Niall O’Connor

@NiallJournal_ie

News correspondent @thejournal_ie - long time hack, ex-garda (Irish cop) also ex pro-cycling PR. I cover mostly national security issues.

Cork, Ireland

Joined April 2021

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3KFollowers

Niall O’Connor@NiallJournal_ie · 9 h

I’ve been writing about the Shadow Fleet for a long time now and it is entirely dependent on sources here at home and abroad. Cathal is correct. The State needs to explain to the public what is going on.

CCathal Berry@BerryCathal · 9 h

A good example of operational excellence & the importance of a continuous naval presence at sea to deter unwanted activity👇 Also a good example of a candid & detailed briefing 🇮🇪’s public should be receiving about unwanted guests in our own waters. We need to lift the Omertà.

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Niall O’Connor@NiallJournal_ie · Jul 22

Irish, Spanish and Dutch/Iranian groups came together to launch dangerous €58m cocaine plan (via @thejournal_ie) jrnl.ie/6769584

NiallJournal_ie's tweet card. Today the Special Criminal Court heard the nature of the cell structure of the team that came together to carry out the scheme.

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Niall O’Connor@NiallJournal_ie · Jul 22

I contributed to this piece with the Defence details: Houses, water, health and Metrolink: The key points from the National Development Plan (via @thejournal_ie) jrnl.ie/6769760

NiallJournal_ie's tweet card. The plan sets out what large-scale infrastructure projects Ireland needs over the next five to ten years.

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Niall O’Connor@NiallJournal_ie · Jul 21

Convicted killer used €100,000 of criminal earnings to finance renovations of his Limerick home (via @thejournal_ie) jrnl.ie/6768934

NiallJournal_ie's tweet card. The Special Criminal Court heard that Richard Treacy (36), was involved in a feud in the city – he served six years for the manslaughter of another man.

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Niall O’Connor@NiallJournal_ie · Jul 21

An international drugs gang, staying in West Cork holiday homes used anti-bugging devices and a stealth speedboat in a botched operation to import €58m worth of cocaine into Ireland. Read more here: jrnl.ie/6769264t

NiallJournal_ie's tweet card. The Special Criminal Court heard startling details about how a drug gang attempted to use a high power boat to bring cocaine from off the UK coast to Ireland.

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Niall O’Connor@NiallJournal_ie · Jul 19

Buyer for MV Matthew found - but inaction by officials in Panama is slowing the sale down (via @thejournal_ie) jrnl.ie/6765903

NiallJournal_ie's tweet card. The MV Matthew has been berthed in Cork Harbour since September 2023 – as revealed by this news website the bill for her upkeep has cost the State millions of euro.

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Niall O’Connor@NiallJournal_ie · Jul 18

FactFind: What do we know about Catherine Connolly's visit to Syria in 2018? (via @thejournal_ie) jrnl.ie/6764427 Good examination of it here by my colleague Shane Raymond.

NiallJournal_ie's tweet card. Connolly says she did not “utter one word of support for Assad.”

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TheJournal.ie@thejournal_ie · Jul 17

The offence occurred while Antoinette Cunningham was still head of the AGSI. jrnl.ie/6766214

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RACO@RACO_DF · Jul 17

RACO just concluded our recent roadshow with a visit to An Chéad Cath (1st Infantry Battalion) in Galway today. Many thanks to all members for their attendance and engagement! See a short video below about the roadshow. 🎥👇🏻

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Niall O’Connor@NiallJournal_ie · Jul 15

I got to write about nice things today. How Ben Healy - grandson of Irish immigrants - made sporting history at the Tour de France (via @thejournal_ie) jrnl.ie/6763386

NiallJournal_ie's tweet card. On Tuesday Ben Healy became only the fourth Irish man to wear the coveted Tour de France yellow jersey.

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Niall O’Connor@NiallJournal_ie · Jul 15

Italian anti-Mafia author weeps in court as mob boss convicted reuters.com/business/media…

NiallJournal_ie's tweet card. Italian anti-Mafia author Roberto Saviano wept in court on Monday as judges upheld a conviction against a notorious mob boss who was found to have threatened him.

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AFP News Agency@AFP · Jul 14

Syrian government forces were advancing Monday towards the southern city of Sweida to quell deadly clashes between Druze fighters and Bedouin tribes, with one Druze armed group saying talks with authorities aimed at brokering a truce were underway 🇸🇾 ⤵️ u.afp.com/SYGg

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Niall O’Connor@NiallJournal_ie · Jul 14

Incredible! Ireland's brilliant Ben Healy takes fabled yellow jersey as overall leader at Tour de France (via @thejournal_ie) jrnl.ie/6762682

NiallJournal_ie's tweet card. Healy becomes the first Irish cyclist to wear the yellow jersey since Stephen Roche won the Tour in 1987.

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Niall O’Connor@NiallJournal_ie · Jul 14

Ireland pushing US to renew backing for UN peacekeepers remaining in Lebanon (via @thejournal_ie) jrnl.ie/6761881

NiallJournal_ie's tweet card. The Irish Defence Forces currently has approximately 340 personnel deployed to posts across South Lebanon.

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Niall O’Connor@NiallJournal_ie · Jul 14

Behind the scenes: Ships delivering drugs to Ireland are making drop-offs in other countries first (via @thejournal_ie) jrnl.ie/6756548

NiallJournal_ie's tweet card. The ships, which are colloquially called motherships, meet smaller vessels off the coast and transfer the drugs in a process known as “coopering”.

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TheJournal.ie@thejournal_ie · Jul 13

Coming up after midnight, @NiallJournal_ie, reports on how so-called "Mothership" cargo vessels are making multiple drop offs en route from South America, not just in Ireland but across the European and African coastlines.

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Niall O’Connor@NiallJournal_ie · Jul 13

This is a lovely tribute from Mick O’Toole, who is one of the hacks who knew Mick O’Neill best. He was an incredible operator but to me he was one of the soundest fellas I’ve ever worked with. Rest in peace Mick. See you at the next one.

MMichael O’Toole@mickthehack · Jul 13

For Mick, from us. From Kerry to Lebanon: Some of the most memorable images taken by Mirror photographer Mick O'Neill irishmirror.ie/news/irish-new…

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Niall O’Connor@NiallJournal_ie · Jul 13

I’m sorry to hear of Mick’s death. He was an absolute gent.

MMichael O’Toole@mickthehack · Jul 13

We’re all devastated by the death of our much loved photographer, colleague and friend Mick O’Neill. He died in an RTA yesterday in Dublin. Mick was the snapper’s snapper. There was nobody who came close to him. He travelled all over Ireland and the world doing a job he loved and…

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Niall O’Connor Retweeted

TheJournal.ie@thejournal_ie · Jul 11

Senator Lynn Ruane has said she did not ask for a lighter sentence in a letter she wrote for a man convicted of dangerous driving causing the death of an 84-year-old woman. jrnl.ie/6760488t

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GOAL Ethiopia@GOALinEthiopia · Jul 11

Following a new wave of South Sudanese refugees arriving through Mattar, Gambela, GOAL, with EU Humanitarian Aid support, extended life-saving aid, hot meals, health & nutrition services.

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