Here's What Happened Today: Friday

02 Oct 2026, 19:30 by Mairead Maguire, https://www.thejournal.ie/author/mairead-maguire/ · TheJournal.ie

NEED TO CATCH up? The Journal brings you a round-up of today’s news.

Young fallow deer stags practice their rutting skills after sunrise in Phoenix Park, Dublin this morning at the start of the annual rutting season. RollingNews.ieRollingNews.ie

IRELAND

Stories of the day, in order of importance – we don’t need every story.
Tributes have been paid to a woman who died following an alleged assault in Dublin this week, with her family remembering her as a “kind, loving, funny person who was full of life”.
The public expenditure minister has lashed out at trade unions over the commencement of industrial action.
A sacked garda who treated his wife like “chattel” has avoided jail after pleading guilty to controlling and coercive behaviour over three years.
Pre-budget projections an end-year Exchequer deficit of €1.4 billion this year but a €4.4 billion surplus at the end of 2027.
A group of farmers protested outside the Dublin restaurant part-owned by the chairman of Bord Bia, Larry Murrin.
CMAT has said Ed Sheeran “identifying as Irish” contributed to criticism against him last month after rapper Macklemore was dropped from his tour after voicing support for Palestinians.
A redistribution of “massive wealth” in Ireland could help to fund new housing and public services, People Before Profit said.

INTERNATIONAL

All high schools in Grenoble, France are closed following recent protests. They're demanding more resources for education and better study conditions. AlamyAlamy

#FAILED EXECUTION: Christa Pike is in a critical condition and receiving “life-saving care” after the Tennessee inmate survived two attempts to execute her using lethal injection, her lawyer has said.

#FLYDUBAI: An Indian pilot attacked by his co-pilot aboard a flight from the UAE to Israel has said that he “could not let all those people die”, in his first public remarks after he helped stop the plane from crashing.

PARTING SHOT

Protesters at the junction of The Garvaghy road and Drumcree Road shelter from the rain Alamy Stock PhotoAlamy Stock Photo

Police in Northern Ireland are “continuing to seek safe and peaceful compliance” with the Parades Commission over the Drumcree stand-off.

Meanwhile, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has urged political parties not to further inflame the situation.

Talks to break the deadlock were launched earlier this week, but ended without agreement again on Thursday night.

Northern Ireland’s justice minister Naomi Long today appealed to the Orange Order to “do the right thing” and choose not to march down the Garvaghy Road.

The Alliance Party leader said that while the Orange Order has established via the courts that it has a legal right to parade down the road, “they do not need to exercise that right”.