Opinion
Jimmy Carter’s provocative work on Palestine
THE LAST WORD By Pat Coughlan The announcement of the passing of former US President Jimmy Carter sent me scurrying to find my copy of his 2006 book on Palestine. Carter made a notable impact with his book, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid, challenging beliefs about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Carter highlighted Israel’s separation barrier, comparing it …
One Man… One Woman… One Show…
FURTHERMORE By Gerry Moran I like a bit of theatre and the theatre that I especially like is a One Man/One Woman show perhaps because it’s in the back of my mind to write and perform one someday. Mind you, that thought has been in the back of my mind for 40 years now. But, …
How consumer rights protect your shopping
BY JOHN ELLIS, FINANCIAL ADVISOR When purchasing goods or services in Ireland, you are protected by tough legal rights under Irish and European Union (EU) legislation. The Consumer Rights Act, introduced in 2022, strengthened these protections by ensuring that you, as a consumer, receive accurate information, have access to redress options if issues arise, and …
Golden daffodils can have that Midas touch
AS I SEE IT BY MARIANNE HERON As though to resolve the argument about when Spring starts a dozen daffodils opened their trumpets in my garden on St Bridget’s Day. Snowdrops may have grabbed the headlines for February as the stars of Co. Carlow’s Snowdrop Gala but daffodils have a longer season, from February through …
Ordinary mothers who prove extra-ordinary
THE FACT OF THE MATTER BY PAUL HOPKINS The celebrating of mothers and motherhood can be traced back to the Greeks and Romans, who held festivals in honour of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele, but the clearest modern precedent for Mother’s Day is the early Christian festival known as Mothering Sunday. Once a major …
Revitalise Your Skin This Mother’s Day
BY CLAIR WHITTY Trilogy is my go-to skincare brand. I recently had a chat with Helen from Trilogy where we discussed various products for older skin. As we age, our skin undergoes many changes, including a loss of elasticity, dryness, and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Maintaining a healthy and youthful glow becomes …
Your Genes Are Not Your Destiny
Old fashioned, outdated information in manual handling training is at best redundant and at worst harmful By Paul Bolger. Chartered Physiotherapist at Nano Physiotherapy, Kilkenny (www.nanophysio.ie). You would be forgiven if you believed that your genes held the key to your health. Many people also think genes dictate personality, behaviour and even eating patterns. While genes …
Beliefs shape our lives and define our choices
THE LAST WORD By Pat Coughlan Beliefs shape our lives, guiding us like an inner GPS. They define our choices, reflecting our core values. Ireland offers a real-world example where beliefs influenced both society and law. For years, Catholicism impacted everything from politics to education. The church’s influence was evident in laws like abortion restrictions. …
Badge of Honour on Marylebone Underground
FURTHERMORE By Gerry Moran On the platform of Marylebone Underground I spot him – shock of white hair, ruddy complexion, grey overcoat and sporting a Saint Patrick’s Day badge the size of a large lettuce. He is middle aged, stocky and low-sized. It’s midday in London, Saint Patrick’s Day, and this is my only sighting …
Gender equality: time to make a difference
BY JOHN ELLIS, FINANCIAL ADVISOR To mark the recent International Women’s Day, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) updated the Women And Men In Ireland Hub, a crucial one-stop resource for equality data in Ireland. Developed in 2024, this hub collates statistics from the CSO and other public sector organisations, providing an “accessible, comprehensive insight into …
