Lessons learnt in the time of coronavirus
Fact Of The Matter PAUL HOPKINS It is a year since the coronavirus came to live among us, wreaking havoc worldwide. In the beginning we believed it was just a temporary glitch, a short pause in the going-around of the world, in the commerce of everyday life. A year on, the temporary hiatus has taken …
When mothers come in many guises
Fact Of The Matter PAUL HOPKINS MY maternal grandmother died when my Mother was just five so she never had a lifetime to know her. When I was born, the first of three, and work took my Father away a lot, my paternal grandmother came to call for an afternoon of china-cupped tea and cucumber …
Rural broadband in Kilkenny
By: Deputy Kathleen Funchion Sinn Fein TD for Kilkenny Carlow IN May 2019, the Government announced the NBP detailing how rural Ireland would be connected to high-speed broadband over the next six-seven years. In November of that year, it signed a contract with National Broadband Ireland (NBI) to plan, develop and operate a fibre-based broadband …
Friends through thick and thin … and the pandemic
Fact Of The Matter PAUL HOPKINS My first friend, the one I had known the longest, died in London the other day after a relatively short illness. Papo (Patrick) was three months short of 67, and we had known each other since forever, being next-door neighbours growing up. We had been in and out of …
The impact the “Insurance Rip-off” is having on individuals and business needs to be addressed
By: Deputy Kathleen Funchion Sinn Fein TD for Kilkenny Carlow There is little doubt that business and individuals are struggling with their insurance premiums, Sinn Féin has called on all parties to work together and support their legislation to cap the interest rates charged by moneylenders. The motor insurance industry here in Ireland have generated …
Schools fear as data shows 12% of Covid cases are kids
FEARS are growing over a full return to schools as new figures show one in eight of all Covid-19 cases in Ireland were children and teenagers under 18 within the year of the pandemic. With primary schools set for a full return next week, experts are warning that children should be outdoors as much as …
Our own Cartoon Saloon is in line for a Bafta
KILKENNY”S Cartoon Saloon have been nominated for a British Academy Film Awards (Bafta) for their animated feature Wolfwalkers (pictured). Irish stars Barry Keoghan and Niamh Algar (pictured)are also among the nominees. Calm With Horses stars Algar and Keoghan are nominated in the Best Supporting Actress and Actor categories, respectively, for their performances in the Irish …
The Greatest Show on Turf
The countdown is on to Cheltenham 2021 and excitement can start to build for national hunt racing fans from all over the world By Eddie Scally In truth real racing fans have had one eye on Cheltenham since possibly last October, trainers on the other hand had both eyes on it since the curtain drew …
Holy St Patrick, there’s a pair of them in it…
By Paul Hopkins WELL, faith and begorrah, but as millions of people around the world may well don the shamrock and silly hat, but, thanks to the coronvirus, will mot be able to march in parades and drink green pints of the black stuff, the man they are remembering this March 17 is by all …
How a vaccine passport may free us to travel again
WE would all love a holiday. Indeed, we could do with one. Our thoughts are turning to far-away places with strange sounding names. The sun and the sea and hazy days. As vaccination rollouts gather pace around the world, attention is now turning to vaccines of another kind: vaccine passports. The International Air Transport Association …
