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An 18-year-old Belfast man has accidentally become the JAMMIEST teenager in the universe.

Dane Gillespie cashed an £8,900 cheque from his granny into his Nationwide account the other day, only to see that there were some extra 0's there that could light up anyone's world.

Basically, he was an absolute millionaire, with a cool £8,800,000 in his possession. For a day, at least…

Dane's mother was interviewed by Belfast Live about her son's bank balance, and it's pretty gas.

"We couldn’t believe it. My son thought he was a millionaire for a few hours. Next minute my husband messaged me with the photograph of his bank account details. It took me a wee while to click," she said.

"He’s going to me, ‘I’m gonna order a Porsche’ and I said, ‘Don’t be daft, that’s not our money, we need to get this sorted," she laughed. That lad has expensive taste…

His mother talked some sense into him;"It was like that for a good few hours. For an 18-year-old being a millionaire for the day, he just can’t believe it. He just wanted to go out and spend, but if you do then you have to pay it back."

"He thought all his birthdays came at once this morning. It’s mad," she finished. Unfortunately for Dane, Nationwide corrected their mistake ASAP, so his good fortune didn't last long.

In a statement to MailOnline, a spokesman for Nationwide said:

"The customer paid the cheque in at the branch and unfortunately the wrong amount was keyed. The error was noticed straight away and the balance was corrected in a matter of seconds."

"While the amount was shown on his balance, cheques do not clear straight away, so the funds were never in is account. Sadly he may have to wait a little longer to buy the Porsche he wants," they joked.

Savage stuff, Nationwide.

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Picture This have been announced as the first act to play a brand new summer music festival in Belfast.

Live At The Botanic Gardens is set to be a series of outdoor concerts which will be held in the aesthetic setting of the famous Northern Irish gardens next June.

Early next year, Picture This are heading off on tour around Europe, Canada and the States, but will return to play Belfast for two nights on Friday 21 and Saturday 22 June 2019.

The Irish alternative rock band have confirmed the release of their second album for February 15, entitled MDRN LV.

The lads dropped the first single from the new album, One Drink, back in October and it has dominated the airwaves as the number one radio song in Ireland for three weeks running.

It has also entered the USA top 40 singles chart, breaking the band into a whole new American audience.

They have unveiled their new track Everything or Nothing alongside the music video, and we can't stop listening.

The band are also set to play a huge five night run at Dublin's 3Arena from March 27 until 31 in 2019.

Though they only formed the band two years ago, the foursome from Athy signed to massive US label Republic Records, which boasts Ariana Grande and Drake as other artists signed.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Ryan Hennessy, Jimmy Rainsford, Owen Cardiff and Cliff Deane have achieved incredible success, and are currently Ireland's biggest-selling artists of 2018, with a debut album that enjoyed four weeks at number one.

Tickets go on sale Wednesday 19 December at 9am for Live At The Botanic Gardens on Ticketmaster, and we bet they'll sell out fast.

Get yourselves ready on Wednesday at 8:59am lads.

Feature image credit: Instagram/@bandpicturethis

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Hozier, also known as the King of the forest nymphs to his hardcore fans on Twitter, has announced a European tour, with plenty of Irish dates to go around. 

After four long years of waiting, Hozier released new music this month, to much acclaim. 

The new EP, titled Nina Cried Power was definitely worth the wait – and now he's taking it on tour. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Taking to Instagram, Hozier said:

'I’m very excited to announce new live dates and take the new songs on the road.' 

On the 15th, 16th and 17th of December, Hozier will play in Dublin's Olymnpia theatre. 

On December 19th, he is to perform in Belfast's Ulster Hall, and on December 20th he will play at the INEC in Killiney, County Kerry. 

Tickets are on sale on September 21 from Ticketmaster.  

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Police in the North have confiscated abortion pills from pro-choice campaigners after a number of women ingested the prohibited drug outside a Belfast court. 

A number of demonstrators gathered outside Laganside Courthouse on Thursday afternoon to protest against Northern Ireland's strict abortion laws. 

The PSNI seized a remote controlled robot that was designed to distribute abortion pills with the support of two providers, Women on Web and Women on Waves. 

According to the Belfast Telegraph, Eleanor Crossey Malone, from socialist feminist movement Rosa, was one of those who took the pill in front of television cameras.

She said: "I have taken this in defiance of the extremely outdated, mediaeval, anti-choice laws that exist in Northern Ireland.

"We are not willing in the wake of the repeal referendum to be left behind any longer.

"Northern Ireland after repeal will be one of only two jurisdictions remaining in Europe to criminalise women effectively for having abortions.

"We are not willing to accept it any more."

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The jury in the trial of the Belfast rugby rape trail has found all four men not guilt on all charges.

The complainant had alleged she was raped by Ulster and Ireland rugby player Paddy Jackson, and orally raped by his teammate Stuart Olding.

Blane McIlroy (26), from Royal Lodge Road denies exposure, while 25-year old Rory Harrison, from Manse Road was charged with perverting the course of justice and withholding information.

All four men denied the charges made against them throughout the nine-week trial.

The jury, which consisted of eight men and three women, reached their unanimous verdict after three hours and 40 minutes of deliberation.

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“My first memories are of the barbed wire at the end of our street.”

Memories are very important to Deirdre Mackel. In honour of International Women's Day, we sat down with the Belfast artist and Deliveroo cyclist to chat with her about art, feminism, cycling and everything in-between. 

“My art is inspired by the little memories I have of childhood. They’re symbolic, but not overtly so,"she says of her art.

“I get the memory and I go with my trail of thought and see what comes out of it.”

What comes out of the past has a lot to say about the future. Several of Deirdre's works tackle the construction of femininity and break down what exactly it means to be a woman in today's society. 

"I did an ironing board sculpture and it really represented the futility of domesticity. Why do we bother ironing? Why are we wasting our lives doing the same thing day after day?" 

An image that Deirdre keeps returning to are dresses. For her, they have a personal meaning as well as feminist one.

"I remember drawing myself on the back of a wedding invitation when I was about three. I was curious about it so I tracked down that same paper online. I didn't realise that they were the colours that I always used in my painting." 

Dresses are not only a source of memory for Deirdre, but they also represent something deeper. 

“For me, dresses represent conformity and non-conformity. They’re the christening gown, the communion dress and the wedding dress. They represent what’s expected of a nice, Catholic girl.”

After studying Fine Art in The University of Ulster, Deirdre now brings art and creative projects to Belfast's local communities. She's passionate about finding healing through art. A recent instillation finds beauty in barbed wire. 

"That was my childhood. There was barbed wire at the end of our street, that was my play-ground growing up. That's why I call these instillations accidental gardens. It's all about finding those tiny spots of beauty." 

She works with community groups bringing out creativity in everyone from children to elderly groups. 

“One of my favourite things is creating art in what are known as ‘problem spaces’. These are places that have a lot of bad feelings and memories attached to them.”

One such problem space was an old RUC police barracks. With Deirdre's help and encouragement, a seniors group used their croqueting skills, tuning a place that many of them had loathed and feared into a colourful knitted garden. 

"Seeing them have a tea party in the garden surrounded by their work- that's the kind of thing that drives me." 

Historically, certain communities in Belfast suffered real or perceived barriers accessing art galleries. With the help of EU funding, Deirdre is breaking down these barriers. 

"You only have to look at the giant murals on the Falls road to know that the creative instinct was always there. They’re phenomenal works of art, now we have tourists come just to visit them.

“Twenty years ago, there was a distinct lack of place for the arts and creative activities. Now a lot of the community art projects are funded by the EU. We’re working with artists to create public art trails around the city. It’s all about turning the physical scars of the conflict into something people can feel proud of and have ownership of.

“It greatly contributes to the health and wellbeing of people in the community, being about to claim ownership of a sculpture or a piece of art is a powerful thing. It’s one of the reasons why I’m so passionate about art in the community.”

As well as looking out for the community, Deirdre also takes care of her own health and wellbeing and makes some extra cash dollar at the same time. 

“I've always loved cycling. I remember seeing lads on Deliveroo  bikes and thinking that that was something I’d like to do.

“I saw an ad not long after, so I just decided to go for it.”

Being out on the bike is a fantastic way to keep fit, after her first day she "couldn't move for days" but now takes it all in her stride, or spin if you will. 

While there are good and bad days on the bike, the positives far outweigh the negatives of the job. 

“Some days it can be freezing for you can get soaked. I’ve fallen off my bike once or twice but the great thing is you just hop back up and keep going.

“I really enjoy it, I get to see parts of the city that I never would otherwise and have made some great friends for all different kinds of backgrounds.”

Most of Deirdre's co-cyclists are men, which "surprised" her. 

"I definitely think that it's a great job for both men and women. You get out and about in air, there's just so many advantages.

"Or maybe I'm just mad," she laughs. 

Her advice for any aspiring creative types out there? Just go for it. 

“If you want to do something, all you need is to want to do it. There’s just this switch that decides ‘right, I’m going for this now’. Listen to it." 

An artist with a spinning ambition, Deirdre is definitely one to watch this International Women's Day! 

To find out more about becoming a Deliveroo driver see here. 

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After a weekend away, but don't want to break the bank? 

Well, in case you forgot, there's a bustling young city across the boarder just waiting to be explored – and one thing's for sure, our friends in the North definitely know how to party.

The streets of Belfast are brimming with lively pubs and clubs, so to help you make the your decision we've narrowed down our top five. 

And seeing as it's just two hours from Dublin – it would be rude not to really. 

1. Filthy Mc Nastys – Dublin Road, Belfast 

Not quite a pub, but not quite a club – this quirky venue is perfect for anyone looking for great night out, minus the sweaty dance floor. 

It's also got an amazing roof terrace – the perfect setting to catch up with friends, have drunk DMCs or even get a sneaky shift. 

 

A post shared by fbebe (@fleurbernadine) on

2. The Duke of York – Commercial Ct, Belfast

A favourite with locals and visitors alike, The Duke of York is always packed with revellers looking for a good night thanks to its central Cathedral Quarter location. 

It's where Snow Patrol played some of their earliest gigs, and even today it's a great spot to catch some of the city's up and coming talent.

 

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3. The Dirty Onion – Hill St, Belfast

If you're the type to spend most of your night in the beer garden then this is the place for you. 

Set in one of Belfast's oldest buildings, The Dirty Onion boasts a massive outdoor terrace and great live bands from the local music scene. 

But that's not all. Upstairs, the Yardbird restaurant serves delicious rotisserie chicken, meaning you won't have to travel far for your post-pints feed. 

 

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4. Ollie's – Cathedral Quarter, Belfast

Ask any 20-something hailing from the Northern capital where they're heading this weekend and they'll tell you here. 

Attached to the city's Merchant Hotel, Ollie's members-only bar makes it a popular choice for those looking for a more exclusive night out – but don't worry, there's non-members bars for us mere peasants too. 

Oh, and it's got a Sophie's-esque swing, so you can grab that perfect Insta snap.  

 

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5. The Kremlin – Donegall St, Belfast

A Soviet-themed gay nightclub in the heart of Belfast city? What's not to love? 

With three different rooms, stylish interiors and themed nights, Kremlin in the perfect spot to grab a few (too many) drinks and dance into the small hours.

 

A post shared by Ian (@ianstitt) on

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Police in the North are investigating a paramilitary-style shooting in Belfast on Monday night.

One man was wounded in the incident, though his injuries are not thought to be life threatening.

The man, believed to be in his 30s, was shot in both of his legs in the Ardoyne area of North Belfast at around 9.00pm.

He has been taken to hospital for treatment.

Sinn Fein councillor, Gerry McCabe, said: "There can be no place for these type of actions in our society.”

“The people responsible need to end their campaign against the community.”

Adding, “I would encourage anyone with information to bring it forward to the police.”

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A restaurant in Belfast has issued an apology after a sign promoting their lunch-time deal was the subject of intense criticism in recent days.

Ribs and Bibs on Botanic Avenue promoted their £5 lunch with a distasteful reference to domestic abuse in a move which has understandably caused a furore on various social media channels in recent days.

"Ya can beat the wife, but ya can't beat a 5 pound lunch" read the controversial sign.

Members of the public who came across it wasted no time urging the restaurant to explain itself, with one social media user writing: "Why does ribs and bibs on botanic avenue think this sign is ok? Its horrific and makes light of an issue that's killing people."

 

A post on the restaurant's Facebook page suggested that they were refusing to take the public's distress seriously, with their reply only serving to further raise the ire of social media users.

"My God mate, get a life, it's a bit of wit on a small board outside a restaurant, we're not putting it on the front page of a newspaper, not making a move, see it for what it is, not as you see it," Ribs and Bibs wrote in a Facebook reply.

However, as criticism surrounding the promotion intensified, Ribs and Bibs issued a formal statement, and claimed that the individual responsible for creating the sign was new to the team.

"We do not condone abuse on men or women and the member of staff has only been working with us a couple of weeks and was on shift today by himself."

"We are dealing with it and would like to apologise for any offence caused and it will be dealt with by the management team."

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A female pedestrian has died following a road accident on the M1 motorway in Belfast last night.

Police in the north have confirmed that the woman was killed as a result of the multi-vehicle collision at Dunmurry Lane, just after 10pm.

Reports suggest that up to nine cars could have been involved and multiple ambulances and police cars were at the scene.

Inspector John Millar has urged anyone who may have witnessed the accident to come forward.

“We are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident to contact police on the non-emergency number 101.”

A section of the motorway had been closed off for an extended period of time, however it was reopened to traffic this morning.

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If you're an Irish dancer, then you'll know that practise makes perfect.

Well, this note posted in the Premier Inn Hotel in Belfast will put a smile on your face today.

Image result for irish dancing gif

A warning was shared last night ahead of An Comhdhail World Irish Dance Championships taking place today, which warned dancers to be careful if travelling in the lift.

"For all of our Irish Dancing Champions, we at Premier Inn how you need to practise constantly to perfect your skills," the note read.

"However if you dance in the lifts they will stop moving and you will be stuck in here until we can get an engineer to come and rescue you."

The picture of the notice was shared on Twitter last night by @LianneReddy and it has been retweeted more than a thousand times since.

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Parents in their 50s have been shot and are currently in hospital – after trying to protect their son.

The man and the woman refused to hand over their child to a Northern Irish gang, and were subsequently shot in the legs by the gunmen.

It is understood that the perpetrators of the attack are paramilitaries based in west Belfast. 

They arrived at a house in the Turf Lodge area of the city yesterday evening at around 6.15pm, but the boy's parents bravely fought them off. 

A police source told RTÉ News: "The parents wouldn't give the son over so they were shot instead. There are a number of other lads in Belfast under similar threat at the minute."

The parents are currently in a stable condition at Royal Victoria Hospital.

A local Sinn Féin politician, Pat Sheehan, was adamant that none of the family are involved in any criminality.

"There can be absolutely no justification for these type of actions," he told RTÉ. "Whoever is responsible needs to stop these barbaric attacks immediately."

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