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Saoirse Ronan set to reunite with Paul Mescal for new Beatles biopics
Technology

Saoirse Ronan set to reunite with Paul Mescal for new Beatles biopics

Saoirse Ronan has reportedly been cast as Paul McCartney's first wife Linda McCartney in "The Beatles — A Four-Film Cinematic Event." Ronan is set to reunite with her "Foe" co-star and fellow Irish actor Paul Mescal, who has been cast as Paul McCartney. The ambitious biopic project will tell the story of The Beatles with four distinct theatrical feature films. Another Irish actor, Dublin native Barry Keoghan, has been cast as Ringo Starr. Ronan, Mescal, and Keoghan are emblematic of Ireland's next generation of major film stars, each with at least one Oscar nomination to their name. Ronan's casting was reported on Wednesday by Deadline, which noted that with each of the films telling the perspective of one member of The Beatles, "Ronan is expected to feature prominently in the installment centered on McCartney, though it's unknown to what extent she might appear in the other three." Sony Pictures Entertainment first announced the "groundbreaking creative endeavor to tell the story of The Beatles with four distinct theatrical feature films" in February 2024. The project marks the first time Apple Corps Ltd. and The Beatles – Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and the families of John Lennon and George Harrison – have granted full life story and music rights for a scripted film, Sony said at the time. As conceived by Sam Mendes, the four theatrical feature films – one from each band member’s point of view – will intersect to tell "the astonishing story of the greatest band in history." Sony originally eyed a 2027 release, though that has now been pushed to April 2028. "The dating cadence of the films, the details of which will be shared closer to release, will be innovative and groundbreaking," Sony said last year. Mescal and Keoghan were confirmed as one-half of The Beatles at CinemaCon in Las Vegas earlier this year. They're joined by Joseph Quinn, who is playing George Harrison, and Harris Dickinson, who stars as John Lennon. Co Kildare native Mescal previously starred with Ronan, who was born in New York City and raised in Co Carlow, in the 2023 sci-fi thriller "Foe." In an interview with Document Journal, Ronan revealed that while she and Mescal had known each other "in passing" before filming together, they are now "genuine friends." Indeed, the two pals were all smiles in these photos that circulated on social media: View this post on Instagram

Work pressures on GAA games development managers explored in new study
Technology

Work pressures on GAA games development managers explored in new study

A new study exploring the impact of the blurring of boundaries between work and personal life among GAA Games Development Managers finds high levels of achievement fatigue, emotional labour and disrupted personal and family life. The study titled "Caution! Achievement Subjects at Work: A Hanian Analysis of Policy Enactment in Gaelic Games” is written by ATU GAA Development Manager Damien Coleman, stemming from his UCD Master’s Dissertation (UCD), and Paul Donnelly, Ulster University, Seamus Kelly, Northumbrian University, Peter Horgan, GAA, and Paul Potrac, UCD. Published in the prestigious academic journal Sports Coaching Review, the study explores the emotional, relational, and temporal realities of policy enactment within the GAA, drawing on the philosopher Han’s critique of neoliberal subjectivity. Coleman says: “The study finds heightened fatigue and emotional labour due to the impact of metric-drive accountability on relational work and pressure to constantly 'be on' in navigating the everyday demands and dilemmas of policy enactment. "I’d like to thank all of the County Games Development Managers who took part in the study. "The paper is a call to reflect on how we support those tasked with delivering policy in sport — not just in terms of outcomes, but in terms of their well-being.” The study reveals that Games Managers are navigating a complex landscape where their roles are increasingly defined by data reporting systems and performance audits. While these systems aim to ensure accountability and consistency, they often come at the expense of relational and community-focused work. One GM noted: “Everything now is based on metrics, AMS [Activity Management System], measuring everything, data, quantitative… no one cares, just send in the figures. Nothing about quality or standards or the human side.” — (GM7, Interview) This sentiment was echoed across interviews, with participants expressing concern that their work was being reduced to numerical outputs, undermining the interpersonal and developmental aspects of their roles: “Six projects, originally with six key areas. Now, it could be 30! The stress, the demands of it all are tough ... different projects going on at the same time or overlapping. There’s no downtime anymore. You’re constantly spinning plates. It’s tiring. There’s always more to do. I’m not sure many people appreciate what this means for us. But you do it anyway . . . You don’t want to let yourself or other people down” (GM3, Interview). "It’s the workload . . . it’s very high . . . the demands are constant from above and below. The job description says x, but you’ll soon find out it means as long as you need to get the job done well . . . the expectations just keep growing. You want to do well. But it can be really tough going." (GM1, Interview). GMs reported regularly working 60+ hour weeks, often without recognition or support: "We’re officially down to work 39 hours a week, but we all do more. Often, it’s 60 hours or more. And if you complain, you’re told it’s your time management and asked how could you manage things better? It’s not fair or acceptable. Weekends, daily ... it just never stops. And I don’t think anyone cares, so long as you’re doing the job well. And your sense of pride makes you want to do that." (GM6, Interview) Another participant said:"The role can be very enjoyable at times. But it can also be very tough. You’ve got to ride that roller coaster of emotion. I’m not great at dealing with it because I take everything very personally. The work is stressful. The scope is enormous. Lots of stakeholders. No start or end. It’s just constant. I’m always worrying about the next thing coming up. I want to do well. I don’t want to let people down. But some days it takes you into some very low places". (GM1, Interview) This internalised drive to perform, coupled with a lack of trust and autonomy, reflects broader systemic issues in sport governance. The study draws on the philosophical work of Byung-Chul Han to interpret these dynamics, suggesting that GMs have become “achievement subjects”—individuals who self-regulate in pursuit of productivity, often at personal cost. Some participants said it was affecting their homelife: "At home with the family watching TV, and I’m on my phone the whole time. Someone asks a question, and I answer it. But I haven’t a clue what they asked about. Because my mind is consumed with all the work messages and emails. This causes problems at home. I’m never present to my family. There’s so much going on and I know they suffer as a result". (GM7, Interview) "When you reflect on life and go back . . . a young family back at the time, they’re all grown up now, and I wasn’t there. No. But maybe I should have been spending more time with them. My wife checks me up all the time . . .She asks for me to give her attention. She sees my mind drift off to something I should have done at work that day or will be doing tomorrow. She reminds me of the past, and the time lost over last 20 years. I didn’t look at it that way . . . but I should have. My family should have been first. And it wasn’t. I should have been better." (GM4, Interview) The findings raise important questions about how sport organisations balance accountability with empathy. While data systems are essential for strategic oversight, the study argues for a more nuanced approach that recognises the human dimensions of policy work.

Luke Combs to play Ireland's legendary Slane Castle
Technology

Luke Combs to play Ireland's legendary Slane Castle

US country star Luke Combs will play Slane Castle in Co Meath in 2026, organizers announced today, Thursday, October 9. Combs will be playing Slane Castle on Saturday, July 18, 2026, as part of his "My Kinda Saturday Night" tour. The "When It Rains It Pours" singer will be joined by Dublin natives The Script, as well as Ty Meyers, and The Castellowes for the show. Tickets for Luke Combs' concert at Slane Castle will be priced from €121.25 including booking fee (subject to 12.5% service charge per ticket, max €10.50), MCD Productions said on Thursday. Tickets will be limited to eight per transaction. Pre-sale for members of Combs' official fan club The Bootleggers will start at 10 am on Tuesday, October 14. MCD Presale will begin on Wednesday, October 15, at 10 am. Mastercard Presale starts at 10 am on Thursday, October 16. General sales will begin at 10 am on Friday, October 17. View this post on Instagram Grammy-nominated Combs joins an illustrious list of musicians who have played at Slane Castle, including U2, Metallica, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Guns ‘N Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kings Of Leon, David Bowie, and Queen. Combs will be the first musician to play Slane since Harry Styles - supported by Inhaler, Wet Leg, Annie Mac, and Mitch Rowland - headlined in June 2023. He is also the first country music star to play Slane. Combs last played Ireland in October 2023 at Dublin's 3Arena in support of his fourth studio album "Gettin' Old." Commenting on his upcoming tour, Combs said: “This year has been awesome. We’ve gotten to play some of the most iconic festivals in the world and promote country music in ways that it normally isn’t. "That said, while the festivals are awesome, there’s nothing like a headline show on a full tour with all of my fans. It’s hard to beat! "I can’t wait for March 2026 for the ‘My Kinda Saturday Night Tour.’ We’re going to 8 different countries, bringing along a ton of great support, and by then will have a lot of new music to play.”