Opinion
KILKENNY CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS
With the dust having settled following Kilkenny’s All-Ireland Senior Semi-Final defeat to Clare a fortnight ago, and the Inter-County Hurling Season coming to a climax on Sunday (barring a replay) with the All-Ireland clash of Clare and Cork, attention in Kilkenny has now turned to the upcoming Club Hurling League/Championships in Senior, Intermediate and Junior …
Getting down to that job this summer
BY JOHN ELLIS, FINANCIAL ADVISOR My first summer job was in a meat factory. I spent most of that summer up in the roof above the boning hall making boxes. I cannot remember what I was paid but still remember the thrill of getting my first wage in a little brown envelope. Just as in …
More than melodies, our stories are in our songs
THE LAST WORD By Pat Coughlan Irish songs are more than just melodies; they are the lifeblood of our stories, woven into the very fabric of our identity. Growing up, I often found myself lost in the lilting tunes and poignant lyrics of songs like The Foggy Dew and Spancil Hill that seemed to echo …
All About Arthritis
Exploring this common and very treatable joint condition By Paul Bolger. Chartered Physiotherapist at Nano Physiotherapy, Kilkenny (www.nanophysio.ie). Osteoarthritis is one of the most prevalent conditions in the world, affecting over 500 million people worldwide in 2019 (and over 400,000 in Ireland). With the population aging, and other risk factors increasing, this figure is rising. Despite its …
Natural Solutions for Premenstrual Tension
BY CLAIR WHITTY Premenstrual tension, PMT, which is also known as Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), is a common problem. Hormonal fluctuations, chemical changes in the brain, genetic factors and lifestyle can all contribute to the symptoms that you experience. Symptoms can include fluctuating mood, irritability, anger, crying, and increased worry. There can be digestive problems with …
Moody, broody, touchy, needy… Me? Never!
FURTHERMORE By Gerry Moran And so another birthday is coming around. A big one, Gerry? Listen, they’re all big now if for no other reason than that I’m still around. ‘Still standing’ to quote that great survivor Elton John. Indeed several of my contemporaries are no longer around. Who is around, however, is a great …
Slow down, and save lives on our roads
THE FACT OF THE MATTER BY PAUL HOPKINS I’ve written about his before. In truth, I can not but write about it too much, too often. Carnage on our roads. Death by driving– bike, scooter, being just a pedestrian – driving towards 100 fatalities for the first six months of this year, a dozen up …
Cowboy curate fights skinflint Bishop
BY JOHN FITZGERALD The connection between Kilkenny and Newfoundland has been well-documented. Mass emigration from the Southeast turned the wind-swept, inhospitable island into an ‘Eire Nua.’ Among the most colourful characters to make his mark there was Father Patrick Power, a Waterford based Franciscan. In the late 18th century, Newfoundland was steeped in Catholicism. It was a deeply conservative society. …
When to quit as leader… and who comes next?
AS I SEE IT BY MARIANNE HERON Knowing when to quit is a form of wisdom which seems to have escaped America’s President Joe Biden. It was sad to see a man who has stayed too long make a stumbling spectacle of himself in last month’s head- to- head with Donald Trump. Sad for the …
Paying the price of Man’s inhumanity to Man
THE LAST WORD By Pat Coughlan Altruism, at its core, is about selflessly helping others, driven by a desire to do good. It’s the stuff of heart-warming stories and noble deeds. But what happens when these good intentions go awry? When the very act of helping turns into something darker? This week I am going …
