Ronan Browne @RonanBrownen Twitter profile

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

8 months

The history of hurling in Finland, a thread 🧵

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

Little known fact: The world looks better through the window of a Finnish sauna

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

I’m no expert, but I think Finland may be showing early signs of being in the grip of a Eurovision fever

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

Finland's President Sauli Niinistö is meeting US President Joe Biden this Friday evening Biden: "President Obama used to say, we'd be alright if we left everything to the Nordic countries, everything would be fine" Niinistö: "Well, we don't start wars"

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

As Finland turns 105, a little reminder of why the flag is blue and white

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

10 months

Hello new followers, here is my hot Finland tip When Finnish people say: “I don’t speak English very well” They mean: “I won’t be able to peer-review your paper on biomolecular synthesis rn but I promise to improve my understanding of molecular biology by the next time we meet”

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

Finnish trains tell it like it is

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

The thing about Finland is that when you ask a straight question you usually get a straight answer

Rikhard Husu

@RikhardHusu

2 years

Finnish prime minister Sanna Marin was asked about a potential off-ramp for Russia to end the war in Ukraine. Her reply:

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

Strange thing this, but people outside Finland keep asking me where I’m going to “go to” if Russia invades And the answer I give is: 1) they won’t 2) have you read any history, ever? 3) in the highly, highly unlikely event: I’m staying Right. Fucking. Here.

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

In Finland we have this thing called midnight sun

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

Finland has many cultural quirks, but surely one of the quirkiest is the habit of taking out an ad in the local newspaper to let everyone know you will not be celebrating ("En juhli") a birthday -- lest people show up at your door and ruin your entire day Only in Finland?

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

When you’re in Finland and you leave the sauna door open

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

9 months

I’m now 13 years living in (and photographing) Finland, but I don’t think I’ve ever managed to take a better photo than this one from that very first summer when my son was taking a moment

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

Finland is named happiest country in the world for the fifth consecutive year

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

The scene at Helsinki’s Senate Square this evening, 24 February, and a perfect visual representation of the support Finland and Finnish people have for Ukraine

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

Sunsets in Finland, exact same place, exactly 6 months apart Slightly different time of day though: 3pm (on your left) v 11pm (right) Truly the land of very distinct seasons

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

9 months

People do sometimes ask me why exactly I live in Finland From now on, this photo will be my perennial answer

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

As a foreign journalist working in Finland, this is what I have observed about Finnish society and Finnish people re Ukraine since Russia invaded one year ago: - unwavering support - stoic solidarity - deep empathy (Photo on left from Tampere’s Kyiv Park, 24.2.2022)

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

If you’re having a tough Thursday, I strongly recommend going for a walk. And moving to Finland.

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

This is my new favourite gif. I’m going to try use it every day.

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

Here’s a photo of the city of Jyväskylä in Central Finland in all its autumn glory for absolutely NO REASON WHATSOEVER

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

I have been in a very dark place recently I don't mean mentally. I mean it's December and I live in Finland

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

Hear me out: Finland is the most beautiful place in the world at this time Consider this a timeline cleanser

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

My teenage kids told my mother that the slogan on this tshirt (that one of them was wearing) means “it’s nice to be nice” in Finnish Now she wants one herself and I just can’t even

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

I take lots of photos of Finland, but this is one of my all-time favourites: the view from a Finnish sauna And for the record: the temp in this sauna was well above 50° Celsius, I was not sitting on the lower bench, and no-one was wearing a towel over their swimming shorts

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

Waking up on a Monday morning to the news that Finland is the happiest country in the world for the 6th year running

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

Overheard in Finland, this very minute outside my local shop: Very drunk guy (in Finnish): "Do you have any..?" Hurried passerby: "Ski into a cunt" When it comes to creative profanity, Finland really could be a world leader. Why say "no, sorry" when you can say that?

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

Some people may try to convince you that the most useful Finnish phrases are “mitä kuuluu”, ”hyvää päivää” or ”ihan normipäivä” No. The most useful Finnish phrase of all is ”mitä vittua nyt taas”, especially so when the temperature suddenly drops to -15 and feels like -50

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

9 months

I’m not sure if I’ve ever mentioned, but I like this country quite a lot 🇫🇮

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

7 months

No niin I went for a swim here this evening and just before I dived in, an elderly couple walking past looked at me and said “no niin” When I came out, a guy about my age was sitting by the water & said “no NIIN” No niin. The Finnish phrase that means everything. And nothing.

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

I do like to think of myself as someone who can coherently explain Finland and all its (many) cultural idiosyncrasies to the rest of the world, but describing the power of Finlandia - with the lyrics amended for Ukraine - being performed like this on Yle TV1 is beyond my skills

Ville Cantell

@villecantell

2 years

Super emotional moment. Sibelius Finlandia performed with #Ukraina instead of Finland in the lyrics #SlavaUkraini #WeStandWithUkraine

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

The Finnish Midsummer rules as I understand them: 1) Go and find yourself some beautiful, quiet, people-less corner of the country, 2) Sauna-swim-sauna-swim-sauna 3) Yes

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

The answer to today’s “why is the Finnish flag flying” is: Jean Sibelius / Finnish Music Day Jean Sibelius. You know him. He composed this.

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

Just a normal January afternoon in Finland. Yes that is a lake.

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

I’m a very big fan of when Finland starts to look otherworldly

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

Helsinki found its own way of marking Putin's birthday

Poster display of dictators marks Putin's birthday in Helsinki

The organisers said they wanted to highlight that the "median lifetime of militant dictators" is 70 years.

yle.fi

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

The Finnish word ‘asiantuntija’ is always translated into English as expert or specialist but the literal, direct translation (asian tuntija) would be ‘A Connoisseur of Matters’ and I think that’s the one we should be using

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

4 months

Finland has now had a full week of temperatures that have never dipped below -20C (peaking at -44.3C, the coldest recorded temp in the country this century) It can be a little nasty, but it also looks very nice

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

Finland’s Prime Minister was asked twice today if it was true she was drinking Corona (the beer) while out in Helsinki on Saturday night, despite a recent Corona (the virus) exposure, in one of the most extreme cases of headline-led journalism I think I’ve ever witnessed

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

A Finnish brewery launched a Nato-themed beer last month. ‘Otan’ is the French variation of NATO but also means ‘I will take (eg a beer)’ in Finnish. I saw it in a shop today so decided to try it out. Verdict: Tastes like a peaceful Sunday evening

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

3 years

That 3rd place finish is unlikely to be enough for Finland to advance, but there is a huge amount to be proud of. The players gave everything on the pitch, the fans were brilliant off it, and Arajuuri singing the anthem with smiling pride summed all of it up #ViveLaRivelution

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

Koska tänään on #suomenkielenp äivä, tässä on minun ensimmäinen suomenkielen twiitti ikinä: Suomen kieli on helppo ja vaikea, kaunis ja ruma, ihanaa ja turhauttavaa. Niinkuin Suomi.

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

I probably share far too many photos on this website … but when Finland keeps serving up scenes like this, what can I do 🤷‍♂️ An evening walk across a frozen lake

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

Finland: Here’s the month of November for you, where it’ll be dark and damp and grey and dreary and miserable and have I mentioned grey? Also Finland: And here’s the antidote

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

I never wanted to be anything else in life than a journalist, and these last 48 hours in Finland have reminded me why: the opportunity to write history as it happens Good night from NATO’s 31st member

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

Finland is, this evening, a nation divided Previous national fractions over politics, how hot a sauna should be or if Kummeli is actually all that funny pale in comparison to this … the fusing of pulla and chocolate This could be Finland’s marmite-moment Päivitämme uutisia

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

This is, in my opinion, when Nordic noir peaked

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

5 months

Tämmöistä. One of my most favourite words in the Finnish language is tämmöistä, even though I’ve absolutely no idea what it means Despite that, I’m still 100% certain that word suits this photo very well

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

Finland looking very well on her 104th birthday. She might seem cold and a bit distant at first but she’s truly beautiful once you get to know her.

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

I'm not exactly sure how my life has come to this point but this evening I will be live blogging this year's Eurovision for @ylenews Follow Käärijä's adventures (and mine) here:

Finland narrowly loses to Sweden in dramatic Eurovision finale

Finland's Käärijä was the audience favourite, but national jury votes won the day for Sweden's Loreen.

yle.fi

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

Dialogue on a Finnish kids show, where two kids are discussing how to tell someone they've dropped their wallet K1: In English, you say "Excuse me I'm very sorry to bother you, but did you drop your wallet by any chance?" K2: And how do you say it in Finnish? K1: Onks tää sun?

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

I’ve been asked many times how a 🇫🇮 v 🇷🇺 confrontation might play out So my answer is: It would be a highly-trained, highly-motivated force (🇫🇮) determined to defend their nation to the absolute last v a ragtag of conscripts wondering how, why and wtf they’re even doing (🇷🇺)

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

Russia: Finns won’t be able to handle the cold once we turn off the gas Finns:

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

This is quite something

Hanna Mahlamäki

@HannaMahlamaki

2 years

Finnish demonstrators singing today at Russian Embassy in Helsinki, a patriotic Finlandia Hymn that was written during a russification period of Finland by Jean Sibelius at the beginning of the 20th century. Finland is changed in lyrics to Ukraine. Leaded by the ⁦ @YLChoir ⁩

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

Of all the positive effects Käärijä's popularity (interest in Finnish music, influence on young people) could have, I'd love to see it also lead to the retirement of the term 'rallienglantia' No-one else but Finns notice or care if someone speaks 'rally English'. No-one.

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

Today is Veterans’ Day in Finland I think every city, town and village I’ve ever visited in this country has some silent monument to the sacrifices so many people made in the nation’s three conflicts between 1939 and 1945 Finland never forgets

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

While Finland is of course the undisputed world champion of happy, I think it’s only fair to also mention that here we have this thing called ‘takatalvi’ — which has a few different translations but I think this sign says it best

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

My hot-take life advice: Find a small corner of the world (or, preferably, of Finland) that you like, stay there, that’s it.

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

Good morning from Helsinki, where spring is on the horizon

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

5 months

Just the -15 degrees Celsius during a sunny Sunday morning walk in Finland

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

Your annual reminder that Ireland and Finland share an Independence Day (sort of) Finland declared its independence on 6 December 1917 while Ireland became the Irish Free State on 6 December 1922 (though severing all ties from the colonial power took a while longer)

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

Finland always gives it that little bit extra at Christmas

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

3 years

The city of Jyväskylä, in central Finland, giving it full autumn

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

Useful Finnish phrase of the day #1 : 'Ei koskaan enää yksin' (Never again alone) As said by a Finnish general after the 1939-1940 Winter War, when Finland fought back and repelled the invading Soviet armies And those words become prophetic from 4 April 2023 onwards

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

‘Nato ei voi tallentaa Suomi’ translates literally in Finnish as ‘Nato cannot save Finland’ … but the Finnish language has two words for ‘save’ - pelastaa (to rescue) and tallentaa (to save, on a computer) The Finnish language is indeed a worth adversary, Russian trolls

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

5 months

Essentially we have just the one colour in Finland at this time of year, and that colour is cold

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

Genuine question: Is it ok, in Finland, to knock on your neighbour’s door and tell them that while the volume of their music is fine, their taste is utterly shite?

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

3 years

That’s 11 years living in Finland now for me. I’m sure there’s a very clear metaphor here about rocky paths leading to clear blue skies … but if these 11 years have taught me anything, it’s that no-one in Finland likes that kind of sentimental crap

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

9 months

I once read a Swedish story (translated to Finnish) to my daughter about a girl who has a crush on a boy in her class … and I was WTaF to find the word ‘SLUT’ written in the stars on the last page That’s how I learned that slut means ‘the end’ in Swedish

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

I attended my first ever Vanhojen tanssit yesterday (Finnish equiv of the US prom/Irish Debs) cos my son is somewhere in that mosh pit The dance traditionally ends with an ‘Oma tanssi’ - a chance for the students to project their personalities Cultural experience rating: 11/10

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

Quite a significant development as Ukrainian President @ZelenskyyUa is in Helsinki today to attend a meeting of Nordic PMs at the invite of Finnish President @niinisto More here through the day:

Watch: Ukrainian president Zelensky makes surprise visit to Finland

Volodymyr Zelensky has made only a handful of trips abroad since Russia's invasion of his country in February 2022.

yle.fi

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

3 years

I'm not really much of a fan of #Eurovision , but I am a fan of Finnish culture, so I am going (to try) to live-tweet each country's points award to Finland in the most Finnish-culturally appropriate way I can Via this thread 👇

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

11 months

Good evening. This is about 2km from one of the biggest cities in Finland — a nation where they do urbanization a little bit different

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

3 years

Sanon nyt suoraan. Autumn in Finland is awesome.

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

11 months

The city of Helsinki is 473 years old today, and wears it well

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

Good evening from a very cool, very calm, very non-panicked Helsinki

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

Same place (more or less) exactly six months apart January v July in Finland. A contrast like no other.

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

8 months

Finnish flags are flying today to mark Finnish Nature Day (Suomen luonnon päivä), of which I am a very big fan

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

Have I ever mentioned how much I like living in Finland (especially when winter becomes spring)? It’s at least a 4/5. Would recommend to a friend.

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

8 months

Proposition: There is something very special about autumn in Finland And I hereby rest my case

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

“Finns are quiet, reflective, reserved and don’t like to bring any attention onto themselves” Also Finns, when their local team wins the national ice hockey championship:

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

Finland passed the 4,000 Covid-related deaths milestone this week, just a month after hitting 3,000 Which was itself only 7 weeks from the 2,000 milestone Meaning: There were 2,000 Covid deaths in Finland in the first 2 years of the pandemic, and then 2,000 in last 3 months

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

Zelensky during visit to Helsinki: "The old capital of the aggressor is several hundred km from here, but due to our joint security efforts, your historic winter fight for freedom & our brave fight now, the aggressor will never make its way to Helsinki"

Ukrainian President Zelensky thanks Finland for continued support, calls for more weapons

The President of Ukraine was speaking at a press conference in Helsinki on Wednesday as he made a surprise visit to Finland to attend a meeting of Nordic Prime Ministers.

yle.fi

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

It was exactly 5 years ago that my daughter and I went for a walk through a Finnish spring snowstorm and I took a very quick photo of her and that’s clearly the moment when my photography career peaked

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

*shudders in mamu* Ah the annual reminder of my very first (and very last) sampling of “it’s an acquired taste” mämmi. It’s the final frontier in Finnish integration. Maybe next year.

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

4 months

For no reason whatsoever, here is a month-by-month photo thread🧵of my 2023 in Finland - a country that (I dunno if it's obvious) I have quite a lot of affection for

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

4 months

A very, very happy Christmas to all of you from Finland - this weirdly beautiful and beautifully weird corner of the world

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

7 months

I’m 13 years living in Finland and I’m ashamed to say this is my first ever visit to Finnish Lapland But it’s well worth the wait

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

7 months

I didn’t take this photo. My 14yo daughter did. Love for and appreciation of Finnish autumn is a genetic thing, it would seem

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

Finland’s parliament votes to pass Nato bill into law by 184-7 Turkey and Hungary yet to ratify, but a little bit of history for my Wednesday afternoon

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

11 months

Ah yes, it’s that wonderful time of the year in Finland when the lakes look like a small piece of heaven but feel like the coldest corner of hell

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

August in Finland isn’t exactly paradise, but it’s pretty close

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

3 years

Eight years ago today I took my favourite photo of all time. I’ve pretty much stopped taking photos of other seasons. Autumn (in Finland) is where it’s at.

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

8 months

Morning swim, autumn mist

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

Me and Tampere are about to celebrate our 5th year together Very proud to call this city home

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

7 months

Finland. Autumn. A class above.

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

And there we go. After ♾️ hours of debate, the Turkish parliament ratifies Finland’s Nato bid 🇫🇮‘s road to ratification: July 2022: 🇨🇦 🇩🇰 🇳🇴 🇮🇸 🇪🇪 🇬🇧 🇦🇱 🇩🇪 🇱🇺 🇳🇱 🇧🇬 🇸🇮 🇱🇻 🇭🇷 🇱🇹 🇵🇱 🇧🇪 🇷🇴 🇲🇰 🇲🇪 August 2022: 🇫🇷 🇮🇹 🇺🇸 🇨🇿 September 2022: 🇬🇷 🇵🇹 🇪🇸 🇸🇰 | | ↓ March 2023: 🇭🇺 🇹🇷

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

1 year

A 116C sauna, a 6C lake, a well-trodden path between the two, and a perfect Saturday evening in Finland

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

Autumn in Finland offers a wonderful opportunity to reflect

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

2 years

I’m not sure how to describe it exactly, but Helsinki has it

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Ronan Browne

@RonanBrownen

3 years

Finland’s women’s team just scored an incredible 95th minute winner away to Scotland to secure at least a playoff place for next year’s Euros. Hard to tell if Rantanen’s tears were due to the emotion of scoring or because she took the ball full in the face

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