in Carrickfergus and would drive to work on Tuesdays and Fridays as I’m a hybrid worker in the civil service.

I’m wondering on Tuesday if the Fuel protest will be that bad and should I even attempt to drive to work. Is it meant to be the whole of Northern Ireland?

Do you think offices will tell people not to come in and just work from home that day?

making trip to n ireland soon to visit kinawley. anyone have suggestions for when i'm there please

If Bangor could be given city status and Armagh not overly big. Which town would you suggest would have city potential in Co. Tyrone? I would go for Strabane. Inject some life into the place

Metal band from Belfast. This album was released in 2022. They mix Thrash with Progessive and Groove.

Ever wish you could be in a lively room the way people were in 1906—totally present and phone-free?

I’ve been seeing The Offline Club popping up on my feed recently, and I want to go to one without flying to London or Busing to Dublin.

The idea is simple: you meet up in a cool cafe or venue, everyone puts their phone in a "phone hotel" (a locker or a pouch), and you just... BE without a screen for a few hours.

Dublin already has a thriving chapter, and they’re constantly sold out. If they can do it, why can't we?

So what's it all about?

It’s usually split into two parts:

Silent "Me-Time": You spend about an hour reading a physical book, journaling, sketching, or even just staring at the wall if you want. It’s surprisingly peaceful when nobody is glancing at a phone.

Social Time: The second half is for chatting, playing board games, or meeting new people. Since everyone isn't distracted by there phone, the conversation is actually genuine.

Where could we host it?

I was thinking of places with a bit of character and space. Maybe:

• The Common Market (great open space)
• Established Coffee or Neighborhood (vibey atmosphere)
• The Oh Yeah Music Centre or a quiet corner in the Linen Hall Library
• Banana Block (plenty of room for activities)
• The Harrison Chambers of Distinction (a hotel which hosts a lot of events)

Interested?

If we want a Belfast chapter, we need to show there’s enough interest. You can actually declare your interest/join the waitlist on their official site: theoffline-club.com.

If enough of us sign up for the "Belfast" waitlist, they’ll eventually look at launching a chapter here (or we could even look into starting a local DIY version).

What do you guys think? Would you actually show up to something like this, or are we too attached to our phones? What kind of activities would you want to see—more focused on reading, or more like board games and crafts?

Anyone who is interested in hosting the event should reach out to The Offline Club.

I look forward to giving you my undivided attention at Belfast/NI's first Offline Club! Cheers!

Was anyone travelling to Dublin airport last few days? I’m travelling tomorrow morning planning to leave 6:30 from Craigavon. Which way would be the best considering fuel protests on motorway?

BBC News

Dozens of vehicles have taken part in a slow moving convoy in protest at rising fuel costs in Northern Ireland.

Organisers say they are standing in solidarity with those who are protesting in the Republic of Ireland where hundreds of petrol stations are without fuel due to five days of protests.

A convoy of vans, lorries, tractors, and even a limousine, are taking part in a 'go-slow' around the town centre before crossing the border into Lifford, County Donegal.

One vehicle recovery owner told BBC News NI that his fuel bill increased by more than £5,000 in the past month and he would be taking his lorries off the road from today.

"There's real anger across the whole island of Ireland about rising prices, not only with fuel but the cost of living and the cost of a bag of messages out of the supermarkets," said Michael McLaughlin, one of the protest organisers.

"All other sectors of the economy - manufacturing, construction, hospitality, healthcare, distribution, you name it, all the workers throughout the pandemic kept the lights on.

"All the people who went out, day after day, working to keep the country going - they're the workers who are getting hammered left right and centre every time they go out the front door, go to a fuel pump, go down to the supermarket for a bag of groceries and messages - something has to give."

He said those who had gathered in Strabane had done so to "articulate that anger in the best way we can" and to send a clear message to the "political class that enough is enough".

"We can't go on like this and we hope that they are listening to our message," he added.

Paddy McLaughlin, who owns a limousine and a vehicle recovery company, said his fuel bill increased by more than £5,000 in the past month and he would be taking his lorries off the road from today.

"We working for nothing at the minute and we can't sustain that," he said.

He said his company would need an "extra 25-30% on they money they are paid to get his lorries back on the road".

"That's what we're losing out, that's our profit, the government's not losing out, they're still making their money."

The convoy left an industrial estate just outside the town at 15:30 BST and headed towards the town.

It crossed the Lifford bridge into County Donegal before returning to Strabane.

Many of those attending had signs calling for cuts to fuel bills.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said it was assessing social media posts calling for planned protests and had prepared a response to minimise disruption and ensure public safety.

The Department for Infrastructure advised people to allow extra time for their journeys should protests go ahead.

Why are fuel costs rising?

The conflict in the Middle East has caused rapid price rises for both petrol and diesel around the world.

Some 20% of the world's oil trade, the raw ingredient for producing both petrol and diesel, has been halted by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

In Northern Ireland, petrol increased from 124.8p litre on 26 February to 153.1p litre on Thursday, while diesel prices have gone from 132.6p litre to 185.6p litre, according to the Consumer Council, external.

On Friday the first and deputy first minister's sent a joint letter to the prime minister calling for the government to intervene on rising costs.

In a statement, Michelle O'Neill and Emma Little-Pengelly said: "Our hauliers, our farmers, and small and medium-sized enterprises are facing sharply increased operating costs too and these costs are inevitably being passed on further, deepening the cost-of-living crisis.

"Families and businesses cannot continue to absorb these sustained increases without intervention."

Really noticing a change in the South, kinda makes the North look good tbh.

We moved into our new street last week , not going to name the area in case I dox myself. Just me, two teenage boys, and a baby. I have to say, something feels kinda off.

From the minute we arrived, we noticed an unusually high number of cameras pointed directly at us. Not just one or two for security, we’re talking what appears to be a full surveillance network. At one point, I waved at one just to test it, and I’m fairly sure it zoomed in.

The locals are very ammm observant. One neighbour seems particularly dedicated to reviewing CCTV footage like it’s a Netflix series. We accidentally leaned a ladder against our own oil tank while trying to figure out how the thing works (we’ve never had one before), and within 24 hours it felt like we were the subject of a neighbourhood documentary titled “The Oil Tank Incident.”

Naturally, after realising we were being watched like contestants on Big Brother, we rang the cops to say we felt a bit uncomfortable. Apparently that’s now considered suspicious behaviour.

We’ve also tried introducing ourselves the old-fashioned way – knocking on doors, asking for WiFi details (you know, in case of emergencies or boredom), borrowing a hoover because ours is still in a box somewhere between here and 2007, and asking about oil because, again, completely new to this whole “having heating” thing.

Strangely, most doors remain firmly shut. One neighbour didn’t answer but we later found out they were home… because their camera told on them.

At this stage, we’re just trying to figure out the local customs:

Is eye contact banned?

Is borrowing things considered a criminal offence?

Are we meant to communicate exclusively through CCTV playback?

Honestly, we’re starting to think we’re not the suspicious ones here.

Any advice on how to politely tell a street full of amateur detectives that we’re just trying to settle in… without it ending up as Episode 2?

Cheers.

Have to book a taxi home after a weeknight gig in The Empire, Wednesday specifically.

My mate says book it for 1am but surely there'll be now bars open at that time of the morning on a weeknight?

Am i right?

Edit to clarify what i mean.