Opinion

The importance of strides
BY EOIN EVERARD Strides – or accelerations – are a staple of almost every secondary school, university, and professional running team. Whether you’re an 800m specialist, cross country runner, or an aspiring marathoner, strides are a fundamental building block of speed and coordination. But the majority of recreational runners never do them despite a host …

A step in the right direction…
By John Fitzgerald Torrential rain failed to dampen the zeal of the Local History Walkers Group last weekend. Every Saturday without fail they set out from the Horse Trough on the Parade to bring the past alive through meticulously-researched talks, taking in both prominent heritage spots and lesser known or even hidden antiquities. The skies …

Girl Auction
BY NED EGAN Part 10 Up came the gun in one swift motion! But no – it wasn’t the vile would-be swain – or the father: it was Barker! Or something strangely like him… The dog creature stopped right in front of her: facing her: gazing at her. In spite of her ‘Mammy-sent’ warmth, a …

Fair days in Callan
By John Fitzgerald PART THREE From the town cross to the steps leading up to the Big Chapel, you could buy any piece of fruit or vegetable within season on Fair Day: Apples, oranges, gooseberries, black and red currents, or a head of cabbage for a penny. There were hanks of onions and stalls laden …

On a Cleere night, accolades to beat the band
FURTHERMORE By Gerry Moran I’ve got to stop doing this. Doing what, Gerry? Presenting Oscars. Pardon? Yeah, I’m making a habit of presenting Oscars. Really? Yes, really. This time last year, give or take a week or two, I presented two Oscars to Mick Walsh and Jimmy ‘Brewery’ Rhatigan, two of the co-founders of the …

Be wary of giving too much data away
BY JOHN ELLIS, FINANCIAL ADVISOR In the recent past have you been approached by a research company and asked to take part in a survey and before you start you are asked for a lot of personal information that you were uncomfortable disclosing? Well, you are not alone because, according to a recent report conducted …

Plastic free periods with Natracare
BY CLAIR WHITTY Did you know that there can be plastic in personal hygiene products? For example, did you know that a pack of conventional period pads can contain up to five plastic bags worth of plastic. That’s shocking. But thankfully, Natracare has an alternative. Their pads, tampons, maternity pads, and incontinence pads are made …

What do we want in change for women?
AS I SEE IT MARIANNE HERON Coinciding with International Women’s Day and Mothering Sunday the announcement of a referendum to amend the Constitutional article dealing with a women’s place in the home might seem at first glance like a gift for the women of Ireland. Back in the days when feminists battled to wrest the …

Local solicitor John D. Holland awarded a Masters of Law with Distinction
John D. Holland of Holland Condon Solicitors, Castlecomer with Baroness Grey-Thompson, Chancellor of Northumbria University, Newcastle, England after a ceremony at the University where John was awarded a Masters of Law with Distinction for his thesis on the negative impact of the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act, 2009 regarding undocumented and unregistered rights of …

Taking the mick: Lottie Ryan and Snowflakes
THE FACT OF THE MATTER PAUL HOPKINS So, radio DJ Lottie Ryan was not impressed with Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel’s dig at the Irish during the awards ceremony, saying we had hoped for Oscar glory after a record 14 nominations but “ended up the butt of jokes about drinking, fighting and unintelligible accents”. On the …