Opinion
Dissolving agents and ticking the boxes
FURTHERMORE By Gerry Moran On November 8 last President Michael Higgins dissolved the 33rd Dáil. DISSOLVED! Kept thinking about that word. Being an imaginative and creative sort of person I had this image in my mind of each one of our 160 TDs lining up in single file, walking into Áras an Uachtaráin and being …
How children’s pocket money today adds up
BY JOHN ELLIS, FINANCIAL ADVISOR Today the way we give pocket money to our children has changed dramatically, moving from cash to digital transfers through various digital apps. According to a recent survey commissioned by the Teachers’ Union of Ireland Credit Union (TUICU), Irish parents typically begin giving their children pocket money around the age …
What gets us to turn out to the polls on time?
AS I SEE IT BY MARIANNE HERON We have barely recovered from Trump’s resurrection and now our own General Election is underway. These are different times. The old certainties and party loyalties no longer apply as politics become more volatile. Many voters haven’t yet made up their minds, if the previous election is anything to …
There is always wars, and rumour of wars
FURTHERMORE By Gerry Moran Was there ever a time, I wonder, when there was peace on this planet of ours? I think not and the bickering, the squabbling, the fighting, in my humble opinion, started in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. Here’s how it might have kicked off. Eve: “And what do …
Alternative Protestants and the Spirit of 1798
THE LAST WORD By Pat Coughlan In 1798, the United Irishmen sought independence from British rule. Inspired by the French and American revolutions, they advocated fair voting, religious equality, and equal rights, uniting diverse backgrounds for freedom. Leaders included Theobald Wolfe Tone, Henry Joy McCracken, Lord Edward FitzGerald, James Napper Tandy, and Robert Emmet. However, …
Life is not all about money, is it?
BY JOHN ELLIS, FINANCIAL ADVISOR Escalating energy costs and rising living expenses are placing financial strain on households, driving many to reconsider daily budgets and lifestyle changes. Income disparity continues to drive poverty rates, leaving many households unable to meet basic needs. Housing costs remain inflated, aggravated by a low housing supply and high rent …
Children falling through cracks of care system
AS I SEE IT BY MARIANNE HERON The unanswered question in many of our minds is how can a child like Kyran Durnin disappear but the alarm is only sounded two years later? The six-year-old boy who had been attending school in Dundalk was last seen in May/June 2022. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency …
Why inquiry into how we handled Covid bugs me
THE FACT OF THE MATTER BY PAUL HOPKINS Do I need an inquiry into the State’s handling of Covid-19 for me to understand that I had the rogue microbe inside me three times in two years; that the first six months of lockdown had me virtually alone and certainly petrified because I was among the …
Time to say “sorry” to Petronella?
BY JOHN FITZGERALD This month we recall a dark day in the history of Kilkenny. The burning alive of a woman erroneously accused of witchcraft 700 years ago is still source of shame, horror, and bafflement even today. The Kilkenny Heritage Walkers had their own tribute to Petronella on Saturday, enacted by veteran member Marianne Kelly. Marianne took a large …
Looking after the man in your life
BY CLAIR WHITTY Looking after the man in your life doesn’t mean handing the responsibility over to someone else. It means you. You need to look after yourself. My top tips to help you do this include maintain a balanced diet, get regular exercise, stay on top of medical screenings, protect your mental health, sleep …
