Tuesday’s protest comes nearly two years after violent anti-immigration riots broke out in central Dublin.
Published On 21 Oct 202521 Oct 2025
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At least 1,000 protesters have clashed with police in southwest Dublin, throwing bottles and launching fireworks at authorities during anti-immigration demonstrations sparked by allegations of an attack on a young girl.
Protesters came out in droves after a report that a 26-year-old man had sexually assaulted a 10-year-old girl on the grounds of the Citywest Hotel, which houses asylum applicants in Saggart, southwest of the Irish capital.
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The unnamed man, who appeared in court on Tuesday, was charged in connection with the sexual assault.
Local media reported that the man, who asked for a Romanian interpreter in court, was an asylum seeker. Police have not confirmed his ethnicity.
The young girl was reportedly under the care of the state at the time of the incident. Tusla, Ireland’s child and family agency, said the girl “absconded” during a trip to the city centre and was reported missing.
The protests, held near the grounds of the hotel on Tuesday, turned violent, with anti-immigrant protesters launching fireworks at police, carrying signs that read “Irish lives matter”, and chanting, “Get them out!”
A police van was set on fire as officers charged at protesters, using pepper spray to push them away from the hotel complex, the news agency AFP reported.
“The weaponising of a crime by people who wish to sow dissent in our society is not unexpected,” Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan said in response to the protests. “This is unacceptable and will result in a forceful response.”
Earlier in the day, Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin said the events were “extremely serious and very, very grave”.
Tuesday’s protests come nearly two years after riots broke out in central Dublin in November 2023, after three children were injured in a knife attack outside a school. At the time, police identified the suspect as a man in his 50s from Algeria.
A far-right mob, comprised of at least 100 people, took to the streets of Dublin in the aftermath of the stabbing, torching vehicles and attacking riot police. Some were armed with metal bars and had their faces covered.
Police said that more than 400 officers, including many in riot gear, were deployed to contain the unrest, which they said was “caused by a small group of thugs”. At least thirty-four people were arrested following the rampage.
While Ireland is unique in that it has no far-right members of Parliament, Ireland and the United Kingdom have seen rising anti-immigration sentiment in recent years. Anti-immigration protests across Northern Ireland in June escalated into clashes with police.
Those protests began in Ballymena, a town of about 31,000 people, located 40km (25 miles) northwest of the city of Belfast, when two Romanian 14-year-old boys were arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a teenage girl.
During that unrest, hundreds of masked rioters attacked police and set buildings and cars on fire.
THIS is the nerve-wracking moment a Ryanair plane is forced to abort landing in Storm Amy’s 90mph winds.
The dramatic footage shows the pilot unable to land the aircraft at Dublin Airport on Friday.
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This is the nerve-wracking moment a Ryanair plane attempts to land at Dublin AirportCredit: Tiktok/@flicksey
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As the plane nears the tarmac, the pilot decides to abort the landingCredit: Tiktok/@flicksey
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The aircraft is forced to ascend and circle the airport to try and land againCredit: Tiktok/@flicksey
It comes as Storm Amy swept in on Friday with wind speeds of over 90mph, sparking widespread travel chaos for millions.
Video footage shows the Ryanair plane descending as it approaches the runway at Dublin Airport.
The aircraft can be seen buffeted by strong winds on its way down, knocking it of course as it nears the tarmac at speed.
Just moments before it is due to touch down, the pilot suddenly aborts the landing.
They then pull the plane back up as its forced to go around the airport before it attempts to make another landing.
A plane spotter posted the footage to social media on Friday, alongside the caption: “Ryanair plane has to do a go around because of the high winds.”
Hundreds of users flocked to the comments with some claiming they were on the flight itself.
“I was on that plane, was a very hairy land,” one posted.
Others claimed that it was the “worst flight of my life” and that this was one of two failed landing attempts before the plane diverted to Manchester.
“That plane was like being on the worst roller coaster ride ever, what you see in that video, doesn’t do justice to what went on onboard,” stated another.
Tens of thousands without power as Storm Amy’s 90mph gusts and torrential rain lash Britain killing one man
According to them, other passengers were panicking and an “elderly gentleman had to be taken from Manchester Airport straight to the hospital”.
Storm Amy is expected to cause further travel disruption across the UK and Ireland on Saturday with flights, rail and ferry services cancelled.
Belfast International Airport said it was expecting delays on Saturday and advised passengers to check with their airlines.
Due to winds reaching up to 100mph in some areas, “risk to life” warnings have been issued too.
Irish Police confirmed on Friday that a man in his 40s had died following a “weather related incident”.
The Scottish island of Tiree has recorded the highest wind speeds at 96mph while a provisional October record for Northern Ireland was set with 92mph gusts in County Londonderry.
An amber wind warning has been issued for the north of Scotland until 9pm on Saturday with yellow warnings covering the whole of Scotland, the north of England and north Wales until the end of the day.
A yellow wind warning will run until 7pm for the rest of England and Wales.
Additionally, yellow warnings for rain are in place in north and west Scotland until midnight and in Northern Ireland until noon.
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As the plane descended, it was visibly struggling with strong winds brought in by Storm AmyCredit: Tiktok/@flicksey
Pittsburgh are six-time Super Bowl winners – a record they share with the New England Patriots – and their defence of the 1970s became known as the Steel Curtain.
The franchise has continued to be renowned for its defence and this would have been a performance to make proud the Steelers’ late president Dan Rooney, who was the US ambassador to Ireland from 2009 to 2012.
Minnesota earned more first downs, more yards and had more time in possession, yet back-up quarterback Carson Wentz was stifled by the Steelers throughout.
The 32-year-old was sacked six times and intercepted twice, and the second of those picks – by TJ Watt late in the third quarter – drew one of the biggest cheers of the day as the Steelers’ star linebacker raced to the sideline and booted the ball into the Croke Park crowd.
Rodgers said Pittsburgh’s offence is still a work in progress after the four-time MVP and star receiver Metcalf were brought in during the off-season, and he said on Friday that the “next big improvement will be the run game, getting over 100 yards”.
Their previous best this season was 72, but they managed 131 in Dublin, with Gainwell registering 99 himself, while Rodgers and Metcalf connected for the kind of highlight-reel play the Steelers hope they will produce time and again this season.
Veteran Rodgers completed an impressive 18 passes from 22 attempts for 200 yards, but it was Pittsburgh’s defence that again stepped up as Minnesota threatened a fightback in the final minute.
It was reminiscent of the team’s golden era and raised hope of Mike Tomlin’s men mounting a play-off push this season after improving their record to 3-1.
“It’s an honour to represent American football here in Dublin,” said coach Tomlin. “It was just a great trip.
“We made it a little more entertaining than maybe it should have been, but the Vikings had a lot to do with that. That group’s got a lot of fight.”
BRITISH actor James Norton has said he “worked hard” to perfect his Dublin accent for his upcoming series House Of Guinness.
Norton, 40, plays Sean Rafferty, foreman of the Guinness brewery, in the eight-part Netflix series from Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight.
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James Norton worked hard on his accentCredit: Getty
House Of Guinness brings to life the real scandals, power struggles and generational secrets of Ireland’s most famous family.
The series reimagines the fallout from Sir Benjamin Guinness’s death, set against the backdrop of 19th-century Dublin and New York.
The Happy Valley actor said he was adamant to get the accent right. Norton said: “I worked hard. I was aware that many actors have gotten it wrong, and the Irish are a proud bunch so if you get it wrong, you hear about it.
“I worked hard and had great guidance from my fellow cast members.” Norton, who recently starred in and co-produced historical drama series King & Conqueror for BBC One, said he learned a lot about 19th century Irish history from the Guinness show.
He said: “It’s always a privilege, and part of our job is being given the opportunity to explore periods of history we might not otherwise encounter.
“For me, it was a massive revelation. I hadn’t realised how influential the Guinness family was on Dublin’s architecture, or the extent of their welfare and philanthropic efforts, like the pensions and support they provided, which are portrayed in the show.
“They were also pioneers as a brand, becoming one of the first multinational drinks companies and dominating North America as the biggest beer brand of their time. It was both eye-opening and an incredibly thrilling journey to delve into all of that.”
The show explores the impact of Sir Benjamin’s will on the futures of his four adult children: Arthur, played by Derry Girls actor Anthony Boyle; Edward, portrayed by Enola Holmes star Louis Partridge; Anne, played by The Responder actress Emily Fairn; and Benjamin, portrayed by Normal People actor Fionn O’Shea.
Boyle, 31, whose character is homosexual, said he drew inspiration from Irish poet and writer Oscar Wilde for his role.
He said: “I looked a lot at Oscar Wilde, particularly because of the threat of someone finding out about your sexuality at that time and you could have resulted in 20 years of hard labour, which is essentially a death sentence, which is what Oscar Wilde was sentenced to.
“And reading a lot of his work, like the Ballad Of Reading Gaol.”
First look at Netflix’s House of Guinness
Boyle, who leads the series, said he is particularly proud that the programme showcases Irish culture.
“I’m really, really proud Irish culture is having such an amazing moment right now on the global stage and I feel really, really proud of having artists like Kneecap and Fontaines DC being on the soundtrack. It’s class.”
Knight, 66, who is writing the script for the next James Bond film, said the series’ ability to showcase Irish culture is like a “Christmas present”.
He said: “It’s not an effort to force it in, it’s already there. And then there’s that whole generation of Irish music, along with this incredible generation of young Irish actors.”
Knight added that the Guinness family provided an excellent stimulus for dramatic storytelling.
He said: “I was immediately surprised no one’s done this because the story is dynamite, the characters are so interesting and the dynamic of the family. It’s all there ready for you.
“There’s the reading of the will, which is a dramatic moment. Sir Benjamin Guinness leaves millions of pounds, along with land, lakes and castles. Yet his four children are all left unhappy with the terms. They must then go on and live their lives. It’s fantastic.”
House Of Guinness premieres on Netflix on Thursday.
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The star said he was inspired by Oscar WildeCredit: PA
A 500kg unexploded Second World War bomb found in a Plymouth back garden triggered a warning to some 50,000 phones in February last year.
Messages can be targeted to relatively small areas to pinpoint those at risk.
Some 15,000 phones were alerted during flooding in Cumbria in May 2024, and 10,000 received a warning during flooding in Leicestershire in January this year.
The system is designed for use during the most likely emergencies to affect the UK and warnings would also be transmitted ontelevision,radioand locally by knocking on doors.
Cops issue urgent safety advice as Storm Eowyn triggers rare red weather warning
When James Joyce first travelled from Dublin to Trieste in 1904, he went via Paris, Zurich and Ljubljana. Zurich, because he mistakenly believed a job to be awaiting him there, and Ljubljana because – groggy after the night train – he thought they’d pulled into Trieste. By the time he twigged, the train had departed and, without ready cash, Joyce and his partner Nora Barnacle had to spend a night on the tiles.
Preferring to travel by train, when I received the invite to be writer-in-residence at the James Joyce summer school in Trieste, I wondered if I might follow Joyce’s route. But repair work on Austria’s Tauern Tunnel prevented me from taking the exact route. Besides, today’s TGV tears through France at nearly 200mph, in comparison to the 25-60mph speeds at which Joyce would have navigated Switzerland and Austria. A night on the town in Milan is just as good for the muse.
Along the route from London to Trieste (and then by bus to Ljubljana), I considered the lineage of writers who traversed Europe in this way 100 years ago and how different their aesthetic, physical and emotional experiences must have been. And, importantly, what they would have seen. What we see from trains – and how we see it – reflects a century of profound social, economic and environmental transformation. Trains represent progress as much as they ever have, but – today – a different sort of progress.
Trieste, James Joyce’s home until 1915. Photograph: Dreamer4787/Getty Images
My journey got off to an eventful start when the Eurostar announced delays due to cable theft near Lille. Around 600 metres of copper cable were stolen overnight from the high-speed line. A testament to the proficiency of France’s railway workers, we arrived roughly on time in Gare du Nord, Paris. A station where Joyce penned a letter to his brother, observing: “I hate the bustle but the station has its own strange poetry, the sound of footsteps, the distant whistle of the steam engines, and the sudden clanging of the signal bell.” For those sounds of steam whistling, coal shovelling, bells clanging, currencies exchanging and porters calling, today we have digital chimes, polylingual announcements, and beeping ticket barriers. Across the city, fake bird sounds chirp throughout Gare de Lyon, intending to induce calm, but instead making people search overhead for the poor trapped birds.
Instead of the illustrated posters of the belle epoque, emblazoning the walls of the metro from Gare du Nord today are climate change equations from Liam Gillick’s artwork The Logical Basis, commissioned for the COP21 climate conference held in Paris in 2015. Honouring the climate models of Nobel prize-winning physicist Syukuro Manabe, Gillick’s work has been criticised for not explaining the equations, and so keeping the simple, crucial facts of climate change at a remove from the general public.
It still seems to be the case that we don’t understand our own impact on the climate crisis. Electrified trains allow us to travel with a fraction of the carbon footprint of air travel. I still fly but try to find alternatives when I can. Less mental and moral gymnastics are required when travelling by land or sea – especially while temperatures break all records. So trains are simply more relaxing … except financially.
Virginia Woolf, who travelled solo from London to Turkey by train when she was 24, wrote that “a traveller, even though he is half asleep, knows, looking out of the train window, that he must look now, for he will never see that town, or that mule-cart, or that woman at work in the fields, again”. Never mind that woman, to see any person working in the fields from a train window these days is unlikely. Instead of vibrant country villages (and the explosion of cities taking place in the early 20th century), we have urban sprawl and suburbanisation that would have been unimaginable in Woolf’s time. Instead of the diverse cereal and crop production of a century ago, today’s fertilised pastures of animal agriculture and vast tracts of land used to grow animal feed dominate European landscapes. The consequences of that are everywhere, from the overall temperature (France is 1.9C warmer than it was in 1900) and weather pattern changes, to soil degradation, polluted air and waterways, and biodiversity loss. But to know how radically the landscape has changed in just a few decades is to know to what degree it can change again.
James Joyce and his publisher, Sylvia Beach, in Paris in 1920. Photograph: Bettmann Archive
In the early 20th century, rail passengers would have witnessed the hydroelectric revolution, as water power in the Alps was being developed extensively. The construction of dams and reservoirs fundamentally altered alpine hydrology, creating the artificial lakes, dams, power lines and industrial infrastructure we’re used to today. One undoubtedly positive change in the past 100 years has been a significant effort towards reforestation. And while those forests are generally commercial – with about 80% classified as “forest available for wood supply” – natural forests and meadows are almost instantly possible with a shift towards a plant-rich diet, as just one example. And pastures might be replaced with solar or wind farms. Perhaps there’s something helpful in seeing where our energy comes from, so that we understand its impact. Writers took great courage in the hydroelectric revolution: it allowed them to reach the Alps by train. It represented progress, modernity and independence, as did the electric trains themselves.
For a period, rail became militarised, and trains were rerouted for troop movements and deportations, with civilians facing extreme delays, rationing and danger. Joyce fled his home in Trieste (then part of the Austro-Hungarian empire) during the first world war, as he was considered an enemy alien. At Feldkirch station in Austria, he narrowly escaped arrest. (His brother had already been separately arrested, in Trieste, and was detained until the end of the war.) He later told his biographer that “at Feldkirch station,” he “felt the fate of Ulysses was decided”. During the second world war, many writers and artists were among those who used Europe’s rail network to flee the Nazis.
When sniffer dogs boarded the TGV on the French-Italian border, and police demanded to see my passport and to know which bags were mine and the reason for my travel, I replied: “The James Joyce Summer School,” propping up my Books Upstairs tote bag and nodding at Ulysses on my tray table, which surely cast me as a bad spy. Before the first world war, passports and visas were rarely required within western Europe. After the war, this changed, and border stops were far longer and more frequent, to allow for paper checks.
But if Joyce carried a passport in 1904, it would have been a British one, with him being classified as a British subject. I was surprised to discover that Joyce repeatedly rejected the opportunity to obtain an Irish passport, post-independence. I knew from reading his work that he spurned narrow nationalism, embracing a cosmopolitan and diverse European modernism. But to reject an Irish passport was to limit his practical freedoms. Samuel Beckett’s Irish passport allowed him to stay in France and take part in resistance activities. Spending the vast majority of their lives on the continent, they both strongly identified as European. Europeanness is surely defined – even today – more by train travel than by anything else.
Caoilinn Hughes’s journey to Trieste.
Despite Frantz Fanon brilliantly immortalising a racist incident on a train in France in his book Black Skin, White Masks, rail travel in Europe has been a sanctuary from racial prejudice for many, like Jamaican-American writer Claude McKay andpoetLangston Hughes. Hughes wrote of the freedom from segregation and ostracisation on Soviet Union trains in particular: “No Jim Crow on the trains of the Soviet Union”. He travelled to south central Asia on the Moscow-Tashkent express, a journey which Russia’s war on Ukraine prevents today – largely cutting off the entire eastern world from Europeans who don’t fly.
Trains have been for many artists a mode of escape as well as a means of belonging. They are communal and sustainable, and they cannot but make us more considerate. Post-Covid, there is something consoling in the quiet companionship of trains. Well, not always quiet, but writers spend so long alone in caves (with our characters), it does us good to remember that real people exist, with all their tuna sandwiches and taking off of shoes.
Virginia Woolf, who wrote of the impermanence of life as seen through a train window. Photograph: Album/Alamy
Class segregation is less stark today than in the 20th century’s first-, second- and third-class carriages. Today’s first and second classes are largely differentiated by seat size, phone-charging facilities, and the occasional cufflink. In place of Edwardian plush velvet upholstery and decadent dining cars, today we enjoy scratchy, synthetic, easy-to-clean interiors, and minimalist dining cars full of Dutch teenagers. Writers – barring those with patrons or trust funds – can generally be found in the cheap seats.
The enlivening, philosophical aspects of train travel carry on into the 21st century: observing life and landscape; partaking in a sustainable infrastructure; witnessing the endless novelty, education and privilege that it affords; making one think, as Joyce put it, “of all the worlds moving simultaneously”. Air travel has undoubtedly facilitated untold progress, but progress is subjective and contextual. It always involves an untold or suppressed story. Slow travel allows us to think in the longer term. It could serve us well to better see where we have come from and where we are going.
Caoilinn Hughes’s latest novel is The Alternatives, published by Oneworld (£9.99). To support the Guardian and Observer order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply
Galway, located on the west coast of Ireland, is a vibrant and culturally rich city that offers a unique blend of old-world charm and contemporary energy. But is it better than Dublin?
Galway is “better” than Dublin, some claim(Image: (Image: Getty))
A charming Irish city boasting a distinctive mix of historic appeal and modern vitality has been praised as “better” to Dublin. Galway, commonly known as the “City of Tribes,” is a dynamic and culturally abundant city situated on Ireland’s western coastline.
The destination is renowned for its creative soul, energetic ambience and closeness to some of Ireland’s most breathtaking natural scenery. Travel blogger The Tales of Tiny Boots penned about Galway: “When I think of Dublin city, I think of people rushing around, walking as fast as they can through the streets, glued to their phones and getting to their next destination.
“The atmosphere is cold. Now to jump to Galway. How do you even compare it? As well as cultural capital, the city is bathed in bohemian vibes that every visitor falls in love with.” In other news,an abandoned UK Butlin’s site is now seaside town’s ‘hell hole’ hotel.
Galway feels like a one long 24/7 festival(Image: (Image: Getty))
They added: “It feels like Galway is one long 24/7 festival. There is music always drifting through the streets, there are crowds of people milling around and if there is sun, you will find every patch of grass occupied by groups of people drinking, laughing and having the craic.
“Life is a lot slower in Galway. People walk slower, they are not rushing and focused on where they need to get, they just enjoy walking around the city. The relaxed vibes emanate from the cobbled streets of the Latin quarter. It is such a happy atmosphere in the streets coupled with amazing performers enticing walkers by to stop and enjoy the entertainment.”
Galway, a city renowned for its vibrant arts scene, is a cultural powerhouse. The city plays host to a plethora of festivals throughout the year, including the Galway International Arts Festival, Galway Film Fleadh, and the Galway Races, reports the Express.
Traditional Irish music is a staple in Galway’s numerous pubs, offering live performances in an authentic setting. In 2020, the city was crowned the European Capital of Culture, underscoring its reputation as a hub for creativity and cultural expression.
The city centre is marked by its narrow, winding streets that hark back to medieval times. Eyre Square, the Spanish Arch, and the Claddagh area are just a handful of the historic sites that lend the city its unique character.
Galway Cathedral is one of the largest and most iconic buildings in the city(Image: (Image: Getty))
Another draw for tourists is the city’s diverse and thriving food culture, with a strong focus on local produce and seafood. The city boasts several award-winning restaurants, as well as a variety of cafes and food markets.
Galway’s nightlife is legendary, offering a wide array of pubs featuring everything from traditional Irish music sessions to contemporary live bands. The Latin Quarter, in particular, is a favourite spot for both locals and tourists looking for a lively night out.
One traveller wrote on TripAdvisor forum: “Galway Bay is the site of a historic city in the West of Ireland. These days, the cobbled narrow back streets are homes for artisans. Among the artisans are those who knit the ganseys. ‘Ganseys’ are derived from ‘Guernsey,’ which are worn by fishermen.
“The ganseys are uniquely knit to a family pattern, which helps identify those fishermen who work at sea. The Claddagh is a historic fishing village that is known for its location and beauty. Galway is a wonderful place to wander around in search of artisan products.”
A second user said: “Sat here while visiting with my daughter in Galway and ate our donuts and bagels from the market that day. The market is a must-do as the food is incredible as well as the arts and crafts you can see and buy.”
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell believes NFL fans and newcomers to the sport in Ireland will be seeing the best wide receiver “on the planet” in Justin Jefferson when his side play in Dublin in September.
On Tuesday, the Vikings were confirmed as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ opponents for the first ever regular-season game in Ireland.
As part of a record seven international matches to be played in 2025, the sides will meet at Croke Park on 28 September with the Vikings then going on to face the Cleveland Browns at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium the following week.
In four-time All-Pro selection Justin Jefferson, the Vikings will have one of the game’s genuine superstars in their ranks.
“Justin Jefferson, if fans don’t know about him yet, they certainly will very soon,” O’Connell said.
“Getting the opportunity to see the best wide receiver on the planet in my opinion is a great start to getting to know the Minnesota Vikings, as well as a whole lot of great players on our offence and our defence.
“It’s a heck of a match-up with the Steelers and two great franchises battling it out to get a very important win.”
