Politics guy @virginmedianews.bsky.social; host of Monday with Gavan Reilly (10pm, Virgin Media One); weekly columnist @thejournal.ie; bestselling author of 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞: linktr.ee/gavreillyhttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.comhttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mttvgyov4k22Discussion of this no doubt on #MondayGR tonight at 10:05pm on Virgin Media One - not me in the chair tonight, squeezing the last bit out of summer hols! Back for good (🎵 want you back, want you back 🎵) next week for the full autumn and winter run! [contains quote post or other embedded content]24 Aug 2026 18:06 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mttvgyov4k22https://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mttkosh27c2hConfirmed now that the Dáil will convene at 12 noon this Friday, August 28, so that TDs can cancel the increase to fuel taxes that had been due to kick in from Sept 1st. (As reported on @virginmedianews.bsky.social three days ago!)24 Aug 2026 14:54 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mttkosh27c2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mtofusjios25#mufc fans now turning their attentions to the Champions League draw this Friday https://static.klipy.com/ii/d7aec6f6f171607374b2065c836f92f4/02/4b/7RlIruJM.gif?hh=234&ww=360&mp4=NTaczRChEWGz2JJqAoR&webm=me2yJa04jxdx7sVDk22 Aug 2026 13:44 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtofusjios25https://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mtlmy6ncv22t🚨 Dáil is to be recalled next week to pause the increase in fuel excise that was due to take effect on Sept 1st @virginmedianews.bsky.social21 Aug 2026 11:14 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtlmy6ncv22thttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mthlazxvuc26give me a single image from a film that immediately makes you hear the song from the soundtrack in your head [contains quote post or other embedded content]19 Aug 2026 20:32 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mthlazxvuc26https://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mtckhfdwek2uIn studio and ready to go on #MondayGR tonight: will Jim O’Callaghan’s idea, of criminalising driving the wrong way on a motorway, actually make a difference? And what role for social media companies where dangerous driving is harvested for clicks? As always, we’d love your thoughts: [contains quote post or other embedded content]17 Aug 2026 20:35 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtckhfdwek2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mtbzkih3w22hA tech journal worked with a bookshop to put an AirTag into a shipment of books that it suspected were part of a scan-and-shred AI operation. The company which operates at the final destination - an Amazon-operated LLM trainer - has a logo depicting … [checks notes] a dinosaur shredding a book. https://www.404media.co/we-tracked-a-shipment-of-rare-books-it-ended-at-an-amazon-ai-training-facility/17 Aug 2026 15:32 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtbzkih3w22hhttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mt5ee4jehc2pDecathletes and heptathletes are just superhuman. It’s just normal to be that good at that many things. What a superstar Kate O’Connor is15 Aug 2026 19:02 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt5ee4jehc2phttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mt4xo6fzbc2cJust saw the words “Macromedia Flash” for the first time since about 200315 Aug 2026 15:15 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt4xo6fzbc2chttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mt47mhkai22vIn other news likely to prompt widespread dismay and outcry: The Bluey movie will be a 3D animated affair instead of the 2D style used in the series. What on earth?!15 Aug 2026 08:05 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt47mhkai22vhttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mt46rp5q5c2vGovernment indicating in various papers today that (a) the Sept 1st increase in petrol and diesel levies probably cannot go ahead, if it means pushing diesel beyond €2/litre, and (b) they won’t recall the Dáil to avert it because that would seem skittish. It has to be one or the other…15 Aug 2026 07:50 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt46rp5q5c2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mt2nuvasd323With both the Fleadh and Féile last week, Belfast was hopping – and the nationalist community there feeling more empowered vibrant than ever. So why hasn't that fed through to its politics – and why is there open touting of Stormont being pulled down again? This week's column for @thejournal.ie: https://www.thejournal.ie/readme/stormont-north-7130452-Aug2026/14 Aug 2026 17:14 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt2nuvasd323https://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mszfdpotfc2eNigel Farage wins the Clacton byelection, with 22239 votes; his nearest challenger Count Binface took 9455. Farage did not attend the count, citing a threat to disrupt the result, though Essex Police said they had not advised him to steer clear. 34 candidates contested the election. Turnout 44.4%14 Aug 2026 05:09 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mszfdpotfc2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3msyinnitps25Mark English didn’t just run through the line, so much as smash it to bits. Perfection.13 Aug 2026 20:36 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3msyinnitps25https://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3msxvocd5nk2pWho needs Larry the Cat when you can have PQ the Kitty?13 Aug 2026 14:56 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3msxvocd5nk2phttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3msqmlyksfc24Taking a breather this week (and typically enough, I’m smothered with a head cold as my week off begins…!) - John Lee filling in for me this week; I’m back next week and the programme continues right through August 👇🏻 [contains quote post or other embedded content]10 Aug 2026 17:25 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3msqmlyksfc24https://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mso4m6m7rc23The Government Jet has touched down at Casement Aerodrome carrying Daniel Kinahan back to Irish soil. He’s expected to be arrested by Gardaí immediately on arrival and to be immediately brought before a special sitting of the Special Criminal Court to face charges.09 Aug 2026 17:33 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mso4m6m7rc23https://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mskw7igf5k2hThe ‘main’ government jet - which allows direct flights to and from Dubai without refuelling - departed Baldonnel this morning 👇🏻 [contains quote post or other embedded content]08 Aug 2026 11:01 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mskw7igf5k2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3msiscyj6jk2jAs reported on @virginmedianews.bsky.social at 12:30: Donald Trump is expected to be in and out of Dublin in just a few hours next month - he's scheduled to meet the President at the Aras, the Taoiseach at Farmleigh, and make a quick stop to the new Embassy in Ballsbridge, then head away to Doonbeg07 Aug 2026 14:46 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3msiscyj6jk2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3ms727geqok2vWith so much going on in Belfast today - across both the Féile and Fleadh - great to have not alone a full house but an overflow room in St Mary’s [contains quote post or other embedded content]03 Aug 2026 17:41 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3ms727geqok2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mrzx44la322kPOLL: Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks (July 31, MoE 2.8%) Fine Gael 20 Sinn Féin 20 (+1 in four weeks) Fianna Fáil 16 (-1) Social Democrats 10 (-2) Ind Ireland 7 Aontú 7 (+1) Labour 3 Greens 3 PBP-Solidarity 2 Inds/others 12 (+1) https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/poll-fianna-fails-support-slumps-to-two-year-low-while-sinn-fein-and-fine-gael-level-on-20pc/a/159486775.html?utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=share01 Aug 2026 17:02 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrzx44la322khttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mrza5umfuc2xhttps://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/02a8-213e1cb056eb-c0ae1b85aa7f-1000--uefa-welcomes-fifa-s-withdrawal-of-plans-to-sell-a-stake-i/01 Aug 2026 10:11 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrza5umfuc2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mrtsf7kxy22aA couple of months on, an update: the current system allows TDs to lodge PQs simply by sending the text to an designated email address. After the recess they’ll have to use a gated online system to supply questions instead, making it more cumbersome to lodge multiple interrelated questions at once. [contains quote post or other embedded content]30 Jul 2026 06:21 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrtsf7kxy22ahttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mrsdu4ufpk2nThe families of the ten people who died in the 2022 Creeslough explosion have been told a public inquiry into the blast may be held if existing processes like inquests and prosecutions do not offer the answers they want. Govt says it cannot jeopardise prosecutions with a parallel public inquiry.29 Jul 2026 16:29 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrsdu4ufpk2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mrrrf5vrfk27The death has occurred of musician and Oscar winner Glen Hansard. He was 56. The Frames frontman has been named as the fatality from an early-morning motorcycle accident at the Strawberry Beds in West Dublin. @virginmedianews.bsky.social29 Jul 2026 10:58 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrrrf5vrfk27https://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mrq4d63sck26 [contains quote post or other embedded content]28 Jul 2026 19:08 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrq4d63sck26https://bsky.app/profile/gavreilly.com/post/3mrpphprhu22nGermany's chancellor Friedrich Merz tells @virginmedianews.bsky.social he has concerns around Israel's continued expansion of settlements in the West Bank, but has assured that country Germany will not support any sanctions against it at EU level. (1/2)28 Jul 2026 15:18 +0000at://did:plc:pruto64zme7b7pmxnporm4tm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrpphprhu22n