Dónal Hassett
@donalh.bsky.social
Colonial Historian, Interested in colonial veterans and all things Algeria. Proud Dub .
Knocked off early today to do a tour of the Maison Radieuse in Rezé, a suburb of Nantes. This was the second unité d'habitation built. It's smaller than the Marseille one but is perhaps the one that has endured best in that it remains majority social housing. The nursery on the roof is still open.
Today I learned that the BN in that biscuit brand that used to have those catchy ads stands for Biscuiterie Nantaise. LU biscuits are also from Nantes. youtu.be/S8iioBXEzN0?...
BN Biscuits Commercial
YouTube video by bnbiscuits
youtu.be
Whoever football is for, it's not for the fans. Nor is it for Palestinians. Shame on the FAI. This game is a farce and should not go ahead. www.rte.ie/sport/soccer...
FAI confirms no Ireland tickets for Israel games
The FAI have confirmed that there will be no tickets sold to Republic of Ireland supporters for autumn's UEFA Nations League fixtures with Israel.
rte.ie
🇸🇳 à Nantes. Cool to see the works of photographer Omar Victor Diop in the Musée de l'histoire se la ville as part of the expression(s) décoloniales series. I loved his portrayals of famous figures such as Jean-Baptitse Bellay and Juan de Pareja and event like Thiaroye and the Dakar-Niger strike.
I think we're generally much too chill about how mainstream and normal this weird, obsessive anti-Irish stuff is in the UK. #speirgorm
Had a lovely Bank Holiday cycling around the Île de Noirmoutier. The water, the wine and the oysters were all wonderful. Major Vendée Vibes but thankfully no sighting of either Bruno Reteilleau or Philippe de Villiers.
Justice for @dmk1793.bsky.social who is unceremoniously erased in this Irish Times piece. The comparison between Burnham and Harris flatters the latter- Burnham, for all his faults, would never have behaved the way Harris did with the carer in Kanturk. www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2026...
Jack Horgan-Jones: Micheál Martin thinks voters reward delivery. Simon Harris is not convinced
Micheál Martin is a ‘deliverist’ at heart; Harris, by contrast, does things, tells people about them, shows he is doing them – on repeat
irishtimes.com
Very cool statue in Nantes by artist Philippe Ramette paying tribute to the sidestep as an act of courage.
Very good exhibition on borders and border regimes at the Cité des sciences in Paris. Fascinating to learn about Border Forensics, a group that investigates border violence, and about the sand walls and policing or borders between the Maghreb and the Sahel.
I have been to the African outpost of Fortress Europe that is Sebta/Ceuta. Went with Moroccan friends from Tetuan and when we were delayed leaving due to traffic at the border, they were almost detained/fined until I waved my EU passport around a bit. Where reality of border regime is undeniable.
The two archives I wanted to visit entered into the August spirit a day early and were randomly closed but at least this meant I got to do one of my favourite things, wander around the banlieue Est.
Good letter from Eileen Seery in the Irish Times on the bureaucratic cruelty that has characterised the processes around visa renewals for the students from Palestine who we have welcomed and who have done so much to enrich our universities www.irishtimes.com/opinion/lett...
Refusing visas to Gaza students: humanity and common sense should apply
Despite having scholarships to study in Ireland, at least 20 twenty students from Gaza have had their visa applications refused
irishtimes.com
Looking at something else in the archives but came across this map documenting the revolt against conscription and French rule in the Aurès région of Algeria in late 1916. It was brutally repressed by the French, mainly using West African troops.
So saddened to see that someone who was once a good friend and suffered from severe mental health challenges has fallen in with the Irish far right through online radicalisation. They prey on the vulnerable. He was also a victim of the gross under provision of mental health care in Ireland.
I would have thought becoming Chancellor of the University of Limerick would mean you would have to rein in your Twitter but apparently not...
Another example of how the current model is destined to fail as long as the government remains resolutely committed to letting the market dictate all housing policy. www.independent.ie/irish-news/d...
Deal for 140 Dublin social homes falls through as €4,500 rental ads appear online
A total of 140 social homes slated for Dublin 9 are instead appearing online for rent privately for up to €4,500 a month.
independent.ie
One of my proudest achievements of 2026. Allowing someone to access vicarious Mayo joy!
roxanne panchasi@rpanchasi.bsky.social · last wk.Grateful to @donalh.bsky.social for taking me to TWO GAA football games in the space of nine days -while running an academic conference!-so I could become a proper fan and truly appreciate this wonderful news. #fchs26
Loving all the Mayo celebrations coverage. Out of respect for Mayo as an actual footballing force, I will resume normal service and hate them bitterly at the end of this week. They deserve our hate and fear, not our pity. But for now, Maigh Eo Abú!
Zohran has promised to lift the curse upon the Mayo GAA Team.
Grateful to @donalh.bsky.social for taking me to TWO GAA football games in the space of nine days -while running an academic conference!-so I could become a proper fan and truly appreciate this wonderful news. #fchs26
RTÉ News@news.rte.ie · last wk.Mayo have ended a wait of 75 years to become All-Ireland football champions, beating Kerry 1-20 to 1-17 at Croke Park www.rte.ie/sport/footba...
Happy for Mayo and happy that Mayo have now won and all Ireland more recently than England has won the World Cup 😂
Yes!!!! So well deserved. The curse has lifted! They held their nerve in the end. Fantastic. My house is shaking with Green and Red of Mayo from across the road!
