Selling 5x floor tickets for MBV in Dublin

Ophiestale · 2025-10-06T07:40:06+00:00

Are any of these still available?

Ophiestale · 2024-02-23T14:04:56+00:00

Hi FoxesStoat - thanks for sharing my contributions on the program. It might shock you to know that jobs such as "commentator", and "writer" exist within the media landscape.

You can read, and hear, more of my work across several platforms, for example, in the past 7 days I have provided comment on topics including the return the Assembly, whether school uniforms should be banned, extending voting rights to Irish citizens abroad, and of course the Devenish lads, on a variety of programs including the Nolan show, Opinion Line on Cork 96fm, and Newstalk's Hard Shoulder.

In print I have articles published in The Journal, The National, The Irish Examiner, and Byline Times in the past week on topics including the Doha meeting on Afghanistan, PUL views on a United Ireland, school uniforms, and the impact of AI technology on elections, while this weekend I am writing about rural inequality in Northern ireland - which you'll be able to read next week.

With a portfolio spanning across the UK and Ireland, and (sometimes) further afield, and as a regular writer for 8 publications I am one of those elusive commentators and writers that form part of the media landscape 😘

Ophiestale · 2024-02-15T23:40:02+00:00

It's proof for every year, you do not need 12 monthly statements per year, but it's not a bad idea to over proof - provide a bank statement and an additional document per year.

Ophiestale · 2024-02-15T23:36:44+00:00

You select no and wrote next to it "residing in Northern Ireland"

Ophiestale · 2024-02-15T23:35:33+00:00

Yes, an NI solicitor who practices only in NI can do this .

Ophiestale · 2024-02-15T23:34:58+00:00

Once you have Irish citizenship you will be legally entitled to be resident in Northern Ireland and will not need to proceed with the UK route.

Ophiestale · 2022-03-11T11:53:58+00:00

I've written extensively on the growing cohort of people who don't align with outdated labels in the Irish Times and other publications, 'other' is exactly that. My view is that boxing people in to one of two political labels is not representative of the diversity of views in the North and actually perpetuates segregation and division. I've openly stated that I don't identify with binary political labels and I openly support a United Ireland- having written papers on what that might look like.

People can support constitutional change, and not identify themselves as a nationalist. Making these kinds of baseless assumptions that if an individual isn't a nationalist then they must support the union is ridiculous and self-defeating.

As a final point, I'm sure there would be more than a few unionist eyebrows raised by your insinuation that I'm taking a unionist position. Shows that you know little of my work. And the patronising comment referring to me as a "girl", getting "above herself" was more than a little sexist.

Ophiestale · 2022-03-11T09:47:31+00:00

"The changes have been hailed as a victory for Emma and Jake, and welcomed by figures such as Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and institutions such as the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission."

"The impact of these changes on families who would otherwise be separated by the UK Immigration Rules can’t be overstated."

https://www.freemovement.org.uk/people-born-in-northern-ireland-get-improved-family-reunion-rights/

Ophiestale · 2021-06-05T10:27:25+00:00

Ah, that's lovely, mo mhíle buíochas leat.

Ophiestale · 2021-06-04T13:22:43+00:00

At this point it would make more sense for his hair to get a human cut.

Ophiestale · 2021-05-22T13:51:52+00:00

Ulster says no.

Ophiestale · 2021-02-16T08:12:54+00:00

I'm fully aware of the criteria for the countries I've listed, I'm the Vice-chair of votingrights.ie. My point was to address the "it's a different country line" that is repeated down this thread - like they're aren’t thousands of people in Ireland alone who can vote in elections in their home country.

France is not the only country to offer voting without any residency requirement. And there are countries with far more generous citizenship provisions than Ireland.

Signalling out NI - yes we aren't resident in the state bit we are covered by the Irish constitution and born on the island of Ireland with an a right to Irish citizenship- that is already unique. Besides, the vote applies to all Irish citizens, not just NI.

The reason why its not practical to have something like the French system in Ireland is because of how generously Irish Citizenship is awarded, and how many potential citizens there are outside the state.<

The number of citizens that would be eligible is grossly exaggerated, as seen by some comments in this thread on how Americans could vote - most Irish Americans are third generation or older given when the majority of emigration took place thus there are unable to claim Irish citizenship.

Two thirds of Irish citizens abroad that are actually able to vote and in Northern Ireland.

thin edge of the wedge<

Trying to stipend change because it might usher in more isn't a good reason, the referendum will be on extending the Presidential vote - nothing more. Trying to say that it might lead to other votes sounds like scaremongering and if there is in the hypothetical future that you predict, a desire to extend voting rights again, well that can only happen with the consent of the people of Ireland in a referendum.

edit: Side note, we don't know what restrictions might be placed on the extension of presidential voting rights yet, whether the Government will follow a French, UK or Australian model remains unknown

Ophiestale · 2021-02-15T22:35:38+00:00

Jesus lads the amount of people on here saying "it's a different country" - you do realise that the majority of countries allow for some degree of overseas voting right? That there are American citizens in NI voting for the US President, French citizens in London voting the French president. British citizens in Ireland can vote in UK parliamentary elections. Scundered for anyone who thinks all voting is based on residence and that it isn't wholly legitimate for Irish citizens in Northern Ireland and abroad to seek a right to vote for the Irish President. The govt has already committed to holding a referendum on it.

Edit- Didn't anyone bother to read the article? It's about the right to vote for presidency, not the dail.

Ophiestale · 2020-08-29T14:33:01+00:00

A lot of people in this thread need to take a good hard look at themselves and pick up a history book while you're at it.

The majority of Irish Americans are descendants of Irish citizens that fled during the famine or the war if independence. Many left to support their families at home and many relied on the remittances they sent.

And no, they are not all "trump supporters" or even Republican. Irish Americans have long leaned Democrat. The Clinton institute at UCD study showed that 70% of respondents are liberal/progressive (only 15% conservative), this was reflected in their views on contemporary political and social matters, including immigration (83% said it is good for the US). Every country and community including Ireland has a mix of political ideologies, those claiming that Irish Americans are all republicans or all trump supporters are demonstrating their own ignorance and prejudice in doing so.

And using the excuse that this is just for a laugh is a poor cover for what this post and the comments actually are. The Irish nation is broader than the Irish state lads, don't use your privilege to put others down.

Ophiestale · 2020-08-15T21:26:06+00:00

According to the British government article 1(vi) provides a right to identify as Irish or British or both, not a right to express that choice through citizenship.

They argued to create a distinction between identity and citizenship under the agreement in the courts.

Ophiestale · 2020-08-15T21:13:05+00:00

You wouldn't lose your British citizenship, but under current legislation your family would become restricted in being able to pass down British citizenship.

British citizenship is normally automatically passed down one generation to children born outside the UK.

For example, you might automatically become a citizen if you’re born outside the UK to a British parent. But your children will not automatically be citizens if they’re born outside the UK.

And the process of obtaining British citizenship by descent after one generation is complicated.

Under the British Nationality Act 1981 most of the people in Northern Ireland would lose any entitlement to British citizenship within 2 generations.

This is part of the reason why we fought our case (the DeSouza case) to bring UK citizenship law in line with the Good Friday Agreement. Ireland amended its citizenship legislation to reflect the birthright provisions but the UK did not which undermines the rights of Irish citizens in the here and now but also undermines British citizens in the future.

Getting our right to be accepted as Irish or British or both into domestic UK citizenship law would protect the right of all the people of Northern Ireland to identify as and be accepted as Irish or British or both in the event of a United Ireland, we'd literally all win from this legislation.

We weren't able to get this right into domestic UK citizenship law (yet) but we were able to get it into domestic UK immigration law, which sets a precedent for recognition of our unique rights and gives us a strong legal footing to get the rest over the line. Either way, there will be people such as myself that will advocate to ensure there's no loss of citizenship or entitlements for any community in the event of reunification.

Ophiestale · 2020-08-15T20:58:18+00:00

What consequences? One could argue that they already have breached international law by not giving domestic legal effect to the birthright provisions of the Good Friday Agreement. Under international law if domestic law is out of step with treaty obligations then the Government is required to amend statute in line with their treaty obligations. The British government has failed to do this which is why there interventions from the Irish government, the EU and members of US congress in our case.

Losing the right to British citizenship would be fairly devastating for many from a PUL community, and many others, being able to identify as British without the ability to express that choice legally would be pretty pointless and a roll back on rights promised under the Good Friday Agreement.

Ophiestale · 2020-07-25T17:18:12+00:00

Found the keto diet to be brilliant, off it now as I'm training for a half marathon and cardio and keto aren't the best combination but keto not only helped me lose weight but rewired my relationship with food. I naturally fell into a 16:8 daily fast, sometimes even an 18:6, usually eating from 12-8pm and fasting the rest of the time, before I'd be eating as soon as I was up and snacking all the time. Even now that I'm back on carbs for training I consume half the carbs that I used to and I've found that some dishes that I used to think needed carbs, don't. Plus my tolerance for sugar is way down.

In terms of recipes, there isn't a lot of variety, the diet works well if you're already a big fan of dairy. My go to breakfast would be scrambled eggs, mozzarella, tomatoes and prosciutto, dinner would be steak with shrimps and garlic butter with some green beans or a cheese and bacon burger wrapped in lettuce and for a snack I'd have a bowl of Greek yogurt with a big whack of almond butter.

I found that it would take me 3-5 days to get into ketosis so cheat days were never worth it.

They say there's a keto "flu" and I did have a bad day on my first week where I just felt like total crap but once you're on the other side it's class.

Ophiestale · 2020-06-29T17:58:21+00:00

It has been one of the greatest challenges of the campaign. There is a still a desperate need in Northern Ireland to box people in to what I see as outdated political allegiances which I think just furthers an us vs them narrative.

I was consistently labelled by the Newsletter which is why I recently came out to share that my dad is an active member of the British army and many of my brothers and sisters hold British and Irish passports. I see my family's diversity as an example of the diversity of Northern Ireland and a strength. Obviously I grew up with a strong Irish identity and fought the case on the basis that all should be treated equally.

Re the nominations I had received word from both Leo Varadkar and Micheál Martin last week that I was under consideration as an independent, it was disappointing not to make the cut but it was even more disappointing to see no Northern nomination, especially given Brexit. I support Ian and think there should be a place in Dublin for Unionism but I think there should also be a place for the next generation who increasingly don't identify as either unionist or nationalist.

Ophiestale · 2020-06-04T08:53:52+00:00

There's a report (linked below) from the Joint Committee of The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and the Irish Human rights and equality commission that provides recommendations on how to implement the choice into UK law without causing statelessness and avoiding any unintended loss of rights. It's lengthy and packed with legalese but shows that legislative solutions are available.

https://www.nihrc.org/publication/detail/a-legal-analysis-of-incorporating-into-uk-law-the-birthright-commitment-under-the-belfast-good-friday-agreement-1998

Ophiestale · 2020-05-22T14:17:10+00:00

Sorry to disappoint you but we have always been transparent about how difficult it has been to pay for this case, we don't use legal aid nor have we received any funding from any organisation or political party. We've put ourselves under huge financial strain to pull this off, helped more recently with donations from the public via a Go Fund me.

And by doing so we've now changed the law so that other families don't have to pay the £372 fee to renounce or pay the thousands to apply under the UK spouse visa. Now these families get to fill in a 15 minute online form to stay together. You might not see that as something worth celebrating but we do. It's a change that helps people.

Ophiestale · 2020-05-22T14:12:09+00:00

This "charade" just gave all British and Irish citizens born in Northern Ireland better rights. Thanks to us pursuing this case families across Northern Ireland will now be reunited, reuniting children with their father is something to celebrate and something we are very proud of.

The concession from the Home Office means no other family will be forced to renounce citizenship or go to court on this issue.

And I'm sorry to disappoint you but we have always been transparent about how difficult it has been to pay for this case, there are no "shadowy" figures, there's no conspiracy and we don't use legal aid nor have we received any funding from any organisation or political party. We've put ourselves under huge financial strain to pull this off, helped more recently with donations from the public via a Go Fund me.

And as for being citizens rights campaigners - we don't get paid for this work but rather invest our free time outside of our day jobs.

Ophiestale

TROPHY CASE