Small print

A round-up of today's other stories in brief

Pop in for Better Fashion Week

WANT SOMETHING more from Irish fashion? Better Fashion Week, running from Wednesday until Sunday, aims to inject quality and creativity into the Irish fashion calendar at various events around the capital.

The fashion week is organised by Re-Dress, which runs courses and classes in Dublin and was established in 2008 to promote “better” fashion in terms of quality, creativity, design, and environmental and ethical awareness.

Industry talks feature top names in Irish fashion, including Eilis Boyle, Aisling Farinella and Joanne Hynes. A panel discussion on Thursday on the art of fashion features Sonya Lennon, Simone Rocha and Una Burke, an Irish designer who shot to fame last year when Lady Gaga (left) commissioned eight pieces to wear during her Monster Ball tour. A pop-up shop in Powerscourt shopping centre promises exciting pieces from Irish and international designers, including Burke.

On Friday and Sunday, film screenings address garment factories in China and social responsibility. A four-hour live design workshop from Parisian collective Andrea Crews is set to be a highlight, given the label’s emphasis on sustainability.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a fashion week without a wrap party, and one is scheduled for Saturday night in an as yet undisclosed venue.

As well as being innovative in its scheduling, Better Fashion Week has been creative in raising capital, as the event was supported by the new Irish crowd-funding website, Fundit.ie. As a result, ticket prices for events have been kept low, ranging from free to €30 for a one-on-one mentoring session. For details and to book, see betterfashionweek.com.

– Una Mullally

Keep calm and carry on, if you can

WITH 10,000 gardaí and soldiers being deployed in Ireland’s largest security operation as Queen Elizabeth II and Barack Obama touch down on our shores, most civilians will be wondering how to get around without suffering a serious case of road rage or general despair. The security bill for the visits is €30 million, with a panoramic security camera being installed 18m (59ft) above Dublin city centre, 40km (24 miles) of barriers, and the Defence Forces policing coasts and airspace. So how will you be able to go about your business without getting caught up in it all? Here’s our guide to surviving restrictions during the queen’s visit.

Tell your children the birth of a baby gorilla was a hoax. Dublin Zoo will be closed between May 17th and May 23rd, so avoid being nagged to go to the zoo by breaking the news to the kids that there was no baby gorilla all along. Think of their delight when you surprise them with a day out after the queen goes home.

Ditch the car The most serious restrictions will be on motorists. Between Tuesday and Friday the N7, N4 and M50 will all have temporary closures. Unless you want to spend the week on hold to Joe Duffy, it’s best to leave your car at home and dust off your bike, invest in some new running shoes, or our next suggestion . . .

Buy an ambulance Need to get around in a hurry? Emergency vehicles will probably be given some leeway, so try to make yourself blend in by wearing a high-visibility jacket and not blaring Rihanna on the radio or smoking out the window. Try to keep playing with the siren to a minimum.

More seriously, be alert on the periphery of events Irish Timessecurity analyst Tom Clonan says that while manholes can be sealed and bins removed, the real threat from dissident republicans could be in the form of a car bomb on the periphery of one of the queen's stops. "Be conscious of what's going on around you", Clonan says. "Don't let curiosity get the better of you. Walk away from loud noises, not towards them."

Grin and bear it The Garda has made it know that it will be stopping and searching civilians. Considering the highly-strung nature of the operation, this is not the time to get into debates with gardaí about their tactics.

-Una Mullally