Opinion
The heart of the matter – a quiz
FURTHERMORE By Gerry Moran I read with great interest last week my fellow columnist Paul Hopkin’s column. Paul (also the Editor of this newspaper) had open heart surgery 15 years ago for a congenital defect which, in midlife, had caught up with him. Next month, Paul, because of wear and tear, will go under the …
Our outlook in global financial markets
BY JOHN ELLIS, FINANCIAL ADVISOR Global financial markets are flashing warning signs, and Ireland, one of the world’s most open economies, is particularly exposed, according to the Central Bank of Ireland’s most recent Financial Stability Review. Governor Gabriel Makhlouf highlighted a worrying disconnect. While equity markets, driven largely by US technology and artificial intelligence (AI) …
Tragedies show up cracks in child protection
AS I SEE IT BY MARIANNE HERON A friend was in raptures over the film Hamnet, its cinematography, and portrayal of grief. Did she cry? Yes, everyone did, came the reply. Hamnet is a fictionalised version of the loss of Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway’s son (11) to the plague at a time of high child …
Now, breaking up is not so hard to do
THE FACT OF THE MATTER BY PAUL HOPKINS In the autumn of 1986, my father’s youngest sister, Toni, and her partner, Eric, flew to Indonesia, where Eric filed for a ‘no-contest’ divorce from his wife. He and the love of his life then flew on to New York and married in City Hall, Toni’s brother …
Dry January: How to Support Your Liver Naturally After Christmas
BY CLAIR WHITTY After the indulgence of Christmas, many of you may be considering doing Dry January to reset your health. I am going to give it a shot this year, nothing to lose, everything to gain. After weeks of rich foods, sugary treats, and increased alcohol I feel that there has been extra strain …
Re-Empowering Death Conversations
CHOICES SHAPE YOUR FUTURE By Judith Ashton Talking about sex does not make you pregnant! Talking about death does not kill you! Talking about such things is empowering and need not be taboo… so let’s start such conversations sooner than later. I’m a great believer in talking and learning as much as possible about the …
“Saved by the Hand of God”
By John Fitzgerald (Part One) Along with the horrors of war, we hear the occasional feel-good stories…of narrow escapes and heart-stopping brushes with death A County Kilkenny woman, the late Kathleen Aylward, told me of how divine intervention saved her from the wrath of the German Air Force during World War 2. In July 2002, …
To see or not to see – that is, Hamnet
FURTHERMORE By Gerry Moran And so I went to see Hamnet (the movie on everyone’s lips) about the death of Shakespeare’s only son, Hamnet (the name was interchangeable with Hamlet in 1600s’ Stratford-on-Avon, Shakespeare’s birth place). The movie is hugely popular especially here in Ireland as it has not one, not two, but a trilogy …
Go far and wide, but have that travel insurance
BY JOHN ELLIS, FINANCIAL ADVISOR In a time where the cost-of-living squeeze shows no sign of easing, it is surprising that many people are still planning multiple overseas trips this year. Recent surveys reveal that more than half of us plan three or more holidays in 2026, with Spain topping the list as the favourite. …
Weighing into prejudice against those extra kilos
AS I SEE IT BY MARIANNE HERON Having been fat at one point in life and also having been skinny at another, I honestly think in between the two is better. I ran to ‘puppy fat’ at puberty and became thin when suffering from gall stones in mid-life. Being called fatty as a pre-teen was …
