Opinion

Showdown at Nine-Mile-House BY JOHN FITZGERALD (Part four) One of the best-known military engagements involving the County Kilkenny IRA occurred at Nine-Mile-House, just inside the Tipperary border in the valley of Sliabh-na-mBan. On December 20th, 1920, volunteers of the 7th battalion Flying Column, backed up by Tipperary IRA men, lay in hiding on a hill overlooking a section of the main Kilkenny to Clonmel road. They …

THE FACT OF THE MATTER BY PAUL HOPKINS There’s a terrible irony that thousands of homes remain vacant despite a national housing crisis. New figures show that close to 81,000 residential properties were vacant in the final three months of last year. This has barely changed since the same three months in 2023, ­according to …

THE LAST WORD By Pat Coughlan The term ‘free healthcare’ suggests medical services with no charge, but reality is more complex. While certain services have no direct cost to patients, not all are without charge. The Health Service Executive (HSE) defines ‘free’ care as covering essentials like GP visits for children under six, the elderly, …

BY CLAIR WHITTY Common childhood conditions that probiotics can support include:  constipation, colic, eczema and allergies. Having a balanced gut microbiome with healthy levels of friendly bacteria may also help support immunity and reduce the frequency and duration of popular nursery and school bugs, such as the common cold. Re-establishing a child’s levels of friendly …

Continuing the story of how a planned attack on the well-defended Woodstock House unraveled… BY JOHN FITZGERALD (Part three) No sooner had Ernie O’ Malley woken the next morning when word reached the Hanrahans that a large military force appeared to be heading in their direction. James Hanrahan’s sister warned that the enemy could soon be on their doorstep. Incredibly, O’ Malley reacted …

THE LAST WORD By Pat Coughlan The European conquest of Africa was driven by a mix of motivations. Known as the ‘Scramble for Africa’, European powers like Britain, France, and Belgium divided the continent, neglecting indigenous societies. The Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 was pivotal, marking Africa’s division without regard for existing cultures. Economic interests topped …

BY JOHN ELLIS, FINANCIAL ADVISOR A recent survey of 1,000 Irish homeowners has revealed alarming statistics regarding home security, with nearly one in five experiencing a break-in within the last five years. We are being urged to take proactive steps to protect our properties as the survey highlights both common security measures and risky habits …

AS I SEE IT BY MARIANNE HERON The story feels like that line from Frank Sinatra’s song High Hopes – ‘Woops there goes another rubber tree plant’. Not a plant in this case but yet another high profile example of a waste of taxpayers’ money. This time the Arts Council was at fault for wasting …

THE FACT OF THE MATTER BY PAUL HOPKINS Four in five primary schoolchildren have unsupervised access to smart devices in their bedrooms, according to a new study. Just a minority said their parents or caregivers could see what they were doing online. New research by Ireland’s online safety charity, CyberSafeKids, highlights a significant lack of …

FURTHERMORE  By Gerry Moran Pat Delaney passed away on February 4. Pat lived about 400 yards from me. We walked the same lane, Caesar’s Lane, to school, the CBS Primary. And yet our paths never crossed. The reason being, I reckon, was because Pat was that bit younger than me and in a class lower. …