Naomi O'Leary
@naomiohreally.bsky.social
Irish Times Europe Correspondent.
Previously with Reuters, Politico, AFP.
Keep calm and report the facts.
Previously with Reuters, Politico, AFP.
Keep calm and report the facts.
I see it's time for me to make the point again that the poppy is a fundraising campaign for the Royal British Legion, a specific, mundane entity that is not exempt from scrutiny and does not own the concept of remembrance.
You can read its 2024 accounts here: storage.rblcdn.co.uk/sitefinity/d...
You can read its 2024 accounts here: storage.rblcdn.co.uk/sitefinity/d...
November 5, 2025 at 11:17 AM
I see it's time for me to make the point again that the poppy is a fundraising campaign for the Royal British Legion, a specific, mundane entity that is not exempt from scrutiny and does not own the concept of remembrance.
You can read its 2024 accounts here: storage.rblcdn.co.uk/sitefinity/d...
You can read its 2024 accounts here: storage.rblcdn.co.uk/sitefinity/d...
A spooky Samhain single for the day that’s in it by my sister Molly May. Amazing what she’s achieved with a budget of zero. Check it out mollymayoleary.bandcamp.com/track/ghost?...
October 31, 2025 at 9:30 AM
A spooky Samhain single for the day that’s in it by my sister Molly May. Amazing what she’s achieved with a budget of zero. Check it out mollymayoleary.bandcamp.com/track/ghost?...
Really interesting piece on the 26-year-old designer behind Catherine Connolly's distinctive visual branding.
It was obviously a strength of the campaign that they were able to attract talented young people and trusted them to do what they did best www.thejournal.ie/designing-a-...
It was obviously a strength of the campaign that they were able to attract talented young people and trusted them to do what they did best www.thejournal.ie/designing-a-...
October 27, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Really interesting piece on the 26-year-old designer behind Catherine Connolly's distinctive visual branding.
It was obviously a strength of the campaign that they were able to attract talented young people and trusted them to do what they did best www.thejournal.ie/designing-a-...
It was obviously a strength of the campaign that they were able to attract talented young people and trusted them to do what they did best www.thejournal.ie/designing-a-...
I compiled a database of incidents across Europe as part of my reporting. It's far from comprehensive - it's just a sample really of some of the incidents that have been attributed with most confidence as being part of a Russian hybrid war. You can explore it here: www.irishtimes.com/world/europe...
October 24, 2025 at 12:30 PM
I compiled a database of incidents across Europe as part of my reporting. It's far from comprehensive - it's just a sample really of some of the incidents that have been attributed with most confidence as being part of a Russian hybrid war. You can explore it here: www.irishtimes.com/world/europe...
Statement from Tánaiste Simon Harris: “Officials remain in contact with family members who have requested our support.”
October 4, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Statement from Tánaiste Simon Harris: “Officials remain in contact with family members who have requested our support.”
The small boats were the last to be intercepted and one, the Mikeno, appears to have got very close to Gaza, but it’s unclear what has happened to it as there are no comms.
October 2, 2025 at 8:14 AM
The small boats were the last to be intercepted and one, the Mikeno, appears to have got very close to Gaza, but it’s unclear what has happened to it as there are no comms.
Some of the last images from the live-streaming cameras on the Global Sumud Flotilla captured images of the Israeli forces boarding early this morning before the feed was cut
October 2, 2025 at 8:11 AM
Some of the last images from the live-streaming cameras on the Global Sumud Flotilla captured images of the Israeli forces boarding early this morning before the feed was cut
The final time stamp before communications were cut is so ominous
October 1, 2025 at 10:46 PM
The final time stamp before communications were cut is so ominous
Reading the Turkish submissions to a UN panel of inquiry into the Israeli storming of the Mavi Marmara aid flotilla in 2010 :(
September 25, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Reading the Turkish submissions to a UN panel of inquiry into the Israeli storming of the Mavi Marmara aid flotilla in 2010 :(
Meanwhile, our front page today
September 10, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Meanwhile, our front page today
The 'EU responsibility to prevent - atrocity prevention toolkit' is quite interesting to read, it's here: www.eeas.europa.eu/sites/defaul...
September 2, 2025 at 1:04 PM
The 'EU responsibility to prevent - atrocity prevention toolkit' is quite interesting to read, it's here: www.eeas.europa.eu/sites/defaul...
The Commission's response and my follow up question - what about Xtend, when the Cordis (EU website for research projects) page for the Xtend project links directly to the current Xtend website selling "military grade drones"?
September 1, 2025 at 11:39 AM
The Commission's response and my follow up question - what about Xtend, when the Cordis (EU website for research projects) page for the Xtend project links directly to the current Xtend website selling "military grade drones"?
My question to the European Commission: given that the EU member states disagree so their proposal for a partial suspension of Israel from Horizon is stalled, will they go ahead with action themselves, eg take back grant money misused for military ends?
September 1, 2025 at 11:32 AM
My question to the European Commission: given that the EU member states disagree so their proposal for a partial suspension of Israel from Horizon is stalled, will they go ahead with action themselves, eg take back grant money misused for military ends?
F2 Venture Capital says on its website that Regulus’ GPS Ring system, a drone-repelling technology, “emerged as a go-to solution” in Israel’s war with Hamas and that Regulus’s technology was used “extensively” in the so-called 12-day war this June with Iran
www.irishtimes.com/world/middle...
www.irishtimes.com/world/middle...
August 30, 2025 at 11:41 AM
F2 Venture Capital says on its website that Regulus’ GPS Ring system, a drone-repelling technology, “emerged as a go-to solution” in Israel’s war with Hamas and that Regulus’s technology was used “extensively” in the so-called 12-day war this June with Iran
www.irishtimes.com/world/middle...
www.irishtimes.com/world/middle...
The “Respondrone” project ran 2019-2022 to develop drones for first responders to find people in emergency situations.
Grant recipients included Israeli state-owned defence company Israel Aerospace Industries(€1.4mln), which supplies drones to the IDF, and the Israeli defence ministry (€140,000)
Grant recipients included Israeli state-owned defence company Israel Aerospace Industries(€1.4mln), which supplies drones to the IDF, and the Israeli defence ministry (€140,000)
August 30, 2025 at 10:55 AM
The “Respondrone” project ran 2019-2022 to develop drones for first responders to find people in emergency situations.
Grant recipients included Israeli state-owned defence company Israel Aerospace Industries(€1.4mln), which supplies drones to the IDF, and the Israeli defence ministry (€140,000)
Grant recipients included Israeli state-owned defence company Israel Aerospace Industries(€1.4mln), which supplies drones to the IDF, and the Israeli defence ministry (€140,000)
Israel’s Ministry of Defence received a grant of €100,000 and the Israel state-owned defence company Rafael received €442,750 in EU Horizon funding for a currently ongoing project running until 2026 to develop an under water security system
www.irishtimes.com/world/middle...
www.irishtimes.com/world/middle...
August 30, 2025 at 10:43 AM
Israel’s Ministry of Defence received a grant of €100,000 and the Israel state-owned defence company Rafael received €442,750 in EU Horizon funding for a currently ongoing project running until 2026 to develop an under water security system
www.irishtimes.com/world/middle...
www.irishtimes.com/world/middle...
Israel’s defence ministry just announced a contract to buy drones from Xtend. Its SKYLORD drone system was developed with €50,000 in EU Horizon money, which is not supposed to fund military applications. The EU grant page links to the current Xtend website, advertising its “military grade” drones
August 30, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Israel’s defence ministry just announced a contract to buy drones from Xtend. Its SKYLORD drone system was developed with €50,000 in EU Horizon money, which is not supposed to fund military applications. The EU grant page links to the current Xtend website, advertising its “military grade” drones
I notice that the court opinion states that Israel is in breach of the prohibition on the acquisition of territory by force going back to 1967. So efforts to achieve tougher action on Israel have to try to overturn a culture of impunity going back like six decades
August 28, 2025 at 8:49 AM
I notice that the court opinion states that Israel is in breach of the prohibition on the acquisition of territory by force going back to 1967. So efforts to achieve tougher action on Israel have to try to overturn a culture of impunity going back like six decades
All states and international organisations are “under an obligation not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel’s illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory” and to “ensure compliance by Israel with international humanitarian law” according to ICJ
August 28, 2025 at 8:27 AM
All states and international organisations are “under an obligation not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel’s illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory” and to “ensure compliance by Israel with international humanitarian law” according to ICJ
Dutch and Swedish foreign ministers send joint letter to the EU foreign affairs chief urging tougher action on Gaza/Israel.
Note penultimate bullet point: the Commission is supposed to have drawn up an analysis about whether the EU itself is in compliance with International Court of Justice opinion
Note penultimate bullet point: the Commission is supposed to have drawn up an analysis about whether the EU itself is in compliance with International Court of Justice opinion
August 28, 2025 at 8:23 AM
Dutch and Swedish foreign ministers send joint letter to the EU foreign affairs chief urging tougher action on Gaza/Israel.
Note penultimate bullet point: the Commission is supposed to have drawn up an analysis about whether the EU itself is in compliance with International Court of Justice opinion
Note penultimate bullet point: the Commission is supposed to have drawn up an analysis about whether the EU itself is in compliance with International Court of Justice opinion
Chatting to Pat about EU inaction on Israel and the killing of journalists at Nasser hospital
August 27, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Chatting to Pat about EU inaction on Israel and the killing of journalists at Nasser hospital
Back in the home base for the next while 🇮🇪
August 14, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Back in the home base for the next while 🇮🇪
Statement in response to the killing by Israel of Al Jazeera journalists by the Irish Times chapel of the National Union of Journalists
August 12, 2025 at 6:40 AM
Statement in response to the killing by Israel of Al Jazeera journalists by the Irish Times chapel of the National Union of Journalists
So I got obsessed with this mystery text at the centre of a 1920 painting by El Lissitzky that was smuggled out of Kyiv under Russian bombing in 2022.
And we worked it out! How we did it and what it means-
The hidden Jewish history at the heart of a Kyiv painting
www.irishtimes.com/world/europe...
And we worked it out! How we did it and what it means-
The hidden Jewish history at the heart of a Kyiv painting
www.irishtimes.com/world/europe...
August 4, 2025 at 9:35 AM
So I got obsessed with this mystery text at the centre of a 1920 painting by El Lissitzky that was smuggled out of Kyiv under Russian bombing in 2022.
And we worked it out! How we did it and what it means-
The hidden Jewish history at the heart of a Kyiv painting
www.irishtimes.com/world/europe...
And we worked it out! How we did it and what it means-
The hidden Jewish history at the heart of a Kyiv painting
www.irishtimes.com/world/europe...
Ten years ago today I was among a group of young Irish people journeying from London to Dublin port for the marriage equality referendum
May 22, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Ten years ago today I was among a group of young Irish people journeying from London to Dublin port for the marriage equality referendum