Opinion
School’s back – so are those hoary old chestnuts
THE FACT OF THE MATTER BY PAUL HOPKINS Ted: “I never miss the Lovely Girls Festival. My absolute favourite time of year. How is Miss Lovely Girl doing?” Organiser Fr Damo: “Ted, we had to strip her of her title. We found out she’d been in a film called Stallion Farm…” Fr Ted, chuckling: “I …
Oh boy, for sure… ‘boys will be boys’
FURTHERMORE By Gerry Moran We all love a good story and here’s a great one. It came to me from Mike Kelly (see below) the founder of the marvellous Young Irish Film Makers. In 1985 two boys from Darndale in Dublin, Keith Byrne (10) and Noel Murray (13), made headlines around the world when they …
That’s rich! We’re not as rich as we might think
BY JOHN ELLIS, FINANCIAL ADVISOR Every year The Economist magazine ranks countries by wealth. This year Ireland was not included. Why? Our numbers are “polluted by tax tricks,” they said. Big companies like Apple and Google funnel profits through Ireland using legal tax strategies, making our economy look richer than it is. On paper, Ireland’s …
Presidential hopefuls and the art of saying ‘no’
AS I SEE IT BY MARIANNE HERON Decisions, decisions…. life is full of them, tea or coffee, walk or drive – mostly the mundane kind. Some of them are harder, like the ability to say ‘no’, something that we aren’t necessarily good at doing. The Presidential election provides interesting issues about saying ‘no’, as would-be …
The seeping racism that blackens our welcome
THE FACT OF THE MATTER BY PAUL HOPKINS While we are, as a society, noted for our welcoming nature, every so often, and more often of late, we find ourselves badly wanting when it comes to being the land of Cead Mile Failte. Racism is a reality here. We may not be seeing an out-and-out …
The Legend of “The Three Friars”
BY JOHN FITZGERALD If you pass through Nicholastown in South Kilkenny, you will notice three stone pillars rising out of the earth. They present to the eye a stark and haunting three-fold image, recalling ancient times and dark deeds. Dating to the Bronze Age, the standing stones were painted white in honour of three friars who were executed by Cromwell’s men close …
Why is Vitamin D3+K2+A vital for healthy aging?
BY CLAIR WHITTY This is a common question that I get asked. I was delighted to have a chat with nutritional therapist, Dr Barbara Barrett at Wild Atlantic Health. Barbara recently completed a PhD in natural medicine and is an expert in Vitamin D3 and K2. We talked about the benefits of Vitamin D for bone health, …
Jimmy Walsh and the three Dr Ryans
BY JOHN FITZGERALD At 92, Jimmy Walsh is still head coach at Callan Boxing club, but he believes he wouldn’t occupy that exalted position in his hometown had it not been for some timely medical interventions In particular, Jimmy told me he’s grateful to what he calls a top-class family of doctors. He told me the …
Legacy: a poem in memory of Jack Hayes
FURTHERMORE By Gerry Moran A highlight of the Arts Festival gone by was the launch of the Kilkenny Poetry Broadsheet which featured a poem of mine. (Another highlight, the highlight of the entire festival actually, was Secret Byrd in the Black Abbey, a marvellous mix of music and drama, with audience participation, and all by …
Move over banks, here comes the super credit unions
BY JOHN ELLIS, FINANCIAL ADVISOR There are substantial changes ahead for Ireland’s credit union sector. The Central Bank of Ireland has unveiled reforms that could more than triple the sector’s mortgage and business lending capacity to €9.9 billion. From September 30, these changes will mark a significant departure from crisis-era restrictions. It will allow credit …
