Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Royal Irish Academy @ria.ie · 17h

Join us on 23 October for Revealing the Past, a biennial conference on recent archaeological discoveries and research funded by @nationalmons.bsky.social , Historic Environment Division NI, and @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social via RIA grants

Book your tickets now: www.tickettailor.com/events/royal...

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Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 1d

haha, i didn’t even notice until you pointed it out and now i can’t unsee all those fonts!

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Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 1d

We all need to thank the Local bar on Military Road, Cork, for the win tonight. They tipped Ferguson for the win! #IrevArm

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Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 1d

Cork today #nopeaceonstolenland #palestine

White wall with purple graffiti ‘no peace on stolen land’

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Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 1d

In a country where elected politics has been dominated by the centre right pretty much since the formation of the state it has always been a huge relief to have Irish Presidents (at least in recent times) being more left leaning and interested in social justice. Long may it continue #Connolly

Joe Noonan @joenoonan.bsky.social · 1d

“What Connolly would do is keep the presidency going as some kind of alternative space in the State’s official life.

The Áras would continue to function as a counterweight to Govt Bdgs, a space in which a wider set of Irish realities can be recognised.

Can we really afford to have no such space?”

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Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 1d

Fantastic event hosted by Maynooth University - Scholasticide in Palestine and the responsibilities of Western Universities. 21 October, in person and online. Not to be missed! www.maynoothuniversity.ie/news-events/...

Scholasticide in Palestine and the Responsibilities of Western

The Israeli state has systematically targeted and repressed Palestinian education since the 1948 Nakba. Over the past two years, Israel's perpetration of ‘scholasticide’ against Palestinian scholars,

www.maynoothuniversity.ie

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Joe Noonan @joenoonan.bsky.social · 1d

“What Connolly would do is keep the presidency going as some kind of alternative space in the State’s official life.

The Áras would continue to function as a counterweight to Govt Bdgs, a space in which a wider set of Irish realities can be recognised.

Can we really afford to have no such space?”

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PCI Archaeology @pciarchaeology.bsky.social · 2d

1/4 New recommendation: @ehmalatesta.bsky.social et al. (2025) Rethinking Caribbean Archaeology: Towards an ethical position for a truly decolonial practice. ver.3 recommended by @pciarchaeology.bsky.social osf.io/4ge5j

Figure 2 from the recommended article: Topics generated in the OST session on 14th November 2023 and their assignment to six umbrella topics for further discussion by the workshop participants (Figure by Kathrin Nägele).

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Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 6d

You have to wonder how they locate ‘experts’ beyond those who like to promote their ever-changing opinions all over social media.

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Florian Foos @florianfoos.bsky.social · 9d

🚨 We have a cool new ESRC PhD studentship opportunity on the topic of political persuasion for someone interested in campaigning, field experiments and/or computational methods @lsegovernment.bsky.social, in collaboration with
@campaign-lab.bsky.social. All info 👇
www.lse.ac.uk/study-at-lse...

LSE Collaborative Studentship with Campaign Lab

www.lse.ac.uk

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Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 9d

I don’t think there is an ideal
solution to what you’ve noted is a growing issue but my experience of living in places where flags were used in a v similar (intimidating) way and nothing was done is the far right does not back down, but rather is enabled, by the inaction of everyone else.

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Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 9d

We are one of the richest countries in the world, we can sit back and let flags be erected and can do nothing to take them down, at least from city centres? Money can be found if it is needed, if we dont think it’s intimidating white people we do nothing. I find it shameful.

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Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 9d

White man reply guys, maybe your sense of entitlement to the flag and ‘claiming it back’ or your silent embarrassment isn’t what the ppl targeted by the flags need. What can we do? Visible shows of support, use of the flag in inclusive ways, shaming copying English Far Right, removing the flags?!

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Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 9d

How do we know there is a risk a h&s? I’d guess most people would be pleased to see them gone knowing what they are being used for. Are the Far Right so strong that flags can’t be removed from city centres without due care? That is truly desperate.

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Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 9d

What one does when flags are erected to intimate marginalized people is take them down, not ‘say nothing’ because it doesn’t really affect you and you can just hope it goes away.

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Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 9d

And you’re based in Stockholm so how exactly are you confronting this intimidation on the streets of Cork, Dublin etc? How are you explaining this to your friends living in those spaces who find it extremely threatening? It’s great being an oracle of big white man defiance from afar.

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Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 9d

Symbols are contextual and meaning can be hijacked, as it is now. If we allow the Far Right to use flags in ways that intimidate by displaying them through town centres and do nothing we are allowing them to be misused. And you’re putting your unthreatened sense of self above those targeted.

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Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 9d

what’s the risk? We are not a nation that covers it streets in the national flag there isn’t a precedent for this use and i can tell you from experience the cheap replicas currently covering the cities will be in rags in weeks and will need to be removed.

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Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 9d

A lot of that is about intention, local flags are to celebrate sport, the parish, the local. Whereas the tricolour in many ways has been used sparingly, it referenced a state born from colonialism, partition and conflict and it’s not a flag that traditionally flies on the streets.

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Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 10d

Mostly yhey need taken down and i don’t think they necessarily need replaced - although i like your suggestions! - our roads don’t usually display flags so why are we allowing the far right to (let’s be frank) copy the English in their anti-migrant street dressing?

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Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 10d

I’m talking about the exclusionary use of the state flag, not the tricolour. I don’t need a wikipedia explanation, thanks.

Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 10d

Absolutely.

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Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 10d

People can kid themselves all they like that the flag is inclusive and about national pride but who is using it and how is important. When cheap replicas are being placed high up poles it feels not very far from my experiences of growing up in the North and similar gaslighting about what it meant.

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Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 10d

Let’s not kid ourselves there isn’t something very sinister about allowing city centres to be covered by tricolours erected by the Far Right in Ireland and few moves to take them down. The national flag is not the problem but how it’s being used as an intimidatory and exclusionary symbol.

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Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 10d

The desire of the British state to curtail and prevent protest on ongoing social injustice issues is not new but their desire to legalize their authoritarian turn is worrying and should be resisted. #FreePalestine

Paul Brand @paulbrand.bsky.social · 10d

Home Secretary tells Sky News that “there is a gap in the law” when it comes to frequent, repeated protests on the same issue. Hence she will be giving police greater powers to move them to another location or time.

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Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 10d

Reposting for a colleague in the States who is in need of a kidney transplant. Any donation can help him spread awareness! gofund.me/5b2b9dc48

Donate to Help Prof G Find a Kidney Donor!, organized by Albert Gonzalez

Help me keep this fire burning! I have a genetic kidney condition and am seeking a li… Albert Gonzalez needs your support for Help Prof G Find a Kidney Donor!

gofund.me

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Paul Brand @paulbrand.bsky.social · 10d

Home Secretary tells Sky News that “there is a gap in the law” when it comes to frequent, repeated protests on the same issue. Hence she will be giving police greater powers to move them to another location or time.

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Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 12d

The last resistors of the fascists are the archivists! www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

US archivist ousted after refusing to let Trump give Eisenhower’s sword to King Charles – reports

The Trump administration ultimately gave the King a replica sword on the president’s recent state visit

www.theguardian.com

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Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 16d

Happy Michaelmas to all who celebrate (oh how i wish it was the start of our university term today, week 4!)! www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...

The Michaelmas customs associated with 29 September in Ireland

From harvest and pilgrimage to legend and lore about púca and the weather, Michaelmas used to be an important day in the Irish calendar

www.rte.ie

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Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 18d

Useful thoughts on kneecap and anti-colonialism, esp generational diff in attitudes to Ireland’s past (and present). Of the difficult issues that prevent deeper examination: who benefited from colonialism and the role whiteness has always played in denial of the colonial? www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...

Why Kneecap have become poster boys for Irish anti-colonialism

'They represent the new symbols and soundtrack of Irish anti-colonial resistance for a generation that aren't actually evoking violent nationalism'

www.rte.ie

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