Top Stories

Bonded: The unravelling of a whiskey facility in Meath

A developer, a contractor, a Scarp process, and an unpaid performance bond. How a "high risk" deal for a whiskey maturation facility in Meath led to a legal showdown with an insurer that refuses to pay up.

After failed tenders and stopgaps, has Dublin’s Housing First scheme found a way forward?

Dublin’s homeless contracting woes come to an end as two new charities are signed up to provide housing support in the capital. The Peter McVerry Trust, however, is not fully out of the picture.

The world’s craziest stock market has turned into a fright ride

A slow-motion collapse in South Korea’s Kospi index erased $2.5 trillion in market value, burning investors who bet on the AI boom, writes Jiyoung Sohn, Sooyoung Rhee and Jack Pitcher, The Wall Street Journal.

Anatomy of a block: How The Hoxton embodies hotel pressure on Dublin’s nightlife

Acquired by private equity in 2019 and mired in a high-profile legal battle, the story of the building that once housed the Central Hotel reveals much about the financial machinations changing the capital's streets.

The Trump intervention that got the DOJ off Live Nation’s back

Antitrust case started out aiming to force concert giant to sell Ticketmaster. After two White House meetings, a deal kept the company intact, write Rebecca Ballhaus, Joe Palazzolo, Dana Mattioli, Josh Dawsey and Dave Michaels, The Wall Street Journal.

Ireland’s thriving medtech sector had a certifier on its doorstep – now the NSAI is winding it down

The standards body, which certifies medical devices under EU rules, is shuttering its medtech unit, creating bottlenecks for companies that need certification services.

LinkedIn has accidentally become a dating site—despite its no-romance rules

The professional platform, with its clear headshots and ample details about a person’s path in life, is becoming a go-to tool for singles, writes Celia Bernhardt, The Wall Street Journal.

“If you want to keep democracy healthy, invest in the mainstream media”

John Ware made acclaimed current affairs programmes for Panorama and World in Action. In the wake of the tragic death of Cambridge academic Jason Arday, he talks about the state of British media today.

Top Voices

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.

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.

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.

Rassie Erasmus did not invent rugby. But he is changing what is possible

South Africa's head coach has led the way in recent innovative thinking. His Springboks team now takes on the All Blacks in four Test matches and the rugby world will be keen to see what he comes up with next.

Thomas Hubert: Social media platforms won’t tackle dangerous driving, but car makers could

There are countless ways existing vehicle technology can override dangerous drivers. Cars should no longer be sold without it.

Dan O’Brien: Employment is the best measure of the economy – and the reading is good

The impact of AI on jobs appear to be slight and slow – for now. Competition for workers between employers in the growing construction and hospitality industries is a bigger factor shaping Ireland's economy.

The Collisons have outgrown the Irish story we tell about them 

John and Patrick Collison have spent 15 years building Stripe into one of the world’s most valuable private companies. And their recent M&A activity shows they are just getting going.

Stuart Fitzgerald: How Danny Buckley defied the odds to deliver thousands of diagnostics with ADHD Now

A widower’s grief and neurodivergence led him into a “spiral” – until he found the strength to turn them into a revolutionary healthcare business.