A glance at the week that was
We now know
In its next recruitment drive in Northern Ireland, the British army expects 100 of 500 recruits to come from the Republic
The World Dwarf Games will be held in Belfast next month
A 35,000-year-old flute has been found in Germany is the oldest musical instrument ever found
Steorn sceptics
They promised limitless free energy, and they’ve certainly received almost limitless amounts of attention, but this week Dublin company Steorn was reported as having failed to convince a jury of 22 experts that their invention will change the word. It had claimed that its Orbo device would produce limitless clean energy using magnets – something greeted by general scepticism, not least when a public demonstration was cancelled before it began. However, Steorn still insists it will begin licensing its Orbo technology before the end of the year.
The numbers
€1.872m The libel award for Monica Leech, who had sued Independent Newspapers
13.5% How much the economy will shrink between 2008-2010, according to the International Monetary Fund
2,500 The number of free part-time third-level courses the Government is giving the unemployed from September
Taoiseach chic
Charlie Haughey’s name still has great resonance and, it seems, a certain market cache. Several items once belonging to him came up for auction this week. A large 1966 Irish Celtic Revival salver was estimated at €2,000-€3,000 but fetched €4,200, while a pair of 1791 Irish George III circular salvers made €1,600. Fifty items in all were in the auction, although no Charvet shirts featured.