Opinion

THE LAST WORD By Pat Coughlan I am sure that our family was no different to any other family when it came to the sound of post dropped to the hall floor. There was a mad dash to pick it up and bring it to Mam. In later years, watching rugby I remembered those hallway …

FURTHERMORE By Gerry Moran I loved being sick when I was young, when I was maybe 12 and in 6th class in Primary School. And I loved being sick for a three reasons: one, I didn’t have to go to school and school was tough. We had a Brother Grennan, known as ‘Jack’ because of …

BY CLAIR WHITTY From the exciting moment of your child’s first words through to their first day at school, it’s amazing how quickly a child’s brain grows and develops. By the age of 6, the brain has already reached 95% of its peak size! We can’t overstate the importance of supporting a child’s development during …

THE LAST WORD By Pat Coughlan Pedestrianisation, the act of converting streets for the exclusive use of pedestrians, is a hot topic in urban planning. It promises cleaner air, safer streets, and a boost for local businesses. But, like a double-edged sword, it can also disrupt traffic and accessibility. So, is it a blessing or …

BY JOHN ELLIS, FINANCIAL ADVISOR Almost half a million drivers across the country are paying hundreds – and in some cases more than a €1,000 – more than they need to on car insurance cover because they have penalty points on their licences. According to a recent cost comparison analysis by motor insurance experts at …

AS I SEE IT BY MARIANNE HERON The connection between local Chinese take-aways, the fabled Silk Road which brought produce from the East to Europe for centuries and the challenges facing the State to provide for a population which has ballooned by more than 10% in the last seven years may not be obvious. But …

BY CLAIR WHITTY Every year I talk about Vitamin D. It is one of the most important vitamins for maintaining various aspects of our health. Vitamin D is required to absorb calcium, an important mineral for bone structure and strength. It helps to prevent rickets in children and osteoporosis in adults. It became a household …

THE FACT OF THE MATTER BY PAUL HOPKINS The 700-page Scoping report on historical sexual abuse at religious schools in Ireland is so candid in its shock and horror that some chapters begin with a content warning. These chapters are the harrowing accounts from those who endured and survived extreme sexual violence and abuse. “Reading …

BY JOHN FITZGERALD (PART TWO) The fight arranged between Denton and Barry (and their followers) loomed. Edmund Barry had refused to withdraw his allegation regarding the pig. He’d accepted Denton’s challenge to a duel between their respective factions. The contest was set for noon on November 20th. From early morning on that day, hundreds of …