Opinion
Haircuts, young men and the Old Spice …
FURTHERMORE By Gerry Moran Two things I hate. (Only two, Ger? Okay maybe three, now moving rapidly on). Two things I hate: I’m searching for a space in a busy parking lot, I spy one just up ahead but as I’m approaching someone cheekily shoots in before me. Hate that. I curse and swear and …
Turn over a new leaf with your finances
BY JOHN ELLIS, FINANCIAL ADVISOR Summer is here and whether it is sunny or pouring (typical Irish weather!), it is the perfect time to dive into a good book about your finances. You do not need to be a financial expert to enjoy these. They offer straightforward, practical ideas that can really help you get …
How can we retain the people we need?
AS I SEE IT BY MARIANNE HERON Emigration is in our genes. Since 1800 around 10 million people have left Ireland. But once upon a time, people left largely because, without work or hope, they had to. Now leaving is likely to be a choice. Around 65,000 to 69,000 leave Ireland each year, but only …
AI is just the next step in our evolution
THE FACT OF THE MATTER BY PAUL HOPKINS A report in front of me says workers fear automation replacing their livelihoods, about the loss of traditional work, and society as a whole is unsettled by the rapid shift. Sound familiar? But this is from the early 1800s during the birth of the Industrial Revolution, when …
Living with animal friends
A few days ago, I was driving through Thomastown at twilight. Between showers, it was a beautiful clear evening. I counted seven people, accompanied by their dogs, out for their nightly stroll. Just people and dogs, no solitary walkers. Earlier on, I had been listening to “Newstalk” about pet grief. I wrote about this a …
Terranova a Natural Digestive Support
BY CLAIR WHITTY Digestive issues are incredibly common, symptoms can range from bloating, cramps, pain, nausea, feeling of fullness, flatulence and constipation. Even with the healthiest of diets, you may still have digestive discomfort. There are lots of useful supplements making it very difficult to choose the one to suit you best. For example, the …
Hard to Believe?
By John Fitzgerald The true story of a football match that Bill Walsh, the postman, and his brother Larry played in on Callan’s Fair Green would take some beating: Their side was losing by four points and only a minute remained in the game. But then Larry was fouled and the ref awarded a free. Bill …
Art and heritage shine in summer-fest
By John Fitzgerald A highpoint of this year’s Callan Open Doors Festival, for me at least, was the performance of a play, The Deeds of Lord Barnard. Scripted by Iarla O’ Neill, who also acted in the drama, it was set during the Great Famine of the 1840s. And what better stage than the garden of the old …
Why are figures for domestic abuse still rising?
AS I SEE IT BY MARIANNE HERON Every hour, six people – generally women – will suffer domestic abuse in Ireland. The figure is shocking, even more so given that violence or abuse of intimate partners in the home is going up every year. So far this year, the Gardaí have received 1,000 notifications of …
It’s time for honest debate on migrants
THE FACT OF THE MATTER BY PAUL HOPKINS In the week when a Congolese man, allegedly shoplifting in Dublin, dies while being restrained by security guards, the State brings out stamps to honour the Traveller community – a people we have ignored for so long – and the 2026 Dublin Rose of Tralee, medical scientist …
