Opinion
And the band played on…
By John Fitzgerald For more than a century, the men and women of St. Patrick’s Brass Band promoted all that was best in Kilkenny’s musical traditions. From the day it was founded in May 1882, it won its way into the hearts of young and old in Cat County. The band’s motto, inscribed on a …
The Worshipping of Helena
BY NED EGAN Part 1 It was springtime, back in the far days when you noticed such things. When every dawn gave the hope that the savage frost of the night before might be the last one of a hard pitiless winter. And maybe this day would see the snow start its long slow retreat …
A month’s reprieve for those have to change banks
BY JOHN ELLIS, FINANCIAL ADVISOR Having recently written about the closure of Ulster Bank and KBC I think another review and reminder is in order. This is because Ulster Bank is putting back its proposed closure deadline to help those on social welfare not lose the higher payments announced in the Budget, like the double …
Inheritance: a tax worth knowing about
AS I SEE IT MARIANNE HERON Any close encounters with the taxman reduce me to an apprehensive state akin to skating on thin ice. Not knowing what is lurking underneath the ice increases the fear. Ridiculous I know, taxation is an instrument of monetary policy that’s meant to be fair, nevertheless I am not alone …
Winter remedies for kids with coughs and colds
BY CLAIR WHITTY There’s nothing worse than listening to your child coughing and sneezing, it makes you feel so helpless. Thankfully, there are natural remedies that can help relieve their symptoms. It can be that when you collect them from creche or school they are coughing or sneezing, especially at the start of the school …
The common cold, and winters of discontent
When I was but knee-high to a grasshopper and succumbed to bouts of childhood ailments, my mother would summon the local GP. After he had pressed the cold stethoscope to my chest and back and had me cough and cough, my mother, fearing the worst, would say: “Well, Dr Dolan, what is it?” He would …
The white haired boy
BY NED EGAN Part 3 The moon helped the bombers, and they had no fear of RAF fighters: well the Luftwaffe knew that these scarce machines were still being held rigidly in wait for planes trying to destroy airfields – which would be Hitler’s first step towards an invasion. The weather might be lousy, but …
Some reservations about generous Budget
BY JOHN ELLIS, FINANCIAL ADVISOR According to Minister Pascal O’Donohue this year’s Budget focused on helping families and businesses facing the cost-of-living crisis arising from the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the continuing effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. He said “As one of the most open economies in the world, we benefit when things are going …
Top immune supporting remedies
BY CLAIR WHITTY Are you wondering if it’s too early to think about boosting your immune system? So that you could try prevent winter viruses, coughs, and colds and not miss days from work or school. I think this is the perfect time to give your immune system a boost. But what are the best …
Harnessing people power for carbon reduction
AS I SEE IT MARIANNE HERON For a while now I have been wondering about being more energy efficient and guiltily putting off finding out about it. Retrofitting can seem daunting: what are you going to do, how much will it cost, what is the energy saving and can you even find a contractor to …
