Opinion
The benefits of interest in online banking
BY JOHN ELLIS, FINANCIAL ADVISOR In a bid to attract a portion of the €156 billion currently on deposit in Ireland, Dutch online bank Bunq has announced a substantial increase in its savings rate. From July 19 Bunq has increased the interest rate on its ‘Easy Savings’ account to 3.36% for new customers. This is …
What can be done for Osteoarthritis
A lot can be done to manage osteoarthritis and reduce its impact on our lives By Paul Bolger. Chartered Physiotherapist at Nano Physiotherapy, Kilkenny (www.nanophysio.ie). So, you have been told you have osteoarthritis. What can you do? Quite a lot actually. Before we get into the steps to take, it’s important to recognise that while we …
Healthy Summer Juices
BY CLAIR WHITTY Are you looking for a refreshing way to stay healthy this summer? Look no further than Biona’s organic juice lineup! Their selection includes vibrant flavours like red grape, cranberry, tart cherry, carrot, and pomegranate – each packed with natural goodness. They use 100% certified organic fruits, never adding concentrates, sugars, or preservatives. …
When Hollywood came to town…
BY JOHN FITZGERALD (Part One) Twenty years ago this month a Kilkenny town was transformed into a gigantic film set. For a few magical weeks stars of stage and screen held Callan in thrall when a part of Neil Jordan’s Breakfast on Pluto was shot on location there. A feeling of loss and sadness engulfed the town the day in September …
Are humans only species to have sex for enjoyment?
THE LAST WORD By Pat Coughlan I remember that day well. I was in 6th class at our rural primary school in West Waterford. My friend Davy, ever cheeky, asked, in Irish,: “An bhfuil cead agam dul amach go dti an leithreas?” We all knew he wanted a sneaky fag behind the shed. The toilet …
Paying Granny for coming to the rescue with childminding
AS I SEE IT BY MARIANNE HERON The Swedes, always ahead when it comes to social provisions, have just introduced paid grandparental leave for three months of the grandchild’s first year. Not quite the same thing as actually paying grandparents, whether working or not, for minding their grandchildren but still a step in that direction. …
The Battle that Never Was
BY JOHN FITZGERALD Visit any city in Ireland and you’ll find people preaching in the streets, predicting doom and gloom, and, more often than not, the end of the world. But alarmist visions of the future are nothing new. Quite a few ancient prophesies concern our neck of the woods. Fifteen centuries ago, St. Columcille foretold that …
Music has forever been a component of my life
THE FACT OF THE MATTER BY PAUL HOPKINS Twelve years ago, I found myself dancing with a young woman in Durban by the Indian Ocean. It was a typical balmy African night as I endeavoured to keep pace with her beguiling Zulu rhythms, moving to the music of Mafikizolo, when the deejay stopped himself in …
Tax Inheritance: what the Budget might look like
BY JOHN ELLIS, FINANCIAL ADVISOR Tánaiste Micheál Martin has announced that reform of inheritance tax will be “on the agenda” for Budget 2025. While he ruled out the prospect of abolishing the tax on family homes, the potential changes could have significant financial ramifications for families across Ireland. In a recent statement he highlighted the …
Trials & tribulations of the short-distance runner!
FURTHERMORE By Gerry Moran The Olympics always remind me of the Waterbarrack where I got my first taste of competitive running and jumping. It was in the Waterbarrack that I got my first serious rush of adrenaline when, as a youngster of nine or 10, I lined up, taut and tense, to run the 100 …
