Mature Living Leinster

PROMOTING A HEALTHY & POSITIVE LIFESTYLE June 2014

FOR THE OLDER, BOLDER INDIVIDUAL IN LEINSTER

The Great Western Greenway

Feel young and live life to the fullest

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www.matureliving.ie

June 2014

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E can say that summer is finally here and many of our readers will be interested in the GAA championship. One person synonymous with our Gaelic games is the enigmatic (now retired) commentator, Micheál O’Muircheartaigh. Also, when it comes to a candidate who is the perfect example of positive ageing it must surely be the exuberant Kerry native, who at 83 is still as active as ever in so many facets of Irish life.

Michael is actively involved in the Third Age Organisation which works to see that older people in communities are protected and is also involved in the Men’s Sheds initiative.

He is also a great ambassador for the Irish language. His down-to-earth advice on exercise, health and well-being is worth reading and we will, undoubtedly hear much more from him through various channels as the summer GAA season progresses.

As the controversy over water charges continues unabated we steer clear of the central debate but offer some timely advice to readers/householders on some ways to conserve water in the home. It is worth reading and could save you money in the long-term.

In each of our issues we deal with some aspect of health and fitness and this month we focus on appropriate exercise plans to get fit as you age and we deal in particular with the whole-body benefits of exercise for the over-50s. On a similar theme we give advice on how to feel young and live life to the fullest. We also explain what .aromatherapy is about and how it can be effective both as a preventative measure and the maintenance of good general health.

Sometimes people think the secret to positive ageing lies in remaining young looking for as long as possible. This, however, is not always the case and in our section on Fashion for Women Over 60 we focus on fashion tips which make women look terrific without necessarily trying to look younger.

Our technology section outlines how radar technology will soon be used to monitor seniors who are at risk of falling in their own homes. There is also some good news on the horizon for those of who dread using passwords on our computers.

There are, of course, many other articles, features and competitions in the June issue. If you are unable to pick up a copy of Mature Living at your newsagent contact us at info@matureliving.ie or by telephone at 071-91-54538 to take out a subscription. By doing so you won’t have to travel or search at newsagents or other outlets to obtain your monthly copy.

Seamus Casey - Editor

LAST MONTH’S COMPETITION WINNERS Congratulations to last months competition winner who won a breakaway to the Sligo Park Hotel was Julie O Leary, Carysfort Ave, Blackrock, Co Dublin

Editorial: Seamus Casey seamus@matureliving.ie Design: Stephen Finney steve@matureliving.ie Advertising Sales: Lisa Gilmartin lisa@matureliving.ie

News One on One with Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh Focus on Wexford Competition The Great Western Greenway Exercise plans to get fit as you age How to reduce water consumption in your home The Bands of our Showband era Visitor Attractions Breakaways A taste of China - Recipes The American Wake Puzzle Page Gardening with Leonie Cornelius Pets Corner Fashion for women over 60 Alternative therapies: Aromatherapy explained How to feel young and live life to the fullest Motoring News Technology Competition Subscriptions Services Directory

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Published by: Benbulben Publishing Limited PO Box 41, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford Tel/Fax: 053-9270857 Web: www.matureliving.ie • Email: info@matureliving.ie

The information in Mature Living is carefully researched and believed to be accurate, but the publisher cannot accept responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors or omissions. Statements or opinions expressed herein are not necessary those of the editor or publisher. Advertisements within the publication are not endorsed by the publisher. Neither are any claims made within the advertisements. Before consuming any products mentioned in the publication readers are advised to consult with their general practitioner or equivalent professional for opinion or advice.

News

Eye doctors issue sunglasses advice

M

ost people are aware that fair skin can be more vulnerable to skin cancer. However, did you know that light coloured eyes are more vulnerable to UV-related eye disease?

The Irish College of Ophthalmologists (ICO) is appealing to people to ‘shop smart' when purchasing sunglasses by only opting for those with the CE Mark (European safety standard) guarantee.

"Just as fair skin can be more vulnerable to skin cancers, studies have shown that those of us with lighter coloured eyes are more susceptible to ultra violet (UV) damage from the sun and can be at greater risk of developing eye diseases such as cataract in later life as a result," said Dr Patricia Quinlan.

She made her comments at the ICO annual conference in Limerick this week.

She believes that while many people are aware of the dangers of sun when it comes to their skin, ‘we have a way to go yet in educating people on the risks of UV damage to our eye health'.

"You wouldn't buy a sun cream that didn't have a sun factor in it so why buy shades that haven't got the essential UV protection that the CE Mark guarantees. While people with eyes of any colour can develop UVrelated eye diseases, light eyes and sun exposure are associated with an increased risk of eye damage," she said.

During the summer months, UV levels are at least three times higher than they are in winter. The ICO is appealing to people to wear sunglasses that are considered 100% UV safe.

The college is also reminding parents of the importance of taking care of their children's eyes.

"I see a lot of high street stores

selling cute little styles aimed at young children for the summer months, but parents need to look for the CE Mark. As cute as the glasses are and we all like to wear fashionable shades, unfortunately without the UV factor protection the CE mark guarantees, there is no eye health benefit to children wearing the lenses," Dr Quinlan pointed out.

She is encouraging parents to get their children used to wearing sunglasses from an early age, as this is ‘one of the easiest and the most important things children and adults can do to protect their eye health'.

"The message from eye doctors is that, just as you would apply sun factor to protect your skin in the sun, wearing sunglasses with 100% UV block will help to protect your eyes in the long-term," Dr Quinlan added.

The ICO offers the following tips to help protect the eyes: -Choose sunglasses with the CE Mark that block 100% of UV rays. Do not assume that because the lenses are dark, they offer more protection -Choose close-fitting wraparound glasses as these protect eyes from all angles -Wear sunglasses throughout the year even if it is cloudy, but especially during the summer -Wear a wide-brim hat with your sunglasses for extra protection -Some medications can cause increased sensitivity to sunlight, so take extra precautions if necessary -Remember that the sun's rays can be reflected off water, sand or the pavement -While contact lenses offer UV protection, they cannot protect the entire eye, so still wear sunglasses.

Wild flower guide comes up roses for author Zoe FROM the Kerry lily to the dog rose – a wildflower hunter has been busy cataloguing the blooms found nestling in the country's bogs and ditches.

More than 530 of Ireland's ancient native wildflowers have been collated in a new book from Dublin enthusiast Zoe Devlin.

Images show the beautiful blooms from the exotic spiky round-leaved sundew, a native Irish insect-eating plan, that traps and dissolves inquisitive flies and insects, to the musky-smelling pale yellow wood anemone.

Author and amateur botanist Ms Devlin has printed 1,200 photographs of her hunt for the rare to the commonplace plants in 'The Wildflowers of Ireland – A Field Guide', which was launched during this year's Burren in Bloom Festival in Cassidy's Pub, Carron, Co Clare last month.

Ms Devlin said finding some of the more elusive wildflowers proved trying with lost wellington boots, poor light and stormy winds hindering her efforts.

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News

Assisted suicide puts pressure on terminally ill, bishop claims FR Kevin Doran

T

HE new Bishop- elect of Elphin has said he is opposed to assisted suicide because of the pressure it puts on the terminally ill.

Fr Kevin Doran said in his recent visit to Sligo that when he is installed as Bishop of Elphin in July, he will be "strongly advocating that the church and church agencies be unambiguous in their witness to the dignity of human life at all stages".

The Dublin priest resigned from the Mater

By Patricia Conboy

Hospital's board last October when the hospital said it would comply with the terms of the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act. He was quoted as saying that: "Somebody might feel that because it (assisted suicide) is a legal possibility, that then it would be the decent thing to do, to save their relatives' difficulty."

"The church is not against death, the church is against the taking of life.

The decision rests with God

who is the giver of life and he alone can decide when it is our time. It is about being seen to stand firm with those who are most vulnerable." Fr Doran was speaking at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Sligo, following Pope Francis's announcement that he had been selected to succeed Bishop Christopher Jones.

Fr Doran is a former university chaplain who ran the International Eucharistic Congress in

Dublin in 2012 for Archbishop Diarmuid Martin.

Asked about the role of women in the church, he said that as leader of Elphin diocese he would have "no qualms whatsoever" about looking at possible key roles women could play.

"In the last job I had with the International Eucharistic Congress, six out of eight of my management team were women. They did a fantastic job."

Top 10 Items found in Irish shopping baskets Irish brands have squeezed out global giants and rate amongst our favourite items...

IRISH food brands squeezed out global giants such as Coca Cola in the list of products most

Nursing home contract of care is a key document

popular with Irish consumers.

Avonmore, Brennans and Denny are the brands most

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purchased by shoppers in Ireland, a report by Kantar Worldpanel has shown.

And continuing the breakfast theme, Galtee also makes it into the top 10 of brands chosen by Irish consumers. In fact, six out of the top 10 items on the list are Irish brands, with Jacobs and Batchelors also making an appearance.

While Jacobs ceased making biscuits in Ireland a few years ago, it is still defined as Irish because of its long history here, said Kantar commercial director David Berry.

Jacobs is owned by Valeo Foods, which has its headquarters in Dublin, but its biscuits are made in

Britain and Europe.

Surprisingly, Coca Cola only makes it to number 12 – but it's the undisputed bestselling soft drink worldwide, the new Kantar global rankings show.

Soup and stock maker Knorr was the most popular international brand here, followed by yoghurt giant Muller, Heinz and biscuit maker McVitie's. The Brand Footprint ranking is based on how many households buy a brand and how often over a 52-week period.

Avonmore was well ahead of the competition, with a massive 81pc of Irish households buying it once a fortnight on average.

Though the majority of older people continue to live in their own homes to the end of their lives, approximately 5 % of the older population will find themselves moving into a nursing home for their final years. In terms of meeting the costs of nursing home fees, people may apply to the HSE for financial assistance under the Nursing Home Support Scheme. Information about this Scheme, also known as the ‘Fair Deal’, is readily available from the HSE. However, there have been media reports recently about the imposition of additional, new fees on nursing home residents. These reports highlight the significance of the contract of care agreed between a resident and a nursing home. Older people moving into a nursing home need to be cautious in examining a proposed contract of care.

Under existing regulations, a nursing home must agree a contract of care with each resident. This contract must include details of services to be provided by the nursing home and fees to be charged.

Residents should not be charged fees which are not set out in their contract of care. A nursing home resident who is availing of the Nursing Home Support Scheme should not be charged any additional fee over and above their contribution as assessed by the HSE, except where he/she has chosen to obtain additional services which are not regarded as ‘Long Term Residential Care Services’(LTRCS).

The definition of Long Term Residential Care Services is a matter of controversy. However, the definition of LTRCS used by the National Treatment Purchase Fund(NTPF) is critical for the purposes of analysing a resident’s contract of care in a nursing home. In setting maximum prices to be charged by nursing homes under the Nursing Home Support Scheme, the NTPF uses a Deed of Agreement which specifies what is included in, and excluded from, Long Term Residential Care Services.

The following are included in LTRCS: Bed and board; nursing and personal care appropriate to the level of care needs of the person; bedding; laundry service; and basic aids and appliances necessary to assist a person with activities of daily living. The following are excluded from LTRCS : Daily delivery of newspapers; social programmes; all therapies; incontinence wear; chiropody; dry cleaning; opthalmic and dental services; transport (including Care Assistant costs); specialised wheelchairs; and hairdressing and other similar services.

The exclusion of therapies (e.g. physiotherapy, occupational therapy), incontinence wear, chiropody and social programmes from the definition of LTRCS is widely criticised. The reality is that the excluded services are an integral part of the care required by many nursing home residents to maintain wellbeing and quality of life. However, unpalatable though they may be, older people and their families need to be aware of the parameters within which the NTPF and nursing homes negotiate the cost of care under the Nursing Home Support Scheme since these parameters bear on individual contracts of care.

In planning the move to a nursing home, people should make explicit enquiries about access to therapies, chiropody, social programmes and incontinence wear, about access to supports via the HSE, and about any fees charged for these and other services. Nursing home residents should not find themselves facing claims for additional new fees that fall outside the terms of their contract of care.

Twitter : @PatriciaConboy1 ; https://www.facebook.com/AgePolicyAnalysis

News

Care and Mobility Show Launched

by Minister Kathleen Lynch

Tess Hogan - Caring for carers, Minster Kathleen Lynch, Jean Daly, Vicki Casserly-Naughton and Darragh McDonald

I

reland's first ever Care and Mobility Show which will take place in the RDS on 13th and 14th June was launched today by Minister of State with responsibility for Disability, Equality, Mental Health and Older people, Kathleen Lynch, show ambassador and Irish Paralympic gold medallist swimmer Darragh McDonald, Antrim Rose Jean Daly and Vicki Casserly Naughton, carer.

The show, which will be a major highlight of this year's National Carers Week (June 9th to 15th) is aimed at the almost 600,000 people in Ireland today with a disability, 240,000 of whom have difficulty with basic physical activities. The 400,000 plus carers, 350,000 of which are unpaid will also be catered for in terms of products and services to aid them in their role of caring for their loved

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ones.

Over 100 exhibitors from Ireland and the UK showcase their products and services while a number of healthcare seminars will also be held on topics Acquired Brain Injury, Alzheimer’s, Cerebral Palsy, Dementia, Huntington’s, Motor Neurone Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, Parkinson’s, Arthritis and stroke rehabilitation. A further key attraction will be professional one day CPD training courses for occupational therapists and physiotherapists delivered by internationally renowned physical therapist Sharon Pratt.

Speaking of the event, Adam Lingard organiser and director of MedCare Events said, "We are delighted to bring the Care and Mobility Show to the RDS. The show is

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all about promoting independent living and showing people that there are aids out there to help them live very full lives. We are looking forward to welcoming over 8,000 people to the RDS over the weekend while also raising money for our chosen charity Caring for the Carers."

Also speaking at the launch, Minister Kathleen Lynch said, "The Care and Mobility Show is about proving that living with disability does not and should not mean living a less fulfilled life. Disability does not have a target age group and the show will exhibit the broad range of products, services and facilities that are available to both young and old. Too often we associate needing help with a weakness when in fact it is through getting help that people can actually become more independent."

Darragh McDonald, Irish Paralympic Gold medallist also speaking at the launch said, "I am delighted to be working as ambassador to the Care and Mobility Show. Too often when people think of disability they think of barriers and negative words like can't, but this show will prove that living with a disability does not mean you can't live a very full life. It will prove that in many cases there are ways around things and that help is available in terms of advice and products and services. I am proof that you can definitely fulfil your dreams and go on to achieve what many may think is impossible. Life should be lived to the full and the Care and Mobility Show will show people how this can be done."

Tickets for the show are available at careandmobility.ie for €5 with €1 from the sale of each ticket going to Caring for Carers, a charitable organisation that supports over 160,000 family carers throughout Ireland.

The value of listening on Senior Help Line

‘I am so glad I phoned you today’ ‘Thank you for listening’ ‘I needed someone to talk things out with’.

These are three typical comments from callers to Senior Help Line, Ireland’s only confidential peer listening service for older people. Established 16 years ago, the help line received over 30,000 calls in 2013 from older people throughout Ireland. Callers can be lonely, anxious, in financial difficulties, worried about home security, health or family. Some callers are depressed or suicidal or may be suffering from elder abuse. Some older people who have few people to talk to phone very regularly for company and social contact.

In today’s busy world where channels of communication have grown ever more technical and sophisticated, we can often forget the value of talking and listening to each other.

Real and effective listening is doing your best to see the problem the way the speaker sees it. This may involve sympathy, which is feeling for the person, but to be more effective, it will involve empathy, which is experiencing with the person.

Empathic listening means entering actively and imaginatively into the other person’s world, and trying to understand their frame of reference which may be quite different from yours - not always easy.

The person who listens well will tend not to interrupt, jump in with advice or offer solutions, and will wait until the speaker has finished what they want to say. The effective listener will try to suspend judgement, and strive to hear what the speaker is feeling as well as what they are saying.

Senior Help Line volunteers listen to and hear a caller’s feelings – be they anger, sorrow, fear or gladness – as well as they facts.

On the help line, volunteers are trained to listen in a way that the caller feels heard and supported. All volunteers are older people themselves, in many cases sharing a lifetime of experience, and this peer aspect of the service is much appreciated by callers.

Telling someone else a problem can help to clarify it, and in some cases can help to point a way forward to a possible course of action. Senior Help Line volunteers support a caller in this way by helping them explore their options so that what began as an insurmountable problem may seem to become much more manageable.

Listening costs nothing except time. It is a priceless value in today’s world. It is offered by Senior Help Line every day of the year from 10 am to 10 pm. Ring us on LoCall 1850 440 444. We are ready to listen.

All costs are confidential. No landline call costs more than 30 cent, irrespective of call length.

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Feature by Gerry Walsh

Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh

The novelty of sports broadcasting I T’S Summertime again . . . and for all GAA enthusiasts this means just one thing ... championship time. In this context there could be no one better to grace the cover of Mature Living than the iconic (now retired) radio commentator, Micheál O’Muircheartaigh.

The tall, genial Kerryman has become a legend in GAA circles, and everything Gaelic for that matter, over his long career as a broadcaster which began back in 1949 when he provided an All-irish commentary on the Railway Cup final on St. Patrick’s Day. Sixty-four years on he retains the same enthusiasm for the sport, still attends many matches and presents an analysis on Mondays for Raidió na Gaeltachta.

Michael lives near Kilcock in Co. Meath with his wife, Helena. They have eight children - Eamon, Niamh, Aonghus, Cormac, Neasa, Nuala, Eadaoin and Doireann – ranging in age from 40s to mid-30s.

Currently, four live and work abroad and four at home, though none of them work in broadcasting.

Coincidentally, Micheál, born in Dún Sion, just outside Dingle in August 1930 (christened Michael Moriarty) was himself the fourth child in a family of eight. His home, like so many in Ireland at this time, didn’t have a radio and his earliest memory of listening to a radio commentary was at a neighbour’s house in 1939 when he was fascinated by the voice of Micheál O’Hehir in particular.

However, he hadn’t envisaged a future as a commentator at that time. In 1945 Micheál was sent to Coláiste Iosagáin, a boarding school in the Cork Gaeltacht, as

a preparation for a career as a teacher. In September 1948 he began the final year of his teacher training in St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra. His introduction to broadcasting occurred at this time. As he said himself, it was something that just happened. Radio Eireann was seeking commentators to cover matches through Irish and in March 1949 Micheál, along with ten other students from the college, and several other colleges, did a test commentary. For all of them at the time, it was an adventure, with free admission to Croke Park a major bonus.

Micheal had never seen a hurling game before in his life but he knew the adjudicators were not able to see the game.

He was the candidate selected and provided his first (all-Irish) commentary in 1949. After graduating from St. Patrick’s College he completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree at UCD and taught economics, accountancy and Irish in both primary and secondary schools throughout Dublin. In the mid‘fifties RTE began to expand its coverage in both Irish and English. In his earlier career he commentated on minor matches in the Irish language, but he also substituted for the legendary Micheál O’Hehir when he was unable to commentate.

He entered full-time journalism in 1980 and eventually when Micheál O’Hehir was forced to retire in the mid-‘80s he took over as RTE’s premier radio commentator.

Undoubtedly, Micheál’s uniqueness lies in his own inimitable style of commentary and his accent is unmistakably that of a native Irish speaker.

The unmistakable enthusiasm he brought to matches marked him as a true lover of the GAA and its games. His unusual turn of phrase has made him a

Micheal & Razldazl Rioga, his other passion in life

Page 10 Mature Living June 2014

Micheal O’Muircheartaigh along with Sam

much-loved broadcaster and a character often imitated. His comments in the heat of the moment during broadcasts have become legendary and our readers will forgive us if we include a few here: “Sean Og O’hAilpin . . . his father’s from Fermanagh, his mother’s from Fiji, neither one of them a hurling stronghold” “Teddy McCarthy to John McCarthy, no relation, John McCarthy back to Teddy McCarthy, still no relation”

people are undertakers” “I saw a few Sligo people at Mass in Gardiner Street this morning and the omens seem to be good for them, the priest was wearing their colours! 40 years out on the Hogan Stand side, Ciaran Whelan goes on a rampage, it’s a goal. So much for religion” “There’s a streaker now on the pitch. I’d say he’s a Kilkenny fan because he looks happy with the situation”.

“Pat Fox has it on his hurl and is motoring well now . . . but here comes Joe Rabbitte hot on his tail . . . I’ve seen it all now, a Rabbitte chasing a Fox around Croke Park!”

On October 30th, 2010, Michael made his final broadcast as commentator on RTE radio. It was the 2nd International Rules Test at Croke Park which he covered alongside RTE’s pundit and former Meath footballer, Bernard Flynn.

“Anthony Lynch, the Cork corner-back, would be the last person to let you down – his

GOOD HEALTH At 83 Micheal is grateful for his good health. “I don’t worry

A youthful looking Micheal back in 1982

about things. A lot of people worry about things and they don’t materialise’’. He walks a fair bit, cycles and plays golf but nothing ritualistic. When he has business matters to attend to in Merrion Square, Dublin, he parks at Croke Park and walks the distance.

He is a non-drinker which has helped him because in his business he would be offered lots of free drink.

He strongly believes in porridge and brown bread and notes that most hotels now have porridge as a standard as so many people are requesting it. He is chairman of Kerry Sports Partnership, the county council response to the Sports Council’s initiative to encourage people who are not regular sports participants, to get out in the air. People are moving out of gyms and the attitude to sports participation is changing for the better.

Micheal enjoying the craic with some well known faces

On the spiritual side, Micheal is a Roman Catholic and continually refers to traditional Gaelic proverbs in his conversation – “Cabhair De ar an mBothar”, “Goure De na an doras” (there’s an opening to everywhere). Hope should be fostered and preached – “Go mbeirimid beo ag an am seo aris”. This week he will be meeting an old colleague, Dr. Mick Loftus (a former One-onOne interviewee) at the top of Corran Tuathail in Kerry, accompanied by All-Ireland medal winners from each of the 32 counties, in aid of the Alan Kerins Projects.

ENJOYABLE Micheal has enjoyed his broadcasting career immensely.

“The novelty never wears off” he said. “I knew all the major players as people for more than 40 years”. He noted there were just a few of the Mayo team of ’51 now remaining – Padraig Carney, Fr. Peter Quinn and Paddy Prendergast (who lives in Tralee).

When asked about major sporting moments he immediately responding by saying that the opening up of Croke Park to other sports was of major significance. While the GAA had always been community oriented the extending of arms to the wider sporting community, particularly those with no home venues, revealed a real community spirit. It has been appreciated by people of all persuasions and proven to be worthwhile economically as well.

While he recalls so many special moments he takes particular pleasure in seeing a county take a major accolade for the first time or after a long gap. A good example was Clare in 1995. The last one had been in 1914. All they had won in the interim was one Munster championship. If Mayo were to achieve success in 2014 there would be very few left from the last win, but it would be a major boost for both Mayo and

the GAA. After a failure one year there is a feeling that the next chance is always not too far away.

In his commentaries Michael always seemed to have amazing background knowledge of so many players. He said this is easy when you have the interest. You’ll pick up copies of all the local papers and find out all the information. It was better at one time when local newspapers were published at weekends; since they moved to mid-week it made things a bit more difficult.

He has a particular interest in the development of Gaelic football in the North of Ireland and noted the number of new counties that had achieved

Micheal at an award ceromony at Sligo IT

glory in recent decades – Down, Derry, Tyrone and Armagh. He loved to meet and talk with them – players and people of all persuasions. He visited an RUC barracks in Down at one time when Down was preparing for the All-Ireland and was pleasantly surprised to learn they knew as much about the match as anyone else. This cemented for him the value of the GAA – local involvement, community, gathering with the other side.

He concluded his view on all of this by quoting another wellknown Irish saying: “Na tabhar do bhreidh ar an gcead sceal go mbeiridh an taobh eile ort” . . . which encourages us not to be rash or judgemental until we learn the other side of a story.

As further proof of how far we had progressed only this week he had met two members of the loyalist community in Croke Park awaiting the arrival of president Liam O’Neill who had been invited to speak at a Loyalist lunch in Belfast.

Commenting on the GAA’s three-year deal with Sky Sports he feels that RTE should have rights to all the championship matches.

Through 2RN and Radio Eireann they were first to broadcast the games and were instrumental in making them such so successful. Under the current arrangement some people at home won’t be able to see certain games. He is in favour of granting a free licence

to clubs to show the games when those at home can’t get them.

However, he believes that competition is good and he is in favour of the GAA winning a wide audience for the games abroad. Gaelic games are now being played everywhere. He was in Kuala Lumper recently where there are 700 Gaelic players . . . from everywhere.

Games are being played and promoted in Shanghai and Hong Kong in the People’s Republic of China.

OTHER INTERESTS Even in retirement, in addition to his interest in attending GAA matches, Michael is involved in a plethora of organisations. He works with Hospice and the Special Olympics. He is part of the Third Age Organisation which works to make sure that older people in communities are not neglected; he is part of the Men’s Sheds initiative. He is also Chairman of Colaiste Ide in Kerry. Micheal is involved with the Irish language movement and is very excited about its progress. He noted there were nine fluent Irish speakers on the Dublin minor hurling team last year. Included were Kieran Kilkenny and Liam Rush.

It is now much easier to get an Irish interviewee when talking to teams after matches.

Speaking about Ireland in general he couldn’t resist the sporting analogy. Kerry had won four-in-a-row (while aiming for

five) and there was a gap of 11 years to the next success. Irish hit an unrealistic boom, followed by a bust and it was now on the upwards slope again.

These cycles will occur and we should learn from them. He concluded the subject with another timely remark: “Ni neart go cur le cheile” (We don’t know our strength until we pull together).

PREDICTIONS: Micheal feels Dublin has an outstanding chance of achieving back-to-back All-Irelands but in saying so he feels every other team will be putting in a greater effort to beat them. It will be a fascinating championship, but the surprise team could be Monaghan, who were successful in Ulster last year. The hurling championship will be more difficult to predict. Clare had come through last year having lost the Munster championship. While Kilkenny will be hard to beat he would love to see Dublin winning it. There is nobody alive from their last win in 1938 when there was only one Dublin man on the team. It is now a home-grown team with many good Irish speakers.

Whatever teams compete in the final showdowns we can be sure than the great Micheál will be there living every moment and following every kick and puck, just like he did during his days in the broadcasting box.

Page 11 Mature Living June 2014

Wexford

focus on

WEXFORD

Irish Agricultural Museum & Johnstown Castle Gardens

H

ave you considered a day out at the Irish Agricultural Museum and Johnstown Castle Gardens? The spectacular ornamental gardens at Johnstown Castle were laid out in the 19th century by renowned architect Daniel Robertson (who also designed the gardens at Powerscourt, near Dublin). They are a delight for all and feature three lakes, a walled garden, a resident family of peacocks and the occasional red squirrel. Although the Castle itself is not currently open to the public, visitors can stroll round the outside and get a flavour of the lifestyles of those who lived and worked at the Castle over the centuries.

Set within the Castle grounds, in the former farm buildings, is the Irish Agricultural Museum which houses one of the most comprehensive displays of farming and rural life in the country. Set over two floors there’s lots to see, learn, do and enjoy for all ages with a large collection of tractors, carts, dairy equipment and farming implements from bygone times.

But it’s not just tractors and machines…

there’s also recreated workshops of traditional trades including blacksmith, cooper and wheelwright, an exhibition about the Great Famine, the history of Johnstown Castle, and a large display of Irish country furniture and farmhouse kitchens through the ages. It really is a treat for the eyes, and a trip down memory lane for many.

Children can enjoy completing the ‘Peacock Trail’ which takes them round the whole museum and picks out some of the highlights along the way. A ‘treasure trail’ around the gardens is also available from the Museum. The Museum, gardens, shop and tea room are open every day all year round and make a great day out for all ages – whatever the weather.

Special offer for readers of Mature Living magazine gives a reduced admission rate of €5 per person (gardens and museum) when arriving in a pre-booked group of 20 or more. For full details of opening times and admission charges please see www.irishagrimuseum.ie or telephone 053 918 4671.

Start the holiday season on a high note with a weekend break in Wexford

T

here's no better way to escape from stress than a getaway in beautiful County Wexford. With something unique to offer every visitor, it's the perfect family destination.The famously long beaches are just as perfect for spring strolls as they are for summer dips.

Or if you're eager to delve into history, don't miss top attractions like Hook Head lighthouse, the Irish National Heritage Park, and the Dunbrody Famine Ship, the rebellion centre, sea angling at Kilmore quay So leave your cares behind and get yourself to Wexford, for the break of a lifetime.

Wexford Maritime Festival A celebration of Wexford's rich maritime heritage and Wexford-born Commodore John Barry, Father of the US Navy. Enjoy maritime activities, family fun, artisan food and music.

Date: 27 June 2014 To 29 June 2014 Location: Wexford Town All Ireland Pipe Band Championships The 69th All Ireland Pipe Band Championships will have over 65 pipe band performances from more than 2000 musicians. This promises to be one of the most colourful and specular events held in the county.

Date: 05 July 2014 Location: New Ross Art in the Open 2014 Europe's largest plein air painting festival attracts artists from around the world to paint the varied and spectacular landscape of Wexford and the South East of Ireland.

Date: 28 July 2014 To 04 August 2014 Location: Wexford Town, Vinegar Hill Battle Re-enactment Witness history unfold this August Bank Holiday weekend at the Vinegar Hill Battle Re-enactment Festival.

Experience the sights and sounds of battle with pike charging rebels and

Page 12 Mature Living June 2014

musket wielding Redcoats.

Date: 01 August 2014 To 03 August 2014 Location: Enniscorthy Tagoat Steam & Vintage Rally Exhibitors display their vintage vehicles such as steam traction engines, vintage tractors, cars, motorbikes and stationary engines. There will also be traditional crafts, music, fun fair, traders & much more.

Date: 16 August 2014 To 17 August 2014 Location: Tagoat National Heritage Week Heritage Week is about bringing heritage to life with 1700 events taking place across Ireland - from medieval fairs to night-time bat walks and traditional music sessions to kids' workshops, there is something for everyone.

Date: 23 August 2014 To 31 August 2014 Location: Wexford Town New Ross Piano Festival A weekend festival focussed on the piano, its repertoire and its pianists with a concentrated series of concerts and an exciting musical programme.

Date: 25 September 2014 To 28 September 2014 Location: New Ross 63rd Wexford Festival Opera This internationally recognised opera festival takes place each October for 12 days of grand opera productions, shortworks operas, lunchtime recitals, concerts, film and more.

Date: 22 October 2014 To 02 November 2014 Location: Wexford Town Wexford Spiegeltent Festival From its inaugural year in 2012, the Wexford Spiegeltent has grown to be one of the biggest and most successful multi-genre festivals in Ireland with a unique and enticing atmosphere.

Date: 22 October 2014 To 01 November 2014 Location: Wexford Town,

Wexford

Gilly Thomas - Artists Statement

M

y interest in art and sculpture has been long standing. I wanted to do Art from school but at the time “you didn’t do that”. Art was definitely off the menu in the late sixties. So having taken several different courses in portrait sculpture, art history, glass fusing, ceramic shell molding and working in a foundry, I eventually, at the age of 50, took myself off to The Frink to

get down to what I was really interested in – sculpture!

I built a studio next to my house in rural Wexford where I now produce bronzes and work in cassini - a very hard waterproof composite. I also enjoy making pen and ink drawings which evolved from my life drawing sessions.

Natural forms have an elegance and serenity which I seek to capture in simplified equine and feline forms. When I am modeling a piece I allow the lines to flow so that the eye takes in the shape calmly and the hands move over the piece gently bringing quietness to the spirit. My main interest is in figurative simplicity. Looking at natural forms I capture the essence; the underlying emotion of the animal. I look at the shape as the horse turns his head to me; I see the elegance of him, simplify it and bring that attribute to the finished piece. I want my sculptures to be touched. So let your hands roam over the shapes and feel that peaceful calm quietness.

Visit the website www.gillythomassculpture.com for more details.

Gilly Thomas Sculpture Gallery

Gilly Thomas, Carnagh Woods, Gusserane, New Ross, Co.Wexford • E: gillyt@eircom.net

www.gillythomas-sculpture.com • T: 087 227 9270 Open: Wed - Sun 2pm - 6pm • Commissions taken

Riverside Park Hotel & Leisure Club Enniscorthy, Co Wexford Tel: 053 92 37800 www.RiversideParkHotel.com

Fun at 50!

2 Bed, Breakfast & 1 Dinner + free ac!vity Only €95 pps midweek The above offer includes a choice of a complimentary tour of Enniscorthy Castle or 1 hour bowling (transport req)

Golfers Gi$ Sunday or Monday Dinner Bed & Breakfast + a round of golf in Enniscorthy Golf Club Only €85pps

These fantas!c offers includes luxury accommoda!on, Full Irish Breakfast each morning & a sumptuous Evening meal. *** All residents can avail of our Riverside Leisure Club and Reduced entry Mon/Thurs to Enniscorthy Greyhound racing star!ng @ 8pm

Page 13 Mature Living June 2014

Wexford

The Emigrant Trail All locations are fully wheelchair friendly and have disabled access this includes the ships tour which has a lift between the ship decks.

N

ew Ross is a charming riverside town within 30 minutes of the key hubs of Wexford, Waterford and Kilkenny and less than 2 hours from Dublin making it ideal for a day trip or a longer getaway. New Ross has a tremendous legacy as many famine emigrants set out from here for a new life in Canada and the US on the Dunbrody Famine Ship in the 1840s. One of the most famous emigrant success stories begins here in New Ross with the Kennedy family. President Kennedy’s great grandfather, Patrick Kennedy, lived here & set sail for a better life in the US aboard the Dunbrody Famine Ship. Three generations later his great grandson became President of the world’s most powerful nation becoming an international icon and the poster boy for emigrant success.

President Kennedy himself visited New Ross in 1963, the year of his assassination and New Ross maintains a strong connection still with the Kennedy family, members of which return annually to the town.

Unlock the emigrant story by taking a journey on The Emigrant Trail and follow the fairy tale from Irish Famine Emigrant to President of the

United States!

Start your visit on New Ross quayside and step back in time at the Dunbrody Famine Ship Experience & Restaurant, a unique experience that authentically recreates what it was like for passengers escaping the Great Irish Famine. Costumed performers and themed exhibitions bring the tour to life. Enjoy panoramic views of the River Barrow and the Dunbrody Famine Ship in

Page 14 Mature Living June 2014

THE EMIGRANT TRAIL PACKAGE DEAL: ONLY €25.00 per person for groups of 10 & upwards!

Includes: • Admission to all 3 attractions • Light lunch at JFK Tearooms • Afternoon tea with scones, preserves & dairy cream at the Kennedy Homestead.

To book contact: info@dunbrody.com or call 051 425239.

Individual and group rates are also available for each of the attractions featured.

the glass fronted restaurant. Be sure to make time for a photo at The Emigrant Flame which burns perpetually as a symbol of hope and inspiration for all Irish diaspora. Afterwards move into the countryside to enjoy a stroll and a light lunch at the JFK Tearooms located in the JFK Memorial Park & Arboretum, dedicated to the memory of President John F Kennedy. The Arboretum is a plant collection of international standing covering 252 hectares on Slieve Coillte and includes a lake, an exhibition detailing President Kennedy’s time in the White House and an audio visual show detailing the flora & fauna in the park. Step into the shoes of one famous emigrant family with a visit to the Kennedy Homestead a few miles down the road, birthplace of President John F Kennedy’s great-grandfather, Patrick Kennedy, who was forced to emigrate during the famine. A state of the art exhibition brings the story to life using video footage, striking memorabilia and a self- guided tour on the site of the original homestead. Finish your visit with afternoon tea including home baked scones, preserves and fresh cream.

Wexford

Kilmore Quay Angling Charters On Board the Celtic Lady II

• Deep Sea Angling • Survey & Diving Charter • Trips around the Saltee Islands • Reef & Wreck Fishing • Evening Fishing Trips • Licensed and Insured for 12 people • Rod and Reel Hire on board • Fitted with all safety equipment

Contact Owner / Skipper - John Devereux Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford, Ireland Tel: 053-9129637 • Mob: 087-2926496

ENNISCORTHY HERITAGE TRAIL BUS

Owner/Operated tour bus of all that is beautiful and fascinating about County Wexford

“Wander the Wonders of Wexford"

The Heritage Trail Bus will enable your group to experience all that Wexford has to offer. Whether staying in Wexford or planning a day trip choose from one of the following tours:

• Discover the Hidden History of Enniscorthy Town • Relive The 1798 Rebellion-In Fr Murphy’s Footsteps • Inhale The aroma of The Wexford Garden Trail • Admire the Architecture of Pugin's many buildings • Wonder at Ferns Castle, Village and Ballymore Historic features.

• Visit The Dubrody Famine Ship, The Kennedy Homestead and Hook Lighthouse.

Give me a call then sit back, relax & let me take your group there.

Tour prices and duration on application

Call Cathy on 087 3299900 • www.bualadhbuscabs.com

Wexford

KILMOKEA COUNTRY MANOR & GARDENS GREAT ISLAND, CAMPILE, NEW ROSS

Beautiful seven acre Gardens to visit

20% Discount

on our rack rates when you quote Mature Living magazine

Everybody welcome. Open 10am – 5pm Daily. Discounts for groups.

Garden Café serving delicious Lunch and Afternoon Teas.

Guests can stay in our B&B and be pampered.

Treat yourself to a dip in our Indoor pool & book in for a relaxing Aromatherapy massage.

Whatever your choice, call us and book in; Emma Hewlett 051 388109 www.kilmokea.com • stay@kilmokea.com

Wells House & Gardens –A great house & gardens, a grand adventure for all!

W

aiting to be explored in Co Wexford is the Daniel Robertson designed Wells House & Gardens.

Located just 18km south of Gorey Wells House & Gardens has something for all generations to enjoy! Recently opened to the public in July 2012 but familiar to travellers of the R741 Wells House & Gardens is a hidden gem in the South East!

Visitors to Wells can enjoy several of the new additions to the grounds sure to fill your day out! Activities include a resident archer, an adventure playground, a woodland walk featuring hidden treasures waiting to be discovered to name a few! The old stable block has been remodelled into a craft courtyard where you can shop for authentic crafts and a recently opened gardener’s cottage adds to the experience!

The house tours are conducted in replica Victorian Costume and if booked you can enjoy your very own “Downton Abbey” experience of Afternoon Tea served in the dining room of Wells House by your very own Victorian maid having learnt the history of the house and it’s inhabitants on the tour!

Renowned architect Daniel Robertson was responsible for the house as it stands today with sketches of his drawings for both the house and garden on display!

Robertson also worked on the gardens in Powerscourt, Kilruddery and more locally Johnstown Castle but his work in Wells House was over a 14 year period and is

Page 16 Mature Living June 2014

believed to be the first house he worked in when he arrived in Ireland from the UK in the 1830s.

Wells House & Gardens also offer a packed events calendar with highlights including the Victorian Garden Party in July and an Antique Roadshow in September – there is something to suit all tastes! The outdoor theatre performance of the Jane Austen classic “Sense and Sensibility” is sure to be popular and takes place on 22nd July!

The entry fee is per car and is great value at €8. Concessions are available for active retirement at €3 for the house tour. More details of events, directions and opening times are found on the website www.wellshouse.ie

Wexford

Harbour House Guest House Bed & Breakfast Accommodation

Courtown Harbour, Gorey

Marsh Mere Lodge B&B

Gateway to The Ring of Hook

Harbour House is a Family run, Irish Tourist Board Approved, 3 Star Guesthouse, situated in the popular village of Courtown Harbour and only 2 minutes from Courtown’s Blue Flag beach and Featured on RTE’s popular ‘At Your Service’ We also have a choice of self catering accommodation in nearby Forest Park

Harbour House B&B is situated in the the heart of Courtown Harbour in the sunny south east of Ireland.

Tel: 086-8141434 • www.harbourhousebb.com

Weston House Bunclody

Close by to ... • Hook Light House • National Heritage Park • Dunbrody Famine Ship • JFK Homestead • JFK Statue • Duncannon Fort • Dunbroady Abbey • Tintern Abbey • Johnstown Castle

Ballyhack, Arthurstown, Co. Wexford • Tel: 051-389186 www.marshmerelodge.com • Email: stay@marshmerelodge.com

Ashley Lodge Bed & Breakfast Tagoat, Rosslare Harbour, Co. Wexford • Tel: 053-9131991 Full Irish breakfasts are served each day from 6:30am Tranquil countryside location All bedrooms at ground floor Sitting room available for guest use

Eighteenth century, charming B&B that has been lovingly refurbished while still retaining many of its original features. set in secluded, mature grounds of 2.5 acres, only minutes from the centre of Bunclody.

Ideally located for Mountain Walks, Golf Courses and Fishing Double / twin room with breakfast only €35.00 pp/night

Telephone us today on 053-9376435

www.westonhousebunclody.com • liz@westonhousebunclody.com

WIN

Close to Fantastic Beaches, Pubs & Restaurants, Horse Riding & Fishing, Irish National Heritage Park, Rosslare Golf Club and Rosslare Harbour Ferry

Visit our website www.ashley-lodge.com

2 Night Midweek Break for 2 people with Bed and Breakfast & Dinner on one evening

This month Mature Living Magazine has teamed up with the fabulous Ashdown Park Hotel, to offer one lucky reader a midweek break for two people. To be in with a chance of winning this fantastic prize, simply answer the question below and send your entry on a postcard, along with your name, address and telephone number to us at Ashdown Park Hotel Competition, Mature Living Magazine, Office 3, Unit 7, NW Business Park, Collooney, Co. Sligo.

Q: Name the Restaurant at the 4 Star Ashdown Park Hotel Terms and conditions apply, Closing date 20th June 2014

Mature Living Reader Promotion:

Starting from €199 pps for 3 nights Bed & Breakfast with Dinner each evening in the Rowan Tree Restaurant, Full use of the Leisure Centre, complimentary Wifi & car parking. Please quote MLMAY when booking

To Book your stay call 1800 501 901 or email reservations@ashdownparkhotel.com The Coach Road, Gorey, Co. Wexford · www.ashdownparkhotel.com Page 17 Mature Living June 2014

Walking & Cycling

Westport Smarter Travel

D

id you know that the longest off-road walking and cycling trail (42km) in Ireland starts in Westport?

This comes as no surprise as around every corner of this picturesque coastal town the Westport Smarter Travel initiative is promoted with local Cafés offering bike pumps and bike racks for their customers as well as local bike shops offering daily rentals and tours. Westport, the 'Best Place to Live in Ireland', allows pedestrians and cyclists to enjoy a premium experience any time of the year with ease of access within the town.

Not only has Westport great walkways, but also boasts exceptional outdoor pursuits areas including a purpose-built Skate Board-

ing Park as well as a Multi-use Games Area, all of which are free of charge for use. The public area has ample seating and is located along the iconic Great Western Greenway route.

Westport was one of three towns in Ireland winning the ‘National Competition for Smarter Travel Areas’ award through excellent proposals for transforming peo-

ple’s travel behaviour, with support and buy in from local businesses and communities with the very successful park & stride campaign.

Westport is a popular tourist destination offering visitors something for everyone time and time again, so don’t miss out and book your trip today. Westport, experience it your way!

Start your holidays on a Sunday and get 5 Nights for the Price of 4!

Enjoy 4 Nights B&B plus a four course Dinner each evening in our award Winning AA Rosette Islands Restaurant

The World Class Great Western Greenway, in the West of Ireland The Strand Hotel, Dugort, Achill, Co. Mayo T: 098-43241 • info@strandhotel.ie • www.strandhotel.ie

• Right on Silver Strand Beach • Bring your own picnic • Full bar/snacks/refreshments • Come relax and have lunch • Music at the weekends • Family rooms from €70 • Children under 7 free

E

scape the bustle of urban life on the multi-award-winning Westport to Achill Great Western Greenway, the longest off-road walking and cycling trail in Ireland. The first 14km stage of the Greenway from Newport to Mulranny opened in 2010 and a year later extensions were finished lengthening the route to 42km, almost entirely offroad. The Greenway follows the path of the old Westport to Achill Midland Great Western Railway line which closed in 1937. Landowners along the route have given access to their land and allowed development of the path at no cost.

This community spirit of the Greenway landowners has recently been recognised and rightly so.

The Greenway meanders through some of the most beautiful and idyllic countryside you’ll find anywhere in Ireland. Walkers and cyclists can drink in the views of the spectacular Nephin Beg mountain range, Clew Bay, Clare Island, Croagh Patrick and Achill. You could even stop off for a hike on one of the Derradda loop walks or take a break on Mulranny’s Blue Flag Beach.

If you’re a history buff you can visit fascinating gems like the seven-arch railway viaduct over the Black Oak river in Newport, or take a slight detour and visit Granuaile’s Rockfleet Castle and the 15th century Burrishoole Abbey.

The 42km almost entirely traffic-free route is ideal for getting out on a bike for a spin and is perfect for a day of family fun. The Greenway has won several awards including European Destination of Excellence, an award for the community spirit of the Greenway landowners for allowing their land to be used and developed and a LAMA award.

BIKE HIRE Experience the Great Western Greenway from Westport to Achill Island with the original and most professional bike hire provider in Ireland: Clew Bay Bike Hire. Clew Bay Bike Hire have 5 locations along the Greenway – Westport, Westport Quay, Newport, Mulranny and Achill Sound – each with free parking as well as immediate access to the Greenway! They also provide a free shuttle service (with full day bike hire) that allows you to cycle as much or as little as you wish as well as free roadside assistance to all our cyclists in the unfortunate event of a puncture or if our assistance is needed! With a fleet of 5 shuttle vans you’ll not be waiting too long for us!

They have bikes and accessories to suit all ages and abilities and choose to only offer premium brand bicycles and accessories to their customers.

‘Giant and Kona’ hybrid bikes, Giant Electric assisted bikes as well as optional ‘premium’ upgraded Kona hydraulic disc-brake bikes for the more advanced cyclists! Their extensive fleet of 20” and 24” inch children’s bikes, trailers and tag-a-longs ensure we have everything your family needs for a great day out! New to the fleet of 400+ bikes this year is the only ‘family’ bike in the country which can accommodate one adult and 2 baby seats on the back! Helmets and hi-vis jackets are also provided for your safety!

Clew Bay Bike Hire take great pride in attention to detail, quality of equipment and the level of service they provide and it is their aim to provide the complete Greenway Experience to each and every customer!

HOTEL, BAR & RESTAURANT

June & September Special Rates

Bed & Breakfast only €35p.p.s Ah! Come to Achill in June or September, It will change your life, you’ll soon seen why.

You will find on the Island, out in the blue, A dream paradise­ Heaven for two!

Achill Sound Hotel, Achill Sound, Achill, Co. Mayo Tel: 098-45245 • www.achillsoundhotel.com

Come aboard whitewater II, A 38" chartered angling boat with 420hp and ample deck space, catering for 12 passengers and 2 crew. White Water II operates day#me and evening tours. These tours are ideal for families and younger anglers.

Clew Bay (Cuan Modh) is a natural ocean bay in Co. Mayo. It contains Irelands best example of sunken drumlins.

The bay is also home to Dorinish, a private island purchased by John Lennon in 1967.

So come on pick up that phone and book an experience you won’t regret.

Contact Darragh McGee on 086­3884425

Email: darragh@clewbaycharters.com • www.clewbaycharters.com

Walking & Cycling

Ballycroy National Park

Clew Bay Bike Hire Westport

Phone: 098 37675

Email: info@clewbaybikehire.ie

www.clewbaybikehire.ie

Experience the Great Western Greenway with Clew Bay Bike Hire, the only bike hire company on the Greenway with loca!ons in every town en route. (Westport, Westport Quay, Newport, Mulranny, and Achill)

B

allycroy National Park is Irelands sixth national park and is located in northwest Mayo. It covers a vast uninhabited and unspoilt wilderness dominated by the Nephin Beg mountain range. To the west of the mountains is the Owenduff bog.

This is one of the last intact active blanket bog systems in Ireland and Western Europe and is an important scientific and scenic area of the

National Park.

Our Visitor Centre is located in the village of Ballycroy on the N59 road between Mulranny and Bangor. It houses a FREE interpretive exhibition, Tearoom with stunning panoramic views, 1.5-2 km Nature Trail and regular guided walks, talks and special events. We also offer FREE outreach and on-site environmental talks/walks to diverse groups.

We hire bikes for all ages and abili!es, and use only top quality bikes and electric bikes. We also provide FREE roadside assistance to our customers, and with 5 loca!ons we are only minutes away when you need us.

BA L LYC ROY N AT I O N A L PA R K Visitor Centre 2014 Opening Hours: 10am - 5.30 pm - Admission Free 17th April - 24th September Open 7 Days ‘Ginger and Wild’ Tearooms Are Open Daily From 10.00am 5.00pm We Take Bookings For Tour Groups, Active Retirement Groups, Schools and all Special Interest Groups.

We Regularly Lead Guided Walks Of Our Nature Trail And Host Special Events.

Tel: 098 49888 E: ballycroyvisitorcentre@ahg.gov.ie

W: www.ballycroynationalpark.ie Page 20 Mature Living June 2014

Gather your friends and family and experience the best ac!vity the West of Ireland has to offer. Our FREE SHUTTLE service with full day bike hire is the most sought a#er benefit, allowing you to cycle as li$le or as much as you like.

Fitness

Exercise Plans to get fit as you age A

s you grow older, an active lifestyle is more important than ever. Regular exercise can help boost energy, maintain your independence, and manage symptoms of illness or pain.

Exercise can even reverse some of the symptoms of aging. And not only is exercise good for your body, it’s also good for your mind, mood, and memory.

Whether you are generally

healthy or are managing an illness, there are plenty of ways to get more active, improve confidence, and boost your fitness.

Exercise is the key to healthy aging Starting or maintaining a regular exercise routine can be a challenge as you get older. You may feel discouraged by illness,

ongoing health problems, or concerns about injuries or falls.

Or, if you've never exercised before, you may not know where to begin. Or perhaps you think you're too old or frail, or that exercise is boring or simply not for you.

While these may seem like good reasons to slow down and take it easy as you age, they're actually even better reasons to

5 Myths about Exercise and Aging Myth 1: There’s no point to exercising. I’m going to get old anyway.

Fact: Exercise and strength training helps you look and feel younger and stay active longer. Regular physical activity lowers your risk for a variety of conditions, including Alzheimer’s and dementia, heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, high blood pressure, and obesity.

Myth 2: Older people shouldn’t exercise.

They should save their strength and rest.

Fact: Research shows that a sedentary lifestyle is unhealthy for adults over 50.

Inactivity often causes older adults to lose the ability to do things on their own and can lead to more hospitalizations, doctor visits, and use of medicines for illnesses.

Fact: You’re never too old to exercise! If you’ve never exercised before, or it’s been a while, start with light walking and other gentle activities.

can benefit from exercise.

Reaping the rewards of exercise doesn’t require strenuous workouts or trips to the gym. It’s about adding more movement and activity to your life, even in small ways. Whether you are generally healthy or are managing an illness—even if you’re housebound—there are many easy ways to get your body moving and improve your health.

The whole-body benefits of exercise for adults over 50

Myth 5: I’m disabled. I can’t exercise sitting down.

Fact: Chair-bound people face special challenges but can lift light weights, stretch, and do chair aerobics to increase range of motion, improve muscle tone, and promote cardiovascular health.

Myth 3: Exercise puts me at risk of falling down.

Fact: Regular exercise, by building strength and stamina, prevents loss of bone mass and improves balance, actually reducing your risk of falling.

Myth 4: It’s too late. I’m already too old to start exercising.

Tips for getting started safely Committing to a routine of physical activity is one of the healthiest decisions you can make. Before you get moving, though, consider how best to be safe.

Get medical clearance from your doctor before starting an exercise program, especially if you have a preexisting condition. Ask if there are any activities you should avoid.

little by little. Try spacing workouts in tenminute increments twice a day. Or try just one class each week. Prevent crash-andburn fatigue by warming up, cooling down, and keeping water handy.

Consider health concerns. Keep in mind how your ongoing health problems affect your workouts. For example, diabetics may need to adjust the timing of medication and meal plans when setting an exercise schedule. Above all, if something feels wrong, such as sharp pain or unusual shortness of breath, simply stop. You may need to scale back or try another activity.

Stay motivated by focusing on short-term goals, such as improving your mood and energy levels and reducing stress, rather than goals such as weight loss, which can take longer to achieve.

Start slow. If you haven’t been active in a while, it can be harmful to go “all out.”

Instead, build up your exercise program

get moving. Exercise can energize your mood, relieve stress, help you manage symptoms of illness and pain, and improve your overall sense of well-being. In fact, exercise is the key to staying strong, energetic, and healthy as you get older. And it can even be fun, too.

No matter your age or your current physical condition, you

Commit to an exercise schedule for at least 3 or 4 weeks so that it becomes habit, and force yourself to stick with it.

Recognize problems. Exercise should never hurt or make you feel lousy. Stop exercising immediately and call your doctor if you feel dizzy or short of breath, develop chest pain or pressure, break out in a cold sweat, or experience pain. Also stop if a joint is red, swollen, or tender to touch.

As you age, regular exercise is more important than ever to your body and mind.

Physical health benefits of exercise and fitness over 50 Exercise helps older adults maintain or lose weight. As metabolism naturally slows with age, maintaining a healthy weight is a challenge. Exercise helps increase metabolism and builds muscle mass, helping to burn more calories.

When your body reaches a healthy weight, your overall wellness will improve.

Exercise reduces the impact of illness and chronic disease. Among the many benefits of exercise for adults over 50 include improved immune function, better heart health and blood pressure, better bone density, and better digestive functioning. People who exercise also have a lowered risk of several chronic conditions including Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, osteoporosis, and colon cancer.

Exercise enhances mobility, flexibility, and balance in adults over 50. Exercise improves your strength, flexibility and posture,

which in turn will help with balance, coordination, and reducing the risk of falls. Strength training also helps alleviate the symptoms of chronic conditions such as arthritis.

Mental health benefits of exercise and fitness over 50 Exercise improves your sleep. Poor sleep is not an inevitable consequence of aging and quality sleep is important for your overall health. Exercise often improves sleep, helping you fall asleep more quickly and sleep more deeply.

Exercise boosts mood and selfconfidence. Endorphins produced by exercise can actually help you feel better and reduce feelings of sadness or depression. Being active and feeling strong naturally helps you feel more self-confident and sure of yourself.

Exercise is good for the brain.

Exercise benefits regular brain functions and can help keep the brain active, which can prevent memory loss, cognitive decline, and dementia. Exercise may even help slow the progression of brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Next Month: Tips on exercising and getting active

Page 21 Mature Living June 2014

Feature

N

ow that we are all going to have a water meter we are going to be a lot more careful of the water we use. But did you know that you can dramatically reduce your consumption of this precious resource without much impact on your quality of life at home.

How to reduce Water Consumption in your home

but for me a far greater saver is the Interflush kit, which attaches to your old siphon toilet and allows you to control the amount of water it uses as you

To begin with, the average adult uses 150 litres of "drinking quality" water per day. Scary.

But what can you do, without a major overhaul of your home?

Toilets are a massive waste.

With every flush most toilets use 9 litres of drinking water.

Some of us might have tried the old water hippo or brick and, yes, you can save a litre of two,

Page 22 Mature Living June 2014

hold down the handle. Simple to fit and the payback is a few months.

But toilets aren't that sexy, are they? So how about showers? Of

course, I could go on about how we should all be sharing them and how steamy it can all get but, let's be realistic, it's not really a viable long-term watersaving solution.

The simplest way to reduce water in a shower is to use a shower timer. There are plenty to choose from and they don't really need to be anything more complicated than a waterproof egg-timer. When the average shower uses 10 litres of water per minute and lasts for seven minutes, cutting this down to four minutes is pretty easy and will save 30 glorious litres of the wet stuff.

You could go one step further, and fit a low-flow aerating shower which simply screw on to your old shower hose. For around €40, this will cut water use from 10 litres down to around five or six, depending on which model you go for, and your water pressure.

And remember, you pay for hot water three times: once to buy it, once to heat it and once to get rid of it.

So every litre saved in the shower saves the cost of heating it too. With no noticeable re-

duction of water use, it's a simple winner.

But if you're a bath person and don't like the idea of sharing water with your partner or family (sitting around in other people's gunky soap and dirt is considerably less sexy than sharing a shower, even if you do love them) you could fit a water-diverting valve to the outside bit of your waste pipe.

This will allow you to divert water from the bath to a hosepipe, to be used in the garden for watering plants. Simple but ingenious grey-water recycling.

A relatively small amount of water is actually used in cooking and drinking, but washing up can be pretty bad.

A simple solution is to use a washing-up bowl – or you could go one step further and fit a foot-pedal-operated tap like the one from IZI flow.

Quite simply, it means you don't need to turn the taps on and off to rinse, and as soon as you step away from the sink the tap goes off. Brilliant.

All these products are easy to fit and use, and can help cut water use to 100 litres of water per person per day – a reduction of over 30% (saving you extra in hot water costs as well).

Perhaps it's time to for you to start thinking long-term too, and put that DIY to good use.

You even have an excuse to share that once-in-a-blue-moon shower.

Feature

20 Ways to Conserve Water at Home

Start Your Own Business... ...and join many other 'Grandtrepreneurs'

W

hether you’re ready to cut back on your showers or replace your lawn with water-wise plants, there are lots of big and small ways that you can conserve water around the home. Don’t worry if you can’t do everything on this list. Just pick a few things to start with, and do more as you can. Even a few small changes can add up to hundreds of gallons in water savings each year! Here are 20 water-saving tips to get you going…

D

espite what we may have thought when we were younger, life doesn't have to wind down just because we've hit the big 6-0.

Fulfil your ambition and start your dream business - it's not as unusual as you might think! It's never been a greater time to be over 60 - we're fitter and healthier than ever before, and are indulging in new activities and hobbies in our spare time, as well as travelling often.

And now research has proven that Ireland is a budding hotspot for entrepreneurial over 60s, with many people having started a business since they hit the milestone birthday.

1. Shower Bucket.

Instead of letting the water pour down the drain, stick a bucket under the faucet while you wait for your shower water to heat up. You can use the water for flushing the toilet or watering your plants.

2. Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth.

Water comes out of the average faucet at 2.5 gallons per minute. Don’t let all that water go down the drain while you brush! Turn off the faucet after you wet your brush, and leave it off until it’s time to rinse.

3. Turn off the tap while washing your hands.

Do you need the water to run while you’re scrubbing your hands? Save a few gallons of water and turn the faucet off after you wet your hands until you need to rinse.

4. If it’s yellow, let it mellow.

This tip might not be for everyone, but the toilet is one of the most water-intensive fixtures in the house. Do you need to flush every time?

5. Fix your leaks.

Whether you go DIY or hire a plumber, fixing leaky faucets can mean big water savings.

6. Re-use your pasta cooking liquid.

Instead of dumping that water down the drain, try draining your pasta water into a large pot. Once it cools, you can use it to water your plants. Just make sure you wait, because if you dump that boiling water on

Water Saving Foot Operated Tap your plants, you might harm them.

7. Head to the car wash.

If you feel compelled to wash your car, take it to a car wash that recycles the water, rather than washing at home .

8. Cut your showers short.

Older shower heads can use as much as 5 gallons of water per minute. Speed things up in the shower for some serious water savings.

9. Choose efficient fixtures.

Aerating your faucets, investing in a low-flow toilet, choosing efficient shower heads, and opting for a Water Sense rated dishwasher and washing machine can add up to big water savings.

10. Shrink your lawn.

Even better: lose the lawn completely. Instead, opt for a xeriscaped landscape that incorporates water wise ground cover, succulents, and other plants that thrive in drought conditions.

11. Don’t run the dishwasher or washing machine until they’re full.

Those half-loads add up to gallons and gallons of wasted water.

12. Keep an eye on your bill to spot leaks.

If your water bill spikes suddenly, there’s a good chance that a leak is the culprit.

Call in a plumber to check your lines to save water and cash!

13. Install a rain barrel.

Rainwater harvesting is a great way to keep your plants hydrated without turning on the hose or sprinkler.

14. Flush with less.

Older toilets use a lot of water. You can reduce your usage by sinking a half gallon jug of water in the toilet tank.

Do NOT use a brick, because it will break down and the sediment can damage your tank.

15. Water in the early morning.

You’ll need less water, since cooler morning temperatures mean losing less water to evaporation.

It’s not a great idea to water in the evenings, since this can promote mold growth.

16. Hand-washing a lot of dishes?

Fill up your sink with water, instead of letting it run the whole time that you’re scrubbing.

17. Use less electricity.

Power plants use thousands of gallons of water to cool.

Do your part to conserve power, and you’re indirectly saving water, too!

18. Wash Fido outdoors.

That way, you’re watering your yard while you’re cleaning your pup. Just make sure that the soap you’re using isn’t harmful to your plants!

19. Skip the shower from time to time.

Do you really need to shower multiple times a day or even daily? Skipping even one shower a week adds up to big water savings.

20. Re-use grey water.

Check to make sure that this is legal where you live, but in some areas you can do things like re-route the runoff from your clothes washer and use that water for things like flushing the toilet.

In all shapes and sizes It seems that over 60s in all situations and from all walks of life are finding the benefits of 'starting up' instead of 'winding down' as they approach the official retirement age.

1 in 5 are taking advantage of greater financial stability to pursue their dream business. 1 in 4 want to pursue a business of their own for personal reward and mental stimulation. 1 in 5 are starting up to ensure an income stream to support them in later life. Over 1 in 4 are spurred on by the improved confidence and greater knowledge they've acquired in later life.

Over 60s Start-Up Ideas So, what businesses are some of these over 60s entrepreneurs choosing to start? Well, it's a long and varied list, but here are some examples from recent research: Bed & breakfast Bakery business Book dealing Dog walking and home boarding Animal portraiture Antique and collectables shop Fine wine dealing Holiday travel business Driving a school mini bus Consultancy

Memories

T

The Bands of our Showband Era

here were hundreds of them. Irish bands of every size, description and musical genre travelling the roads and borheens of Ireland. They travelled the length and breadth of the country from the 1950's through the mid 1980's. Although "officially" the term showband was coined in the late fifties and was used to describe

Article and Photos courtesy of Gerry Gallagher www.irish-showbands.com

bands that played a wide variety of music and usually included a "show" during the night, the term was gradually applied to all the bands that played in the 1960's. As the Irish music scene splintered in the late sixties into pop, country bands, the term was dropped but we still find it the best overall description of the bands of the

"ballroom" era. In the early days, they travelled in whatever they could find...bread vans, hearses, and even cars (roof racks and all). In later years, many (if not most) of them travelled in converted Ford Transit vans (like the one pictured right) that were normally used for delivery services. After a couple of windows were

popped into the centre panels, a row or two of old airplane seats were installed and the band was ready to travel "in style."

Although style was a matter of opinion...if you're stuck in the back of a van on a cold and rainy winter's night, it may seem like "a long way to Tipperary," but it's even further to Castletownbere, Co. Cork!

Hoedowners Story (1962-1973) A

lthough Earl Gill got his start in the 50's playing with other bands around Dublin, the Hoedowners started life as the resident band in the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin. In fact, as were many bands of the day, they were actually more of an orchestra. During the winter the band played in the hotel ballroom, but during the summer they hit the road. In a 1969 Spotlight article Oliver Barry said that Earl was originally a piano player, but had an accident that severely injured some of his fingers and he turned his talents to the trumpet. However, his early training made him one of Ireland's most

talented arrangers in the country.

Around the same time in the early sixties, Sean Dunphy was a carpenter by trade and sang part time with a group called the Keymen. He went to England after serving in the Irish Army where he continued to work by day as a carpenter and by night sang in the Hibernian Ballroom in Fulham.

When he heard Earl Gill was looking for a vocalist, he sent a tape and was signed immediately.

The original "road band" included Mel Dean (guitar), Steve Pickering (guitar), Gerry Ryan (bass), Vinnie Keane (drums), Earl Gill (trumpet), Claude Phibbs (sax),

Frank Mangan (trombone), Sean Dunphy and Amy Hayden (vocals). At the time, the band was known as the Earl Gill Band. In the mid sixties, RTE (then known as Telefis Eireann =TE) started a television show called the Hoedown and Earl and the band were hired to provide backing for the singers. They took on the name The Hoedowners for the show and it stuck.

Around the same time, they teamed up with manager Oliver Barry, and set their sights on conquering the ballroom circuit.

At that time the band was known as Earl Gill and his Hoedowners.

The band's next big break came in early

It will be impossible to list all the bands that played the dance halls, ballrooms, marquees, parochial halls, community centres, hotels, and town halls across Ireland but each month we are planning to feature a band from the west with the help of Gerry Gallagher and www.irishshowbands.com . Apart from a few who

enjoy near mythical status (such as the Royal Showband and a handful of others), most bands came together, played for a few years and then either reinvented themselves, changed their name, or just disappeared, their members either returning to civilian life, or scattering to two or three new bands.

1966, after changing to their new name, they released Wonderful World of My Dreams and it went to number five in the Irish Charts, starting a string of hit records which would become legendary as there were very few weeks in the mid to late 60's that there wasn't a Hoedowners record somewhere in the charts. In the 1960's and early seventies, the Hoedowners were one of the most successful Irish recording artists with 14 singles hitting the Irish charts between 1966 and 1973. In 1967, Sean was selected to represent Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest. This was Ireland's third attempt -

Sean Dunphy and the Hoedowners in 1966 Left to right- Claude Phipps (sax), Frank Mangan (trombone), Amy Hayden (vocals), Sean Dunphy (vocals), Unknown (guitar), Vinnie Keane (drums), Pat Keohane (bass) and Earl Gill (trumpet).

Page 24 Mature Living June 2014

Butch Moore and Dickie Rock had preceded Sean. The song was If I Could Choose. Sean came in second behind England's entry, Sandie Shaw's Puppet on A String. In Ireland, the record reached number two in the Irish Charts and provided the band's fourth hit single. The same year the band released "Sunset" one of very few instrumental songs to be released during the showband era.

In early 1968, Sean was hospitalized in Birmingham with tonsillitis and missed several dates in March. In mid-1968, Sean and the Hoedowners became the first artists to release a single on the new Dolphin Records, started by their then manager, Oliver Barry and Jim Hand, manager of the Capitol. Sean and the boys also released the first album on the new label, Ireland's Own Sean Dunphy. In December, 1968, the band underwent a shuffle when several new members joined including guitarist/vocalist Dave Carlisle from Newtownards.

In early 1969, Sean and the boys had their first number one hit with The Lonely Woods of Upton. In July, the band followed this up with the song, When The Fields Were White

With Daisies which was arranged by Noel Kelehan and provided them with yet another number one hit and they became one of the few Irish artists ever to have a single in the top twenty for 12 months straight. A chart survey published in Spotlight in January, 1970 showed that Sean

All editorial and photographs are kindly supplied by Gerry Gallagher from www.irish-shownbands.com Over the years Gerry has built up what can only be describe as the definitive guide to the showband era.

I would like to thank Gerry for allowing us to reproduce the articles and photos in Mature Living. If you would like to know more about your favourite band or who was number one in a particular year visit www.irish-showbands.com

For such a small country, it is difficult to comprehend the sheer number of bands that the country produced. Almost as hard to imagine, is the number of dance halls that once dotted the countryside, many out in the "middle of nowhere." Pick up next months issue for another blast from the blast from the showband era...

Dunphy was far and away the top recording artist in Ireland based on the number of weeks and position in the charts for all of 1969, ahead of Joe Dolan and in third place, The Beatles. The only other Irish acts in the top ten of the survey were the Real McCoy and Dixies.

In 1971, the band went the "gimmick" route when they released Poor Poor Farmer as Darby O'Gill (Tim Pat), who was actually Earl Gill. The single got to Number 3 in the Irish Charts and the band got plenty of press. The trend would continue in 1972, when the band donned costumes as circus performers and changed their name to the Ho-Down Circus. Joining the band around this time (late 1972) was fiddler, Tony Kirby and former Gentry drummer, Shay Murphy. Each member of the band dressed as a different character from a typical circus lineup.

However, the writing was on the wall for the Hoedowners.

An article in Spotlight dated December 20th, 1973 described Sean as the former lead singer with the Hoedowners, so we are assuming the band split up in mid to late 1973. He went off to do a residency in Canada (which seems to have been all the rage at the time), but was due back in Ireland in early 1974 for cabaret dates around the country. Also, around this time Earl Gill took over the management of Hugo Duncan and the Tallmen.

Our thanks to Mel Dean, former member of the band for help compiling this story.

Top singles - 1968

1. Brendan O'Brien & Dixies - Little Arrows (Pye) 2. Johnny McEvoy - Nora (target) 3. Dickie Rock & Miami - Simon Says (Pye) 4. Sean Dunphy & Hoedowners - Two Loves (Dolphin) 5. Emmet Spiceland - Mary From Dungloe (Inset) 6. Pat McGeegan - Chance of A Lifetime (Emerald) 7. Brendan O'Brien & Dixies - Katie's Kisses (Pye) 8. Pattersons - I Don't Want To Be A Memory (CBS) 9. Irish Rovers - The Unicorn (MCA) 10. Sweeney's Men - Waxie's Dargle (Pye) 11. Emmet Spiceland - Baidin Fheidhlimi (Gael-linn) 12. Sean Dunphy & Howdowners - Christmas Polka 13. Patricia Cahill - One and One Are Two (Rex) 14. Freshmen - Papa Oom Oom Mow (target) 15. Granny's Intentions - Never An Everyday Thing (Deram) 16. Sands - Yummy Yummy Yummy (Tribune) 17. Sands - Dance Dance Dance (Tribune) 18. Johnstons - I Never Will Marry (Pye) 19. Joe Dolan & Drifters - Love of the Common People 20. Real McCoy - I Get So Excited (Target) 21. Brendan Bowyer & Royal Showband - Lady Will-power/ Woman Woman (King) 22. Dickie Rock & Miami - Christmas Time and You (Pye) 23. Sands - Help Me Rhonda (Tribune) 24. Memories - Oh No (Rex) 25. Dubliners - Dirty Old Town (Major Minor) 26. Emmet Spiceland - Bunclody (Page One) 27. Fairways - Flippiddy Flop (Release) 28. Larry Cunningham & Mighty Avons - The Emigrant 29. Kathleen & Deirdre - The Bridal Path (Pye) 30. Johnstons - Both Sides Now (Transatlantic) 31. Brendan O'Brien & Dixies - In Person (Pye) 32. Brendan Bowyer & Royal Showband - Same Old Song 33. Dreams - I Will See You There (Dolphin) 34. Dolly McMahon - Sweet Rathcoole (Major Minor) 35. Dubliners - Never Wed An Old Man (Major Minor) 36. Freshmen - Go Granny Go (Target) 37. Pat Lynch & Airchords - Piccolo Man (Pye) Page 25 Mature Living June 2014

Memories

T

The Bands of our Showband Era

here were hundreds of them. Irish bands of every size, description and musical genre travelling the roads and borheens of Ireland. They travelled the length and breadth of the country from the 1950's through the mid 1980's. Although "officially" the term showband was coined in the late fifties and was used to describe

Article and Photos courtesy of Gerry Gallagher www.irish-showbands.com

bands that played a wide variety of music and usually included a "show" during the night, the term was gradually applied to all the bands that played in the 1960's. As the Irish music scene splintered in the late sixties into pop, country bands, the term was dropped but we still find it the best overall description of the bands of the

"ballroom" era. In the early days, they travelled in whatever they could find...bread vans, hearses, and even cars (roof racks and all). In later years, many (if not most) of them travelled in converted Ford Transit vans (like the one pictured right) that were normally used for delivery services. After a couple of windows were

popped into the centre panels, a row or two of old airplane seats were installed and the band was ready to travel "in style."

Although style was a matter of opinion...if you're stuck in the back of a van on a cold and rainy winter's night, it may seem like "a long way to Tipperary," but it's even further to Castletownbere, Co. Cork!

Hoedowners Story (1962-1973) A

lthough Earl Gill got his start in the 50's playing with other bands around Dublin, the Hoedowners started life as the resident band in the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin. In fact, as were many bands of the day, they were actually more of an orchestra. During the winter the band played in the hotel ballroom, but during the summer they hit the road. In a 1969 Spotlight article Oliver Barry said that Earl was originally a piano player, but had an accident that severely injured some of his fingers and he turned his talents to the trumpet. However, his early training made him one of Ireland's most

talented arrangers in the country.

Around the same time in the early sixties, Sean Dunphy was a carpenter by trade and sang part time with a group called the Keymen. He went to England after serving in the Irish Army where he continued to work by day as a carpenter and by night sang in the Hibernian Ballroom in Fulham.

When he heard Earl Gill was looking for a vocalist, he sent a tape and was signed immediately.

The original "road band" included Mel Dean (guitar), Steve Pickering (guitar), Gerry Ryan (bass), Vinnie Keane (drums), Earl Gill (trumpet), Claude Phibbs (sax),

Frank Mangan (trombone), Sean Dunphy and Amy Hayden (vocals). At the time, the band was known as the Earl Gill Band. In the mid sixties, RTE (then known as Telefis Eireann =TE) started a television show called the Hoedown and Earl and the band were hired to provide backing for the singers. They took on the name The Hoedowners for the show and it stuck.

Around the same time, they teamed up with manager Oliver Barry, and set their sights on conquering the ballroom circuit.

At that time the band was known as Earl Gill and his Hoedowners.

The band's next big break came in early

It will be impossible to list all the bands that played the dance halls, ballrooms, marquees, parochial halls, community centres, hotels, and town halls across Ireland but each month we are planning to feature a band from the west with the help of Gerry Gallagher and www.irishshowbands.com . Apart from a few who

enjoy near mythical status (such as the Royal Showband and a handful of others), most bands came together, played for a few years and then either reinvented themselves, changed their name, or just disappeared, their members either returning to civilian life, or scattering to two or three new bands.

1966, after changing to their new name, they released Wonderful World of My Dreams and it went to number five in the Irish Charts, starting a string of hit records which would become legendary as there were very few weeks in the mid to late 60's that there wasn't a Hoedowners record somewhere in the charts. In the 1960's and early seventies, the Hoedowners were one of the most successful Irish recording artists with 14 singles hitting the Irish charts between 1966 and 1973. In 1967, Sean was selected to represent Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest. This was Ireland's third attempt -

Sean Dunphy and the Hoedowners in 1966 Left to right- Claude Phipps (sax), Frank Mangan (trombone), Amy Hayden (vocals), Sean Dunphy (vocals), Unknown (guitar), Vinnie Keane (drums), Pat Keohane (bass) and Earl Gill (trumpet).

Page 24 Mature Living June 2014

Butch Moore and Dickie Rock had preceded Sean. The song was If I Could Choose. Sean came in second behind England's entry, Sandie Shaw's Puppet on A String. In Ireland, the record reached number two in the Irish Charts and provided the band's fourth hit single. The same year the band released "Sunset" one of very few instrumental songs to be released during the showband era.

In early 1968, Sean was hospitalized in Birmingham with tonsillitis and missed several dates in March. In mid-1968, Sean and the Hoedowners became the first artists to release a single on the new Dolphin Records, started by their then manager, Oliver Barry and Jim Hand, manager of the Capitol. Sean and the boys also released the first album on the new label, Ireland's Own Sean Dunphy. In December, 1968, the band underwent a shuffle when several new members joined including guitarist/vocalist Dave Carlisle from Newtownards.

In early 1969, Sean and the boys had their first number one hit with The Lonely Woods of Upton. In July, the band followed this up with the song, When The Fields Were White

With Daisies which was arranged by Noel Kelehan and provided them with yet another number one hit and they became one of the few Irish artists ever to have a single in the top twenty for 12 months straight. A chart survey published in Spotlight in January, 1970 showed that Sean

All editorial and photographs are kindly supplied by Gerry Gallagher from www.irish-shownbands.com Over the years Gerry has built up what can only be describe as the definitive guide to the showband era.

I would like to thank Gerry for allowing us to reproduce the articles and photos in Mature Living. If you would like to know more about your favourite band or who was number one in a particular year visit www.irish-showbands.com

For such a small country, it is difficult to comprehend the sheer number of bands that the country produced. Almost as hard to imagine, is the number of dance halls that once dotted the countryside, many out in the "middle of nowhere." Pick up next months issue for another blast from the blast from the showband era...

Dunphy was far and away the top recording artist in Ireland based on the number of weeks and position in the charts for all of 1969, ahead of Joe Dolan and in third place, The Beatles. The only other Irish acts in the top ten of the survey were the Real McCoy and Dixies.

In 1971, the band went the "gimmick" route when they released Poor Poor Farmer as Darby O'Gill (Tim Pat), who was actually Earl Gill. The single got to Number 3 in the Irish Charts and the band got plenty of press. The trend would continue in 1972, when the band donned costumes as circus performers and changed their name to the Ho-Down Circus. Joining the band around this time (late 1972) was fiddler, Tony Kirby and former Gentry drummer, Shay Murphy. Each member of the band dressed as a different character from a typical circus lineup.

However, the writing was on the wall for the Hoedowners.

An article in Spotlight dated December 20th, 1973 described Sean as the former lead singer with the Hoedowners, so we are assuming the band split up in mid to late 1973. He went off to do a residency in Canada (which seems to have been all the rage at the time), but was due back in Ireland in early 1974 for cabaret dates around the country. Also, around this time Earl Gill took over the management of Hugo Duncan and the Tallmen.

Our thanks to Mel Dean, former member of the band for help compiling this story.

Top singles - 1968

1. Brendan O'Brien & Dixies - Little Arrows (Pye) 2. Johnny McEvoy - Nora (target) 3. Dickie Rock & Miami - Simon Says (Pye) 4. Sean Dunphy & Hoedowners - Two Loves (Dolphin) 5. Emmet Spiceland - Mary From Dungloe (Inset) 6. Pat McGeegan - Chance of A Lifetime (Emerald) 7. Brendan O'Brien & Dixies - Katie's Kisses (Pye) 8. Pattersons - I Don't Want To Be A Memory (CBS) 9. Irish Rovers - The Unicorn (MCA) 10. Sweeney's Men - Waxie's Dargle (Pye) 11. Emmet Spiceland - Baidin Fheidhlimi (Gael-linn) 12. Sean Dunphy & Howdowners - Christmas Polka 13. Patricia Cahill - One and One Are Two (Rex) 14. Freshmen - Papa Oom Oom Mow (target) 15. Granny's Intentions - Never An Everyday Thing (Deram) 16. Sands - Yummy Yummy Yummy (Tribune) 17. Sands - Dance Dance Dance (Tribune) 18. Johnstons - I Never Will Marry (Pye) 19. Joe Dolan & Drifters - Love of the Common People 20. Real McCoy - I Get So Excited (Target) 21. Brendan Bowyer & Royal Showband - Lady Will-power/ Woman Woman (King) 22. Dickie Rock & Miami - Christmas Time and You (Pye) 23. Sands - Help Me Rhonda (Tribune) 24. Memories - Oh No (Rex) 25. Dubliners - Dirty Old Town (Major Minor) 26. Emmet Spiceland - Bunclody (Page One) 27. Fairways - Flippiddy Flop (Release) 28. Larry Cunningham & Mighty Avons - The Emigrant 29. Kathleen & Deirdre - The Bridal Path (Pye) 30. Johnstons - Both Sides Now (Transatlantic) 31. Brendan O'Brien & Dixies - In Person (Pye) 32. Brendan Bowyer & Royal Showband - Same Old Song 33. Dreams - I Will See You There (Dolphin) 34. Dolly McMahon - Sweet Rathcoole (Major Minor) 35. Dubliners - Never Wed An Old Man (Major Minor) 36. Freshmen - Go Granny Go (Target) 37. Pat Lynch & Airchords - Piccolo Man (Pye) Page 25 Mature Living June 2014

Visitor Attractions A visit to King House is a truly unique experience...

Marvel at the luxury and splendour of what was once the King family home.

Explore the history of King House from its incarnation as a Connaught Rangers military barracks.

Pay a visit to the cold, forbidding jail cells.

See our exhibit on Boyle’s own starlet of the silver screen, Maureen O’Sullivan.

Finish your visit with refreshments at Aunty Bee’s, our award-winning tea room.

Opening Hours: 11:00am-4:00pm, Tuesday-Saturday Admission: €5 adult, €2 student, senior, child.

Email: kinghouse@roscommoncoco.ie Address: King House, Main Street, Boyle, Co. Roscommon Phone: 071 966 3242 Website: www.kinghouse.ie

Mid Week 2 Nights B&B Offer 2 Nights B&B for 2 people Only €99 Available Sun-Thur Only...€49.50pps

Local Activities:

Lough Key Forest Park www.loughkey.ie, Moorlands Equestrian Centre www.moorlands.ie, Electric Bike Trails www.electricbiketrails.com Arigna Mining Museum www.arignaminingexperience.ie, Indoor Airsoft Shooting & Archery www.carrickindoorshooting.com

Visitor Attractions

DONNELLANS BAR RESTAURANT AND B&B

Cleen, Knockvicar, Boyle,Co. Roscommon • Tel: 071-9667195 Call in for a delicious meal on your way to any of these great visitor attractions Bar Food Served from 3-10pm Monday to Saturday A la Carte from 6-10pm Sunday Lunch Served 12.30-9pm

Top class Food served every day “Fantastic food, extremely friendly staff, great location and very relaxing”

Breakaways ...With so much to choose from, what better way to spend a day or so than at the beautiful Royal Marine Hotel…

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short drive along the South East coast will bring you to Dun Laoghaire, where overlooking the bay you will find the Royal Marine Hotel. Steeped in history, and a favorite with the locals, this landmark hotel is an impressive sight on the Dun Laoghaire skyline. A hotel has stood here since 1828. Many celebrities, and even royalty have passed through its doors over the decades. In 2004 this magnificent old building closed for restoration, a painstaking labour of love by the present owners.

Situated in an elevated site on 4 acres overlooking Dublin Bay, the hotel has stunning views that on a clear day stretch as far away as Howth; and yet is still only a short journey from down-town Dublin. The original hotel has been extensively but sympathetically renovated with precise attention to detail.

Discover the Mount Falcon Estate, Ballina

And it is just this same attention to detail, we extend to you as our guest – whether overnight or simply joining us for a drink in our bar or dining in our restaurant.

The large bay windows and high ceilings of the Bay Lounge highlight the grandeur and historic feel that is central to the hotel style. Lavishly furnished it is a comfortable and ideal venue to meet friends and family for coffee, lunch or perhaps to enjoy the age-old tradition of afternoon tea whilst overlooking the gardens, with spectacular views of the harbour. Our resident pianist completes the ambience every Saturday afternoon.

Or perhaps dine in relaxed style in our Dún Bistro where the delights of the Restaurant are matched only by the professional friendly service and stunning views over the harbour. Serving an Early Bird Menu, Table d’hote

and a la Carte Menus.

Try out lively Hardy’s Bar for a local drink (named after the famous actors and world famous partners Laurel & Hardy who stayed in the original Royal Marine Hotel). Food served every day until 10pm. Live music every Saturday night.

The Pier Health Club offers state-of-the-art cardio and resistance equipment, free weight area and a luxury 18 metre swimming pool. We are proud to offer our members a spacious, relaxed and welcoming environment in which to exercise. Or simply retreat into the hushed tranquillity of the sansanaSpa (the only Failté Ireland ‘comprehensive’ spa in Dublin) and choose pampering delights from our extensive treatment menu.

With so much to choose from, what better way to spend a day or so than at the beautifully restored Royal Marine Hotel…

Golden Years at Mount Falcon Estate €199 pp

3 nights Bed & Breakfast with 1 Bistro Dinner €25 Spa Credit (valid towards any 1 Hour Message or Facial) Complimentary use of the Estate Golf Driving Range Complimentary use of our leisure centre with 17m heated pool 100 acres of Estate woodlands, walks & river Moy Connaughts Best Restaurant 2013 (RAI)

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he fascinating history of one of Irelands finest surviving Anglo Irish grand houses awaits visitors to Mount Falcon Estate outside Ballina in County Mayo. After exploring 100 acres of mature forest and walkways, discover the archaeological remains of a 4,500 year old court tomb. A quick stroll around our 3 acre lake with resident ducks and then a few lengths in the 17 m indoor heated swimming pool, relax in our sauna, Jacuzzi and steam room and build up an appetite for traditional afternoon tea; served in opulent lounges in front of roaring open fires. Mount Falcon……something for everyone.

Transfers to local Bus & Train Station on request 10% discount at Foxford Wollen Mills Mayo on our Door Step

MOUNT FALCON, FOXFORD ROAD, BALLINA, CO. MAYO TEL: 096-74472 • FAX: 096-74473 EMAIL: EVENTS@MOUNTFALCON.COM • WEB: WWW.MOUNTFALCON.COM

Active Breaks at The Villa Rose Boutique Hotel and V-Spa 50+ Active Breaks

2B&B+2 Dinners €119pp 3B&B+3 Dinners €159pp 4B&B+4Dinners €199pp Includes Tea & Scones on arrival with Activities & Entertainment all week

Dancing for Pleasure Breaks

June 8th – 11th Inclusive €239pp 4 Nights B&B+4Dinners, Tuition & Dancing to Live Bands Nightly Anytime Golden Years Break Sunday – Thursday 3B&B+2Dinner €139pp No single Supplement on any of the above subject to availability

4 Star, Family Owned, Town Centre hotel

Reservations: 074-9132266 reservations@villarose.net • www.villarose.ie

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he Villa Rose Hotel is a 4 Star, family owned, boutique spa hotel located in the town centre of Ballybofey, Co Donegal.

Situated between Letterkenny & Donegal Town it is an ideal base from which to experience all that Donegal and the North West of Ireland have to offer.

The hotel comprises 57 beautifully appointed bedrooms, contemporary in design with the emphasis on absolute comfort acting as a home away from home. All bedrooms are ensuite and include safe, tea/coffee making facilities, complimentary bottled water, plasma screen tv & complimentary wi-fi.

Avail of free parking and complimentary newspapers each morning. Facilities include Fara’s Restaurant & Wine Bar for a delicious meal in modern and elegant surroundings, The Forge Bar with live light entertainment, The ‘Wee’ Bar serving lunch, bar food & specialty coffees overlooking Ballybofey’s bustling main street & The V Spa for pampering & relaxation.

The Villa Rose offer a wide range of holidays for the 50+ market including Ballroom & Sequence Dancing and 50+ Active Breaks including a range of

optional entertainment & activities to partake in during your stay. Whether you are looking for a relaxing break away or for an exciting trip with the possibility of meeting like minded friends then the Villa Rose is the destination for you. Contact Leona McGee – dedicated 50+ Events Marketing Coordinator at the Villa Rose for full details

Breakaways

Enjoy the beautiful views of the untouched countryside of Mayo

Join us here at Knock House Hotel and enjoy the beautiful views of the untouched countryside of County Mayo. It is a haven of peace and the perfect setting for a relaxing break. Located just 20 minutes from “Ireland West Airport Knock” and 10 minutes from Claremorris Train Station. Take up our 4 Day special Offer for February and March of €199 includes 4 Nights B&B and 4 Evening Meals.

During your break with us we cater to your every need , and it’s a lovely opportunity to make friends and mix with like- minded people. Enjoy our Four Seasons Restaurant which overlooks a beautiful garden and captures the magnificent spire of the Basilica. Over the years it has earned an enviable reputation of food, wine & service.

Knock House Hotel is within minutes of wonderful attractions including Knock Marian Shrine and Museum. Within a short drive; Fr Peyton Memorial, Museum of Country Life (Turlough ), Foxford Woollen Mills and the Western Greenway Cycling Route, and within an hour’s drive, Kylemore Abbey, Michael Davitt Museum and Ceide Fields. Local outdoor activities include hiking and walking, golf, horse riding and angling.

Enniscrone Beach is within a 40 min drive where you can swim, surf or enjoy a seaweed bath.

To book this wonderful deal please call Karen on 0949388088

Special Offer From Knock House Hotel 2 Nights Bed, Breakfast and 2 Evening meals May, June & July €160pp When you call to book Quote : Mature Living PHONE KAREN NOW! *This offer is exclusive to Mature Living Readers and can not be used in conjunc"on with any other offers. *Subject to availability *Terms and Condi"ons apply

Knock House Hotel, Knock, Co Mayo www.knockhousehotel.ie • info@knockhousehotel.ie Tel: 094 9388088 • Fax: 094 9388044

Sligo Park Hotel and Leisure Club HOTEL & LEISURE CLUB

Over 55’s Special Offer 3 B&B + 3 Dinners From

€150pps

4 and 5 Night Breaks also Available

Subject to Availability Available on Selected Dates

Pearse Road, Sligo • Tel: 071 919 0400

www.sligoparkhotel.com • Email: Sligo@leehotels.com

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warm welcome awaits you at the fourstar Sligo Park Hotel and Leisure Club, On the outskirts of Sligo Town in the Heart of Yeats’ Country set in quiet parkland and surrounded by some of the most scenic countryside in Ireland ranging from the majestic Benbulben to the gentle waters of Lough Gill. In the heart of Yeats’ country for over 40 years, the Sligo Park Hotel is a well established favourite.

Relax in the spacious lobby; take a stroll into town or venture to the nearby ancient sites including Carrowmore, Slish Wood, Dooney Rock & Knocknarea or an abundance of woodland retreats.

Wherever your interests lie, Sligo is sure to have something to offer.

Stroll along Atlantic shores taking in some stunning scenery. Why not try your hand at pottery, take a walk up Knocknarea mountain or go surfing in Strandhill?

After a days exploring, sit back and relax in the jacuzzi before savouring the atmosphere of the Rathanna bar and Garden Terrace and enjoying the creative delights in the Hazelwood Restaurant.

Sligo is surprising !

Visit the stunning Leitrim countryside tours and visits to the surrounding unspoiled countryside. The location facilitates visits to the many nearby lakes that comprise the Leitrim countryside and shopping in nearby Sligo or Enniskillen A visit to Lough Allen hotel & Spa in Drumshanbo is a must and there are packages to suit any budget.

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ne of the best places to base a home holiday or a week-end break is, undoubtedly, the Lough Allen Hotel in County Leitrim. Situated on the shores of Lough Allen, only 14 km from the bustling town of Carrick on Shannon, it is only a short walk to the town of Drumshanbo.

The hotel has offerings to compare with the top hotels in Ireland and also has the stunning Leitrim countryside. Spa treatments, leisure centre and a sumptuous candlelight dinner are all part of what’s on offer for an unforgettable break. A family re-union can be rounded off with a lavish evening meal It is an ideal wedding venue or conference centre.

The central location of the hotel in Leitrim facilitates

Drumshanbo • Co Leitrim www.loughallenhotel.com

Mid Week 2 Nights B&B Offer 2 Nights B&B for 2 people Only €99 Available Sun-Thur Only...€49.50pps

Please mention Mature Living Leinster when booking

To Book Call 071-9640100 or email reservations@loughallenhotel.com

Food and Drink

A Taste of

China 1 tablespoon light soy sauce 2 tablespoons hot bean sauce 1/2 teaspoon salt 5 tablespoons cooking oil for stir-frying Marinade: 1 teaspoon wine 1 teaspoon light soy sauce 1 teaspoon cornstarch Sauce: 1/2 cup stock 1 teaspoon light soy sauce 1 tablespoon chili oil 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon sesame oil 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Serves 3 to 4 Ingredients: 1 pound fresh noodles (Shanghai thin noodles are good) 1/2 pound chicken breast, cut

into strips 4 ounces shrimp, shelled and cleaned 1/2 bok choy, cut into bite-size pieces 1/2 cup carrot, cut on the

Grilled beef short ribs with a spicy marinade: a recipe by the winner of the 1980 Nevada State Chili Contest.

Serves 4 to 6 Ingredients: 1 cup soy sauce 6 tablespoons dark brown sugar, packed 1 cup water 2/3 cup dry sherry 2 teaspoons pure ground hot red chile, or to taste 2 teaspoons five-spice powder 3 teaspoons minced fresh ginger 2 teaspoons minced garlic 4 to 6 pounds beef short ribs Preparation: To Prepare the Sauce: In a small saucepan combine all the ingredients through the garlic. Cook over medium heat to dissolve the

Page 30 Mature Living June 2014

diagonal 1/2 cup broccoli or cauliflower, trimmed, cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces 1 onion, shredded 1 clove garlic, minced

sugar, but do not boil. Remove the marinade from the heat and let it cool. Set it aside until you are ready to marinate the ribs.

To Barbecue the Ribs: Two hours before your barbecue, spread the ribs out in a roasting pan, large enough to hold them in a single layer. You may need to divide the meat between two pans. Pour the sauce over the ribs, making sure all the meat is well covered. Turn and rub the ribs with sauce several times during the marinating period. It is not necessary to refrigerate the ribs.

When the fire is ready, position the rack 3 inches above the heat source.

Remove the ribs from the marinade and reserve the marinade in a bowl or pitcher, including any excess scraped off the ribs.

Place the ribs on the grill and sear for 10 minutes each side.

Spoon on the reserved marinade a

Preparation: Mix together marinade ingredients. Marinate chicken for at least twenty minutes.

While marinating chicken, mix together sauce ingredients. Set aside.

Also while marinating chicken, parboil noodles in a pot of boiling water for three minutes.

Loosen up noodles with chopsticks as they are boiling.

Drain.

little at a time after each turn. Cook for 5 minutes, then turn and baste the second side.

Continue turning and basting every 5 minutes until the ribs are done, 30 to 40 minutes. The meat should be slightly pink on the inside and crusty brown on the outside.

Serving Suggestions: Accompany the ribs with rice molds (below). A fresh fruit salad tops off this perfect barbecue. To Make Rice Molds: Make rice molds by simply pressing cooked rice into 1/3-cup-size buttered ramekins, then steaming them in an inch of water for about 10 minutes before unmolding and serving. You could also add some of the marinade to the unmolded cooked rice plus 2 tablespoons each of chopped Bermuda onion and slivered toasted almonds.

Garnish each portion of rice with minced parsley after you unmold it.

Heat wok. When heated, add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add garlic and chicken and stir-fry. When the chicken is nearly done, push the chicken up to the side of the wok and add the shrimp in the middle of the wok. Stir-fry.

When the shrimp are done, mix the chicken and shrimp and remove from the wok to a platter. Reheat the wok and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add onions, bok choy, carrot and broccoli and stir-fry until tender and crisp. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of salt over the vegetables and mix it in. Remove the vegetables to a platter. Clean out the wok with a paper towel. Heat wok again and add 3 tablespoons oil. Place noodles in the wok, using chopsticks to break them up.

Add 2 tablespoons hot bean sauce and 1 tablespoon light soy sauce. Stir-fry until the noodles are heated through. Add cooked chicken, shrimp and all the vegetables. Restir sauce mixture and add. When it comes to a boil, test and adjust the seasoning if desired, then remove and serve.

Food and Drink

Sweet bok choy and a tangy sauce using rice vinegar lend flavor to this stir-fried chicken recipe.

Yield: Serves 3 to 4 Ingredients: 3 medium chicken breasts, boneless and skinless 3 large bok choy stalks with leaves Marinade: 1 TB Chinese rice wine or dry sherry 1 green onion, diced 2 tsp cornstarch Sauce: 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth 2 TB water 1 tsp white rice vinegar 1/2 tsp black rice vinegar 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1/4 tsp salt Other: 1 teaspoon cornstarch 4 teaspoons water

4 to 5 TB peanut or vegetable oil for stir-frying, as needed Preparation: Directions for Chicken in Garlic Sauce: 1. Cut the chicken into thin strips about 2-inches long. Add the rice wine or sherry, green onion and the cornstarch.

Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

2. While the chicken is marinating, prepare the bok choy and the sauce. Separate the bok choy leaves and stalks, and cut both cross-wise into thin strips.

3. Combine the sauce ingredients and set aside.

Combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and set aside.

4. Heat the wok and add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is ready, add the chicken and stir-fry until it turns white and is nearly cooked. (Stir-fry in two batches if necessary).

Drain the stir-fried chicken on paper towels.

5. Clean out the wok and add 2 to 3 tablespoons oil. When oil is ready, add the bok choy stalks. Stir-fry briefly and add the leaves.

6. Push the bok choy up to the sides of the wok and add the sauce in the middle. Turn up the heat to bring to a boil.

Give the cornstarch and water mixture and quick re-stir and then add it to the sauce, stirring rapidly to thicken.

Add the chicken. Mix through and serve hot. Serves 4.

Nutritional Breakdown per serving (based on 3 servings

Mango pudding is a popular dim sum dessert. Stephen Wong writes: "This simple dessert captures the glorious flavor of mango like no other. Its texture is silky rich, and its flavor, simply wonderful. Fresh cream is called for in the original recipe, but evaporated milk gives it the same richness without the fat."

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 3 hours Total Time: 3 hours, 15 minutes Ingredients: 2 envelopes (2 tablespoons total) unflavored gelatin 3/4 cup (175 mL) sugar 1 cup (250 mL) hot water 3 cups (750 mL) pureed fresh mangoes 1 cup (250 mL) 2 percent evaporated milk 8 ice cubes lime wedges, optional fresh mango slices for garnish, optional

and 4 TB oil for stir-frying): 451 calories (kcal), 21 g Total Fat (18 g Monounsaturated Fat), 57 g Protein, 5 g Carbohydrate, 137 mg Cholesterol, 818 mg Potassium, 424 mg Sodium, 1g Fiber

Preparation: Add gelatin and sugar to hot water and mix until dissolved and smooth.

In large bowl, mix mango puree, evaporated milk and ice cubes. Pour gelatin mixture into mango mixture and stir until ice cubes are melted.

Pour mixture into jelly mould and chill until set, at least 3 hours. To serve, dip jelly mould briefly in hot water then turn pudding out onto platter. Squeeze on some lime juice, garnish with mango slices if desired and serve. (Best eaten within a day). Serves 8.

Each serving includes: Calories 208, 49 g Carbohydrates, 5 g Protein, 1 g Fat, trace Saturated Fat, 3 mg Cholesterol, 4 g Fibre, 42 mg Sodium, 345 mg Potassium. An excellent source of vitamin A and vitamin C. A good source of fibre and vitamin E. This is a sample recipe from HeartSmart Chinese Cooking by Stephen Wong, one of the books in the Heart and Stroke Foundation's Heart Smart Library.

Page 31 Mature Living June 2014

Feature

The American Wake

By Larina James

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an you imagine yourself in a situation where you are obliged to emigrate, through personal choice or otherwise and the only means of communication after you left home was a letter which could quiet conceivably take weeks to reach its destination. That was the stark reality during the 1900’s and before. Individuals and Families forced to emigrate during that period were treated with a reverence otherwise only afforded the deceased. A going away party akin to a Wake was the norm back then and as the majority were leaving to live a new life in America the idea of the” American wake” was born.

Writing about the “American Wake” is indeed a sobering experience for me as I never quiet grasped the enormity of the sacrifice endured by our forefathers until I had the opportunity to speak with a distant elderly relative of mine who is a mine of information about this era and its part in Ireland’s history. My relative Patrick, (known as Patch to his friends) loves to regale interested parties with tales from an Ireland that has long since vanished and when visiting him recently he was surrounded by the works of Thurles born poet and essayist Dennis O’Driscoll, the tone and pathos of O’Driscoll’s work is according to Patch, an ideal backdrop from where he can begin his story.

In the 19th century the Irish tradition of “waking” became embedded in the way of life of Irish people throughout the land.

This resulted in this tradition

being carried on not only for the deceased but also for the living, those men and women who were forced to emigrate in their hundreds of thousands from an Ireland that had been decimated by famine, poverty and lack of opportunity. During the 1850’s the harsh reality of life in Ireland for many meant that there was literally no food on the table as reliance on the potato was paramount. Irish people were forced to leave Ireland quiet literally in order to eat and therefore live.

The “American wake” was seen as a fitting way to say a last goodbye to sons and daughters, brothers and sisters who were leaving these shores, mostly to travel to America although various other countries also accommodated the Irish , not least Canada and Newfoundland.

Sadly for the family left behind in Ireland this was in all probability the last time they would see their loved ones on this earth.

Consequently the term “wake” was garnered from the fact that those leaving were as good as dead. This is indeed infinitely sad and when one thinks nowadays of the myriad ways in which our people can communicate with home and the ease with which travel has become available to all it is a measure of the sheer resilience of these people who went on to live fulfilled and fruitful lives in their adopted land. Irish people at home and abroad are universally known and respected for their love of music, poetry and song and this became an integral part of the “going away” party known as the “American wake”. Friends and

neighbours would congregate from all over the locality when a family member( or indeed a number of family members) were preparing to depart Ireland and even though it was essentially a sad occasion, merriment would prevail as the family and friends made one last effort to provide a party that the immigrant would never forget. Whiskey, Poteen and Stout would flow in the more affluent areas, however where there was dire poverty there was less likelihood of a feast as regards food. Women who were known for their ability to “keen” (wail or lament) were charged with giving a favourable account of the “ would be” emigrant and also recounting the huge loss this son or daughter would be to their family. Music and dance were important and to borrow a phrase from a poem by the aforementioned Dennis O’Driscoll,” the cool flagstoned kitchen” would literally see sparks fly as the jigs, reels, quadrilles and hornpipes would echo throughout the house. Irish step-dancing and the obligatory waltz were also there in abundance. Merrymaking would continue until the early hours when loved ones would be forced to part.

Listening to Patch outline the heart-break involved when some of his own relatives were forced to leave the island is indeed difficult and both of us are filled with awe when we give it due consideration. ( Poverty and illiteracy was part of life then and sometimes families had only a vague understanding of where their off-spring were going, that coupled with lack of modern

Jeanie-Johnston replica famine ship

means of communication paint a very gloomy picture of this troubling time in our history).

Eventually when day-light arrived next morning the emigrant was accompanied by friends and family to the nearest train station or dockside for embarkation .

That was the stark reality of the “American wake” and now as I write this, Patch and I can only breathe a collective sigh of relief, as although we do unfortunately have large scale emigration at this time in our history we are now blessed with new technology

which makes it less difficult and less painful to say goodbye to our nearest and dearest and the day of the “American wake “ is long since vanished and that surely can be no bad thing.

Foot-note Co-incidentally as this goes to press I am informed that a reenactment of an American Wake/Living Wake will take place in Strokestown, Co.Roscommon on Friday May 9th at 9.30pm as part of the National Famine Commemoration 2014.

Explore Wicklow, Experience Dublin

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• Afternoon Tea for two on arrival (scone, sandwich, pastry, tea/coffee) • Two nights B&B and 2 course dinner on one evening of your choice • Bottle of House Wine with Dinner • Complimentary morning newspaper • Full use of The Merrill Leisure Club facilities • Concessions for Royal Bingo (one evening) • Bring the grandchildren, up to two children (u12years) share complimentary accommodation.

Complimentary Merrill’s Activity Camp starts July 1st

Page 32 Mature Living June 2014

he Royal Hotel, set in seaside resort of Bray, offers guests the best of both worlds, only a short distance to the heart of Dublin city (30 minutes by DART) and on the border of Wicklow County guests are spoilt for choice with a range of activities, walks and places to visit.

Boasting 128 bedrooms , the hotel offers a choice of standard rooms, the recent addition of over 30 deluxe rooms which are contemporary and spacious in their design & we also have several family rooms to accommodate a family of up to five compliment the make up of our rooms.

The Quinns Bar with its olde world meeting modern day in its décor offers a sumptuous dining with our bar menu and live music every weekend with locally renowned musicians, the Quinns Bar is the perfect place to meet old friends and new.

The Heritage Restaurant serves a selection of carefully chosen Menus to suit all appetites using the finest locally produced ingredients. The Heritage Restaurant is the perfect venue for all occasions from an intimate meal for two to a family celebration.

Our recently refurbished and extended Merrill Leisure Club, exclusive to guests and members comprises of a 14 metre swimming pool, Children’s Pool, Sauna, Jacuzzi. Steam-Room, a fully equipped Gymnasium. The Merrill Beauty Rooms offers special discounts on massage and beauty treatments exclusive to our guests. Merrill’s Activity Camp, which is a complimentary service offers a wide range of activities to children aged 4 years and above.

The camp takes place daily from 10am – 1pm and 6.00pm – 9.00pm each evening, during all school holidays.

Puzzles

WIN!

â‚Ź20

To be in with a chance of winning, Solve the puzzle in the usual way, then rearrange the letters in the shaded squares to form the name of a celebrity who’s been in the news recently, and send your completed crossword along with your name, address and telephone number to us at the address below!

Puzzle Competition, Mature Living Leinster Magazine, Unit 7 NW Business Park, Collooney, Co. Sligo

Closing Date is June 15th 2014, Terms and Conditions Apply

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Answers on page 42 Page 42 Mature Living May 2012

Page Page 43 39 Mature Mature Living Living May May 2012 2012

Words and Photos: Leonie Cornellius

Sweet Meadow

Unique Meadow inspired floral arrangements right on our doorstep

H

ere in the North West we are surrounded by some of the most beautiful landscape around.

Our stunning seaside landscapes, lush fields and incredible wild meadows are spectacularly beautiful, particularly at this time of the year when the mad, changeable weather is ideal for the sprouting of all types of meadow plants. My friend and I went for a picnic in one of these meadows the other day and the beautiful plants we found inspired me to create some meadow arrangements in some old bottles.

GET THE LOOK Chosen Plants The great thing about these arrangements are that anything goes. From trees such as the water loving Salix varieties that grow wild in Ireland to the fluffy wild carrot, the pretty forget me-nots that dot the ground amongst the grasses

to the lovely Saxifraga with their tiny pink dotted centres (my friend Kate’s favourite), it really is the more natural the better.

Initially on the walk we were feeling a little dissapointed, not much out there at this time of the year and all that. But what you actually do find once you look a little more closely is incredible. The joy of collecting for small glass bottles such as the ones I have here is that the smallest branch or grass head becomes a composition. Look at the catkins on the Willow tree cuts in the picture.

Do we ever really notice these on the tree? The grass plumes, just part of a meadow, are featured in a group to stand out in their own right, colours and textures subtly highlighted.

When collecting do watch out for plants that are poisonous like Hemlock or Foxgloves!

Page 34 Mature Living April 2014

Glass Bottles These glass bottles are a collection of small delicate items that were found while digging in the garden.

Little treasures that as a collection become a really visual and pretty arrangement.

I love that every bottle has a history of some sort...who owned them? What was in that tiny bottle that is only 3cm tall, and how long ago?

It’s the story that fascinates me. You can get them at almost every jumble sale or charity shop....or digging in your garden.... definitely worth collecting if you love plants like me.

PLANTS Salix I love the catkins on willow at this time of the year.

They are fluffly little downey flowering spikes of different shades of green, lime green and pale yellow.

So subtle in an arrangement.

Aquilegia Aqulegia, or Columbine is a flower that is very pretty and can be found growing wild in many places in Ireland. It often grows by the side of the road where it has seeded itself. The variety of colours is amazing.

Wild Carrot Wild and sea Carrots are lovely plants with umbellifer shaped flower heads. The perfectly shaped fluffy heads of these fascinate me. This and the fact that they grow absolutely everywhere and yet we never really see them.

Leonie Cornelius is an award winning garden designer who runs her own business-BLUME design house.

You can catch her as the TV Mentor for the new Supergarden Show on RTE. Contact: www.blume.ie

Gardening Feature Article The Greenhouse and Polytunnel Specialists

Tel: 057-912-0424 Birr, Co. Offaly www.polydome.ie

Telephone: 046-9546007

BUY POLYTUNNELS & GREENHOUSES ON OUR NEW WEBSITE @

www.thepolytunnelcompany.ie

The Polytunnel Company is a website trading name of Colm Warren (Polyhouses) Ltd (CWP) Trim, Co, Meath

J.Gleeson & Sons Engineering Mobile Planter Flower and Veg Ideal for Salad Days Complete Planter €400 Excl plas!c cover €360 Excl. Mesh and Plas!c Cover €260 All Prices Include VAT

Neat edges are easy with EverEdge Maintenance-free solu!on to the problems of edging lawns, drives, flower beds, etc. Made from galvanised mild steel.

Simple to install and easily bent to form curves or right angles as required.

Available in 75mm, 100mm and 125mm heights.

Standing at an accessible height, perfect for those who struggle with bending or kneeling, it’s also the perfect height for children who love to get outdoors and eat what they grow!

Green Street, Birr, Co. Offaly • Tel: 057-9121412 • Mob: 086-6618394 Email: gleesonengineering@gmail.com

Tel: 087-2565680 / 01-2889771 • www.everedge.com

A FASCINATING GEORGIAN ESTATE TO VISIT

Belvedere House Gardens & Park, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath Location: Opening: Admission: Catoca Fine Food and Giftware: Web:

Pets Corner

Markree Castle Pet Friendly Hotel MARKREE CASTLE Collooney, Co Sligo

Pet Friendly Hotel Casual Castle Comfort 10% B&B discount to Mature Living Readers

Telephone: 071-9167800 www.markreecastle.ie

M

arkree Castle is a hidden gem nestled in 500 acres of unspoilt landscape in Sligo, Yeats’ “Land of Heart’s Desire”.

Markree Castle is not only one of Ireland’s finest historic houses, an architectural gem, it is also a 30 bedroomed country house hotel.

Famous for its fantastic cuisine, Markree is also one of the few hotels in Ireland that accept pets.

Dogs make the ultimate travelling companions. They appreciate new places and spaces like no one else.

And with miles of countryside, woodland walks and near deserted beaches, Sligo has something to offer every dog and their owner.

Markree Castle is your Sligo castle hotel. Authentic, relaxing and uniquely charming you will find yourself immersed in unrivalled castle hotel comfort. Markree Castle has been the Cooper family home for over 370 years, make it your home from home. You can enjoy the peace and relaxation of

this secluded Irish countryside estate. Good food, fine wine and old-world charm combine to make your time at Markree Castle a step back to a bygone era.

The only castle hotel in Sligo & on the Wild Atlantic Way, Markree is a truly unique hidden gem in the heart of Sligo- the only place to go if you are looking for Sligo

accommodation with a difference or a Sligo hotel with genuine character. This pet friendly hotel in Sligo is the perfect starting point. At Markree Castle, dogs share your bedroom with you and are allowed in the main reception hall. In return dogs must be kept under control at all times and on leads in public areas.

Sip a cat'achino at New York's first cat cafe New Yorkers now have the chance to sip a cat'achino as they cosy up with feline friends at the city's first cat cafe

"It's really about getting people in this space, grab a coffee, be among cats, learn a little bit about cat health and what you can do to see visible differences in your cat. And then you can walk out of here more knowledgeable about that."

And if visitors fall for a furry friend they have made at the cafe, at least 15 of the cats are available for adoption.

Custom Insulated Pet Homes

www.designerpethomes.com Telephone: 086-8314389 E: info@designerpethomes.com

North America's first ever cat cafe has popped up in New York's Lower East Side for the purrrfect place for a coffee, conversation and cats.

Those that love cats and a good cuppa can curl up on a sofa with resident cats while staff serve up a range of coffees, including

cat'achinos decorated with frothy milk kitty faces.

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Pets Corner

Pedigree dogs 'as healthy as mongrels', say vets

New study suggests pedigree dogs are as healthy as crossbreeds, despite their reputation for being prone to a range of disorders

P

edigree dogs are as healthy as mongrel crossbreeds, new research suggests.

The study found that purebreds are no more likely than crossbreeds to suffer the most common disorders, such as heart murmurs, problems with their joints and teeth and gum diseases. Experts say the findings go some way to overturning recent thinking which held that pedigree pets are inherently unhealthy because of the way they are bred selectively.

However, critics of pedigree breeding argue that the findings still show that some purebreds are prone to certain inherited conditions.

The study by experts from the Royal Veterinary College involved an analysis of the medical records of almost 150,000 dogs treated at around 100 vet practices in the Midlands and the south east over the last five years.

The research, funded by the RSPCA, found that while there can be a broad range in prevalence of certain disorders between pedigree breeds, when compared as a group to crossbreeds, there is no significant difference.

Of the 20 conditions seen most frequently by vets, only three were significantly more prevalent among pedigrees: ear infections, obesity and skin growths. In all others, there was no major difference, although in some, such as degenerative joint disease – often said to be a problem for pedigrees – there was actually a slight tendency for greater problems in crossbreeds.

Dr Dan O’Neill, who led the study, said: “The central question of the research was to ask if the health of pure-bred dogs was worse than crossbreed dogs. The belief when we started this was that it would be.

“However, the outcome is there is not strong or convincing evidence of a difference between purebreds and crossbreeds in their health. This work does not show an overwhelming

difference between the health of purebreed and crossbreed dogs.”

Of Britain’s estimated nine million pet dogs, around three quarters are thought to be purebreds.

The crossbreeds analysed included both mongrel, mixed breeds, and socalled designer dogs like labradoodles, and cockerpoos, which have been bred selectively from more than one breed.

These animals have become increasingly fashionable in recent years, in part due to health fears linked to pedigrees. However, vets have recently started to express concerns over the prevalence of certain conditions found in these types of breeds.

The latest research, published in the journal Plos One, evaluated a total of 84 health conditions and in 13 instances, pedigrees did show significantly higher prevalence. There were no cases where crossbreeds suffered in greater proportions. Dr O’Neill, who was a practising vet for 20 years, said: “My hypotheses was that crossbreeds would have a lower prevalence of common disorders than purebreds. But the overwhelming evidence for that has not been proved. “There are some differences, but they are not overwhelming at a purebreed level. There are huge variations within breeds and we should be looking at individual breeds and specific disorders in them. “It is wrong to focus on pedigree breeds themselves. There is this image of crossbreeds as wonderful paragons of health. In fact, they are just crosses of purebreds, with combinations of the prevalances you find in their parent.

“It is not that they are healthier overall and it is wrong to stigmatise purebreds. There isn’t an overall healthier breed, or an overall unhealthier breed – just variations.

“Rather than demonise purebreds as unhealthy, we should focus on where there is room to improve.”

He said the data amassed in the study could be of use to vets, allowing them to tailor their treatments of specific breeds to help tackle problems. Lack of genetic diversity in pedigrees has been blamed for a range of problems in purebreds. Each of the 50 most popular breeds in the UK has at least one predisposition to disease and almost 400 inherited diseases have been identified. The issue has been the focus of public attention since the 2008 BBC documentary, Pedigree Dogs Exposed, which showed many animals suffering from conditions and criticised the Kennel Club (KC), which oversees breed registrations in the UK. The programme led to some sponsors withdrawing from Crufts, the KC’s main show, while the BBC stopped covering the event.

Caroline Kisko, the KC secretary, welcomed the latest research. “The view of the researchers, which we would heartily endorse is that crossbreeds are not healthier than purebreds. “Over time, we would expect purebreds to go ahead of crossbreeds, because of the amount of research going on into their pedigrees, helping you to get away from health problems.” Health concerns remain, however, and a separate study using the same data showed that purebreds, on average, die a year earlier than crossbreeds, just before they are 12.

Jemima Harrison, who produced the original documentary, said: “That this study showed only a small crossbreed advantage overall doesn’t mean breeders of pedigree dogs are off the hook. There is still an unacceptably high level of defect, deformity and disease in individual breeds - the direct result of a Kennel Club culture that rewards inbreeding and selection for often ridiculous show-ring aesthetics. It remains a largely preventible scandal that pedigree dog breeders have barely begun to address.”

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Fashion

Fashion for Women Over 60 How to look fabulous without trying to look younger

O

ne of the biggest myths about women over 60 is that we are no longer interested in looking stylish.

There is a big misconception in our culture that women over 60 are invisible, frumpy, and uninterested in sensuality and beauty – that we’re all matronly and sexless and no longer part of the world of fashion, art and creative life force.

And yet, so many of the most fashionable people are women over 60! Women over 60 are often more fashionable than they used to be when they were younger, because they have better self-confidence and a stronger sense of self – we know how to dress for who they are.

Margaret Manning of www.sixtyandme.com has a few pointers for ladies when it comes to dressing When it comes to fashion for women over 60 here are a few things to consider: Embrace Your Age There is a popular TV show called “What Not To Wear” which is hosted by fashion experts who each episode do a makeover of a person who is making horrible choices about their personal style and wardrobe. One of the interesting truths from this show, which occurs often in the participants, especially women, is that many women try to dress “younger” than they actually are – but this is a mistake. When people try to dress in styles that would be more appropriate for someone much younger, they paradoxically make themselves look much older. If you are wearing short skirts or high heels or gaudy fashions that might work on a woman half your age, chances are you are making yourself look “older” (in a bad way) than you actually are. If you “dress age appropriately,” it often has the effect of making you look younger – because people are not distracted by ageinappropriate clothing, and instead can appreciate what great shape you’re in, or how healthy your skin is, or what a stylish haircut you have.

Tina Turner

Page 38 Mature Living June 2014

Go For Classic Looks One of the advantages of being women over 60 is that “we’ve seen it all” – we’ve been through every kind of fashion fad and short-lived trend imaginable during our lives. Now that we’re in our 60s (and beyond), we have the simple elegance and

freedom that comes from being able to choose the classic styles that truly endure and work for us at any age.

Don’t feel like you have to succumb to the latest fashion trend. If something looks silly to you, feel free to say so.

There are many ways to convey style and health and status other than clothes – and sometimes you will exude more confidence and class if your clothing choices are more conservative and “classic.”

Dress the Part There’s an old saying in the career world, “dress for the job you want.”

This means that in the workplace, it helps to dress in a way that commands respect and conveys credibility, so that you will be a natural choice for promotion. But choosing classic styles doesn’t mean you only have to dress conservatively. As far as fashion for women over 60, there is a related idea: dress for the role in life that you want to have. Do you consider yourself an adventurous spirit? Do you love to travel? Choose accessories or complementary pieces from other cultures in countries you’ve visited. If you love outdoor sports and activities, find a way for your wardrobe to reflect these interests – it doesn’t mean your fashion choices have to be “all sports, all the time,” but it’s possible to dress “sporty” while still being stylish.

Lauren Bacall

Look to Icons of Style One of the great things about being women over 60 today is that we have more fashion role models than ever before. Women over 60 are still too often marginalized and made invisible by the media and by our culture, but there are some prominent women over 60 who are fashion icons. For example, Lauren Bacall (age 88) starred in movies as a younger woman alongside Humphrey Bogart, and she looks beautiful and fashionable, even at an age that most people think is identified only as a time of decline. Tina Turner is a style icon for a generation, and she still looks healthy and beautiful and fashionable at age 73 (in fact, Tina Turner recently got remarried – to a 57-year-old man). We are often embarking on new careers (either in retirement or semiretirement), we are caring for family members, we are creating new concepts of what it means to be “older adults.”

Part of this reinvention relates to fashion.

After all, fashion is a process of constant reinvention – finding ideas that work, recombining them in new ways, updating a classic style with modern touches.

Perhaps soon the fashion industry will start to cater more to women over 60 – after all, fashion is not just for 22-yearold models on fashion show runways. And women over 60 tend to have more disposable income than young people.

Does this sound like a business opportunity to anyone?

Therapies

Aromatherapy Explained massage, baths, inhalations, compresses, lotions, creams, gels etc.

Despite their name, essential oils are not oily, but exhibit the properties of oil.

A

romatherapy is one of the fastest growing therapies and has become increasingly popular with all age groups.

Not only is it an excellent preventative therapy, but it can also assist with the maintenance of good health and improvement of many health problems.

Aromatherapy is beneficial for many physical conditions, but has been found particularly useful in the treatment of stress, emotional and related problems. It relaxes the body and mind, creating a sense of wellbeing.

Many people think that Aromatherapy involves just having a massage with scented oils. This is partly true, but the therapy is far more interesting and complex than this.

Aromatherapy involves the controlled use of plant extracts called essential oils. Essential oils are composed of naturally occurring, aromatic, volatile molecules, which have medicinal and therapeutic properties.

Essential oils are blended and diluted into base products and used in various ways, including

So how can Aromatherapy benefit you?

Professional Aromatherapy massage treatments improve functioning of all of the body systems, including the circulation and removal of toxins. This can be beneficial for high blood pressure, arthritis and general muscular aches and pains. The treatments are deeply relaxing, alleviate stress, improve sleep and create a positive attitude. This can be helpful for emotional problems and for pain management. Professional treatments can be extremely beneficial for most problems and assist with long term health maintenance plans.

You can safely use Aromatherapy at home as long as you follow a few guidelines. Firstly, always purchase good quality

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(possibly organic) essential oils and use as directed by the manufacturer. Always dilute the essential oils in appropriate base products, vegetable carrier oils or water before using and do not exceed the recommended dosages.

It is advisable to seek professional advice before using essential oils if you are currently being treated for any medical problem or if you are pregnant. You should never take or use essential oils internally or put into the eyes. If you are unsure about using essential oils, you should contact an aromatherapist.

Do not treat any undiagnosed problem; always consult your medical practitioner if you are unsure.

Minor ailments such as muscular pains, headaches, colds, arthritic joints etc, can be treated at home.

You can also use essential oils to create and enhance moods.

Warm baths are an excellent way to treat stress related conditions, insomnia, muscular aches and pains, etc. Select and blend 2 or 3 essential oils into a little full fat milk.

Pour under running water.

The fat in the milk helps disperse the oil molecules.

Alternatively, blend the essential oils into some fragrance / colour free bath base. Some suggested oils for aches and pains are lavender, roman chamomile, rosemary and black pepper. For stress, try rose otto, geranium or sandalwood.

Peppermint and benzoin make a wonderful blend for hot, tired feet. For cold conditions try ginger and black pepper.

For the emotions,

insomnia, anxiety, etc and to create specific moods try inhalations. Essential oils can be added to a bowl of hot water or to an oil vaporiser. The molecules evaporate and are inhaled.

Alternatively, place a few drops on a tissue or cotton wool ball and tape to a pillow at bedtime. This ensures that the fragrance can be thrown out with the cotton wool if you tire of the smell.

Research has shown that smell has a direct effect on the limbic system, or the emotional part of the brain and can affect mood, memory and behaviour. It can also bring about changes in the physiology of the body. For example, inhaling lavender stimulates the body to produce endorphins, which are the natural painkillers.

Suggested essential oils for mood enhancement are: rosemary, orange, lemon and grapefruit to uplift and stimulate. Lavender, roman chamomile and mandarin are good for stress and insomnia and sandalwood, benzoin and frankincense are calming and relaxing.

Essential oils are excellent for the skin and beauty care. Because their molecular structure is so small, unlike most beauty products, they are able to penetrate the pores and dermal layer of the skin.

Create your own products by adding them to fragrance free, natural base products. Essential oils of rose otto and frankincense are excellent wrinkle preventatives and improvers. Add to evening primrose carrier oil for a perfect mature skin blend.

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Appointments in Dun Laoghaire and Dublin 4 • Mobile: 087 1319891 E: info@dublinreiki.com • W: www.dublinreiki.com Page 39 Mature Living June 2014

Health

How to feel young and live life to the fullest S

taying healthy and feeling your best is important at any age and that doesn’t change just because you have a few more grey hairs. As we grow older, we experience an increasing number of major life changes, including career changes and retirement, children leaving home, the loss of loved ones, and physical changes. How we handle and

grow from these changes is the key to staying healthy. These tips can help you maintain your physical and emotional health and live life to the fullest, whatever your age.

Finding and following your formula for staying healthy over 50 Coping with change is difficult, no matter how old you are. The particular challenge

for adults over 50 is the sheer number of changes and transitions that start to occur— including children moving away, the loss of parents, friends, and other loved ones, changes to or the end of your career, declining health, and even loss of independence. It’s natural to feel those losses. But if that sense of loss is balanced with positive ingredients, you have a

Myths About Healthy Aging MYTH: Aging means declining health and/or disability.

Fact: There are some diseases that become more common as we age. However, getting older does not automatically mean poor health or that you will be confined to a walker or wheelchair. Plenty of older adults enjoy vigorous health, often better than many younger people. Preventive measures like healthy eating, exercising, and managing stress can help reduce the risk of chronic disease or injuries later in life.

MYTH: Memory loss is an inevitable part of aging.

Fact: As you age, you may eventually notice you don’t remember things as easily as in the past, or memories may start to take a little longer to retrieve. However, significant memory loss is not an inevitable result of aging. Brain training and new learning can occur at any age and there are many things you can do to keep your memory sharp. The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll reap the benefits.

MYTH: You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

Fact: One of the more damaging myths of aging is that after a certain age, you just won’t be able to try anything new or contribute things anymore. The opposite is true. Middle aged and older adults are just as capable of learning new things and thriving in new environments, plus they have the wisdom that comes with life experience.

If you believe in and have confidence in yourself, you are setting up a positive environment for change no matter what your age.

Tips for coping with change As you age beyond 50, there will be periods of both joy and stress. It’s important to build your resilience and find healthy ways to cope with challenges. This ability will help you make the most of the good times and keep your perspective when times are tough. Focus on the things you’re grateful for. The longer you live, the more you lose. But as you lose people and things, life becomes even more precious. When you stop taking things for granted, you appreciate and enjoy what you have even more. Acknowledge and express your feelings. You may have a hard time showing emotions, perhaps feeling that such a display is inappropriate and weak. But burying your feelings can lead to anger, resentment, and depression. Don’t deny what you’re going through. Find healthy ways to process your feelings, perhaps by talking with a close friend or writing in a journal.

Accept the things you can’t change. Many things in life are beyond our control.

Page 40 Mature Living June 2014

Rather than stressing out over them, focus on the things you can control such as the way you choose to react to problems. Face your limitations with dignity and a healthy dose of humor.

Look for the silver lining. As the saying goes, “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” When facing major challenges, try to look at them as opportunities for personal growth. If your own poor choices contributed to a stressful situation, reflect on them and learn from your mistakes.

Take daily action to deal with life’s challenges. When a challenge seems too big to handle, sweeping it under the carpet often appears the easiest option. But ignoring the problem doesn’t make it go away; it allows both the problem and your anxiety to build. Instead, take things one small step at a time. Even a small step can go a long way to boosting your confidence and reminding you that you are not powerless.

formula for staying healthy as you age.

Healthy aging means continually reinventing yourself as you pass through landmark ages such as 60, 70, 80 and beyond. It means finding new things you enjoy, learning to adapt to change, staying physically and socially active, and feeling connected to your community and loved ones.

Unfortunately, for many, aging brings anxiety and fear instead.

How will I take care of myself late in life? What if I lose my spouse? What is going to happen to my mind? However, many of these fears stem from myths about aging that are exaggerated by the media or simply untrue. The truth is that you are stronger and more resilient than you may think.

Staying healthy over 50: Tips for finding meaning and joy

A key ingredient in the recipe for healthy aging over 50 is the continuing ability to find meaning and joy in life. As you age, your life will change and you will gradually lose things that previously occupied your time and gave your life purpose. For example, your job may change, you may eventually retire from your career, your children may leave home, or other friends and family may move far away. But this is not a time to stop moving forward. Later life can be a time of exciting new adventures if you let it.

Staying healthy over 50 means finding activities that you enjoy Everyone has different ways of experiencing meaning and joy, and the activities you enjoy may change over time. If your career slows down or you retire, or if your children leave home, you may find you have more time to enjoy activities outside of work and immediate family. Either way, taking time to nourish your spirit is

never wasted.

If you’re not sure where to get started, try some of the following suggestions: Pick up a long-neglected hobby or try a new hobby Play with your grandkids, nieces, nephews, or a favourite pet Learn something new (an instrument, a foreign language, a new game) Get involved in your community (volunteer or attend a local event) Take a class or join a club Travel somewhere new or go on a weekend trip to a place you’ve never visited Spend time in nature (take a scenic hike, go fishing or camping, enjoy a ski trip) Enjoy the arts (visit a museum, go to a concert or a play) Write your memoirs or a play about your life experiences The possibilities are endless. The important thing is to find activities that are both meaningful and enjoyable for you.

Health

Staying healthy through humor, laughter, and play

Laughter is strong medicine for both the body and the mind. It helps you stay balanced, energetic, joyful, and healthy at any age. A sense of humor helps you get through tough times, look outside yourself, laugh at the absurdities of life, and transcend difficulties.

Staying healthy over 50: Tips for staying connected One of the greatest challenges of aging is how your support network changes.

Staying connected isn’t always easy as you grow older—even for those who have always had an active social life. Career changes, retirement, illness, death, and moves out of the local area can take away close friends and family members. And the older you get, the more people you inevitably lose. In later life, getting around may become difficult for either you or members of your social network.

It’s important to find ways to reach out and connect to others, regardless of whether or not you live with a spouse or partner. Having an array of people you can turn to for company and support as you age is a buffer against loneliness, depression, disability, hardship, and loss.

The good news is that there are lots of ways to be with other people. It doesn’t matter what you do, so long as you get out of the house (if possible) and socialize: Connect regularly with friends and family.

Spend time with people you enjoy and who make you feel upbeat. It may be a neighbour who you like to exercise with, a

Staying healthy over 50: Tips for boosting vitality

lunch date with an old friend, or shopping with your children. Even if you are not close by, call or email frequently to keep relationships fresh.

Make an effort to make new friends. As you lose people in your circle, it is vital to make new connections so your circle doesn’t dwindle. Make it a point to befriend people who are younger than you. Younger friends can reenergize you and help you see life from a fresh perspective.

Spend time with at least one person every day. Whatever your living or work situation, you shouldn’t be alone day after day. Phone or email contact is not a replacement for spending time with other people. Regular face-to-face contact helps you ward off depression and stay positive.

Volunteer. Giving back to the community is a wonderful way to strengthen social bonds and meet others, and the meaning and purpose you find in helping others will enrich and expand your life. Volunteering is a natural way to meet others interested in similar activities or who share similar values. Even if your monbility becomes limited, you can get involved by volunteering on the phone.

Find support groups in times of change. If you or a loved one is coping with a serious illness or recent loss, it can be very helpful to participate in a support group with others undergoing the same challenges.

Don’t fall for the myth that growing older automatically means you’re not going to feel good anymore. It is true that aging involves physical changes, but it doesn’t have to mean discomfort and disability. While not all illness or pain is avoidable, many of the physical challenges associated with aging can be overcome or drastically mitigated by eating right, exercising, and taking care of yourself.

It’s never too late to start! No matter how old you are or how unhealthy you’ve been in the past, caring for your body has enormous benefits that will help you stay active, sharpen your memory, boost your immune system, manage health problems, and increase your energy. In fact, many older adults report feeling better than ever because they are making more of an effort to be healthy than they did when they were younger.

Staying healthy over 50: Tips for eating well as you age As you age, your relationship to food may change along with your body. A decreased metabolism, changes in taste and smell, and slower digestion may affect your appetite, the foods you can eat, and how your body processes food.

The key is to figure out how to adapt to your changing needs. Now, more than ever, healthy eating is

important to maintain your energy and health.

Load up on high-fiber fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Your whole digestive system does slow as you age, so fiber is very important. Consume fiber-rich foods such as whole grains, fruit, and vegetables. They will help you feel more energetic and give you fuel to keep going.

Put effort into making your food look and taste good. Your taste buds may not be as strong and your appetite may not be the same, but your nutritional needs are just as important as ever. If you don’t enjoy eating like you used to, put a little more effort into your meals, including the way you flavor, prepare, and present your food.

Watch out for dehydration. Because of physical changes, older adults are more prone to dehydration. So make sure you are drinking plenty of fluid, even if you don’t feel thirsty. If you’re not getting enough water, you’re not going to be as sharp and your energy will suffer.

Make meals a social event. It’s more enjoyable to eat with others than alone. If you live alone, invite other people over. It’s a great way to stay in touch with friends and you can share cooking and cleanup duties.

Page 41 Mature Living June 2014

Motoring

Nissan’s Self-Cleaning Car W ashing a car can be a chore - and a costly one at that. In response, Nissan has begun tests on innovative paint technology that repels mud, rain and everyday dirt, meaning drivers may never have to clean their car again.

The specially engineered, super-hydrophobic and oleophobic paint, which repels water and oils, has been applied to the all-new Nissan Note to create the world's first selfcleaning car.

To assess the real-world effectiveness of the superhydrophobic as a potential aftermarket application, engineers at Nissan Technical Centre Europe will be testing the self-cleaning Note over the coming months in a variety of conditions.

Nissan is the first car maker to apply the technology, called Ultra-Ever Dry®, on automotive bodywork.

By creating a protective layer of air between the paint and

World Car of the Year

environment, it effectively stops standing water and road spray from creating dirty marks on the car's surface.

It's not the first time selfcleaning technology has been used on the Note.

The car already features a 'wash and blow dry' function on its rear view camera.

This uses water and compressed air to automatically keep the lens free of dirt and ensure the Note's safety sensors work in all conditions.

Why the VW Van is an Icon A that Shaped the Baby Boomer Generation

By Betty Sinclair

and verve — the VW Bus!

Women and men over 60 have lived through six amazing decades.

Throughout our lives, with a curious and adventurous nature, we have challenged the status quo and celebrated our independence and freedom. Many of us have had to build enormous emotional reserves to manage and survive difficult times. As I have seen time and time again in my social circle, we are resourceful, resilient and tough minded, but also questioning, sensitive and often insecure. If you try to find a common denominator, you might identify a quality that can be best described as bohemian. For our 30year old sons and daughters, it might be hard to see us as eclectic, bold and adventurous, but, trust me, we are! To understand our adventurous, bohemian nature, it is useful to reflect on the icons that shaped our generation. One icon in particular embodies our passion

Like the VW Bus, we are Enjoying Retirement but Still Full of Life Like many men and women in their 60s, the VW Bus is enjoying “retirement.” Despite, or perhaps because of, this fact, the VW Bus brings back vivid memories of how our lives were shaped in the 1960s.

Understanding why the VW Bus is so significant sheds light on the story of the men and women of the Boomer Generation. It underscores their values of independence and freedom. It also represents my generation’s insatiable desire to live life fully and with passion. We want everything to be controllable, substantive, individual, colorful and fun. It represents possibility in its most physical form — the lure of the “open road” and the potential for self-discovery. It offers the possibility to take your home with you. It provides the ability to find and demonstrate who you are through the vehicle you drive.

To Boomers and VW Buses, Life is One Big Road Trip The rear engine Volkswagen bus dates back 63 years to 1950, when the company pioneered the “minivan” category. You can even thank the VW Bus for the iPhone and iPad you have in your pocket.

Legend has it, in 1975, Steve Jobs sold the one he owned to raise the $1,300 he and Steve Woziak needed to set up Apple Computer’s first production line.

The friendly VW Bus has been featured in countless cameo appearances in films and TV shows and is the stuff of legend, fantasy, sexuality, drugs, drink and rock and roll. The VW van is so deeply embedded in popular culture, that it will likely live on forever in the imagination of the Boomer generation.

It’s the Journey that Counts, and we have the Memories to Prove it!

The VW Bus is magical; it has a charm that no other vehicle has

t a press conference hosted by the New York International Auto Show and Bridgestone Corporation, the Audi A3 was declared the 2014 World Car of the Year.

The Audi A3 was chosen from an initial entry list of 24 vehicles from all over the world, then a shortlist of 12, then three finalists: the BMW 4 Series, the Mazda 3 and the Audi A3.

To be eligible for the overall World Car award, the candidates must become available for sale on at least two continents during the period beginning January 1, 2013 and ending May 31, 2014.

Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG, said: "The Audi A6 was the first ever winner of this award and we are delighted that the Audi A3 has repeated that achievement by being voted

ever achieved. Every memory of the VW Bus is also unique.

Perhaps you remember being a child, scrunched in the back with your brother and sister, bouncing along on a pot hole riddled road.

Or, you may remember your life as a hippie, riding in a paisley painted van, crammed with friends and hitch hikers on a cross country mecca to see a showband that was in a nearby town.

When you see a picture of a VW Bus, you can’t help but want to share your story and your experiences. You want to recall the colour and year of your vehicle, its name, where you went, where you stopped and what happened next.

The VW Bus is a story and smile generating machine!

Millions of women and men younger than 60 crave the gypsy lifestyle.

Unfortunately, most have other priorities and only a few have realized that life is short and the road waits for no one.

If you are one of the lucky few young people who still find the time to hit the road, keep your eyes peeled for a lime-green VW Bus — it may just be your grandmother.

2014 World Car of the Year.

"The Audi A3 showcases Audi's technical competence in all aspects of carmaking, not least in the areas of lightweight technology, drivetrain, mobile infotainment and driver assistance systems.

"This major award win is an achievement that the whole company can celebrate."

In 2013, the Audi Group delivered around 1,575,500 cars to customers.

In 2013, the company achieved revenue of €49.9bn and an operating profit of €5.03bn. The Audi Group is globally present in more than 100 markets and produces vehicles in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm (Germany), Gyor (Hungary), Brussels (Belgium), Bratislava (Slovakia), Martorell (Spain), Kaluga (Russia), Aurangabad (India), Changchun (China) and Jakarta (Indonesia).

Travel Technology

Radar to monitor falls among seniors living at home As an alternative to wearables like medical alert bracelets, radar technology currently used in police work and the surveillance of planes, ships and vehicles will soon be used to monitor in-home seniors at risk for falling.

R

adar has long been used as a tool for surveillance, mapping, search and rescue, air traffic control, weather monitoring and crime prevention.

Soon to be added to that list is preventative health care, specifically the detection of falls among seniors, many of which are choosing to live independently at home.

Dr. Moeness Amin, who is the director of the Centre for Advanced Communications in the college of engineering at Villanova University, is working on how to bring radar technology into homes.

Since radar can penetrate through walls, it is used by the military and police in hostage situations to know how many people are inside a building and to monitor their movements.

Amin wants to use this technology and his research work on through-the-wall radar imaging to be developed into a system that can detect when people fall in their homes and warn others to come and help.

When installed in different rooms at home, the radar device can emit and receive unique frequencies depending on the motion of a person’s body. A visual

representation of these frequencies called a spectogram can tell if a person is falling or not.

Different patterns of motion create different signatures on the spectogram. For instance, the spectogram pattern of someone falling forward looks different than that of someone falling backwards. Moreover, the device can be accurate enough to know whether the fall is a drop attack or if a person trips with arms flailing.

Amin says that such a device can replace cameras for monitoring. “There’s a privacy issue if you put cameras in bedrooms or bathrooms. People don’t like that,” he said.

He also says radar is an alternative to existing wearable medical alert devices which can be cumbersome, forgotten or misplaced.

Amin and his team are working on an algorithm called the Doppler Frequency Signature that will study and adjust a person’s unique ways of moving and positioning. The algorithm could learn a person’s habits and the way they sit, stand, walk or fall.

It can recognize the pattern of someone using a walker or cane

versus someone walking normally.

“I want to train the radar to say, this person is, let’s say paralyzed, so the way this person walks is different than the general population," said Amin.

"So that when this person falls, the radar knows how this person falls, not how [just] anybody falls.” The system can locate the specific location where the person falls and alert caregivers.

For example, it can send a text

message or call family members to say grandpa fell in the bathroom in the second floor.

The algorithm would be completed by the end of this year at which time it would be tested by a group of elderly people rather than research students.

Whether it would be eventually accepted as less intrusive than cameras or co-exist side by side with wearables remain to be seen, but Amin is hopeful.

“In the future, I think the radar is going to be like a companion, living with the person, learning about the habits of the person, the way he walks, the way he sits, the way he stands,” said Amin.

Such a fall prevention system may be welcomed by the group most at risk for falls, the aged-65and-over demographic, whose numbers are expected to double in the next three decades.

The beginning of the end of passwords

C

an you avoid passwords?

Almost, if you replace them with something else, and one possible replacement is a thing called Clef.

Passwords: everyone hates them, and everyone has to use

them. But the people from one Californian tech firm want to get rid of them forever.

Clef (getclef.com) is an app that sits on your phone. It generates two codes, a private key and a public key. The private

key stays on your phone, encrypted and safe from prying eyes. The public key is sent to Clef HQ over the internet.

The really clever stuff happens when you want to log in to a website on your computer.

Assuming that site has set up Clef, there’ll be a button you can click saying “Log in with Clef”.

Next, you’ll see a strange animated pattern on your computer screen- hold up your phone to scan that pattern with your phone’s camera.

That triggers a digital signature, sent from your phone to Clef – but in encrypted form.

Because Clef has a copy of your private key, they can decrypt the message and check who sent it.

Now they know that it’s you trying to log in to that website, and send a message back to the site saying: “This is the right person, let them in.”

It sounds complicated, but it should all happen in a fraction of a second. It’s an example of what’s called “two-factor authentication”, which combines something you know (your password or PIN) with something you have (in this case, your phone).

If your phone gets lost or stolen, you can log into your Clef account on the web (using the same PIN) and deactivate the Clef app remotely, so it can’t be used by someone pretending to be you.

It’s not a perfect solution, and the problem with third party systems like this is that you’re dependent on lots of website owners deciding to set up Clef’s software at their end. Until that happens, Clef is going to be a bit of a niche product.

You can use two-factor authentication on all sorts of websites already, including Google and Facebook. Rather than use special software, they use good old fashioned text messages to check your identity.

It’s less hassle, almost as quick, and very reliable.

As a general rule, you should always set up two-factor when you’re offered the chance. It’s better to be safe than be hacked.

Page 43 Mature Living June 2014

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