Top Stories

The summer that scorched French grapes, English gardens—and Europe’s economy

Record heat withered crops, strained businesses and upended everyday life. It happened faster than anyone expected, write David Luhnow, Stacy Meichtry and Ed Ballard, The Wall Street Journal.

The Wall Street Journal.
31st Aug, 2026 - 9 min read

The world’s drinks order is in. Distillers were expecting more

Alcohol companies are swamped with aged spirits including cognac, bourbon and Scotch whisky, writes Carol Ryan, The Wall Street Journal.
The Wall Street Journal.
31st Aug, 2026 - 3 min read

An “undue” burden: Nuns and golf course among 30-plus to appeal RZLT

Appeals against the residential-zoned land tax were also filed in recent weeks by developers, State bodies, and farmers. Many cases illustrate the lack of infrastructure to service new housing developments.
Niall Sargent
31st Aug, 2026 - 7 min read

Dolly Parton: A life defying expectations

Multiplatinum recording artist and Hollywood actress was also a philanthropist and the head of her own entertainment empire, writes Alan Light, The Wall Street Journal.
The Wall Street Journal.
30th Aug, 2026 - 7 min read

“This idea that there’s a new aristocracy emerging by buying into the legacy of the great house is not that unusual”

Last week it was announced that Mark Zuckerberg had bought Strancally Castle in Waterford. Historian and expert on the great houses of Ireland, Terence Dooley talks about the historical significance and if there is any surprise in big tech buying the big house.
Dion Fanning
29th Aug, 2026 - 5 min read

“What do you do when it stops?”: The League of Ireland’s career problem

Tony McDonnell spent 15 years playing for UCD while building a career in financial services. Now a senior HSBC executive, he believes footballers need more help preparing for the day their playing careers end.
Alice Chambers
29th Aug, 2026 - 6 min read

A billionaire CEO, a Hamptons town and the endless fight over a seafood shack

Apollo Chief Marc Rowan’s seaside joint in Montauk draws celebrities and influencers. The neighbors say it shouldn’t be there at all, writes Erin Mulvaney, The Wall Street Journal.
The Wall Street Journal.
29th Aug, 2026 - 4 min read

Timber was gold in the South—until a market collapse crushed the forest economy

Pulpwood helped launch the region’s industrial era. Mill closures have axed demand, marking the biggest threat since the fall of King Cotton, writes Ryan Dezember, The Wall Street Journal.
The Wall Street Journal.
28th Aug, 2026 - 8 min read

“For years now, we’ve been debating the idea of whether they’re a shared part of our heritage, and if so, how do we actually protect them?”

Dion Fanning
29th Aug, 2026

Mark Zuckerberg’s purchase of Strancally Castle in Waterford made international headlines. But what does it tell us about the world we live in today when a Big Tech overlord purchases a castle? Is this simply a retelling of the days before independence when the community was dependent on the Big House for their livelihoods? Dion Fanning talks to Professor Terence Dooley about the history of the great houses and what might link the past to Zuckerberg.

Top Voices

The budget Kabuki must end: Rewinding the week that was

The real budget problem is not what happens on budget day – it is the lack of discipline that follows it.

Ian Kehoe
30th Aug, 2026 - 4 min read

How Irish farming transformed the Saudi desert into a dairy empire

It is 50 years since Masstock starting building a vast dairy operation in Saudi Arabia. Co-founder Alastair McGuckian, who celebrated his 90th birthday this week, reflects on a lifetime bringing Irish farming expertise to the world.
Tom Lyons
29th Aug, 2026 - 5 min read

Stewardship or subsidies? Why the State should means-test corporate green grants

The State is using public money to de-risk major climate and energy projects of big business. But is it subsidising those with the capital to act alone at the expense of homeowners and SMEs navigating the green transition?

Niall Sargent
28th Aug, 2026 - 6 min read

John Looby: Ignore the noise – there is little new in finance

New technology, new personalities and new financial instruments can create the illusion of change. But beneath the surface, finance remains driven by the same old forces — and the same old mistakes.

John Looby
27th Aug, 2026 - 3 min read

Stuart Fitzgerald: Lessons from Brexit Britain show in economic data from both sides of the Irish Sea

Ireland may not have any intergalactic space warriors, but it still has growth.
Stuart Fitzgerald
26th Aug, 2026 - 4 min read

Watchdog barks, Government spends, multinationals pay – for now

Spending €1bn a year on petrol and diesel subsidies is a lot, but this is just one of several billion-euro levers the Government has access to in the lead up to the budget – unless Ireland finally loses its immunity from successive international crises.
Thomas Hubert
25th Aug, 2026 - 5 min read

Ronan Lyons: Ireland’s rental crisis is no longer a Dublin problem

The capital has seen the slowest rental inflation in Ireland over recent years. That should be good news. Instead, it shows how badly the rental crisis has spread beyond Dublin.

Ronan Lyons
24th Aug, 2026 - 6 min read

Mike Ashley’s Irish playbook: Rewinding the week that was 

Six years ago, Ashley’s Irish operation was losing €19.4m. Its latest accounts show €229m in revenue and a €48m pre-tax profit. The journey tells the story of Ashley’s Irish playbook.
Ian Kehoe
23rd Aug, 2026 - 4 min read

© 2026 Currency Media Limited

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