Emotional tributes and forms of creative protest have been occurring worldwide for the 17-year-old woman involved in this week's Cork rape trial, which saw a female barrister use the young woman's underwear as evidence against her.
According to the barrister, the woman's lace thong proved that she was 'open to meeting someone and being with someone', leading to the organisation of mass rallies in support of the victim.
The 27-year-old man accused of raping her in an alleyway was acquitted of rape following barrister's Elizabeth O'Connell's finishing statements.
Among the tributes to the young woman is a hauntingly beautiful rendition of a song, penned by a young woman of similar age to the girl involved:
“Is That Clear?”
So my little sister Grace has written a song about the rape case that took place in Cork where the 17 year-old in question had her choice of underwear used as evidence in the trial. I think it’s incredibly powerful as well as chilling. RT RT RT pic.twitter.com/mmPDmFbSD3
The video, which was shared on Twitter by her brother John Gaughan, has been steadily gaining in views since it was uploaded.
The lyrics echo the sentiments of outraged women all over the country, who are refusing to accept that underwear can play a part in consent and can also be used as evidence in a court of law.
"What are you wearing underneath? Isn't for you to see unless I want that to be, is that clear?"
"No please, can you stop? That should be enough for you to f*cking wise up, is that clear?"
"Consent is what we're told, at 17-years-old, is what we wear underneath our clothes. Victims become accused of the crime they didn't do, responsibility is abused."
"We shouldn't have to fear for this to happen to us or someone that we love, is that clear?"
"Something has to change with the mindset of today, it's still not clear."
Anger has spread around Ireland as well as in other countries around the world as a result of the latest controversial rape trial.
ROSA and Ruth Coppinger TD have both requested that strikes occur as a form of protest against the handling of sexual violence cases as well as consent and Irish sex education on International Women's Day.
I've just spoken on Indian television about #ThisIsNotConsent and the need to make International Women's Day a major international day of protest. I also spoke about the global walkouts by Google workers.#dubwhttps://t.co/jTUPNqDyIa
A review of the handling of sexual assault cases in Northern Ireland been released today, stating that members of the public be excluded from such trials following the high profile Belfast case.
The report, written by retired judge John Gillen and states that access to trials involving serious sexual offences should be confined to close family members of the complainant, the defendant as well the media.
In the Republic of Ireland system, rape trials are already closed to the public.
It remains to be seen if any positive consequences will occur as a result of the protests, we hope improvements can be made for the sake of sexual assault and rape victims in Ireland.
Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas are possibly the most adorable couple on the planet, their only competition being Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Nick, AKA one-third of the Jonas Brothers recently spoke out on his Instagram page about suffering throughout his life with diabetes, and Priyanka was ready to back him up.
Type 1 diabetes is a disease which occurs when the pancreas stops producing insulin in the body, which regulates blood sugar levels.
"13 years ago today I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. The picture on the left is me a few weeks after my diagnosis. Barely 100 pounds after having lost so much weight from my blood sugar being so high before going to the doctor where I would find out I was diabetic."
"On the right is me now. Happy and healthy. Prioritizing my physical health, working out and eating healthy and keeping my blood sugar in check."
He continued: "I have full control of my day to day life with this disease, and I’m so grateful to my family and loved ones who have helped me every step of the way. Never let anything hold you back from living your best life."
"Thank you to all my fans for your kind words and support. Means more than you know. Love you all."
Never let anything hold you back from living your best life. Thank you to all my fans for your kind words and support. Means more than you know. Love you all. #grateful#diabetes#livebeyond#fbf
Priyanka, being the stunning future wifey that she is, left a supportive comment underneath the Instagram post that essentially cleared our skin, made us believe in love again and brought N*SYNC back together:
"Everything about you is special, with or without diabetes," wrote Priyanka.
The 19-year-old actor has been killing it as the teenage witch on Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.
I have to admit, growing up with the 1990's version of Sabrina the Teenage Witch, I was a bit sceptical
But I needn't have been as the CAOS are a whole new show -apart from a few of the same character names, it's nothing like the one from my childhood.
It's darker, grittier, scarier, sexier and seriously brilliant. Mainly because of Kiernan herself, who effortlessly carries the show and makes Sabrina her own.
And now she speaking out about what drew her to the role and why it has a pro-female message she’s happy to get behind.
She says, “I’m unreasonably excited that young girls are going to get to have this character be an inspiration to them. I think she is so strong-willed, has such a good heart, speaks her mind, stands up for herself, and questions things that she feels aren’t right.”
Feminist-driven work is something that interests her, ''because that’s just who I am.''
While the show is not set in any definite time period, Kiernan does acknowledge that ''it’s related to what’s happening in many different ways and resonates on so many levels.''
We hear ya.
Not only that but playing the strong-willed teen has pushed her to be a better person herself – because, after all Sabrina is not just a witch – she's a teenage girl as well.
Kiernan says, ''She puts herself in situations that are very risky – on the life-threatening side of risky – but to play someone completely and utterly passionate, and who doesn’t back down, makes me want to be the best person I can possibly be.''
However, when it comes to calling Sabrina role model, she hesitates.
However she says that , ''I remember when I was 13 or 14, how I would see a movie and I would want to be exactly like a character. So to grow up and have a character like Sabrina [influence] someone’s life, that’s so cool to me.''
For someone who is only nineteen, she sure seems to have a lot of her sh*t figured out – any advice Kiernan?
''Coming into your own sounds so elegant, but it doesn’t seem that smooth when it happens. It’s something I’ve been exploring for a while. I figured it out to an extent but…Growing up is definitely complicated, obviously.''
She continues, "Everyone has their own journey. I’m at a place where I feel more myself than I ever have, and I’m loving that, and I’m excited that Sabrina came my way. It feels like something I can handle in a way that probably would have been a different experience when I was 16.''
You just keep doing what you're doing – we LOVE CAOS – hurry up season two, yeah?
After racking up years of experience in the music and television industry, his hard work has finally paid off as he cemented himself into Hollywood history.
And we mean that literally, Snoop was honoured with a star on the Hollywood walk of fame on Monday.
In his thanks to himself, he started: “Last but not least, I want to thank me for believing in me.”
"I want to thank me for doing all this hard work, I want to thank me for having no days off, I want to thank me for never quitting, I want to thank me for always being a giver and trying to give more than I receive.”
“I want to thank me for trying to do more rights than wrong, I want to thank me for just being me at all times,” he added.
And for the punchline, he finished with: “Snoop Dogg, you a bad motherf*cker.”
Picture This will play to an army of loving fans at Dublin’s 3Arena in the new year. The Irish band will play an unprecedented 5-night run at 3Arena Dublin, March 2019.
It came as no surprise when the band sold out all five nights within one week, there’s no doubt the Irish public love them.
The lads confirmed that Lewis Capaldi and Dagny will be their special guests for the Dublin shows and we certainly can’t wait to see them perform.
If you’re one of the unlucky fans who missed out on tickets, you may be in luck. A limited number of production holds will now be released for sale to the public on Friday, November 23 at 9 am from Ticketmaster.
Seeing the One Drink singers in concert is one thing you really don’t want to miss out on so make sure you set your alarms for Friday morning to be in with a chance of scoring tickets.
A mere two years have passed since their formation and Picture This have impressively sold over 300,000 tickets, concluding 2017 with a sold-out UK and Ireland tour highlighted by gigs at O2 Shepherd’s Bush London, SSE Arena Belfast, and a two-night stand at 3Arena in Dublin.
This summer marked their first stadium tour in Ireland, which capped off with a 35,000-person stadium show selling out over 3 months prior. This accomplishment cemented the bands place amongst fellow RDS Stadium sell-out artists such as Queen, U2, Michael Jackson, Bon Jovi, Guns N’ Roses, Bruce Springsteen and Radiohead.
No one can deny how strong Ariana Grande's Instagram game is. I mean, the gal's got 135 MILLION followers, and she know's how to grab our attention.
This time, she got a little assistance from her cousin and the classic Lindsey Lohan flick Mean Girls in order to troll her fans. God is a woman, so she may as well show them some love, especially since she's officially DONE with marriage.
Ari loves a good practical joke, and this time it involved an affectionate PDA with her longtime pal and relative Courtney Chipolone:
In a photo posted to her Instagram yesterday, the Sweetener singer appears to be kissing Courtney while their other galpal, Alexa Luria, looks on with an uncomfortable 'Thank u, next' expression.
Ariana wrote a caption to quote the cult teen comedy, alluding to the scene when Karen admits to kissing Seth Masakowski: "'Yeah but she’s my FIRST cousin."
According to Karen's logic:
"So, you have your cousins, and then you have your first cousins, and then you have your second cousins…" Classic Karen.
Ariana kept the Mean Girls references coming, adding another Instagram post of herself and her two friends:
Frankie Muniz was a regular on our TV screens growing up, for anyone who's been living under a rock, he was Malcolm in the brilliant programme, Malcolm in the Middle.
However, as we start to hit our mid-twenties and rocket towards our thirties…Naturally, Frankie has grown up too.
His Malcolm days are far behind him and he's now hosting the US show, Dancing with the Stars Juniors.
But we weren't ready for his major news, as it's making us feel so very old.
Frankie popped the question to his long-term, Paige Price.
Paige posted a ridiculously adorable message on Instagram to announce the happy news.
"When you’re a little girl, you dream of marrying the man of your dreams. You think of all these extravagant things from the way he asks you, to the dress you’re going to wear, to the music you’re going to dance to with your father. Sometimes, reality has a tendency to overstep your dreams and really surprise you," she wrote.
"Francisco Muniz IV, you’re more than a dream to me. You teach me every day, you compliment me when I’m at my worst, and you push me past the edge but you’re there to pick me up when I start showing signs of falling." – UGH, they're just so cute.
"I love every piece of you, and I appreciate you more and more every single day. I truly cannot wait to be your wife. P.S. You’re officially the master of proposals. 143. P.P.S. I ugly cried so hard that I can’t even post the pictures so… there’s that…" she ended.
Gal, we are all for ugly crying, there isn't any shame in that – sure, Kim K basically put a trademark on it.
The temperature has MAJORLY dropped, Halloween is long gone and it's dark at 5pm; you know what this means. IT'S CHRISTMASTIME.
What better way to celebrate the festive season than Netflix and Chill? (literally, it's freezing)
We've decided to do a round-up of all the newestNetflix films which can get you in the holiday spirit, as well as remind you of the best ones available on the streaming service.
As "research", we've even decided to watch them all. Don't say we aren't committed to our jobs…
Netflix remains the Rudolph of the pack when it comes to streaming services, and they have made some absolute gems for us to enjoy this year.
1. The Princess Switch
While Vanessa Hudgen's latest offering contains a huge amount of confusing plot points (I mean, when the identical women who are both played by Vanessa Hudgens meet for the first time, they literally aren't shocked at all…) it cannot be denied that it's entertainment GOLD.
Stacy De Novo and as Lady Margaret Delacourt are a doppelganger duo who bump into each other and decide to switch places. Margaret wants to experience normal life, while Stacey (obviously) wants to be royal for a few days.
The Princess Switch is fairly inexplicable, but contains two charming men who Hudgens gets to kiss repeatedly, a lot of snow, a huge amount of Christmas themes and a gas game of Twister.
Watch to switch off your brain and succumb to holiday cheer.
2. The Holiday Calendar
Kat Graham stars as a struggling but talented photographer who inherits an antique holiday advent calendar which can PREDICT THE FUTURE.
The question is, can she use the calendar to find love this festive season? Quincey Brown plays her love interest; we are hooked already.
You don't have to ask us to watch this, we're already on the couch ready for the ultimate That's So Raven Christmas experience.
3. The Christmas Chronicles
Kate and Teddy Pierce are siblings who hatch a scheme to capture Santa Claus, played by Kurt Russell, on Christmas Eve.
However, the plan goes awry and the kids must join forces with a somewhat jolly Saint Nick and his loyal elves to save Christmas before it's too late, experiencing the adventure of a lifetime while they're at it.
Russell has dedicated his performance to his father and the California wildfire victims.
The Christmas Chronicles will be released November 22, 2018.
4. A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding
OH. MY. GOD.
When the news came in that 2017's iconic A Christmas Prince had a sequel, it's fair to say we had an absolute meltdown.
The first movie was essentially a 'SOB, Prince Harry is taken' comfort flick, featuring Rose McIvor as an aspiring young magazine journalist, Amber Moore, who is sent to Aldovia to cover a press conference with prince Richard.
Richard, a rumoured playboy, is set to take the throne following his father's recent death, but has mixed feelings about the task. While snooping around the palace for a story, Ambers mistaken for young Princess Emily's new tutor.
Amber then goes undercover. Royal security just doesn't exist in Aldovia it would seem.
OF COURSE, a love story ensues between Amber and Richard, but will they make it down the aisle? STAY TUNED:
Don't forget the original: A Christmas Prince
Classic Netflix Christmas movies:
Don't miss these absolute gems from previous years, if you've already watched all of 2018's Christmas additions. (We can't help it okay? We're addicted.)
It's a shame Love Actually or How The Grinch Stole Christmas haven't made it to Irish Netflix yet, but here's hoping for 2019. Fingers crossed, lads.
A Christmas Inheritance
Ambitious heiress Ellen Langford is in line to inherit her father's business, but before this happens she must deliver a special Christmas card to her dad's former partner in Snow Falls.
A snowstorm strands her at the town inn and hinders her goal, but will she learn a few lessons about the true meaning of Christmas while trapped in the town?
We suspect so. There's a clumsy meet-cute, a love/hate relationship with the love interest Jake, a fiance who isn't good for her; in other words, the classic rom-com Christmas clichés.
Cliché-ridden nonetheless, we're still going to watch it, aren't we?
Arthur Christmas
James McAvoy voices Arthur, Santa's youngest son who must deliver a crucial present before Christmas morning dawns.
Santa Claus delivers presents to every last child on Earth, but what everyone doesn't know is that Santa accomplishes this with the assistance of a very high-tech operation beneath the North Pole.
The unthinkable happens, and Santa misses one child out of millions. Will Arthur save the day?
The Christmas Wedding Planner
A wedding planner's world is completely turned upside down when a devilishly handsome private investigator is hired to disrupt her biggest job yet, but will they put their differences aside?
Kelsey Wilson's must organise her cousin's lavish wedding to perfection, but Connor McClane quickly upends the upcoming nuptials after being hired by a private source.
Hint: sparks fly. Otherwise there would be no movie…
Jack Frost
Michael Keaton stars in the 1998 Christmas flick about a touring musician clinging to dreams of stardom.
Ageing rocker Jack Frost doesn't dedicate enough time to his wife Gabby, and young son, Charlie. Following Jack's tragic death in a car accident on Christmas Day , Charlie plays a mournful tune on his father's harmonica.
To his understandable shock, his dad Jack Frost is magically brought to life as a snowman on the family lawn. Charlie and Jack struggle to make up for lost time as father and son, it's the ultimate family tearjerker.
A Wish for Christmas
Lacey Chabert (OMG it's Gretchen Wieners in Mean Girls) stars as Sara, a frustrated web designer who makes a Christmas wish for the courage to stand up for herself.
After exposing her boss for stealing her ideas, Sara is thrust into the spotlight and may get more than she bargained for in both her work and love lives.
Be careful what you wish for, but our Netflix wishes have most definitely come true.
The Holiday(coming 7th December)
Kate Winslet, Jack Black, Jude Law and Cameron Diaz star in the classic 2006 winter season house-swap comedy.
Two women plagued with guy-problems swap homes and countries, where they each meet a local guy and fall in love.
It's such a perfect movie for friends and family to watch together, one of the best and most-loved rom-com's of the genre.
Remember Cameron Diaz blasting Mr Brightside in her cottage drinking wine? Us in roughly three hours.
Happy Netflix-ing, gals. These should keep you in the Christmas mood all throughout December, at least.
Enjoy all of the romance, comedy, drama and holiday festivities which streaming can give, we know we will.
We are obsessed with chocolate at SHEmazing, but we have a soft spot for Lir Chocolates
They're they Irish and delicious, what's not to love?
That's why we are so excited that their ‘Art of Chocolate’ Experience has begun its nationwide journey to delight and educate confectionery lovers, of all ages, in the craft of the chocolatier.
Perfect in the run-up to the festive season, right?
So where can you experience the 'Art of Chocolate'?
Lir’s team of chocolatiers will travel to locations around the country with their mobile chocolate craft station to demonstrate their chocolate skills and allow visitors to have a go at the craft.
The lucky visitors will have the chance to decorate their own chocolate bars (fabulous Christmas present idea) and to personalise them as gifts for family and friends.
The Lir ‘Art of Chocolate’ Experience will kick off in Dublin in November at the following locations, with further dates at nationwide locations to be announced.
Lir has also announced the launch of its new online shop which, in addition to Lir’s much-loved Discovery Collection, will also stock a full range of Baileys and Guinness confectionery – yum.
Launched on 11 November, the online shop at www.lirchocolates.com will be an ideal one-stop-shop for all your Christmas sweet treat needs.
Their latest collection, the beautiful ‘Discovery’ collection includes exciting new flavours, such as Persian Lime Truffle, Raspberry and Pistachio Duo, Dark Chocolate Torte and Chewy Pecan Caramel, alongside classic, much-loved favourites like Praline, Salted Caramel and Coffee.
Our mouth is watering.
Lir’s Master Chocolatier also created three irresistible flavours of cocoa-dusted Truffles: Salted Caramel, Marc de Champagne and Milk Chocolate and these are presented in stunning art deco style boxes – the ideal gift for the chocolate-lover in your life. (Or for you!)
See all of this at the online shop, www.lirchocolates.com and drop into the pop up nearest you to get the full 'Art of Chocolate' Experience.
Many took to Instagram to post a black-and-white snap from the celebrating, which she captioned the photo, "11/18/18."
Her new husband also posted the sweetest video of the couple, taken a few minutes before they walked down the aisle, showing them playing music and singing together.
Taylor wrote, ''One of my best buds @adamnee married Mandy and I….Five minutes before walking down the aisle, this is where I find @taylordawesgoldsmith. Congrats Taylor and @mandymooremm Love you both so deeply.''
But it was Mandy's wedding gown that stole the show.
She was dressed in bespoke Rodarte that was blush pink in colour – breathtaking.
The 34-year-old had previously mentioned that she would not be in a "stereotypical white wedding dress."
The gorgeous actress shared her glam wedding photos on her Instagram page.
Her look was complemented by a pink tulle veil with scattered floral embroidery and blush satin shoes with a crystal buckle.
The wedding was reportedly small in size, with the guest list including her This is Us co-stars Sterling K. Brown, Milo Ventimiglia, and Christy Metz, as well as Minka Kelly and Wilmer Valderrama.
Huge congratulations to the stunning bride – we wish the happy couple all the best for their future together.
It has been revealed that the beloved Mr Big wasn't going to make the cut…literally.
Details have emerged that show Chris Noth's character was going to be killed off – and in a sad way.
Killing “Big”in the beginning of the 3rd film would have killed the film for me. Their relationship along with “the girls” was the reason why I watched the entire series, many, many, many times. Loved the 1st film. Hated the 2nd. #SATC
Journalist James Andrew Miller spoke with stars and writers of the films on his Origins podcast, where it was revealed that Mr. Big would die “relatively early” in the film, of a sudden “heart attack in the shower.”
Oh, no.
Andrew said, "They point to the fact that it calls for Mr. Big to die of a heart attack in the shower relatively early on in the film, making the remainder of the movie more about how Carrie recovers from Big's death than about the relationship between the four women."
Chris Noth has not read the script, but he did tell Miller that he "heard it was really a superior script, probably having learned the mistakes, from not the first two, but at least the second one."
(Noth called the first two SATC movies "corny" and "sentimental as hell.")
It was also part of the reason that Kim Cattrall, who plays Samantha, said no to the movie.
Apparently, the plot revolved around Big's death and how Carrie would cope, and Andrew said, “People close to Kim believe the script for the movie didn't have a lot to offer the character of Samantha.''
Are we glad that Carrie's on-again off-again love interest is still alive and kicking?
