Opinion
When women in fear live every day with a plan
THE FACT OF THE MATTER PAUL HOPKINS Three years ago when she was 15, Helen’s friend, a year older, enticed her into his house, when his parents were out. After some small talk he pounced on her and attempted to remove her clothing. Helen, thankfully, managed to fend off her attacker and flee. Her mother, …
Bach Flowers for your emotional wellbeing
BY CLAIR WHITTY Bach Flower Rescue Remedy is a remedy that many of you will be familiar with. It has been available to us for more than 80 years. There are 38 Bach Flowers and Rescue Remedy contains five of these: Star of Bethlehem, Rock Rose, Clematis, Impatiens, and Cherry Plum. It’s the ideal remedy …
We need to talk about you dying …
BY JOHN ELLIS, FINANCIAL ADVISOR SINCE the outbreak of Covid-19, the subject of death has never been so prominent, and we know many who have experienced an unexpected loss. But, despite death being a universal experience, we still find talking about it very difficult. Especially when it comes to our own inevitable demise. Conversations about …
Explore a world from your home
BY ANDREW MCDONALD HYPNOTHERAPIST THE PLANNED ending of covid-related restrictions in October will come as a relief to most of us. Nothing is confirmed yet and, as with anything Coronavirus-related, things can change very quickly. Signs are that we are very much on the last lap though. Lifting of restrictions won’t make any difference for …
Don’t get me to the church on time …
AS I SEE IT BY MARIANNE HERON THE sounds of a ceremony in progress drifted over the fuchsia hedge from next door with a woman’s voice addressing the gathering between intervals of music. This humanist celebration to name the neighbours’ one year old daughter took place on a summer day in a Connemara garden. This …
When we grow up, this is what we could be …
THE FACT OF THE MATTER PAUL HOPKINS The future of the workplace will be digital, with the ‘new normal’ in the post-Covid era shaped more definitively by technology than any other consideration. Every aspect of our lives, from wellbeing to work, and all in between, will be massively ‘disrupted’ – that is changed – in …
Student housing crisis; no key, no degree …
THE FACT OF THE MATTER PAUL HOPKINS The irony is not lost on me that on the day the Irish Independent publishes its Rich Politicians List — which shows 68 millionaires in the Dail and that Michael Healy-Rae’s €4.7m property portfolio makes him the richest landlord in the Dail — comes figures that show that …
So, where do naturists keep their mobile phones?
AS I SEE IT BY MARIANNE HERON It’s not often in the current climate that a news story will make me laugh and then smile at the resilience of human nature. But an article about one of the more unexpected side effects of the pandemic did recently. The Irish Naturist Association reports a 68% increase …
Deputy Funchion calls for frontline workers to be recognised
KATHLEEN FUNCHION Sinn Fein TD for Kilkenny Carlow Irish Society as a whole has been through a terrible time during the pandemic and so many suffered bereavement and loss but throughout it all we saw huge courage and acts of kindness from our frontline workers, our community and voluntary groups, our carers and countless individuals …
Getting advice on your pension
BY JOHN ELLIS, FINANCIAL ADVISOR LAST week we looked at various excuses that people use to not invest into a pension plan. Now, you are one of the prudent few and your retirement date has arrived. You’ve been planning and saving for years, if not decades. You may be dissatisfied with your final pot, but …