{"id":581470,"date":"2026-07-12T07:13:24","date_gmt":"2026-07-12T07:13:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/581470\/"},"modified":"2026-07-12T07:13:24","modified_gmt":"2026-07-12T07:13:24","slug":"man-overboard-conflict-of-interest-sees-country-musics-declan-nerney-dropped-from-all-star-cruise-bill-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/581470\/","title":{"rendered":"Man overboard: \u2018Conflict of interest\u2019 sees country music\u2019s Declan Nerney dropped from all-star cruise bill \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

The world of country music has long had a dog-eat-dog reputation. While it\u2019s not quite Nashville, the Irish scene has many artists and promoters doing what they must to get by. <\/p>\n

Fans of Co Longford musician Declan Nerney<\/a> were saddened to learn he had recently been removed from the bill for the All-Star Irish Charter Cruise, an event run by Gertrude Byrne Promotions, which describes itself as the \u201conly Irish promoter in the world to charter an entire cruise liner\u201d.<\/p>\n

The cruise takes place in September on the MS Oosterdam, a liner with capacity for 1,964 guests. It departs from Barcelona and calls at Marseilles, Nice, Rome and Portofino, with entertainment from Daniel O\u2019Donnell<\/a>, Celtic Thunder, Nathan Carter<\/a>, The Kilfenora C\u00e9ili Band and others. Places on the sold-out cruise were priced from $1,399 to $3,799 (\u20ac1,227 to \u20ac3,333). <\/p>\n

An email sent by Byrne to ticket holders stated that Nerney would no longer be appearing due to a \u201cconflict of interest\u201d. Overheard understands this relates to the Stop the World and Let Me Off singer preparing to host the \u201cInaugural Declan Nerney River Cruise\u201d, which will depart from Amsterdam in April and meander \u201cdown the majestic Amstel River\u201d.<\/p>\n

Nerney said he was \u201cvery disappointed\u201d to receive a call telling him of his removal from the bill after \u201cgiving good service over the last 30 years\u201d to Byrne\u2019s cruises.<\/p>\n

In response to queries, Byrne, a New York-based Co Mayo native, said: \u201cThis matter has already been discussed with Mr Nerney, and I have nothing further to add.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nerney and his fans will be off to Spain soon enough, with his annual \u201cHooley in The Sun\u201d kicking off at a hotel in Huelva on September 21st. \u201cA week of top-class entertainment is guaranteed,\u201d his website says. <\/p>\n

Man on a mission: Enda Kenny off to New York as part of new gig <\/p>\n

Bunreacht na h\u00c9ireann separates power between the legislature, executive and judiciary. Past and present members of that trinity are joining forces in September to jet off to New York City to showcase the \u201cdepth, capability and competitive advantages of the Irish legal profession\u201d to US corporations and law firms.<\/p>\n

Ireland for Law, an initiative launched in 2019 as part of the State\u2019s \u201cstrategic response\u201d to Brexit<\/a>, is arranging the \u201cbusiness mission\u201d. Its recently appointed chairman, former taoiseach Enda Kenny<\/a>, and representatives of Irish law firms and senior members of the Bar are travelling, as are Minister of State at the Department of Justice Catherine Ardagh (a solicitor), Attorney General Rossa Fanning (a senior counsel) and High Court president David Barniville. <\/p>\n

\"FormerFormer taoisigh Enda Kenny (left) and Bertie Ahern at the opening ceremony of Ireland’s presidency of the Council of the European Union earlier this month. Photograph: Bryan Meade\/EPA <\/p>\n

The three-day itinerary lists eight main events across Manhattan and sounds as thrilling as you would expect. It includes \u201cLitigating in Ireland: Cross-Border Disputes, Investigations and Data Privacy\u201d (hosted by BDO USA); \u201cFinancial Services in Ireland: Where Global Finance meets Trusted Law\u201d (hosted by law firm Dechert); and \u201cIreland as a Gateway for Global Aircraft Leasing\u201d (hosted by the New York City Bar Association).<\/p>\n

Kenny described the legal system as \u201ca core national asset, contributing over \u20ac6.7 billion to the Irish economy each year\u201d. <\/p>\n

\u201cAs the only English-speaking common law jurisdiction in the European Union, Ireland offers a strong, stable and internationally respected legal framework,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

We can thank Brexit for that.<\/p>\n

Fancy taking on the tech giants? Here\u2019s the job for you<\/p>\n

One entity making much work for Irish legal practitioners these days is media regulator Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n<\/a>. Overseeing the internet is complicated business and the commission has, in effect, acknowledged that being sued<\/a> is an occupational hazard in a world of social media giants. Accounts for 2024 showed it ran up almost \u20ac6 million in legal costs between advice and defending cases in court.<\/p>\n

It is now seeking to fill a key role, that of Online Safety Commissioner, a statutory post involved \u201cin the design, development and implementation\u201d of its strategies, policies and procedures. <\/p>\n

\"NiamhNiamh Hodnett is leaving the role of Online Safety Commissioner with Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n. Photograph: Dara Mac D\u00f3naill <\/p>\n

Niamh Hodnett, who was appointed in 2023 upon the establishment of the commission, is leaving the job to join the communications regulator (ComReg). She departs with the blessing of Minister for Communication Patrick O\u2019Donovan, who said Hodnett had \u201ccontributed enormously to making the internet a safer place for everyone, but in particular our children\u201d. No pressure, then, on the successor. <\/p>\n

The next commissioner will be appointed for a five-year term with an annual salary of \u20ac200,698. <\/p>\n

An advert on the publicjobs website says key aspects of the role include developing the commission\u2019s \u201cunderstanding of online harms and best practice in mitigating them\u201d. <\/p>\n

The appointee will also consider reports arising from investigations into online safety framework breaches and, if appropriate, \u201cimpose financial sanctions and other remedies on providers\u201d \u2013 in other words, make more work for the lawyers. <\/p>\n

Prepare to be Gript at the Percy French Festival <\/p>\n

Those attending the 18th annual Percy French Festival at Castlecoote House in Co Roscommon this week are preparing to be gripped by \u201cinformed social and cultural discussion of Ireland today\u201d. Or should that be Gript? <\/p>\n

The summer school celebrates the late musician and artist (1854-1920) behind songs including The Mountains of Mourne, Come Back Paddy Reilly to Ballyjamesduff and Are Ye Right There Michael? <\/p>\n

\"PercyPercy French: The Co Roscommon-born artist and musician died in 1920 <\/p>\n

Michael D Higgins is honorary president of the festival, which is this year examining \u201cThe Crisis of Identity\u201d.<\/p>\n

The line-up includes John McGuirk, who recently resigned as editor<\/a> of conservative news website Gript, having been suspended in March. His address is entitled \u201cCombatting the Culture of Fear\u201d. <\/p>\n

Barrister Sarah Ryan, McGuirk\u2019s co-host on the Something Different with John and Sarah podcast, is giving an address entitled \u201cA Nation of Willing Believers\u201d. Ryan and McGuirk previously hosted Gript\u2019s podcast The Week That Really Was. <\/b><\/p>\n

Aont\u00fa leader Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn, who regularly features in Gript\u2019s dispatches, will be discussing \u201cThe Crisis in Irish Identity\u201d. <\/p>\n

\"MariaMaria Steen will make the keynote address at the Percy French Festival. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw <\/p>\n

The keynote address, entitled \u201cUnravelling the Other Golden Thread\u201d, will come from Maria Steen<\/a>, a barrister and Iona Institute member. Steen\u2019s inability to secure a nomination to contest last year\u2019s presidential election was slated on Gript, including in an opinion piece by former senator Marie Louise O\u2019Donnell, who is also on the festival line-up, under the headline \u201cthe presidential election is a disgrace\u201d. <\/p>\n

The festival runs from Wednesday to Friday with day tickets costing \u20ac50, which covers three to four lectures, an afternoon recital and coffee\/tea and cake. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The world of country music has long had a dog-eat-dog reputation. While it\u2019s not quite Nashville, the Irish…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":581471,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[75],"tags":[34888,172595,247200,18,17858,117,19,17,46092,30253,159817],"class_list":["post-581470","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-entertainment","tag-coimisiun-na-mean","tag-daniel-o-donnell","tag-declan-nerney","tag-eire","tag-enda-kenny","tag-entertainment","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-john-mcguirk","tag-maria-steen","tag-nathan-carter"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/116905771750883708","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/581470","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=581470"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/581470\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/581471"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=581470"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=581470"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=581470"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}