“Would you mind turning down the music? I’m trying to grab a nap here.” Day 3 at Electric Picnic. Photo: Stephen Kilkenny.

HERE ARE THE things you need to know as we round off the day in three easy steps.

THINGS WE LEARNED:

#NO CONFIDENCE: Fianna Fáil’s Micheál Martin has called on James Reilly to step down as Minister for Health – and suggested that his party may table a motion of no confidence in him when the Dáil resumes. The comments came after Labour chairman Colm Keaveney said the party had to prepare for a general election following the latest batch of health cutbacks.

#HSE: Staying in health, the HSE’s incoming chief executive has said the latest €130 million in cuts are utterly necessary in order to stop the agency running out of cash altogether. Tony O’Brien has conceded, however, that the moves – which include cutting back on overtime and agency staff – will mean bed closures.

#SHOOTING: Two men have been arrested in connection with a shooting outside a hotel in Bunratty, Co Clare, in the early hours. The two men, in their 20s, are being detained in Garda stations in Co Cork. The victim was approached in a car park shortly before 4am and shot “a number of times”.

#RESIGNATION: Clare Daly has insisted her departure from the Socialist Party has nothing to do with Mick Wallace – instead saying she was frustrated with the ULA’s slow pace in turning itself into a full political movement. The Irish Times quotes Joe Higgins as saying in response, however, that any deduction in the party’s Leaders’ Allowance arising from her departure will threaten the jobs of party workers.

#SILVER SUNDAY: It’s been another great day for Ireland’s Paralympians in London, with three more medals in the bag. Cyclists Catherine Walsh and Fran Meehan bagged a silver in the Individual Pursuit, while Helen Kearney also took silver in the individual dressage. The performance of Kearney, as well as Geraldine Savage and James Dwyer among others, meant Ireland takes bronze in the team event. Our four golds, two silvers and bronze put us 12th on the medal table at the time of writing.

THINGS WE LOVED:

• This gallery of photographs from space – which aren’t the usual ‘nebula from a telescope’ pictures, but rather a collection of snaps taken by astronauts themselves while hovering around in orbit above us.
• The heart-in-mouth tension in football of various codes today. Mayo had a 10-point lead over Dublin and very nearly conspired to blow it, while Robin van Persie missed a penalty but still finished off a hat-trick in injury time to save Manchester United’s blushes at Southampton.
• The fact that the fella above isn’t the only one willing to put up with crowds and loud music in order to grab forty winks. Turns out Electric Picnic can be pretty tiring, as these two ladies will attest. Photo thanks to Stephen Kilkenny.

THINGS WE SHARED:

• You’ll have gathered by now that we in Journal Towers have a soft spot for Carly Rae Jepsen’s ‘Call Me Maybe’. Well, as it turns out, so does the University of Notre Dame marching band…
• You’ve seen cute dogs. You’ve seen fluffy dogs. But we assure you: you’ve never seen dogs like the ones in this beauty pageant.
• Don’t be put off by the fact that both creatures in this video are known for being a bit slimy. Here’s a frog doing its best to stay patient with an inquisitive caterpillar… until its patience eventually buckles. You know what they say about curiosity and cats?

(YouTube credit: mailliw0)

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