Issue 110 March - April 2021
Times
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The magazine for people who don’t act their age
Gabriel Byrne Walking with ghosts Beat cancer with the right diet Recipes from The Anti-Cancer Cookbook
Watch the birdie! How to identify our feathered friends
Final home for Keats and Shelley A tour of Rome’s ‘English’ Cemetery
Bibi in a happy place A new direction for the broadcaster
PLUS: Mary O’Rourke, Bridge, History, Competitions, Wine, Beauty, Golf, Meeting Place And Much More..
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Issue 110 - March - April 2021
Contents 74
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Surviving Hollywood’s poisoned goldfish bowl: 5 Aubrey Malone traces the life and times, so far, of Gabriel Byrne
Richard Mulligan's road to forgiveness: Frank Greally relates the journey of the well-known singer-songwriters and former elite athlete who never gave up in his quest to find his birth parents
Laid to rest after many a fight: Eamonn Lynskey visits Rome’s ‘English Cemetery’
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Dublin Dossier: Happenings around the capital reported by Pat Keenan
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Watch the birdies: Conor O’Hagan, who has had a life-long fascination with bird-watching, passes on some of his observations
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Western Ways: 44 George Keegan on happenings in the arts, entertainment and much more on the Western Seaboard
Dublin Dossier: Happenings around the capital reported by Pat Keenan
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Wine World:
48
Creative writing:
52
Golf:
58
Northern Notes:
63
Meeting Place: How to meet that special person
68
Cosmetics and beauty:
70
News:
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Mary’s Musings: 20 In her latest observations Mary O’Rourke reflects, amongst other subjects, on the enigma that was Arthur Griffith, President Kennedy’s visit to Ireland, Samantha Power, lockdown and the Stardust tragedy Bibi in a happy place: Former broadcaster Bibi Baskin changes direction
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In search of Bigwig and friends: 28 In the latest in her series of literary excursions in these islands, Lorna Hogg pinpoints the locations for the inspiration of the modern children’s classic Watership Down by Douglas Adams Bridge: 31 Michael O’Loughlin’s tutorial for beginners and intermediates Publishing Directors: Brian McCabe, Des Duggan Editorial Director: John Low Advertising: Willie Fallon Design & Production: www.cornerhouse.ie Contributors: Lorna Hogg, Dermot Gilleece, Maretta Dillon, Peter Power, Matthew Hughes, Mairead Robinson, Eileen Casey, Debbie Orme, Connie McEvoy, George Keegan, Michael O’Loughlin and Pat Keenan.
Cookbook aimed at reducing your cancer risk: 74 Mairead Robinson is impressed with the Anti-Cancer Cookbook Crafts:
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News Now Smokers urged to kick the habit for good Smokers have been urged to kick the habit for good as health chiefs insist the benefits begin just 20 minutes after stubbing out the last cigarette. HSE research shows 79% of smokers want to give up and the vast majority (83%) regret starting. 20-a-day smokers can save almost €5,000 a year. Smoking is a major risk factor in cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke. One in two smokers in Ireland will die of a tobacco-related disease and nearly 6,000 people in this country die each year from the effects of smoking. Irish Heart Foundation’s seven tips to give up: Change your routine: If you’re used to a cigarette after a meal, try chewing some sugar-free chewing gum or go for a walk/fresh air.
This on- line life On-line art appreciation course at National Gallery of Ireland Join the National Gallery of Ireland on an online journey through the centuries at Cities and Suburbs: Life, Leisure and Landscape, a new art appreciation course beginning on 30 March 2021. This 8-week online course with art historian Dr Kathryn Milligan takes a broad view of artists’ depictions of ‘city and suburb’, via paintings, drawings, prints and archival collections at the National Gallery of Ireland. Incorporating Dutch, French, Italian and Irish art, the course covers the seventeenth to twentieth centuries. Walking in the footsteps of the urban observer, participants will follow the expansion of the city into its hinterlands, taking time to relax at suburban beauty spots. Taking place on Tuesday evenings, each week’s session will cover something different: from panoramas and maps to hawkers and street markets, urban calamities to the social city. Participants will receive a recording of each week’s session, allowing flexibility in these extraordinary times. The course is suitable for beginners and experts alike. Tickets are on sale on at www.nationalgallery.ie. 2 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
Reduce your caffeine and alcohol: When you stop smoking, caffeine and alcohol will affect you more than when you were a smoker. Learn to deal with cravings: Some people experience withdrawal symptoms when they quit but these are positive signs that your body is ridding itself of the toxins and poisons from smoking. Get regular exercise: Getting more active will help you deal with your cravings. Aim to be active for at least 30 minutes five days a week. Make your home and car smoke-free. Choose healthy snacks: Some people find they eat more when they quit. Try to snack only when you are hungry and choose healthy snacks such as fruit, natural yoghurt or plain popcorn. Avoid substituting cigarettes for sweets, cakes and biscuits: Eating three meals a day is good for your health and eating breakfast has been shown to help with quitting smoking.
COPD research pioneer wins Health Research Board award The Health Research Board (HRB) has announced Gerry McElvaney, Professor of Medicine at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, as the winner of the HRB Impact Award 2021. The award recognises the lasting impact Prof McElvaney has had on people’s health and patient care by applying his respiratory medicine research in practice. His work has informed local, national and international guidelines including European and World Health Organisation developments. Throughout his career Prof McElvaney has consistently demonstrated the benefits that can be achieved by proactively integrating research into policy and practice. His work focused on a specific genetic disorder called alpha 1 anti-trypsin deficiency (AATD) that leads to an increased risk of developing lung complications such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD accounts for 5 per cent of all deaths globally and is the second most common cause of lung-related deaths in Ireland. Prof McElvaney’s research group have developed diagnostic and screening tools for alpha-1 anti-trypsin deficiency which are now replicated globally. He has also played a major role in the development of the only specific treatment currently available for COPD arising from this disorder, called AAT augmentation therapy.
Savings plans that go the distance
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Selection of rehearsed Healthwave launches readings at Everyman first digital Viagra Cork service
Largest ever on-line art sale for Jack & Jill
Digital pharmacy Healthwave, based in Dublin, has launched Ireland’s first Viagra dispensing service.
The Everyman has announced the upcoming release of Made in Cork l Play It By Ear: a selection of rehearsed readings from its successful audio broadcast programme, all with a very Cork flavour, which will be made available for the month of March. The Everyman launched Play it by Ear, a programme of live audio broadcasts from The Everyman stage in October 2020. Since then, the theatre has presented 15 live rehearsed readings – performed and streamed live from the stage - as well as 3 live music events, attracting close to 5,000 listeners locally, and globally. Due to the success of their digital programme, The Everyman has now launched Made in Cork l Play It By Ear Rehearsed Readings allowing audiences to purchase one digital theatre ticket to gain access to the full collection of nine rehearsed audio readings. Made in Cork l Play It By Ear Rehearsed Readings is available until 31st March. Tickets: €18 to access the full compilation for the month of March. www.everymancork.com
€650,000 social fund launched for Mid-West A new €650,000 social innovation fund has been launched by Rethink Ireland for innovative projects in Clare, Limerick and Tipperary ‘that empower communities, tackle poverty, and promote social inclusion’. The Ignite Midwest Fund, the first of its kind specifically for the Midwest, has been created by Rethink Ireland in partnership with several private donors from the region including the Parkes Family Limerick, the Community Foundation for Ireland, and is matched by the Department of Rural and Community Development via the Dormant Accounts Fund. There will be a minimum of five awardees with the fund now open for applications until 29th March 2021. The Ignite Midwest Fund is the latest social innovation fund created by Rethink Ireland (formerly Social Innovation Fund Ireland), which has launched over 30 funds in the past five years totalling over €65 million. For further details on the Ignite Midwest Fund and to apply, visit rethinkireland.ie/current_fund/ignite-midwest-fund-2021/
This follows the announcement that Pfizer ‘Viagra Connect’ is now available ‘over-thecounter’ without the need for a prescription from a doctor in Ireland for the first time. The new Healthwave digital dispensing service will incorporate a digital pharmacist consultation and nationwide delivery, same day for Dublin, of the ‘Viagra Connect’ medication for a single fee of €25. Given the sensitive nature of erectile dysfunction, many men have used online doctor services for prescriptions to access Viagra for dispensing in an Irish pharmacy. However due to Brexit, prescriptions issued by online doctors, often based in the UK, to Irish patients are no longer valid.
One of the works in the sale: the artist is a secret
Patients using the new Healthwave service can complete their consultation online which will be reviewed by a pharmacist prior to the dispatch of the medication. Erectile Dysfunction is the first condition available through Healthwave’s digital pharmacist prescribing service for medicines that no longer require prescriptions. Visit healthwave.ie
The key attraction behind Incognito is that each original postcard-sized artwork costs just €60, but purchasers won’t know the identity of the artist until the sale has closed. For many lucky purchasers, the value of the artwork will likely far exceed the €60 donation made to Jack & Jill to buy the piece.
Paddy Cole reveals his sax exploits in new autobiography One of Ireland’s greatest and best-loved entertainers, Paddy Cole, has recently published his autobiography, Paddy Cole, King of the Swingers.
The largest ever on-line art sale in Ireland, in aid of the Jack & Jill Foundation, will go live on-line Thursday April 22 at 10am.
Incognito features a Who’s Who of the Irish art scene, including Adrian+Shane, Robert Ballagh and Ange Bell. Among the perhaps more familiar faces taking part this year are Bob Geldof, fashion designer Paul Costelloe, comedian Jason Byrne, and artist Don Conroy. For more information on Incognito 2021, visit www.incognito.ie or follow us on Instagram @jackandjillcf, on Twitter @jackandjillcf, and on Facebook @2021Incognito, using the hashtag #Incognito21 For more information on the work of the Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation, visit www.jackandjill.ie.
From Las Vegas to New Orleans and across the globe, Paddy has played with Irish musical legends such as Brendan Bowyer, Dickie Rock, Joe Dolan, Twink, and is a perennial presence on TV and radio. From his first performance in his native Castleblayney at age twelve, billed as ‘Ireland’s youngest saxophone player’, Paddy Cole been playing on stages around the world for almost seventy years. With The Capitol Showband, The Big 8 to The Paddy Cole Band, he has played with Irish legends such as Brendan Bowyer, Dickie Rock, Joe Dolan and Twink, and has more recently been a regular highlight of the Cork Jazz Festival. As well as music, he has done valuable charity work at home and abroad. Paddy Cole, King of the Swingers, by Paddy Cole with Tom Gilmore is published by The O’Brien Press in hardback at €19.99/£17.99
4 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
Kilkenny is offering a host of outdoor active and adventure get-aways for when you can travel again. From zip-lining, paddle-boarding to adventure and fairy trails, there are so many opportunities for the family to get outdoors and have an action-packed escape. Outdoor Kilkenny has a round-up of some of the best places to stay – and play. To plan your Kilkenny adventure for when it is safe to travel Visit www.outdoorkilkenny.ie
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Surviving Hollywood’s poisoned goldfish bowl.. It would be difficult to find an actor with more integrity than Gabriel Byrne. From the days of his television apprenticeship at the not-too-young age of 29 to his present status as a member of Hollywood royalty and one of Ireland’s national treasures, the soft-spoken Crumlin man has negotiated the tripwires of Hollywood’s poisoned goldfish bowl with his quiet charm. This is partly due to his disenchantment with it: ‘The monster is eating its own tail now. It will eventually annihilate itself.’ Dublin was a good preparation for it: ‘It can be a very bitchy, back-stabbing, gossipy backwater.’ He loves coming back here but doubts he could live here again for a long period. His incredible career has netted him too many accolades to mention. They culminated in a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Irish Film and Television Academy in 2018. He turned 70 last year and his film tally equals that figure. He now sits at the top of the film world like an elder statesman, the wise man on the hill
Aubrey Malone traces the life and times, so far, of Gabriel Byrne delivering paternalistic soundbites to his many acolytes, whether they’re ‘in treatment’ or not. Despite all his Emmys, his Tonys, his Golden Globe and so many other awards and nominations, when you mention Gabriel to people they don’t tend to point to any one film or theatre or TV performance as his signature tune. In other words there’s no one film, play or TV series that stands out as giving us the epitomic Byrne performance. The gems of richness are scattered pell-mell throughout a cavalcade of work that feature different aspects of it. There are very few turkeys in that canon which is unusual for so prolific a career. ‘If you’re in a bad film,’ Richard Burton once advised, ‘Make sure you’re the best thing in it.’ That was often true of Gabriel too.
He acted with Burton in the mini-series Wagner early on in his career and had a very fruitful, if brief, friendship with him. Burton was on his last legs at the time but he was still able to impart some very useful advice to Gabriel about ‘the craft’ which stood him in good stead after he made his name. It was a thankless role for Gabriel. He had only ten lines in it, spread across six countries, but it enabled him to watch his heroes at work. Not only Burton but the heady triumvirate of Laurence Olivier, Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud as well. Another quotation I remember of Burton’s was, ‘An actor is something less than a man. An actress is something more than a woman.’ I beg to disagree. Actors at their best combine the masculine and feminine. We have only to look at someone like Marlon Brando to see the cohesion. Or Gabriel Byrne. Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie 5
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Gabriel Byrne in the 1992 film Into The West with David Kelly
With Mary Kearns and Sean Lawlor in a scene from the hit RTE series Bracken
Women have always played a big part in his life. This is evident from his recently-published book Walking with Ghosts (Picador, £16.99). It’s one of the best memoirs I’ve ever read. I didn’t think he could better his last one, Pictures in My Head, but he has. Every page is a gem. It’s a book you don’t want to finish. The imagery is to die for. He loads every rift with ore in streams of consciousness that remind you of everyone from John McGahern to Des Hogan. His vision is prismatic, epigrammatic. If you’re looking for an A-Z of his career or life, look elsewhere. The style is all over the place.
he was told to leave. This should really have happened after four days, or even four minutes. It was the best thing that ever happened to him because he was never cut out for that kind of life. He had too much living to do.
The first woman in his life, of course, was his mother. He writes beautifully about her, and about the manner in which she gazes wideeyed at his odyssey from the deprived streets of Drimnagh and Walkinstown to the luxury of Bel Air. Some of her comments at the transition are hilarious. So are those of his discombobulated father. When Gabriel first appears on television, he remarks, ‘You look just like yourself.’ When Gabriel asks him to buy a ticket to see him in a play in which he’s appearing he says, ‘We can see you here for nothing.’ His mother wondered why more people in Hollywood didn’t put their washing out. Both of them were devastated when he decided to join the priesthood. That happened when he was only 11. Today it’s uncanny for anyone to think a person could be expected to know what they want to do with their life at that tender age. The church began their recruitment drives early in the 1960s. My brother once told me he made his mind up to become a Jesuit at the age of 12. A missionary priest came to our college and gave a talk about what such a life would entail. He was entranced by it. Gabriel was similarly seduced by a mission statement. My brother stayed in his order. Gabriel didn’t. After four years of diaspora and rule-breaking 6 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
His departure from the clerical fold threw him into the world of plumbing. This was something he was equally unsuited for. ‘They kept sending me on errands hoping I’d get lost,’ he said once, ‘I was the most useless plumber in Ireland.’ He studied archaeology in UCD and later taught it along with Spanish. In those years, as when he dallied with his ‘vocation,’ he felt a sense of rootlessness. It went away when he found acting, or rather when acting found him. In this he found a sense of belonging, a kind of anti-self that liberated him. Some of his work with the Dublin Shakespeare Society was anachronistic: ‘I had a black jumper with black bell- bottoms. Nobody ever explained how Marcus Aufidius happened to be wearing bell-bottoms in ancient Rome.’ He first came to the attention of the public in The Riordans. It morphed into Bracken after it went off the air. His brooding good looks and casual acting style made him into a hometown hero and a heart-throb for the ladies. The soubriquet ‘Irish Heathcliff’ was trotted out so relentlessly he came to abhor it. It wasn’t long after this that he gave a very respectable performance in the political thriller Defence of the Realm opposite Denholm Elliott. He felt Elliott upstaged him and said of the experience, ‘The old dictum of avoiding acting with animals and children should be amended to, “Never act with animals, children, or Denholm Elliott.”’ The film made his name, however, and freed him from the agonies of having to do auditions, which he hated. His career afterwards was notable for many stand-out films. The most talked-about one was Bryan Singer’s The Usual Suspects, which made him mega. Having said that, it’s not necessarily his greatest per-
formance. It was largely an ensemble piece, a director’s film that became a kind of cult. Gabriel’s secret was his longevity. He kept on keeping on. There were times when a ‘Tallaghtfornia’ accent made you wonder if he was playing Irish people or Americans but there was no gainsaying the truth of his acting. He put a lot of store into concentration, the Method actor’s main tool, and it showed. His kind eyes brought warmth to characters who may not have evinced such qualities on the page before he alchemised them with his compassion. Such compassion is as evident on the page as the stage. It comes across in the sweep of anecdotes that pepper his book, whether he’s writing about Burton telling him films don’t cure cancer or John Boorman advising him how to make love to a woman while wearing a suit of armour on the set of Excalibur or Sir Larry barking abuse at him after he has the audacity to ask him what time it is and then regretting his rudeness and leaving a poem for him in his dressing room by way of an apology. Gabriel Byrne is a shy and sometimes insecure man. Maybe all actors are. It’s what makes audiences so important to them. They’re continually seeking validation from them. When they don’t get it they become traumatised. Gabriel says he’s seen major stars throwing up backstage before their performances. He’s done it himself. Only when you say those first few words do you relax. It’s worse in the theatre because there’s nobody to shout ‘Cut’ if you do it wrong. There’s also the problem of having to listen to hissing, or have rotten tomatoes thrown at you. Or thinking someone is nodding off in the front row as you deliver your killer soliloquy, only to discover afterwards that they have a medical condition. This happened to Gabriel, making him feel six inches tall after he shouted at the man in question to ‘Wake up!’
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Gabriel Byrne with his great friend Liam Neeson
"Gabriel’s secret was his longevity. He kept on keeping on." Walking with Ghosts isn’t only about Gabriel’s life in film. It’s also about his problems with alcoholism, with the sexual abuse of a priest, with a woman who stalked him ominously, and with relationships in general. He doesn’t write too much about his siblings but there’s a heartbreaking chapter about one of his sisters who had psychological problems. He writes so sensitively about her it will bring you close to tears. Another chapter that touched me deeply was one where he writes about a childhood friendship he had with a tearaway tomboy who lived close to him in Walkinstown. He admits he ruined this by pretending he had sex with her so he could sound macho to his male friends. She never forgave him and thus the wild purity of their relationship was ruined. She never talked to him afterwards. The last he heard of her she was pregnant and gone to England. Here, as elsewhere, he isn’t slow to tell a story against himself. His book is as brutally honest as the man himself. He writes equally vividly about his strengths and his weaknesses, his victories and his defeats, his aspirations and his disappointments.
Every time we get a poignant vignette it seems to be followed by a humorous one. The book will make you laugh as often as cry. Its standout quality is the richness of the language. The images land on the page like fractured shards of light splintering into iridescence. I was blown away by the plethora of them, one after the other as they drip with seeming effortlessness from his pen. I’ve always believed that Gabriel hadn’t taken up acting he would have been in the front rank of writers in Ireland. In fact he is anyway. The book is also notable for its omissions. He only writes about a handful of his films and then just in passing. Neither does he mention Aine O’Connor, at least by name, despite having had a decade-long relationship with the ill-fated TV presenter. Nor does he write about his marriage to Ellen Barkin. That was covered in Pictures in My Head but I expected more here. I also expected more about his present partner Hannah Beth King and the daughter they had together three years ago whom he dotes on. These people may turn up in a future book. I hope he doesn’t finish his literary career with this one. No more than Graham Norton, who’s reinvented himself as a novelist in recent years,
8 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
Gabriel Byrne's latest book Walking with Ghosts
there’s a whole world out there for him to tap into if he so wishes. He once described writing as ‘sculpting things with words,’ like taking photographs of himself. Writing has been an expiation of his demons. In this it’s like acting. The ghosts he walks with are cathartic.
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Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie 9
History
Laid to rest after many a fight Eamonn Lynskey visits Rome’s ‘English Cemetery’
The imposing Pyramid of Cestius in the cemetery erected to a Roman magistrate, Gaius Cestius, in 12 BC, which dominates the grounds.
Anyone dutifully engaged in daily sight-seeing in Rome will at some point need a break from the hurry, scurry and noise of the Eternal City. A brief bus journey from the city centre will bring a visitor to the gates of The English Cemetery. Officially entitled ‘The Non-Catholic Cemetery for Foreigners in Testaccio, Rome’, it is a burial place of ancient date, as witnessed by the pyramid erected to a Roman magistrate, Gaius Cestius, in 12 BC, which dominates the grounds. Traditionally the Catholic Church was unwilling to permit those not of the faith to be buried in consecrated ground. It is thought that this area may have been used for non-Catholic burials some centuries before 1716, the year Pope Clement XI gave permission for members of the Stuart Court in exile to bury their dead near the pyramid. In subsequent years this led to other ‘non-Catholic’ burials, many of them of 10 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
English nobility on The Grand Tour, that excursion around Europe which was the ‘cultural experience’ provided by the aristocracy for their sons and daughters. So it was that this burial place became known to the English (and Anglo-Irish), as ‘The English Cemetery’ although there are in fact a multitude of nationalities represented within its walls. Even after this permission was granted, burials were ordered to be carried out under cover of darkness for fear of attracting the wrath of Catholic mobs. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the area around the cemetery, the Testaccio, with its many taverns, was often the scene of licentious behaviour, accompanied by the desecration of burial plots. Things got so very bad that in 1817 Russian officials, aided by the English parliament, obtained permission from the Catholic Church to wall-off the old cemetery (at their own
Tips for dealing with issues relating to your Home Phone, Mobile Phone and Broadband Providers There may come a time when you experience issues with your communications service such as a problem with your bill or difficulty switching to a new provider. We have put together some tips to help you when dealing with such problems so that you know your rights and can seek redress if things go wrong.
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Act promptly as there may be a time limit in which complaints must be made.
How can ComReg Connect’s Consumer Care team help?
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Clearly outline the problem, providing full details of your complaint.
If you have followed your service provider’s complaint procedures and your complaint remains unresolved, we may be able to review the issue, and:
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Give the service provider a reasonable chance to resolve your complaint.
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Inform you of your service provider’s obligations.
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Make a note of your complaint reference number, the time and date you made your complaint, along with any commitments made by your service provider.
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Escalate your complaint on your behalf to your service provider.
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Provide you with a realistic idea of the likely outcome.
What should I do if I am dissatisfied with the outcome? Ask how your complaint can be ‘progressed’ by your service provider in line with their Code of Practice. Generally, this means that your complaint is passed to your service provider’s‘second-line support team’, who can help with more complicated complaints. If you still feel dissatisfied with the outcome, our Consumer Care Team may be able to help you.
Contact Our Consumer Care Team today Phone: 01 8049668 (8am to 8 pm Mon to Fri, and 9am to 1pm Sat) Email: consumerline@comreg.ie Post: Consumer Line, ComReg, 1 Dockland Central, Guild Street, Dublin 1 D01 E4X0 Visit www.comreg.ie
History
Another imposing monument which catches the eye immediately is the magnificent ‘Angel of Grief’, under which lies its creator, the American poet and sculptor W. W. Story who died in Italy in 1881
expense) and were also allowed some extra adjoining land. Even so, as late as 1854 the Russian ambassador, when burying his wife, had to hurry away the officiating clergyman in his carriage in order to save him from the wrath of the local citizenry. Two further enlargements, the last in1894, gave the cemetery the dimensions it occupies today. This tranquil spot on the city’s outskirts is the last resting place for a truly remarkable concentration of artists, writers, musicians and scholars, so many of whom had enriched the cultural life of their nations before they crossed over into their Long Night. Many had come to Rome for their work, others had chosen to live in Italy, and yet others died as a result of illness or accident while visiting the country. There are many imposing monuments. The one which catches the eye immediately is the magnificent ‘Angel of Grief’, under which lies its creator, the American poet and sculptor W. W. Story who died in Italy in 1881. More numerous than the grand (and grandiose) are the more modest headstones bearing a design and a simple statement of loss, with perhaps some brief details of the life. Of such is the headstone erected to Goethe’s son August, buried here also in 1881. The tomb of the great Italian political theorist Antonio Gramsci (1891-1937) is similarly in keeping with the view that simplicity is always more impressive than magnificence, an aesthetic especially appealing to a modern eye. More modest still are the two graves which are probably of the most interest to English 12 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
and Irish visitors. This is the cemetery where are laid to rest two of the most illustrious poets in English Literature, the ‘Romantics’ John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley. Keats came to Rome in 1820, riven by the tuberculosis that had previously claimed his mother and his brother Tom and in search of a drier climate that might ease his own suffering. By the following year he had realized that he was nearing his end and asked his friend Joseph Severn to find him a suitable burial place. On hearing of the peaceful atmosphere of the cemetery on Rome’s periphery, he desired to be buried there. Severn fulfilled his friend's wishes in 1821 when death at last claimed the poet at the age of 25. Tragically, Keats’ burial was followed a year later by another of his friends, the poet and political agitator Shelley, who was drowned in a boating accident off the coast of Tuscany at the age of 28. The simple headstone to Keats stands in the shadow of the pyramid. He had instructed his friend, who had looked after him during his final illness, that he did not want his grave to be marked by any grandiose structures and that his stone should carry, not his name, but only the line ‘here lies one whose name was writ in water’, a version of an old phrase occurring in the writings of the Roman poet Catullus, among others. Clearly the young poet wished to be seen as one of a great tradition of writers, but clearly also his friend Severn had misgivings about this rather bare
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History
John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley and their graves in the cemetery
inscription and added more information to the stone. Later still, when his own time came in 1879 and he took his place alongside his friend, he included on his own headstone even more details, recording that he had been the ‘devoted friend and death-bed companion of JOHN KEATS whom he lived to see numbered among The Immortal Poets of England’. His decision to ignore Keats’ austere request for a one-line remembrance is a matter of debate to this day. Certainly, if they have met up in an afterlife it would be interesting to hear what Keats had to say on the matter. A large flat stone, close to the cemetery’s old outer wall commemorates Shelley and bears the inscription (from Shakespeare’s The Tempest): Nothing of him that doth fade But doth suffer a sea-change Into something rich and strange, and the Latin phrase ‘Cor Cordium’, (‘heart of hearts’), recalling how in the past the heart was thought to be the origin of all feelings – love, hate, grief, courage – a credo so much a part of the ‘Romantic’ movement, that era in English poetry much concerned with the idea of beauty and the disillusionment that follows when it fades. The Romantics wrote much on death but poets, perhaps more than other writers, have long been fascinated by graveyards, from Thomas Grey (1716-1771) with his gentle Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard to the monumental Ode to the Confederate Dead by the American poet Allen Tate (1899-1979). Shelley too wrote a magnificent elegy, Adonais, in memory of Keats. How sad that shortly after the death of his friend he himself should lie a short distance away. 14 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
The experience of seeing these headstones and reading their inscrip tions has great impact for many visitors, especially for those whose interest in poetry was first sparked by coming across poems like ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’ and ‘The Cloud’ while studying (and memorising) poems on the now long-defunct list of ‘prescribed poets’ on the Irish Secondary School curriculum of bygone days. The realization that one is standing near the mortal remains of these two giants of English poetry is quite moving and one not easily forgotten. The allure of these literary figures, and the other famous residents of the cemetery, have led to many requests for burial within its walls; so much so that byelaws had to be enacted prohibiting more interments. Exceptions have been made: the American poet Gregory Corso (1930-2001) who died in Rome achieved his wish to be buried near Shelley’s grave, possibly because of his own fame and his Italian ancestry. ‘Il Cimitero Acattolico per gli Stranieri al Testaccio’, like all cemeteries, is the place where The Great Leveller has ironed out differences of race, class, fiery politics and intellect, as well as the advantages of wealth and the exigencies of poverty. All human frenzy is left outside its gates. Everyone here, taken at the end of a long life or snatched away in youth, long-resident or of more recent arrival – all share equally the cemetery’s tranquillity, its trees and flowers. And despite sobering thoughts, a visit here proves to be anything but gloomy. One emerges fresh and optimistic from a walk along its neat, gravelled paths, and with a new appreciation of that strange experience we call ‘life’. Imbued too with a determination not to get too bogged down in its details but to make the best of whatever remains. And more than ready for another assault on the glories of the Eternal City, its Vatican tapestries, its Piazza di Spagna, its Fontana di Trevi , things of beauty. Joys forever.
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Nature
Watch the birdies..
Jay
Conor O’Hagan, who has had a life-long fascination with bird-watching, passes on some of his observations I’ve been watching - or perhaps more accurately, noticing - birds since the day my school friend Mike Daly pointed out a jay to me in his back garden. Up to then, I couldn’t have told you the difference between a jay and a jump jet, but from the moment I noticed that streak of flamboyance that was so markedly distinct from say, the proletarian cheer of the sparrow, or the rascally chutzpah of a starling, I was hooked on birds, in all their fantastic diversity. And notwithstanding periodic diversions into wine, women, motorcycles and song, I’ve had a low-level fixation ever since. It’s not a study, not an expertise or even much of a hobby. Other than a brief schoolboy phase of schlepping to wintry, wind-blasted reservoirs, armed with an inadequate pair of 8 x 30 binoculars and a field guide in (usually fruitless) search of exotic migrant waterfowl, I’ve never birdwatched as a purposeful activity. I’ve never sat in a hide, crawled through bushes or kept notes. But for 50 years I have been a compulsive noticer and appreciator of birds. Having reared myself on a diet of Gerald Durrell books, I was a bit of a lost cause as an objective observer of nature. Anthropomorphism gets a bad press; the attribution of human feelings and characteristics to non-human creatures is unscientific and misleading. But human or not, birds have personalities and to observe their world as a constantly shifting drama has been one of the great pleasures of my life; one that I dearly want to share. It’s not entirely a St Francis thing; I love birds partly because they’re free - not in the ‘free as a bird’ sense, but because barring the ocassional feeder of peanuts or mixed seeds, they cost me nothing and give so much in return. They move more than trees, sound better than flowers and don’t even require me to step outside the house if I don’t feel inclined to, which I mostly don’t. 16 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
Ring-necked parakeet
It’s not a rejection of modern life or a yearning for the immutable, either. The world of birds is inextricably linked with our own, sometimes for the worse, sometimes for better, and sometimes, well, who knows? Things change, and always have done. Right now, I’m somewhat passively awaiting my first sighting of a wild parakeet. For the last 30 years or so, southern England has seen the inexorable growth of a colourful, noisy tribe of Indian Ring-Necked Parakeets - and now they’re here. The ringneck is a robust character in every sense; bold and brassy, nothing if not distinctive. Even in the sublimely varied context of bird plumage and song, there’s nothing quite like it in this part of the world; a flash of vivid green led by a sturdy red beak and accompanied by a piercing, shrill squawk typical of the parrot family. A sociable bird, ring-neck gatherings might more accurately be called gangs than flocks. Probably originating in escaped or released individuals in towns and cities, they have survived and flourished thanks to the high-altitude Indian habitats they are adapted for; they are no strangers to cold. My eco-warrior side says invasive species; my bird-loving side says another free show.
Blue Tit
Starling
Older friends, all dear to me, meanwhile, are on the wane for a variety of reasons. The eerie screech of swifts on warm evenings, racing between buildings and climbing ever-higher to their aerial roosts was once part of the music of summer. Partly due to a lamentable improvement in building standards, robbing swifts of the nooks, crannies and gaps they build their nests in; partly to the spectacular drop in airborne insect life that has made summer driving a far less splatty experience than it once was, but from a swift’s point of view making it a leaner season - and less rewarding of the huge migrations they make from sub-Saharan Africa to breed here. Other declines are less easily explained; sometimes they are part of processes we as humans can take neither blame nor credit for. After all, the ‘purpose’ of evolution and adaptation is to thrive, and where resources are finite that will almost inevitably mean doing so at someone else’s expense, one species displacing another. What we rather accusingly label an ‘invasive species’ is usually one we have in effect given a lift to. Parakeets survive in Northern Europe because they are equipped to; the only thing stopping them before now was the journey; they’re not long-distance travellers. Perhaps, looking back, we’ll come to regard the process as a form of parasitism or symbiosis. Our agency in wildlife demographics isn’t always malign; the barn owl, one of our best-loved companions in rural environments, has become almost entirely dependent on human structures for nesting. It’s already a hugely successful species, with a global range that excludes only Antarctica - and in many parts of the world it is far less dependent on us; but in Europe it’s synonymous with farmland. Feeding almost exclusively on small mammals, it’s traditionally seen as an ally in the farmer’s unceasing war on rodents. It’s in the garden, though, that birds and humans share their closest and most easily enjoyed relationship - and the one that brings birds closest to our hearts. The incredible variety of foods, shelter and niches created by our efforts to cultivate the urban jungle have brought dozens of species to our back doors, sometimes literally - and with them, a feast of life, colour and music that speaks to some appetite we might otherwise scarcely know we had. From dawn to dusk on a winter’s day, will anything more beautiful or uplifting than a blue tit cross our paths? Personally, I think not. And behind that blue tit at the bird table comes a day-long procession of beguiling co-stars: the longer you wait, the more 18 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
Waxwing you will see, until finally something you have never seen before comes visiting. You hold your breath for fear of scaring this gift away, and wonder whether you just haven’t been paying enough attention before now. And somehow, once recognised, the newcomer is always there - as it probably always was. For every vanished corncrake we lament, there are garden birds we scarcely notice as they come and go. The ubiquitous house sparrow, whose numbers are greatly reduced in recent years, and whose chirping is as much part of the urban soundscape as traffic noise, may one day fall silent before we truly know what is behind its decline. These are short-lived creatures, and can vanish almost before our eyes, so the work of organisations like Birdwatch Ireland in monitoring and collating data on their populations, while far from our stereotypes of birdwatchers, is as vital a contribution to our own welfare as the big-ticket environmental campaigns around climate change. We could save the planet but still lose the birds, perhaps simply for the want of realising that they are here to be lost. From the most ordinary of days, there are moments you just don’t forget; a buzzard mobbed by rooks, high above Heuston Station in Dublin; a cloud of waxwings in a birch tree barely yards from St Stephen’s Green; the first time I saw a kingfisher on the Dodder; any time I see a kingfisher. The day I arrived in Dublin from London in 1992, when The Irish Times carried a photo of a nesting pair of peregrines on the old gasometer on Sir John Rogerson’s Quay. Except perhaps for the waxwings, nothing exceptional, just memorable. And as I said - free. Bird Table, the Senior Times podcast presented by Conor O’Hagan with Niall Hatch of Birdwatch Ireland, is available on all major podcast platforms or by visiting seniortimes.ie
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Mary’s Musings In her latest observations Mary O’Rourke reflects, amongst other subjects, on the enigma that was Arthur Griffith, President Kennedy’s visit to Ireland, Samantha Power, lockdown and the Stardust tragedy
I was so pleased to hear the very clear message from the Minister for Education, Norma Foley, that the Leaving Cert in its written format will be starting on Wednesday June 9.
Hello to all the readers of this fine magazine.
takes some weeks further, well, let’s put up with that in the hope of a brighter future.
It is so good to see it out again, with its fine printing and fine writing therein. There is so much to talk about since I last got the opportunity of talking with you all. The first thing I want to say is that I am writing this coming to the end of February, the first month in spring.
First things first, and the most important thing for everyone in the country, is the education of a million people. Imagine, if everyone was in school and college on the right day, there would be a million people so occupied. I was so pleased to hear the very clear message from the Minister for Education, Norma Foley, that the Leaving Cert in its written format will be starting on Wednesday June 9. The first paper on that day is the written English Paper 1. I am so happy there is also the additional opportunity of calculated grades.
Many of you will say ‘Oh no no, spring is MarchApril’. No, the first day of February is the first day of spring, and I hold fast to that principle. St Brigid’s Day, which is February 1st, is always, in my calendar, the first day of spring. You may say ‘What does it matter now? We are all in lockdown.’ No, not really; the vaccine is coming and it is the light at the end of the tunnel. Imagine, as each person is vaccinated the future health of that person is in good hands, and as the vaccination rolls out, the health of the country will improve. We are in the midst of a very severe pandemic but we have the vaccine to look forward to, and if the lockdown
I know that very protracted negotiations have been going on and that even now, whilst there is general agreement at what has issued from the Department of Education, there is still a worry over the sentiments expressed by the two secondary teacher unions, the ASTI and the TUI. I am hopeful that as time goes on the unions will see that the outcome, as announced, means
20 Senior Times l March -April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
so much to the young students, and after all it is the students who are the main people in this whole drama. In my family, I have two grandchildren, one in Dublin and one in Athlone, both just turned 18, who will be sitting the Leaving Certificate. I have spoken to them in the last number of weeks, and I am so well aware of the unease and worry that is in both of them. I have spoken to them since the announcement came out, and they are much more on an even keel and happier all round. So I am hopeful that they will perk up and continue their study. I was honoured to be Minister for Education for almost five years back in the 1980s/early 90s. Of all of the government departments, I think it is the one faced on a daily basis with so many decisions to be made affecting so many people. So good luck to those plans now. On an irrelevant note, from what I can remember of doing my own Leaving Certificate so many, many years ago, it always appeared to be good weather. The windows in the examination hall would be fully opened and the hum
Mary’s Musings
I was glad to see that Joe Biden had reappointed Samantha Power to be in charge of the important portfolio of climate change.
of the incessant lawnmower was always so enticing as it wafted in to those of us in the hall with furrowed brows! Since we last spoke together, of course we have had the inauguration in the US of Joe Biden as the new president. I am sure many of you watched the inauguration ceremony on CNN or one of the channels, and it was all so wonderful to see. For me, the really stand-out turn of the show was the young Amanda Gorman, who really stole the stage. She is the first US Youth Poet Laureate, and some of her words were so inspiring:
Arthur Griffith died in 1922 when he was president of the fledgling Dáil Éireann. ThE interesting and penetrating book The Enigma of Arthur Griffith by Colum Kenny depicts him well as a skilled editor of various editions of newspapers in Ireland and a skilled balladeer. I read the book carefully, but having done so, he is still an enigma to me.
‘There’s always light if only we’re brave enough to see it; if only we’re brave enough to be it.’ Such inspiring words. I hope that Joe Biden will be able to unify the US again after such a strongly unstable regime. By the way, I was glad to see that Joe Biden had reappointed Samantha Power to be in charge of the important portfolio of climate change. It is interesting for us in Athlone to note that Samantha Power has her background in Athlone. Commandant Jim Power and Mrs Frances Power are her grandparents. Their son Jim, who was a dentist in Dublin, is Samantha’s father. The marriage broke up and Samantha’s mother went back to the US with her young family. It is so good to note that we have her in charge of such an important portfolio. I well remember Mr and Mrs Jim Power in Athlone. They were great bridge players, and so I got to know them through my mother who often played with them in various games. What have you all been reading since Christmas? By the way, February 25 was National Reading Day. The various libraries around the country had special events for the day, so I
hope that as many as possible participated in them. Since Christmas, I have read several books, but two of them stand out to me. One is The Enigma of Arthur Griffith by Colum Kenny, Emeritus Professor of DCU. Arthur Griffith died in 1922 when he was president of the fledgling Dáil Éireann. This interesting and penetrating book depicts him well as a skilled editor of various editions of newspapers in Ireland and a skilled balladeer. I read the Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie 21
Mary’s Musings
The Kennedy homestead, New Ross. From Whence I Came, is co-edited by Brian Murphy and Donnacha Ó Beacháin. The title is taken from a speech President Kennedy gave in New Ross when he was on a visit to Ireland in the 1960s and visiting his homeplace of County Wexford and in particular New Ross, from whence the Kennedy family came.
Aftermath of the Stardust fire..I would commend also a book which I have just finished. It’s called Stardust Baby by Lisa Lawlor. Lisa was one year old when her mother and father, Maureen and Francis, put her to bed with the babysitter and took off for a night together in the Stardust. They never came back.
book carefully, but having done so, he is still an enigma to me. He encouraged women to get involved in the struggle for Irish independence, and I applaud that. He became very involved in complex relationships with Maud Gonne, W.B. Yeats and James Joyce. And yet I still remain puzzled by him. He died of overwork, and I would love to have known what happened later to his wife and two young children. Michael Collins called him ‘the father of us all’, and despite this excellent book, so much more needs to be discussed about him. It was a really good read, and I both read and reflected much on it. I would like to commend also a book which I have just finished. It’s called Stardust Baby by Lisa Lawlor. As many of the readers will know, the 40th anniversary of the Stardust fire was this month, on St Valentine’s Day. There was much written about the terrible event, where 48 young people were burned to death and over 200 were gravely injured when the Stardust nightclub in Dublin, which was thronged for Valentine’s
night, went on fire with such terrible repercussions. I can remember it so well because the night it happened was the night of a Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis in Dublin. The whole event was cancelled and the terrible event of that night really remained in my mind. Lisa Lawlor was one year old when her mother and father, Maureen and Francis, put her to bed with the babysitter and took off for a night together in the Stardust. They never came back, like so many others, and Lisa’s life was forever overshadowed by that terrible event. She writes so well and so vividly. Both of those books are well worth trying to get through the system which the libraries have set up, or if you can borrow them from a friend or in some way get hold of them. You will find them terrific reads and I’ve no doubt you’ll enjoy them greatly. The next one I have lined up, both for reading and review, is From Whence I Came, co-edited by Brian Murphy and Donnacha Ó Beacháin.
22 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
The title is taken from a speech President Kennedy gave in New Ross when he was on a visit to Ireland in the 1960s and visiting his homeplace of County Wexford and in particular New Ross, from whence the Kennedy family came. The book is being issued through Merrion Press, and contains specially-commissioned pieces by a range of respected academic and political figures. Reading through them, I learned so much more about the Kennedy family than ever I knew before. This book will hopefully be out in public in about a month, and I can certainly strongly recommend it. I’ve enjoyed talking with you all again. Now I know this long lockdown is very difficult for so many people, as indeed it is for me. But as I said at the beginning of my musings, spring is here, the days are getting longer, and vaccination is coming. So there is so much to look forward to. Until we meet again, stay at home if you can, and stay safe. Slán tamall. Mary O’Rourke
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Senior Times l January/February 2020 l www.seniortimes.ie 63
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Bibi Baskin in a happy place
Bibi Baskin: ‘The patterns that rob us of happiness include, continually rushing, feeling there are never enough hours in the day, regularly eating on the run, stressing out or over-thinking problems, re-running old hurts, struggling to forgive others or ourselves, sometimes losing our cool and having an overactive racing mind.
Colette Sheridan meets the former high-profile broadcaster and hotelier Bibi Baskin is a patient woman. This household name from the 1980s, when she was an RTE presenter and the first woman from the national broadcaster to have her own chat show, is thankfully calm when I tell her that the interview I recorded with her over the phone hasn't worked. A faulty recorder is to blame. Luckily, I have another recorder and Bibi agrees to give me quotes for the second time. Working as a motivational speaker around the country and the author of the recently published The Happy Book, Bibi is based in Crosshaven, Cork's yachting village. But she is not interested in sailing. She lives ‘in the middle of a field’ and says she prefers to be surrounded by fertile land than facing the sea. The Donegal-reared red-head, born in 1952, who spent fifteen years in India where she ran a hotel, says she has no fear of change. Does she actively seek out new adventures? ‘It's even stronger than that. I need change. I mean what else would explain giving up a perfectly good job in RTE that was successful? I wasn't on one of the big salaries that some of them get now. It was much more modest. But why on earth would anyone leave (that job) unless you welcome change?’
Bibi left Ireland and spent five years broadcasting in London. ‘After a while, I realised that all I had done was change the geography. I hadn't changed much else.’ She went to India ‘because I quit my job in London and thought, 'what am I going to do next?' So I went there for a three-week holiday. I visited Kerala, a state in Southern India which is the home of Ayurvedic medicine (one of the world's oldest holistic healing systems.) I thought I'd learn a bit more about Ayurveda. I ended up staying in Kerala (known for its palmlined beaches and backwaters with mountains that support tea, coffee and spices on their slopes)’. Bibi didn't miss anything about Ireland while living in India. ‘That's because I belong to a generation of Irish people who are so fortunate in comparison to, for example, my mother's generation. When they were young, they went to Liverpool, London, Australia and everywhere. But they never came back. They couldn't afford to. I always say to myself that as long as I have a credit card in my arse pocket, how could I miss somewhere? I can jump on a plane and go back.’
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Speaking during lockdown, there isn't really the option to jump on a plane. We are all thrown back on our own resources. Bibi has been having ‘a good lockdown’, teaching herself Spanish, expanding her repertoire of Southern Indian cooking - and focusing on the positive. Make yourself happy guide The Happy Book, a pocket-sized guide with tips on how to make yourself happier, has been keeping her busy. ‘The publisher, No 1 Media, came up with the idea of somehow getting a complimentary copy of the book to every resident in the nursing homes of Ireland. They have had a really tough time with Covid and it might cheer them up a bit. We can't afford to give out copies of the book on our own because there are a lot of nursing homes in the country so we're looking for businesses in communities to sponsor the books, businesses like supermarkets and pharmacists who'd have a community connection with the local nursing homes.’ Bibi's mother, who passed away aged 95 five years ago, was in a community hospital for the last stage of her life. ‘It was getting to the point where she would have had to go to a nursing home, but she died.’ Bibi, who has addressed
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Profile Bibi Baskin with fellow contributors, chef Derry Clarke, Baz Ashmawy and Aidan Power in the popular RTE TV programme Failte Towers.
Bibi Baskin with musician John Spillane
the Active Retirement Association, regrets that in Ireland, we don't always confer on older people the respect they merit given their wisdom and knowledge. ‘In India, I've seen some wonderful rituals of respect towards older people by men and women in their forties and fifties. These would be formal occasions when people would bow down and touch the feet of older people as a sign of respect. It gives me goose bumps when I think of it. I remember an author I got to know in India. Aged about fifty, he was part of the royal family of the area. When I went to visit him in his family house, he was having a cigarette. The minute his mother came into the room, he put out the cigarette out of respect.’ Indian hotel In keeping with protocol as a foreigner in India, Bibi had to have an Indian business partner when she decided to open a hotel. She thinks it's a form of protectionism. ‘I never really asked anyone about it but I think it's fair enough. India has had enough of white people coming in on their big white chargers and taking over. It was a colonised nation like we were. But having said that, as a white person and a
Westerner, you're always made to feel very special. Thinking I was English, Indians would say to me: 'Thank you madam for giving us the great Indian railway system and thank you for giving us an international language. There's no begrudgery unlike here.’ As a fluent Irish speaker from a Protestant background, Bibi is unusual. This Trinity College graduate of English and Irish grew up in Ardara in County Donegal. ‘I'd be very aware of the religious tensions and the bigotry, especially years ago, having grown up in a border county. But I don't involve myself in politics. Looking at Twitter, it seems to bring out the worst in people. It became this cesspool for people moaning about Donald Trump. I never got involved in that. The way I look at it, I'm not American and I'm never going to have an American vote. My voice doesn't matter a damn in a situation like that.’ What Bibi disliked was the way that Trump ‘brought out all this negative energy in people. I can understand it if you're in the politics business or if you're a journalist or a civil servant. Of course it mattered. But I don't want to be ever around people spewing out vindictiveness and hatred for another person.’ Bibi is very much a glass half-full person, ‘more so now than ever before. It's one of the
26 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
Bibi Baskin by the pool in her Indian hotel
advantages of getting older. You have more confidence in your views. That doesn't mean you're going to stay stuck but you do have more confidence.’ In keeping with her positivity, Bibi runs an online platform for subscribers called The Happy Place. It promotes mindful living. She gets people to visualise a life where they are calmer, have better relationships, experience less anger, are more in flow, have increased energy, enjoy a more positive mood and improve their sleep. The patterns that rob us of happiness include, she says, continually rushing, feeling there are never enough hours in the day, regularly eating on the run, stressing out or over-thinking problems, re-running old hurts, struggling to forgive others or ourselves, sometimes losing our cool and having an overactive racing mind. Listening to Bibi, I'm struck by her dulcet tone. She says her voice ‘has been variously described as melting chocolate, rustling sheets and best of all, vocal Viagra!’ Whatever way you want to describe it, Bibi's voice is rich and ultimately calming. It reflects her outlook. And she uses her voice to guide people into meditation. ‘I'm very much at ease with the lockdown because I believe in acceptance. I'm not worried about Covid because I live very carefully. Also,
Profile
Bibi Baskin grew up in Ardara in County Donegal. ‘I'd be very aware of the religious tensions and the bigotry, especially years ago, having grown up in a border county. But I don't involve myself in politics’.
what's the point in worrying about something that may never happen. Most of our fears don't happen. So I stick to that.’ Asked if she was a bit of a trailblazer because of being RTE's first female to have her own chat show, Bibi quickly dispels any such suggestion. As a career woman making her way in the world, she says her pre-occupations were paying for her house and car. Now, Bibi's career is less frenetic and she has a much lower profile. While she never minded people coming up to her on the street, what she didn't like was the ‘incessant’ nature of being almost public property. ‘I remember being in a restaurant to celebrate a friend’s birthday. People came up to me there. In those days, they wanted autographs. Nowadays, it's selfies.’ Bibi has two older sisters. There is a considerable gap between her age and theirs. She says she is not particularly close to them. Her father died when she was just six. Aged fifty, he had taken her for a walk after school on a wet winter's day. Two hours later, he died from a heart attack. Bibi's mother was thirty-eight at the time. Attending a small Church of Ireland school, Bibi had few classmates. No doubt, the independence she had to develop stood to her in later life, allowing her to uproot herself and explore pastures new. Independent thinker She is something of an independent thinker, too. Bibi has been an atheist for a long time. ‘When I was fifteen, I bought a copy of the Bhagavad Gita which is like the Hindu bible. I had a curiosity about questions such as whether God exists and what happens after you die? I must have been working around these questions when I read that book.’
Bibi ‘prays in a spiritual way, not according to the dictates of any church.’ She practises gratitude, never taking for granted the fact that she has a roof over her head. Bibi moved to Cork when she was approached to become involved in an Ayurvedic spa in the Kingsley Hotel in the city years ago. Does she find Cork almost village-like compared to Dublin? ‘I don't see it like that. I've had the privilege of getting to know quite a few Corkonians and they're very proud of their city. But my god, when I moved here and compared it to the Indian cities I lived in, it really seemed like a village.’
During her years in India, Bibi often travelled around by train. ‘You can open the doors of the train if you want to and look out at the grass and the houses and have a fag if you like. It's very easygoing. But it can be a little overwhelming and overpowering because it's so densely populated.’ For Bibi, home has always been where the heart is. For now, picturesque Crosshaven is her happy place. The Happy Book is published by The No 1 Media Group at €15.00 + P&P and available at www.no1mediagroupstore.com and can be shipped locally and globally.
Three copies of The Happy Book to be won! Senior Times, in association with the publishers, The No 1 Media Group are offering three copies of The Happy Book as prizes in this competition. To enter answer this question: How many years did Bibi Baskin spend in India? Send your entries to: Bibi Baskin Competition, Senior Times, PO Box 13215, Rathmines, Dublin 6. Or email: john@slp.ie The first three correct answers drawn are the winners. Deadline for receipt of entries is 20th April 2021. Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie 27
Literature
The village of Overton is a good starting point to tour the area
In search of Bigwig and friends.. In the latest in her series of literary excursions in these islands, Lorna Hogg pinpoints the locations for the inspiration of the modern children’s classic Watership Down by Douglas Adams Richard Adams’ life was largely lived in one beautiful rural area of England – the Hampshire Downs.
If you like children’s stories with elements of allegory and fantasy, from such authors as C.S. Lewis and Tolkein - you’ll enjoy stories from Richard Adams as much as your grandchilden will. Created by a loving father, to keep his children amused during car journies, the book has gone on to entertain succeeding international generations. Richard Adams’ life was largely lived in one beautiful rural area of England – the Hampshire Downs. He was born a doctor’s son, on 9th May 1920, in Wash Common, near Newbury, and grew up in the village, near to Whitchurch, in Hampshire. He enjoyed the beauty of the Downs, or hills, in all seasons. He was familiar with their ancient forests, with kites and kestrels flying overhead, the wildflower meadows, and trails, the gallops for racehorse training - and of course, the rabbits. 28 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
After school, Adams went to Worcester College in Oxford to read modern history. However, he was called up in 1940, and joined the Royal Army Service Corp. He served with the Airborne Company in Palestine, Europe and the Far East. Those who served with him stayed in his mind, and later inspired some scenes and characters in Watership Down, including Bigwig. On leaving the army in 1946, Adams returned to college and then settled down to a quiet life in Whitchurch. He married Elizabeth, daughter of an RAF Squadron-Leader, and worked as a senior civil servant in the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, but doing some writing in his spare time. The family was joined by daughters Juliet and Rosamond. It is now the stuff of legend that Adams made up a series of fantasy animal tales to keep them amused on car journies – and it was his daughters who insisted that he write them down. They also overruled the original death of rabbit Bigwig. The stories, which became Watership Down, were set in the surrounding area, telling of the struggles and challenges of a band of rabbits, who had human virtues such as courage and loyalty. It tells of circumstances all too familiar to-day – a peaceful rabbit warren is under threat from a housing development, and the story is the struggle of the rabbits to to find a new home. They come across human dangers, such as poisoned fields, but also aggressive rabbits. The struggle is intense, but eventually, the rabbits find a new home. It has been suggested that the story is an allegory, of man’s indifference to nature. It has also been compared to Greek mythology, and some reviewers have seen religious symbolism. One of its strengths is Adams’ skill with anthromorphology. He gives the animals some human abilities – they can speak and rationalise, but retain their natural charceristics, and his lack of sentimentality about them sets the book apart.
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Literature
There have been a number of animated versions of Watership Down. One of the latest is available on Netflix
Whitchurch - the 'perfect English market town'
The spectacular Hampshire Downs, home to the heroes of Watership Down
Encouraged by his daughters, he sent the story to a publisher, and survived the first of seven rejections. Adams proved to be an example of what he taught his grandchildren – to persevere. Eventually, Rex Collings accepted it, and Watership Down was published in 1972. It proved an immediate success, and went from strength to strength to sell over a million copies worldwide. Adams also received two of the the top prizes for childrens’ fiction – The Carnegie Medal, and the Guardian’s Children’s Fiction Prize.
The original book has been filmed in various formats, and a well received TV version screened on Christmas Eve 2018. Sadly, Adams was not alive to see it. He celebrated his 90th birthday with his family in 2010, with a family party at the atmospheric White Hart Inn in Whitchurch, and died on Christmas Eve 2016.
In 1974 his second novel appeared, again centred around animals, in an imaginary world. Shardik has a hero, a bear god, living in an imaginary background, who helps the enslaved inhabitants retrieve their old empire. After Shardik, Adams was able to retire from the civil service, and become a full time writer. The Plague Dogs draws attention to the shadowy world of animal research, in a hard hitting tale. A thoroughbred terrier and a mongrel escape from a government research centre, and the story covers their adventures when they escape. Part of Adams’ success lies in his ability to present animals as reasonable and caring creatures, rather than sentimentalised furry stereotypes. He steered away from sentimentality, and was prepared to deal with death. Adams had spells as writer–in-residence at the University of Florida, and also at Hollins University, Virginia. In 2015 received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Winchester. He continued his interest in nature with such works as A Nature Diary, and several animal books written for children. The lure of Watership Down proved irrestible however. In 1996, Adams took up the tale again, with a collection of short stories – Tales from Watership Down.
Bigwig country.. Watership Down is set on the beautiful downland which stretches from Hampshire through Berkshire, and tough planning laws have preserved its serenity and peace. Views stretch for miles – Highclere Castle is visible, and racing gallops dissect meadows of wildflowers. Ancient forests splash the countryside with glorious colour, yellowhammers, chaffinches, larks and kites fly overhead, roe deer and hares run – and, of course, rabbits live on Watership Down. One of the attraction of these Downs is that they are peaceful and undeveloped. There are no tourist buses, crowds, or tour groups. The great challenge for the interested is – that they are largely peaceful and undeveloped, with no tourist buses, crowds or tours! However, with planning, it is quite possible for the book’s many fans to enjoy the area.
The Bombay Sapphire gin distillery at Whitchurch
There is a regular train service from Reading passing through Overton and Whitchurch. Both villages have excellent pubs and
30 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
accomodation. With good local access to walks, you can then spend anything from an hour and a half up to several hours exploring. However, if you are car-less, the ideal is to hire a local taxi. You can discuss your route and time scale, be taken to a specfic spot, left to explore with a map, and then collected. Don’t overlook the area’s other attractions – Bombay Sapphire, famed for its gin, is at hand, and Highclere Castle is within easy reach.
The Bell and Dragon at Kingsclere
The village of Kingsclere (eat/stay in the excellent Bel & The Dragon) is another good spot. It has access to Fox’s Lane and trails, allowing you to take in Ladle Hill. You can cross the gallops, head to the Hill Fort, with its spectacular views, or explore some of the magnificent forests. The book’s Nuthanger Farm is a private residence and not open to visitors – but can be glimpsed from the road. The village of Ecchinswell is also another good starting point. One of the best websites to check is that of the BBC’s Countryfile programme. Also getoutside.ordnancesurvey.co.uk. www.hants.co.uk osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk
Play the 10 to the J and then overtake the Q with the K.
Suit Establishment: how many entries? Michael hasin a trump contract: Take thisO’Loughlin side suit enjoyed teaching bridge #65432 " ♦ for over 40 years; his book, “Bridge: Basic Card Play” is Dummy available from the Contract Bridge Association of #K J 9 W " ♦ #A Q 10 8 " E ♦ Ireland (01 4929666), Declarer price:E10. #7 " ♦ Winning a trick may look far-fetched but on the expected 4-3 sp (62 per cent), you can set up and enjoy a fifth-round length winn lose the first round; you’ll get over to dummy in another suit (th entry) to ruff a second diamond; you’ll get over to dummy (that’ entry) to ruff a third diamond; you’ll get over to dummy (that’s a to ruff a fourth diamond. And you’ll need a fourth dummy entry fifth diamond.
Bridge
Calling all Novices – Intermediates! by Michael O’Loughlin
Entries
An Entry is a card which allows the shifting of the lead from one hand to the other. It provides a means of access into your own hand or into partner’s hand. An entry is like a taxi — you use it to get from one place to another. When you are developing extra tricks or eliminating extra losers, it’s often important to be able to get from one hand to the other with ease. An entry enables you to do so. The North hand is the dummy: North A63 --South
higher than the nine, and there is a smaller card, The number of entries required to set up a suit equal to the number of ruffs plus one (to get the 4, in declarer’s hand. Often there may be The number of entriesisback required to set up a suit is equal to the nu at the end). Take this side suit in a trump more than one entry within a given suit. Take plus one (to get contract: back at the end). Take this side suit in a tru the Ace and put it in theruffs dummy: North A92 K Q J 10 4 South
♣865432
♣??
Dummy W E Declarer
♣ ??
How would you play these cards, so that you ♣7 have two entries to the dummy? If you play the 4 and the Ace on the same trick, there’s only You don’t know how You thedon’t six opposing clubs will split. natu know how the six opposing clubs You’ll will one entry to the dummy. You have to make split. You’ll naturally hope for a 3-3 split but a a 3-3 split a you missing even number of cards does not usually s sure that, if the Ace is first used as anbut entry, missing even number of cards does not usually play an honour from declarer’s hand, a so36 thatper cent chance). You can hypothesise. (3-3 is just split evenly (3-3 is just a 36 per cent chance). there is still a card in declarer’s hand smaller You can hypothesise. than the 9. North A Q 10 KJ9 South
If you have four dummy entries, you can set up clubs if they split you have youtwo can set club; three club ruffs;Ifback at four thedummy end toentries, enjoy long cards). I up clubs if they split 4-2 (lose a club; three club three dummy entries, you’ll need clubs to split 3-3. If you have ruffs;can back at theabout end tosetting enjoy two cards). dummy entries, I’m afraid you forget uplong dummy’s clubs for ju
The Ace in dummy is no longer an entry, South because declarer, South, has a void in the suit. If you have three the lack of entries. I hope there’s a Plan B. dummy entries, you’ll need Not only must there be a winner in the dummy, clubs to split 3-3. If you have just two dummy Experiment see if you can getto three entries the dummy. PlayI’mthe 9 to but there must also be a smaller card to in declarExperiment see if you can get to three entries entries, afraid you can forget about setting er’s hand to lead to the winner. Give declarer at to the dummy. Play the 9 to dummy’s 10, then up dummy’s clubs dummy’s 10, then the J to dummy’s Q and, finally, overtake the K with for the lack of entries. I hope least one card in this suit: the J to dummy’s Q and, finally, overtake the there’s a Plan B. dummy’s A. How many entries do A.you declarer’s K with dummy’s Howhave manyto entries do you hand (South)? Two: North have to declarer’s hand (South)? Two:the PlayK. the Play the 10 to the J and then overtake the Q with dummy entries, I’m afraid you can forget A63 10 to the J and then overtake the Q with the K. the lack of entries. I hope there’s a Plan B 2 South Suit Establishment: how many
Suit Establishment: how many entries? entries? Now the 2 is the link to dummy. this side suit in a trump contract: Take this side suit in aTake trump contract: Let’s look at a different arrangement of cards: #65432 " ♦ North Dummy Q63 AK2 #K J 9 W " ♦ #A Q 10 8 " E ♦ South Declarer How could you get to the dummy (North)? Play #7 " ♦ the 2 and win the trick with the Queen. You Winning a trick may look but on the 4-3 split as above Winning a trick may look far-fetched butfar-fetched on thetheexpected might have to look carefully to identify an entry. West leads ♦ K, the top of a sequence. As usual, you, as declarer start by expected 4-3 split as above (62 per cent), you Let’s look at this layout: (62 per cent), you can can setset upupand enjoy a fifth-round length winner. your losers because you areYou’ll in a suit contract: dummy can help and enjoycounting a fifth-round length winlose the first round; you’ll getlose over dummy inget another suit (that’s ner. You’ll theto first round; you’ll over to losers, eliminate some of your but youone are still left with two losing Diamonds North in another suit (that’s one entry) to ruff 92 entry) to ruff a seconddummy diamond; you’ll get over to dummy (that’s a second and two losing Clubs: one loser too many. It’s often a good idea to doublea second diamond; you’ll get over to dummy A K Q J 10 4 entry) to ruff a third diamond; you’ll get over to dummy entry) check byacounting your (that’s winners:a2third winning Spades, 6 winning Hearts, 1 (that’s a second entry) to ruff third diamond; South to ruff a fourth diamond. And you’ll need a fourth dummy entry to enjoy you’ll get over to dummy (that’s a third entry) winning Diamond = 9,to1 trick short. The onlythe place from which the vital 10th West leads ♦ aK,sequence. the top of a sequence West leads theu K, the the top of Is there an entry to thefifth dummy? The 9 is an enruff a fourth diamond. And you’ll need a fourth diamond. trick can materialise is the long Spade suit in dummy. If the Spade suit breaks As usual, you, as declarer by counting try because the opponents don’t have a card dummy entry to enjoy the fifth diamond. counting yourstart losers because you are in a 3-3 you will be able to set up 2 extra Spades winners but if the Spades break eliminate some of your losers, 31 but you are Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie The number of entries required to set4-2up(more a suit is equal toSenior theable number of likely) you will be to set up the 1 extra trick you need but only and two losing Clubs: one loser too many. ruffs plus one (to get back at the end). Take this side suit in a trump contract:
Bridge your losers because you are in a suit contract: dummy can help eliminate some of your losers, but you are still left with two losing Diamonds and two losing Clubs: one loser too many. It’s often a good idea to double-check by counting your winners: 2 winning Spades, 6 winning Hearts, 1 winning Diamond = 9, 1 trick short. The only place from which the vital 10th trick can materialise is the long Spade suit in dummy.
A famous bridge hand: The James Bond hand
If the Spade suit breaks 3-3 you will be able to set up 2 extra Spades winners but if the Spades break 4-2 (more likely) you will be able to set up the 1 extra trick you need but only if you conserve your entries to dummy.
Win the opening lead with the u A. Lead the ♥ 2 to the ♥ A: the ♥ 2 is useless as an entry. Play ♠ A, ♠ K and ruff a Spade high: you can afford to. When the Spades don’t break 3-3, you enter dummy by means of the♥ K or♥ 10 from –the days of–Whist –the asdays the Duke of Cumberland Hand: Known – from theKnown days of –Whist asKnown the Duke of Cumberland Hand: from of Whist – as the Duke of Cumberland H and ruff another Spade high. Now you enter a purportedly rigged hand dealt to the son of dealt George III, the King of III, the Kin a purportedly hand dealt to the son of George III, the King of dummy by means of your remaining honour in rigged a purportedly rigged hand to the son of George In the Ian Fleming novel Moonraker, Sir Hugo Drax, is suspected of cheating at bridge. Hearts, at the same time drawing an opporesulting in the loss of a £20,000 wager. England, resultingEngland, in the loss of a £20,000 wager. England, resulting in the loss of a £20,000 wager. Because of Bond's skill at cards, M invites him to discern Drax's method of cheating. nent’s last trump. When Bond finds that Drax is using a shiner (i.e., a highly polished silver cigarette case You triumphantly cash dummy’s 5th Spade for your 10th trick. 4 ♥ made. Free bridge emails: If you wish to receive free bridge emails which include lessons, videos & quizzes please email me: michaelolough@yahoo.com
Four copies of Michael O’Loughlin’s best-selling6 5Bridge: 432 10 9 8 7 2 Basic Card play to be won! J 10 9 ---
that allows him to read the cards as he deals), M goes along with a plan of Bond's to
--- a very highteach Drax a lesson and discourage furtherof cheating. During Known – from the days of Whist –him asfrom the Duke Cumberland Hand: --- he has an bridge game, Bond switches in athe cold deck, making Drax believe astakes purportedly rigged hand dealt to son of George III, the King of Qslam, 8 7 6 costing 5432 extraordinarily good hand in reality allows Bond to achieve a grand England, resulting in thethat loss of a £20,000 wager. A Q 10 8 4 Drax £15,000.
65432 10 9 8 7 2 J 10 9 --Bond 65432 South 10 97C! 872 J 10XX 9 ---
Senior Times, in association with Michael O’Loughlin and the Contract Bridge Association of Ireland are offering four copies of Bridge: Basic Card Play in this competition. To enter simply answer this question: How much did James Bond’s Grand Slam cost Drax?? Send your answer to: Bridge Competition, Senior Times, Box Number 13215, Rathmines, Dublin 6. The first four correct answers drawn are the winners. Deadline for the receipt of entries is 20th April 2021. 32 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
10 9M. 87 Bond 10 9 8 7 Meyer Drax 6 North 543 South 6 5 4 3 West East ----- P 7C! P X 7 6532 XX 76532 --AK J K Q has J 8 points in 6 5 4 3 2 While the crafty 007Aonly hisQhand, by fine --10 9 8 7South (Bond) Dealer: Dealer:10 South AKQJ A K Dealer: QJ South (Bond) 9 8 7 (Bond) 2ten Dealer: South Q 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 aces and promoting his long Diamond suit, he establi 6543 AK A (Bond) J 10 9 4K 13 tricks! --- A Q 10 8 K KJ9 J9 --76532 West’s is the J. Bond ruffs on the table an --Meyer M.opening lead Drax AKQJ --Drax’s hand. He leads West North Easta club from dummy and Drax’s nin Dealer: South (Bond) AKQJ Q 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 P P X the ten. Another diamond ruff on the table fells Drax’s ac AK A Q 10 8 4 from the table catches his jack. Then the ace K J 9 of clubs tak 10 9 8 7 6543 --76532
Drax surrenders this last trump, he sees for the first time
crafty 007 only has 8 points in card. his hand, by got finessing Drax's Club KnownWhile – from the the days of Whist – as the his next Has Bond more diamonds? Bond Meyer M. Drax happening. His eyes squint anxiously at Bond, waiting fea Duke often Cumberland Hand: a purportedly Surely Meyer must have them guarded aces and promoting his long Diamond suit, he establishes a whopping South West North East card.III, Has Bond diamonds? Meyer must h rigged 13 hand dealtPto the son of George asXhegot led more them? Drax waits, his Surely cards now tricks! 7C! P guarded as he led them? Drax waits, his cards now slippe the King of England, resulting in the loss of a slippery with sweat. At this point in his story XX £20,000 wager. Fleming recalls how Morphy, thehow greatMorphy, chess this point in his story Fleming recalls the gr West’s opening lead is the J. Bond ruffs on the table and drops the K in player, used toeyes neverfrom raise the his eyes fromuntil he knew used to never raise his board While Drax’s the crafty 007He only hasa 8club points in dummy his hand, byDrax’s finessing Drax's Club with leads and nine is covered While the craftyhand. 007 only has 8 points in hisfrom the board until he knew his opponent could could not escape defeat. Now, like Morphy, Bond lifts his ten aces and promoting his long Diamond suit, he establishes a whopping the ten. Another diamond ruff on the table fells Drax’s ace. A further hand, by finessing Drax's Club ten aces and not escape defeat. Now, like Morphy, Bond club straight into Drax’s eyes. Then he slowly draws 13 tricks! promoting histhe longtable Diamond suit, hehis establifts his from catches jack. Then thehead aceand of looks clubsstraight takesinto hisDrax’s king. Asout the q and plays it on the table. Without waiting for Meyer lishes aDrax whopping 13 tricks! eyes. Then he slowly draws out the queen ofbe to fo surrenders this last trump, he sees for the first time what might diamonds and plays it on the table. Without West’shappening. opening lead is the J. Bond ruffs on the table and drops the K in down the eight, seven, six, five, four of the suit His eyes squint anxiously at Bond, waiting fearfully for hisand nexthis tw West’s hand. openingHe lead is the auclub J. Bond ruffsdummy waiting for Meyernine to follow, he puts down the Drax’s leads from and Drax’s is covered with card. Has Bond diamonds? Surely Meyer must have on the table and drops thegot u Kmore inruff Drax’s eight, seven, six, four offurther the suitthem and his Foron more information on five, this hand, amongst others, see the ten. Another diamond the table fells Drax’s ace. A guarded as he led them? cards now slippery withclub sweat. At hand. He leads a club from dummy andDrax waits, two his winning clubs. book: Tales from the Bridge Table by John Clay, a wide-ra from catches histen. jack. Thenrecalls the acehow of clubs takes hisgreat king.chess As player, Drax’sthe ninetable ispoint covered withstory the Another this in his Fleming Morphy, the history, and anhe especially Drax surrenders this last heA seesthe for the first time what be portrait of Co diamond ruff on tableraise fells trump, Drax’s ace. For more information on this might hand, amongst used to the never hisentertaining eyes from board until knew hisvivid opponent happening. His eyes squint anxiously at Bond, waiting fearfully for his next furthercould club from the table catches his jack. others, see the fascinating book: Tales from not escape defeat. Now, like Morphy, Bond lifts his head and looks Then Has the ace of clubs takes hisdiamonds? king. As DraxSurely the Bridge Table by John Clay, a wide-rangcard. Bond got more Meyer must have them straight into Drax’s eyes. Then he ing slowly draws outhistory, the queen of diamonds surrenders he sees forwaits, the and entertaining andsweat. an especially guarded asthis helast ledtrump, them? his cards now with and plays onhappening. the Drax table. waiting forofslippery Meyer follow, he At puts first time what mightitbe HisWithout eyes vivid portrait Contractto Bridge. this point in his story Fleming recalls how Morphy, the great chess player, down the eight,waiting seven, six, five, squint anxiously at Bond, fearfully for four of the suit and his two winning clubs.
used to never raise his eyesAT from board untilINheTHE knewCOMPETITION his opponent PANEL THA THEthe END STICK could not escape defeat. Now, like Morphy, Bond lifts his head andfascinating looks For more informationTHE on this hand, amongst others, see LAST ISSUE. EVERYTHING IS the THE SAME EXCEPT T straight into Tales Drax’sfrom eyes.the Then he slowly draws out theaqueen of diamonds book: Bridge Table by John Clay, wide-ranging APRIL 2021 DIFFERENT AND THE DEADLINE IS 20THand
Bridge
Getting started: for absolute beginners MINIBRIDGE
A player needs some way to judge how good her hand is. The time-honoured way is to give a value of 4 to an Ace, 3 to a King, 2 to a Queen and 1 to a Jack. These are called High Card Points (HCPs for short) because one is allocating a Point value to one’s High Cards. These values make sense as an Ace is better than a King, a King better than a Queen and a Queen better than a Jack. If you are familiar with the card game “Beggar my Neighbour” in which 4 cards are played on an Ace, 3 on a King, 2 on a Queen and 1 on a Jack this will help you remember. In MiniBridge, starting with the Dealer, each player announces the number of High Card Points in their hand. The partnership with more HCPs then plays the hand. If both partnerships have the same number of high card points (i.e.20 each), the hand is redealt. From within the partnership with the more HCPs, the player with more High Card Points becomes what’s called the Declarer. (If both partners have the same number of High Card Points then the player who announced her points first becomes Declarer). Declarer has a certain target to aim at: she has to make 1 trick for every 3 HCPs his partnership holds, i.e. 21 – 23 HCPs requires 7 Tricks 24 – 26 HCPs requires 8 Tricks 27 – 29 HCPs requires 9 Tricks 30 – 32 HCPs requires 10 Tricks 33 – 35 HCPs requires 11 Tricks 36 – 38 HCPs requires 12 Tricks 39 – 40 HCPs requires 13 Tricks. This is a simple formula: the side with the majority of the High Card Points divides that number by 3, ignoring any fractions: the result is the number of tricks that Declarer has to win. An Example:
To return to our original example:
East: “3”; South: “14”; West: “10”; North: “13” Note that 3 + 14 + 10 + 13 has to add up to 40, the total number of points in the deck. Since N/S have more points (27) they become the Declaring side. And since South has more points (14) than North, South becomes the Declarer. The Declaring side have 27 points in total: therefore, South has to try to win 27 ÷ 3 = 9 tricks. The player on Declarer’s left leads the first card. Generally, she will lead the lowest card from the suit in which she has 4 cards because the suit she has the most cards in is potentially her best source of tricks. West decides to lead a ♥ because that is the suit she has the most of. West decides to lead a low ♥ because she needs some help from her partner in order to win tricks in the ♥ suit. She starts by leading the card face down. Then her partner gives her the nod to confirm that she is the correct person to lead. Now, she turns the lead face up and the second player, i.e., Declarer’s partner, become Dummy. For the duration of this deal Declarer makes the decision as to which card to play each time from Dummy’s hand, as well as which card to play from her own hand. Dummy does not take any part in the play of the cards. It is Declarer’s job to marshal her combined resources i.e., the cards in her own hand + those in Dummy. Declarer has declared that she is going to win 9 tricks. After the opening lead has been turned face up, Dummy places all her 13 cards face up on the table. Dummy’s cards should be arranged in suits, facing Declarer. Dummy (North) arranges her cards from the highest to the lowest, in suits, in columns, facing towards her partner, South. For the duration of this deal Declarer (South) makes the decision as to which card to play each time from the North hand, as well as which card to play from her own hand.
After the ♥ 4 has been led and Dummy has displayed her cards, Declarer should spend a little time making a plan: where are her 9 tricks going to come from? She counts 6 top tricks i.e. tricks that she can win straight away, without giving up the lead: ♠ AK, ♥ AK and u AK. But where are the other 3 tricks to come from? The only possible source is the Club suit. She sees that if she gives an opponent 1 trick in the club suit i.e., ♣ A then she will have set up 3 tricks in the Club suit for her side. Accordingly, as soon as she wins the first trick she immediately sets about knocking out the ♣ A. Declarer must take care to retain her ♠ AK, u AK and other top card in ♥ in order to keep control in those three suits while she goes about her business of knocking out the ♣ A. When Declarer makes or exceeds her required number of tricks her side is awarded a score. To be continued in the next issue.
Declarer should now spend a little time planning how she is going to make her required number of tricks. For the purpose of illustratration this photo For the purpose of illustratration this photo shows a different deal in which the shows a different deal in which the ♥ 7 has ©7 has been led and Dummy has spread her 13 cards on the table facing been led and Dummy has spread her 13 cards Declarer: on the table facing Declarer:
Absolute Beginners Classes: If you have never played Bridge before or if you know of anyone who wishes to take up Bridge, I would recommend the Absolute Beginners online classes given by Grand Master Thomas MacCormac: thomas@grandmasterbridge.com
Let’s suppose that East is the Dealer. Each player, beginning with the Dealer, announces her number of points:
Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie 33 To return to our original example:
Profile
To date tracks from Richard Mulligan’s second album Forgiveness have been played in close to forty countries, including Britain, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
Richard Mulligan's
road to forgiveness Frank Greally relates the journey of the well-known singer-songwriters and former elite athlete who never gave up in his quest to find his birth parents.
Singer-songwriter Richard Mulligan is looking forward to celebrating his 60th birthday on April 19th with his wife Margaret and family. ‘I'm feeling a little bit more grateful every day that passes for the life that I have been blessed to have lived to date,’ Richard said. ‘I had a rocky start, but a lot of the dreams I had as a boy have come true for me.’ Born in 1961 in the now infamous Sean Ross Abbey in Roscrea, Richard could easily have gone through life feeling bitter and accusing, but the former national champion on road, track and cross-country instead chose the path of forgiveness to sustain him. Now well established as a singer/songwriter at home and internationally, Richard's second album is called Forgiveness and the title track is dedicated to his birth mother, who he didn't meet until he was in his early twenties. To date, tracks from this album have been played in close to forty countries, including Britain, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Richard's first album with the title track I Never Met You was dedicated to the father he never met, but whose grave, through diligent research, he was able to find in a village in Connemara. The recent release of the Mother and Baby Homes report prompted a surge of many mixed emotions for Richard and he received a huge public response from his interview with Ray D'Arcy on RTE Radio 1 where he told of his own Mother and Baby Home experience. "I feel that that the State has in some ways addressed the whole sorry story, but the Church still has a lot of ground to make up for what happened,” Richard said. Richard, whose country roots run deep, tells a harrowing story of how his mother Mary, whose estranged husband was away in England, became 34 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
pregnant during a relationship with a married man who lived close to her own family home in Bunowen on Connemara's Slyne Head. The end result of that brief relationship remained shrouded in mystery for years until Richard searched for and eventually found his birth mother. In the Ireland of 1961, the day before Richard was born, a group made up of the local priest, a Garda and doctor arrived at Richard's mother's house and forcibly took her to Sean Ross Abbey in the far-distant town of Roscrea in Tipperary. It was in that convent that Richard was born on April 19th, 1961, but his mother was allowed only a very brief time with with her newborn son and would not see him again until he was a full-grown man and a father himself. Because she would not sign papers to allow the nuns to have Richard adopted by a wealthy American couple who would pay the nuns for the privilege, Richard's mother was held against her will in the convent for a further four years, while her fourteen-year-old son Joseph was looked after by Mary's parents back in Connemara. "They tried to wear her down and have her sign the papers to send me off to America and I will always be grateful that my mother steadfastly refused to sign any of those forms. I think I inherited my stubborn streak from her." "I was only three years of age when I was handed over to John and Mary Mulligan, who were to become my foster parents and who later adopted and raised me in their the very loving environment of their farm in Carrintubber, Kilkerrin, County Galway," Richard said. "Although I was only three at the time, I still have memories of being carried out to the car by my foster parents and I remember how strange it felt to be driving away from the confines of the Abbey. Years later I learned that I was in very poor physical condition when my foster parents took me to their home. At three years of age I was still not able to walk properly." Richard's mother, Mary Flaherty, (her married name) was unaware of
Profile what was happening to the son she still had not seen since the day of his birth and it would be another year before her sister one day arrived in Roscrea from Clifden and found Mary working in a potato field near the convent. She bundled Mary into her car and took her back to Connemara - never to return. Many years later, after his first son was born, Richard Mulligan would finally succeed in his mission to find his mother. He discovered that his mother's other son Joseph had died at a young age from cancer. He spent days in the National Library checking death notices and eventually found the information he had long been searching for. Richard made the trip to Connemara and walked up to his mother's front door with a feeling of great trepidation. “Are you Mary Flaherty?” he asked the woman who answered his knock.”No,” she replied. Richard was about to walk away, crestfallen, when instinctively he thought of another approach. “Did you ever have a son called Joseph,” he asked. “I did,” the woman, who was now using her maiden name - Mary Guy replied and it was then that Richard revealed his identity to his mother - with the assurance that he was only there to let her know he had survived and was doing OK. After a slow start, Richard and his mother quickly bonded and enjoyed a close relationship until Mary's passing eight years ago. Mary also got to meet Mary Mulligan, who with her husband John had fostered and later adopted Richard. From an early age, Richard had excelled at football and running, winning seven national titles in cross-country, track and road competition. He is a former national marathon champion and later in his athletic career won a silver medal in the 10K at the World Masters (Over 40 age category) Championships. "My only disappointment in running was not making it all the way to the Olympics. I know I had the talent to become an Olympian, but a series of running injuries put and end to that dream." Although his birth mother never signed the papers for an American couple to adopt him, Richard did eventually make it to the USA, when he was offered an athletic scholarship to Providence College in Rhode Island where he trained with Olympic silver medallist John Treacy and several other Irish runners who were on scholarship there. ”It was my love of running and music that saved me and helped me through my life,” Richard said. "One of my most vivid memories is of coming down the stairs for breakfast in my adoptive parents' home and hearing a song on the old Pilot radio. I was suddenly struck by a magic voice and some brilliant music. I turned up the volume to listen more intently and it was there and then that a lifelong love affair with music began. "The singer was Elvis Presley and the song was Wooden Heart. That morning the voice of The King brought new excitement into my young life and sparked a passion that would endure and introduce me to countless other singers and musical styles. "My life was to take many different directions as I grew to adulthood, but I never stopped listening to and singing songs of well-loved artists past and present. Eventually I learned to play guitar and write songs. “Then over a decade ago I finally found where my birth father was buried and it was after I visited his grave that I wrote the song - I Never Met You - the title track of my first album. I also included that lovely song Kilkerrin My Hometown and Four Country Roads as a special tribute to John and Mary Mulligan who raised me and to all the great neighbours and friends I knew during my boyhood days in Kilkerrin, Galway. "Recording that first album brought me full circle and gave me a great sense of peace and fulfilment and closure for having shared my songs and told my story that I hope will help others."
Richard Mulligan is a former national marathon champion and later in his athletic career won a silver medal in the 10K at the World Masters
And there was yet another lovely twist to Richard's story when he was welcomed with open arms by his birth father's son - his own half-brother, Mick Conneely. "It was a bit like when I first went to meet my mother, I arrived unannounced at Mick Conneely's door and just said: 'I hear you're a fiddle player', and he immediately invited me to come in and share a few tunes with him," Richard said. "I then told him the real reason for my visit and related the story involving his father and my birth mother. There was no hesitation on his part; just immediate acceptance and welcome. It felt like I was in some way coming home and within a short time I was introduced to other members of the exceptionally talented musical Conneely family." It was right on the cusp of the Covid 19 virus arriving in Ireland that Richard launched his second album, including the lead song Forgiveness, dedicated to the memory of his mother. "I hope there is a message in my song that can help some people who may be struggling to find forgiveness for some thing or other that may have happened to them in their lives. I found that being able to forgive what the nuns did to my mother has set me free and I can only speak of my own experience." Senior Times l January - February 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie 35
Statutory Home Care
What statutory home care and sector regulation will mean for Ireland’s ageing adults and their carers By Michael Wright, Director of Public Affairs, Home Instead Ireland Statutory home care is a much-anticipated state plan to provide high-quality, accessible and safe home care to everyone who needs it, delivered how and when they want it. While the State currently provides for home care services to over-65s and others on a case-by-case basis, legislating for statutory home care means that everyone in the country will have the right to access care in the home, which caters not just to the individual’s personal care needs, but to their social and mental health goals too. The idea of legislating for home care has been under consideration since 2016, when the Committee on the Future of Healthcare called for Universal Home Care in its 2016 report. Due for a pilot in 2020, and formal introduction this year, now the statutory home care scheme is not likely to be implemented until 2022 at the earliest. The challenges presented to those responsible for its introduction, this year and last, need no explanation here. However, given the potential that this scheme has to transform community care, giving people the right to receive home care, any delay is regrettable. Care in the home and among their own communities is the long-expressed wish among Ireland’s older people, a desire that has been strengthened by the ongoing pandemic. A statutory home care scheme requires supporting regulation and integration with local healthcare governance structures, and the benefits of this extend beyond the service recipient, to the people 36 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
who provide these services on the frontlines. Legally-rooted standards set by an independent regulator will lead to stronger training requirements among the workforce, which in turn will create improved career pathways and a professionalised work environment for the thousands of health care assistants who today work under an array of terms and conditions, depending on who’s paying their wage. In a nutshell, this vital scheme envisions an Ireland where everyone has a legal right to holistic care delivered in the safest environment by better trained, better qualified, professional caregivers, brought about by a fairer system advocated by almost all concerned, and Home Instead has a strong desire to see its implementation. We’ve recently prepared a briefing document on statutory home care and associated regulation, and delivered it to every key stakeholder in the country, in an effort to ensure that it remains on their radar amid the competing demands for their attention that Covid-19 has – understandably – rendered. Here are a few of our key points. The potential for statutory home care and regulation Statutory home care has the potential to transform community care. The right to receive a range of home supports can move the home from the periphery to the centre of Irish healthcare.
People who are fit to be discharged from hospital will go home, rather than be moved to a nursing home, or remain in an acute hospital bed. People who are vulnerable to admission in a crisis can use their home care entitlements to provide additional support and remain safe at home.
data protection, risk assessments, care planning) and carer supervision and insurance.
Statutory home care can provide flexibility and resources, not only to meet an individual’s personal care needs, but also to support the individual’s social and mental health goals. Such a mechanism will require supporting regulation and integration with local healthcare governance structures.
We call for the establishment of an auditing regime by a regulator. All home care providers, including the HSE, must be audited, and the auditor must be independent of the HSE.
Regulated care services, whether provided by private companies or the State, will best serve Ireland’s growing population of ageing adults, ensuring enhanced quality, superior standards and holistic care services for all who need them. Our view on the statutory right to home care The Department of Health’s 2018 home care consultation paper stated that 94% of respondents wanted a choice in the type of home care service they receive and 87% of respondents wanted choice over who would provide their service. The Department of Health’s 2020 Covid-19 nursing homes expert panel report called for the introduction of a choice model, payable to the beneficiary for use either to support further care in their own home, in alternative home-based supportive care or in residential care. Commissioning of home care must be independent of the HSE, to ensure value for money for the State from all providers. The introduction of a Single Assessment Tool by the HSE would allow the HSE to quantify the amount of home care support (or other supports) an individual clinically requires and therefore the commissioner can set a budget for a person’s service. The individual should be able to choose their service provider from a list of licenced, regulated providers. Our call for regulation We call for the establishment and regulation of home care standards on carer training and development, carer recruitment, client management (for example medication management,
What does holistic care look like? As the leading provider of Home Care Services in Ireland, Home Instead has always placed the care recipient at the centre of its service, striving to provide the highest quality of service that is possible. We work closely with our colleagues in the public health service to develop carefully managed plans and our clients often decide to supplement their allocated home support package with additional hours. This allows us to work with clients and their families to deliver an enhanced standard of service – the very type of service that everyone deserves, and could receive, upon the introduction of the statutory home care scheme. Here, one of our clients in Galway outlines exactly what this looks like.
We believe that home care providers who meet regulatory standards should be licenced.
A governance structure for home care providers should be established, incorporating lessons from the Covid-19 nursing homes expert panel report. We believe providers must employ clinical professionals such as nurses or allied healthcare professionals to provide oversight of training and care planning and link with local HSE governance structures. Carer workforce strategy Our members association, Home & Community Care Ireland (HCCI) estimates 7,000 additional carers will be required to provide 25 million hours of publicly funded home care services pledged by the State for 2021. The HCCI has called for a multi-stakeholder approach to assist the growth of the home care sector. A workforce strategy must focus on: • Carer career pathways and standardised training; • Removal of social welfare barriers to entry to part-time work or taking overtime; • Benefits such as statutory sick pay. Home Instead is delighted that Government has committed HIQA to review licence standards for home care providers this year, as well as hire additional staff to provide home care assessments. We look forward to engaging with HIQA, the Department of Health and members of the Oireachtas to ensure Statutory Home Care gets on the statute book. To find out more about Home Instead, or to download our full briefing document, visit Home Instead.ie
Our Home Support Service plan meant that as a family we were getting five hours per week granted to assist with dressing and showering Dad. But we also needed someone to be there with him as company during the day; just to have someone to talk to while we were out working. We figured that additional hours would give us as a family the flexibility and peace of mind that we needed. All of a sudden Dad was active, not just sitting on his chair from morning until night.
The neighbours even said they saw him out and about, safe and supervised, it brought the sparkle back in his eye and that laugh, his big, big laugh; as big as his personality and character before the dementia. We are so grateful to the Home Instead team who have helped to give him back that quality of life and spark we missed. Roche Family, Galway
We knew that he was safe and doing things that he enjoyed. He went to the shops with the CAREGivers, on drives around the land and went for walks and to Mass during the day. Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie 37
Introducing the emporiaSMART.4 A smartphone for the older generation Mobile technology helps people live richer and more fulfilled lives, but for many in the older generations, the key is to buy a product where the technology has been designed specifically to help them understand better and allow them to do more with their phone. The emporiaSMART.4 is just such a phone. Currently on sale through An Post Mobile, it has been designed with simplicity in mind, but with all of the features of a powerful smartphone. Simple to use The S4 has a standard Android operating system, but emporia has designed an interface which is easy to understand and where the most often used apps or functions are grouped together, and each one has a larger than normal icon to make it easily recognisable. But perhaps the single most important thing emporia has done for those less confident with the technology, is create a unique 135 page training book which comes along with every S4. This illustrated book teaches everything from how to use the touchscreen, to how to browse the internet and make video calls. And users can learn all of this at their own pace, becoming more confident in using the phone day by day. The S4 is a smartphone designed for the times we live in. Not only is it compact and easy to use, but it also incorporates features which are especially useful when we need to be extra vigilant. The very latest NFC (Near Field Communication) technology allows the user to make contactless payments in a more secure way than using credit or debit cards. There is an inbuilt QR scanner for when you need to sign into a venue for track and trace, and there is also a handy magnifying feature for those annoying times when you leave your glasses at home. The 5-inch, high resolution touchscreen is perfect for carrying out all functions, and the 13 megapixel main camera and 5mp front camera are ideal for free video calls with family and friends using the pre-installed WhatsApp feature. Like all emporia phones, it has an emergency button on the back, but, like most emporia handsets, It comes with two rear panels so this can be hidden if not needed. The assistance button, if used, can alert up to five named contacts in the case of an emergency with one single push. On sale now, the S4 costs just €139.95 for those who switch their number over to An Post Mobile, or €174.95 with a new 087 number. For more information visit anpost.com/mobile or Post office.
At a Glance Display: Large 5” screen with easy to read text and icons almost 1” square emporia emergency call function: Calls, messages and sends location to 5 contacts in emergencies Camera: 13MP main camera and 5MP front camera for selfies and video calls Operating system: Android 10 with emporia easy interface Extras: Illustrated 135 page training book; QR reader and magnifier
Your Chance To Win an Emporia Smart 4! Emporia are giving away a Smart 4 to one lucky Senior Times reader. All you have to do is answer the following question How large is the Emporia Smart 4 screen ? Winner will be the first correct answer drawn on the 30th March 2021. 38 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
Entries should be posted to: SeniorTimes, PO Box 13215, Rathmines, Dublin 6. Or emailed to info@slp.ie
Dublin Dossier Pat Keenan on happenings in and around the capital
When Dublin became Cold War Berlin
Smithfield, Dublin becomes a Berlin checkpoint for the Spy Who Came In From The Cold
John le Carré, photo: Krimidoedel
Was a time, growing up, when there seemed to be only two posh hotels in Dublin, The Gresham on O’Connell Street and The Shelbourne on St.Stephen’s Green. This curiously came back to me with the announcement in December that John le Carré had died. I recalled that the former British secret service agent and author of those Cold War espionage novels booked into the Shelbourne when he came to Dublin for the filming of The Spy Who Came In From the Cold perhaps his best novel. Also in town for that film, Richard Burton and his new wife Liz Taylor opted for the Gresham.
Richard Burton and Michael Horden in Dublin Zoo for the filming of The Spy Who Came In From the Cold
Burton played the novel's anti-hero Alec Leamas, a British spy in Cold War Germany. During one scene Burton was required to fall off the Berlin Wall which, by all accounts, was a difficult scene requiring him to perform lots of falling 'takes'. Liz wanted to have a look but when she arrived on the cobbles in her Rolls Royce everything came to a halt as onlooking Dubliners surged over the film set cordons to see her.
Their Gresham suites occupied an entire floor of the hotel. At the time their first marriage was less than a year old. On arrival they were none too impressed by the Gresham's luxurious double bed. Simply, it was not wide enough. A much wider bed was hurriedly made to fit their requirements. They stayed for 10 weeks as the film progressed at the newly opened Ardmore Studios in Bray and at various Dublin locations masquerading as post war Berlin.
During their stay Elizabeth Taylor’s Rolls Royce was again in the news, this time more seriously for an awful accident. With chauffeur Gaston Sanz at the wheel and Liz sitting in the back seat the Rolls struck and killed 78 year old Alice Maud Bryan while she was out for a walk on the Stillorgan Road. No duel carriageway then - just a narrow and windy road. Liz Taylor, Richard Burton and the chauffeur offered the Bryan family a message of 'sincere and profound sympathy'. Two years later in1967 the couple would return to the Gresham for just one more time when Liz gave evidence at the inquest into the death of Mrs Bryan. No criminal proceedings were ever issued but Liz Taylor left Dublin, never to return.
Grey cobble stoned Smithfield Square was turned into a major film set. Money was poured into building a section of the Berlin Wall, complete with watchtowers and Checkpoint Charlie with large signs 'You are now leaving the American Sector' in English, German, French and Russian.
Just before he died John le Carré, appalled by the Brexit vote, told his friend and fellow writer John Banville that he was applying for an Irish passport. He told him ‘I am a European and I would like the passport of a European,’ He talked on the late Marian Finucane's Radio 1 radio
The Burtons arrived in Dún Laoghaire on the mailboat and were whisked into the city in Liz's Rolls Royce, driven by her French Basque-béreted chauffeur and bodyguard Gaston Sanz.
Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie 39
Dublin Dossier
The Gresham and Shelbourne Hotels.
show of his Irish grandmother, Olive Wolfe, from Inchanattin, Rosscarbery, Co, Cork. And which of our two posh hotels is the oldest? The Gresham Hotel on
O’Connell Street opened in 1817. It was followed in 1824 by the Shelbourne on St.Stephen’s Green. Dublin's oldest hotel, opening in 1809, is the Castle Hotel on Great Denmark Street, a very comfortable 4 star hotel. Alas, four stars doesn't make it to the posh list.
Another report to gather dust? Workers in a Magdalen asylum
As if our year long Covid lockdown was not depressing enough, the 3,000 page report of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission was published. It joins a seemingly endless record of church and state abuses, The Ferns Inquiry, 2005;The Murphy Child Sexual Abuse Report, 2009 and The Magdalen Commission Report, 2013. This latest report caused some dissension by suggestion that along with church and state, we were all more or less to blame - society in general and the victim's families included. Was liability being blurred and softened a let off for church and state? Certainly there were very different times then. But we also need to consider the hierarchy and pecking order in those oppressive times. The Church and its dogmas were very powerful influencers on a largely poorly educated population and what education they did receive was conditioned at the hands of nuns, brothers and priests. In Ireland that was mostly Catholic but other Christian denominations were involved too. The first Magdalen Asylum in Dublin was on Lower Leeson Street, founded in 1765 by the Anglican Church of Ireland. If a touch of bitterness might be creeping in here is because my own family was affected. It began before I was born. I only discovered in 40 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
The Donnybrook Magdalen laundry before it was demolished
my mid-thirties that one of my aunts was missing. She lived in a small room, one window, one bed, chairs, a small TV, a little table and surrounded by holy pictures at the Crescent on Donnybrook Road, one of four Magdalene laundries in Dublin. It was run by the Religious Sisters of Charity, the same nuns that introduced me to my first schooling junior infants or ‘low babies’ as it is called. Before she died a cousin and myself went to visit her, we asked if she would like to be buried with the rest of her family, she declined. She was buried in Donnybrook with her fellow Magdalens. Thankfully, in the case of my family, something resembling good happened. My aunt's son remained in the family. As a child I believed he was my youngest uncle. As a young man in a small community he was bound to feel some uncomfortable pressures and like untold numbers of Irish he left Ireland and began a good new life in England. He married
Dublin Dossier and raised a family of his own and lived into a ripe old age doting on his many grandchildren. He did return a few times to visit his birth mother in Donnybrook. He died a few years ago at his home surrounded by his English family. Just a year ago An Bord Pleanála approved plans by the Pembroke Partnership for an apartment complex on the former Magdalene Laundry site in Donnybrook. The developers, in light of the sensitive nature of the site proposed an art work installation and a wall plaque acquiescing the site’s former use. The complex will retain the chimney stack, a protected structure honouring the women who were forced to work here. The nuns sold the property for millions. These nuns also ran another Dublin Magdalene laundry at their St Mary’s High Park Convent in Drumcondra. Thankfully we have come a long way and Ireland is a much more mature and caring place. But we should remember that it was only in 1972 our constitution was amended - that 'the special position of the Holy Catholic Apostolic and Roman Church' would in future include 'other named religious denominations' and that even today our national TV and Radio station still broadcasts the Roman Catholic Angelusironically, the announcement of a virgin birth.
St. Mary Magdalen's Asylum Donnybrook advert in Freemans Journal February 2, 1912
Sheridan Le Fanu and the lesbian vampire Sheridan_Le_Fanu: he employed Bram Stoker as an unpaid theatre critic of the Dublin Evening Mail.
We have got used to celebrating Dublin's Bram Stoker Festival. But are we neglecting a man who employed Brams as an unpaid theatre critic of the Dublin Evening Mail- he might have deemed free admission to the theatre as payment enough. That newspaper was co-owned by Sheridan Le Fanu also a writer of Gothic tales, ghost stories and predating Dracula by 25 years with Carmilla, a lesbian vampire, no less. Joseph Thomas Sheridan Le Fanu was Dublin born at 45 Lower Dominick Street into a literary family of French Huguenot, Irish and English ancestry. His father became the Church of Ireland chaplain to the Royal Hibernian Military School in the Phoenix Park. Living here the young Sheridan would have got to know the Phoenix Park, the church and village of Chapelizod and the then largely rural countryside that is today a built-up Ballyfermot with an open space called Le Fanu Park on Le Fanu Road. All these areas became part of his stories, most famously in The House by the Churchyard. This haunted Georgian house, still there and maybe still haunted, adjoins Church Lane adjacent to St. Laurence's parish churchyard in Chapelizod. Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie 41
A HappyTails HappyTails from the ISPC from the ISPCA our tails!). So whether
lift our spirits (and news to help goodneed With spring in theallair, some goodjust news some all animals lift our spirits (and our tails!). So whether it’s a waggy, curly or swishy tail, or needwe the help some ofto With spring in the air, we , here are the stories of tail, or sometimes none use of the or swishyhere only becaof possible it’s a waggy, curly ils’ sometimes none, are the stories ofarejust some the animals that the ISPCA have cared for in the past year. These ‘HappyTails’ pyTa These ‘Hap year. past the in for adopters. the ISPCA have cared volunteers, donors, and our many supporter arethat possible onlyofbecause of s,the kindness and generosity of our many supporters, volunteers, donors, and adopters. kindness and generosity
Bevin
as r pregnant mom w ith her siblings. He d overseas in the ISPCA along w being transporte Bevi n was born at f other dogs from our o o t r e t b h m g u u n o r a b h e t i r e w yw rescued along s . T h a n kf ul l y , t he find loving new suitable condition n pups survived to dangerous and un dogs and new bor l l a d n a e m i t n i e r rescue cent homes.
Bevin was born at the ISPCA along with her siblings. Her pregnant mom was rescued along with a number of other dogs from being transported overseas in dangerous and unsuitable conditions. Thankfully, they were brought to our rescue centre in time and all dogs and new born pups survived to find loving new homes. Sally
Sally was a nervou
s and malnouri shed li ttle ki tten when she was rescu ed alowas ng Sally was kitten when she wi th a lara genervous number of oand ther cmalnourished ats and kittens. Alllittle were i n very poor health. After e x t e n s i v e v e t e r i n a r y t r e a t m e n t a n d t i me t o h e a l , S a l ly slowly recovered. Wi th rescued with a large number of other cats and kittens. All lots of calong are and attenti on from our ani mal carers she gai ned strength and confidence before finding a loving new home. were in very poor health. After extensive veterinary treatment and time to heal, Sally slowly recovered. With lots of care and attention from our animal carers she gained strength and confidence before finding a loving new home.
Pets have brought great joy and companionship to many people during each lockdown. More and more people have also been turning to pets for comfort. As an essential service for animal welfare, our ISPCA inspectors continue to respond to calls and our rescue centres continue to care for animals 365 days of the year. We rescue hundreds of animals who have suffered cruelty or neglect. Some are left homeless to fend for themselves. Sadly, many unscrupulous and illegal dealers have been profiting from the increased demand for pets during lockdown – and many more dogs and cats are now sick or injured, and need to be rescued. Rescue is just the first but very important step for these animals, it's the beginning of a journey to a new and happy life in a loving home. Times are difficult for many of us so we are especially grateful to everyone who continues to support the ISPCA. Vulnerable animals still need our love and care. Thankfully, there are lots of ways people can help. Whether you adopt, donate your time or money, or lend your voice, every act of kindness helps make a difference. To find our more visit us on www.ispca.ie, email us at ispca-friends@ ispca.ie or call us on 087 0512603 42 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
Rosie
Rosi e was left at an abandoned property wi th no sh elter and was extremely u
nderwe i ght whe n t he I SPCA rescue d her. A ft er sl owl y recoveand ringwas in our care, she Rosie was at an abandoned property with no shelter was v accinleft a t e d , s p a y e d , m i c r o c h i p p e d a n d t r ea t e d f o r p a r a s i t e s . Rosi e i s now a gentle and playful dog awhen nd is mthe extremely underweight her. After slowly uch ISPCA loved inrescued her new home. recovering in our care, she was vaccinated, spayed, microchipped and treated for parasites. Rosie is now a gentle and playful dog and is much loved in her new home.
Jasper, Mickey & Kevin
Jasper, Mi ckey and Kevi n, were found abandoned and
living in terrible conditions. rrier
ent and were i n desperate need of fa treatmfound terinarywere nt veKevin, eded urgeand They neMickey Jasper, abandoned and living in ful i f not i mpossi ble for them attention with hooves so overgrown it was very pain found new homes. have allveterinary le donkeys adorabneeded k. These threeThey to walconditions. terrible urgent treatment and each lockdown. during to many people were desperate need of farrieripattention with hooves so More and and companionsh brought great joy have Petsin As an essential service for more people across Ireland have also been turning to pets for comfort. continue to overgrown it was very painful if not impossible for them to walk. centres rescue our and calls to animal welfare, our ISPCA inspectors continue to respond we work to rescue hundreds of animals who have year. Year-round, 365 days of the animalsadorable care for These three donkeys have all found new homes. Some are left homeless to fend for themselves. Sadly, many
suffered cruelty or neglect. demand for pets during unscrupulous and illegal dealers have been profiting from the increased to be rescued. Rescue is lockdown – and many more dogs and cats are now sick or injured, and need of a journey to a new and just the first but very important step for these animals, it's the beginning to especially grateful so we areplease of us for many Times are Tohappy report neglect ordifficult abuse to an animal, contact a loving home. life incruelty, and care. who continues to support the ISPCA. Vulnerable animals still need our love money, or time your theeveryone ISPCA National Animal Cruelty Helpline in confidence on donate adopt, you Thankfully, there are lots of ways people can help. Whether on every act of kindness, helps make a difference. To find our more visit us voice, your or lend 1890 515 515, email helpline@ispca.ie, or visit our website to www.ispca.ie, email us at ispca-friends@ispca.ie or call us on 087 0512603
report online www.ispca.ie
INFO BOX Please To report cruelty, neglect or abuse to an animal, please contact the ISPCA
515 515, HEAVILY ON DIDNational YOUAnimal KNOW THE ISPCA RELIES on 1890 confidence Helpline in CrueltyTHAT ca.ie, or visit our website to report online www.ispca.ie email helpline@isp PUBLIC SUPPORT? Most of our income comes from kind donations and gifts in wills. It Please the generosity of animal lovers throughout Ireland INFO BOX is only through YOU KNOW THAT THE ISPCA RELIES HEAVILY ON PUBLIC SUPPORT? thatDIDwe are able to continue our vital work, helping vulnerable animals who need us the most.
The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA) is Ireland’s largest national animal welfare charity working to prevent cruelty to animals, to promote animal welfare and to pro-actively relieve animal suffering.
Free Will Writing By making a Will, you’ll have the peace of mind of knowing that those you care about will be looked after and that your wishes for your loved ones, friends and family will be respected. The ISPCA’s Free Online Will Writing service can be used to make a will for the first time or to amend an existing one. It’s available at no cost to you and with no obligation to donate.
We are very thankful for the kind legacy gifts from animal lovers whose generosity continues to help rescue and save hundreds of animals each year, and to begin their journey to find loving new homes.
For more information please visit www.ispca.ie/Legacies or call us on 087 0512603
Western Ways George Keegan on what’s happening in travel, the arts, food and entertainment along the Western Seaboard
New Aran ferry will be Ireland’s largest domestic passenger vessel A brand new ferry capable of carrying 394 passengers is due to begin service between Galway port and the Aran island of Inis Mór shortly (date has not announced yet due to Covid-19 restrictions). The 40 metre medium speed monohull vessel built in China to a BMT design will be operated by Aran Island Ferries owned by the O’Brien family. The new ferry will operate on a year round basis and should prove to be a major boost for tourism in these difficult times. The route will certainly bring more visitors to Inis Mór and is sure to be a major boost for residents living there. I asked Sales and Marketing Manager Aine McLoughlin why the new vessel was named Saoirse Na Farraige (Freedom of the Seas), ‘we just liked the name’, she said. Aine points out the company last operated their Galway city to Inis Mór departure back in 2005 and she believes re-starting the route with a new vessel will greatly enhance passengers travel experience. ‘Our main goal is to ensure our passengers experience a safe, comfortable journey to the Aran Islands. ‘Saoirse na Farraige’ was designed to provide maximum comfort in all weather conditions and additional space for our crew and passengers. This alternative route offers choice and convenience for many Galwegians and visitors who may be staying in the city’. When the ferry was delivered to Galway port last December Niall O’Brien, Director of the company said they were thrilled to welcome Ireland’s largest and most environmentally friendly domestic passenger ferry to their fleet. ‘BMT supported us from the initial concept, through the tender process and developing the detailed production design with the Cheoy Lee Shipyards. BMT’s involvement throughout the project provided us with the design continuity necessary to reduce risk and ensure the vessel fulfilled all our expectations’.
Saoirse Na Farraige
The Saoirse na Farraige is divided into a spacious main deck for 306 people with two seating areas plus a semi- covered space for 88 on the top deck. The crew on board will have their own rest area, complete with comfortable amenities. She is 40 metres in length and can travel at 20 knots. In order to complement the lightweight design approach a new double hard chine hull form was developed and optimised specifically for operation in challenging environmental conditions. This semi displacement hull form will provide both excellent hydrodynamic characteristics and a high level of comfort. The O’Brien family from Connemara have been associated with the Aran Islands since the early 1900’s when they began operating a turf trade. In later years when this particular trade went into decline co-founder of the company Paddy O’Brien worked with his father Michael on a Galway Hooker named the An Tónaí. This vessel carried both turf and
44 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
passengers. In those days it took at least 12 hours to reach the islands. During 1969 an engine was installed, greatly reducing the journey time. Inspired by his father’s success Paddy and his wife Sally invested in a 48 seater boat during the mid 1980’s becoming the first domestic ferry with a passenger licence operating on the West coast. Today there are 4 members of the family involved in the business Susan, Sharon, Cian and Niall. The anticipated journey time from Galway city to Inis Mór is just 90 minutes. The ferry is wheelchair accessible and passengers who have a dog will be able to bring their pooch along provided it is kept outside on a lead at all times. It is planned to offer group and family rates when the service begins. Full details and booking at www.info@aranferries.com .
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Western Ways
One of Manus Walsh’s recent works of The Burren
Burren artist composes music for new videos Manus Walsh recognised nationally and internationally as an exceptional painter of Burren landscapes is also becoming widely known for a series of short videos in which he composed and plays the music. Six years ago the first venture called Hush Little Baby a children’s carol featured four local children including his grandchild Ella. It was directed by Katrina Costello of Sea Fever Productions who subsequently made her debut film a documentary named ‘The Silver Branch’, also set in the Burren, which received great acclaim and won several important awards. In January this year a second video titled The Road Home was uploaded on YouTube. For this Manus composed a very haunting tune which is he plays on keyboard and it features him walking along a coastal road near his home village of Ballyvaughan. The video was shot, including some drone footage, by John O’Connor (JohnOs Creations). In this production arrangements and cello are by Sharon Howley who last year won the TG4 ‘Young Musician of the Year’ award. The flute is played by Caoimhe Greene and other musicians from the locality also feature. It was recorded and mixed in the Martin O’Malley Studios in Miltown Malbay. Manus says he received great encouragement along the way from P.J Curtis, well known writer and broadcaster who lives in nearby Kilnaboy. While painting has been Manus’s main passion and indeed his livelihood throughout a distinguished career he has always been interested in music. In his early years he formed a pop group with some friends before 46 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
becoming interested in playing jazz. He has performed at a number of venues around County Clare. Shooting of three further videos of his compositions ‘A Burren Nocturne’, ‘The Dreaming land’ and ‘Morning Tide’ has been delayed due to Covid-19 restrictions but it is hoped they will be completed before the end of the year.
Galway to Athlone cycleway in pipeline As part of a new National Cycleway Scheme plans for a 270km car free corridor between Galway and Dublin linking the Atlantic coast to the East coast are under way. The large section of this route from Galway to Athlone will be developed in phases. It is currently at stage two of a public consultation process discussing route corridor options. This will be followed by a preferred route corridor and then consultations begin with individual landowners. The Department of Transport says it is currently developing National and Regional Greenways across the country to enhance tourism and contribute to rural development. It is expected to be a top class amenity for pedestrians, cyclists and wheelchair users to enjoy, benefiting local people and tourists alike. During 2021 the construction of a new cycleway bridge over the river Shannon is also due to start.
Senior Line
Lifted Up in Lockdown Years ago in school, we were asked to pray for the old and the lonely, a seamless phrase as though all older people were lonely, and the state of loneliness was experienced solely by this age group. Today in Covid times, we have commandeered a similar glib shorthand - the frail and the elderly - often with side helping of an underlying condition.
phone, text and Zoom, and there are more ingenious ways. One Grandad, a retired teacher, does reading and writing with young grandchildren each morning, giving parents a deserved break and cementing the family bond. Roselyn goes one better by teaching her grandson a code, allowing them to exchange secret cryptic mail. ‘We do it by letter rather than email, and he is delighted to see the postman coming’, she said.
Many older people are neither frail nor lonely, and how they manage can depend on their personal, social and environmental supports. Data collated by SeniorLine has concluded that having family and friends nearby, an inner resilience, and a garden are major assets for everyone confined to home – plus an ability to adapt. While publicity about older people and virus is often presented negatively, there is a quiet well of creativity, discipline and wisdom among this cohort.
Some older people are resurrecting early skills such as knitting, crochet, embroidery and other crafts. Some are learning new skills including conversational French, creative writing, watercolour painting and music. Jo is in a Zoom book club and Patrick is in a Zoom choir. For some, the difficulty in meeting face to face has itself prompted the acquisition of new technical skills, enabling online learning and ability to take part in webinars. (Readers may be interested in GenerationTech a free service for those aged 65+ years of age and older that assists with digital issues, laptops, tablets, WIFI, mobiles and other telecommunications. Helpline is open Monday-Friday 8am-8pm, telephone 01-7633288, www.generationtech.ie).
Not to mention a sense of fun. This is Stephanie: ‘I dance in the kitchen to Elvis’s Greatest Hits every day. Good exercise, and it has strengthened my back’. This is Avril: ‘I grew up in London in 1944, avoiding the bombing and spending time in air raid shelters. Then as now, you hear lovely stories of people reaching out to each other’. Two older lives looking on the bright side. Ask older people what helps these days, and there is a uniformity of response. Many talk about the importance of having something to get up for, some goals and challenges in each day. The small things are big things, and small punctuations of pleasure make a big difference. Frank talks of noticing the crocuses peeping up. John relishes his first cup of coffee, savouring the aroma as well as the taste. Many older people miss family – adult children, grandchildren, siblings and friends. Knowing that by sticking to the rules, they are protecting themselves and others can lessen the sting. Many stay in touch by
Other tips are not to watch too much news but to read a book, listen to some music, try new recipes. Live in the present rather than wondering endlessly about a still-unknown future, give yourself a treat each day. Press the pause button to allow yourself take deeper, slower breaths and stop a while. Plant bulbs, feed the birds in your garden, (fat balls and sunflower seeds recommended). We leave the last word to Kathleen: ‘I’ve been painting and decorating the whole house. At the moment my husband is the only thing not to have been given an undercoat and gloss’, she said Anne Dempsey is Communications Manager of Third Age promoting the value of older people www.thirdageireland.ie SeniorLine Ireland’s national telephone service for older people Freefone 1800 80 45 91 10am-10pm 365 days a year. Senior Times lMarch - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie 47
Wine World
The importance of correct storage Mairead Robinson on how to get the best from your wine and new marketing initiatives
While most of us, to be honest, do not store the wine that we buy for some special date in the future, there is a case for laying down bottles that will improve with aging. However, it seems that many of us get this wrong. According to a recent article, Richard Vayda, the director of wine studies at the Institute of Culinary Education, states that ‘aging’ that special bottle might not be the best idea. ‘Holding on to wines too long would be the most common mistake I see people making,’ he says. ‘There is this idea that wines are mostly better aged, when in reality only a small percentage of wines are meant to be held for any length of time. Most wines available are pretty ready to drink when purchased.’ I would certainly agree with him on that point. So if you do want to store wines in your own home, the next question to address is whether to invest in a proper wine fridge. ‘Certainly, if the plan is to store a number of age-able wines for a length of time, this would be a wise idea,’ Vayda says. Generally, these coolers are designed to store any type of wine in better holding conditions. They control ambient temperature inside the cooler to maintain ‘cellar tempera-
ture’ (which typically means under 60˚F). Better models will feature lower vibration and humidity control. According to Vayda, we should always avoid storing wine for any length of time in standard refrigerators—even white and sparkling wines. ‘They're OK for bringing wine down to service temperature (i.e., before serving), but not good for product quality for long-term storage,” he says. “Rather, look for a location in your home that has the best conditions available.’ His key factors are as follows: • No direct sunlight • As cool and stable temperature as possible • Low vibration ‘In my own apartment, I have a wine cooler for better bottles, but a majority of my wines are kept on racks in a dark foyer and they live just fine,’ he says. It isn’t just the inside of the fridge you should avoid—it’s the outside, too. ‘Keeping wine bottles or racks above your refrigerator is not a good idea, as the heat given off to cool the inside often makes this one of the warmest places in the home,’ Vayda says. When it
48 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
comes to wine, the bar cart next to the window is not a good idea due to the area's frequently fluctuating light and temperature. ‘For most homes, a dark basement space or a closet usually makes for a good location to hold all wines.’ Think of it as a makeshift wine cellar. ‘Then, adjust the temperature as desired— meani’Vayda says. The last piece of advice is to keep wines with natural corks stored on their side to maintain the cork's integrity. So in light of Yayda’s recommendations, I would suggest drinking and enjoying your wine right now! But getting back to enjoying wine now, it has been a challenge for many people to get out and about to choose wines to enjoy at home during these days of lockdown. So an innovative new company, boxofwine.ie is Ireland’s first ‘tailored to your taste’ wine subscription company and was set up in 2020 by Conor Duggan, Neil O’Reilly & Conor Mulligan who had to quickly turn their hands and expert noses for wine to something else after the hospitality sector and their livelihoods got pounded by the pandemic. Boxofwine.ie provides a bespoke wine offering, tailored to individual tastes and is conveniently and safely delivered straight to the door
Wine World
taste and preference profile. Conor Duggan explains:- ‘Our business model is based around mystery and exploring the world of wine, we want to encourage people to try new wines, something that if they had a list to choose from they may not do. Boxofwine.ie founders from left, Conor Duggan, Neil O’Reilly and Conor Mulligan
in a beautifully presented box – the ultimate treat! So this is an excellent gift idea for the wine lover in your life. The innovation that sets Boxofwine.ie apart is a quick online questionnaire and a clever algorithm which provides the experts and sommeliers at boxofwine.ie with a guideline on various taste preferences. This allows them to curate a personalised box of three bottles of top quality, highly regarded wine each month. The convenient and clever concept is contactless and at €49 per month, the unique
approach will ensure that wine lovers are surprised with new wines each month including a mix of old favourites and exciting newcomers - all wines they are sure to love. The box also contains Boxofwine.ie tasting cards with intriguing information on vineyards, family run wine businesses, food pairing suggestions and flavours in the wine to identify. It is a great way to learn about a world of wines not available in supermarkets and local stores. Simply log on to www.boxofwine.ie and fill in the quiz questions, then the company will come back to you with recommendations based on your
‘We carry a pretty extensive list so as to cater to each flavour profile, any list we put together would be out of date by the following month. ‘The wines are selected based on a flavour profile that I make for each customer. The introduction to this is our online quiz. Then, each month I reach out to every customer and request feedback and use said feedback to adjust my model.’ So if you would like a box of surprise wines delivered to your home each month, tailored to your preferences as chosen by a wine expert, simply log on to www.boxofwine.ie and fill in the questionnaire. Cheers!
Senior Times Classical Collection
Reflections..
In association with:
For the challenging times we are living in
Over three hours of unforgettable melodies from the great masters to help you relax.
Presented by John Low. Produced by Conor O’Hagan.
Works by Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, Mendelssohn, Chopin, Bruch, and many more.
Available on all podcast platforms or visit seniortimes.ie and click on ‘podcasts’.
50 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
Mater Private Network
Don't let COVID-19 worries put your health at risk. It's important to stay well while staying safe.
All our locations remain fully open during Level 5 Stringent COVID-19 hygiene protocols Appointments strictly scheduled to avoid overlap Choice of appointment locations (Hospital or Day Hospital) Phone and video consultations available Keep your appointments. Keep safe. Keep well. materprivate.ie/don’t-delay-healthconcerns Contact us: Dublin 01 885 8888 · Cork 021 601 3200 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie 51
Creative Writing
r e k a m m l i f n o Close-up Helen F lanagan Eileen Casey profiles a multi-talented director and scriptwriter
‘I don’t really have any set rituals around writing. I think I used to choke myself up by overthinking..’ Helen Flanagan
Having completed an enjoyable, informative and challenging screenwriting series with filmmaker Helen Flanagan, I felt readers would like to know more about this vibrant, intelligent maker and script writer. Especially now, as film watching continues to form such a major part of our lockdown routine. Where to begin then but the beginning! And what a beginning it was. At an early age, Flanagan learnt that life can and will give lemons. In her case, however, it happened to be Munchies! Eating them is very much part of an early memory entwined with her first time ever cinema experience, a momentous occasion by any standard but in her case, traumatic. A re-release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, instead of triggering awed delight, had the opposite effect. This much loved Disney favourite brought about such a terrifying response from child Helen, resulting in tears and screams; her mother had no option but to take her daughter home, placating her en route with a big packet of chocolate treats. An early lesson then in the light and shade, sweet and sour of drama. A couple of decades later, the child who exchanged tantrums for chocolate, has become an established, much respected, vibrant voice; not only in an Irish context but a global one. Right from the get go too. One of her early short films, made for Film Offaly called The Debt, screened in around 50 festivals around the world and toured as part of a couple of best of festival programmes. It was even dubbed in Japanese and shown across Japan, an achievement she’s rightly proud of. ‘It’s a little caper about friendship from the perspective of ten-year olds. The two young actors were amazing’. There’s no doubting that 52 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
The Drive - 2015
when the stars align (literally); an already good script elevates to excellence. Who hasn’t enjoyed a film not just for the story telling quality but for the way the main characters project that story? After all, although cinema is a collective activity, viewing the screen in a darkened auditorium delivers a very personal one to one experience. A true paradox, collective sensibilities distilled into the private. On the question of matching character to plot, Flanagan agrees, ‘Yes, casting is so important. I think you have to look for an actor who brings a part of their own humanity to a character. It can be really hard to find the right actor and for everyone to be available at the right time.’ This is undoubtedly
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If you decide to go online, you can make a once-off, or a regular monthly donation securely at www.bluecross.ie/donate and you can read more about the pets we help! You can also call one of our team on 01-416 3032 to make donation over the phone.
That is why we need you. Help us keep our essential veterinary services operational and save the lives of countless pets. Thousands of Pets Need Our Help, So We need Yours. The Irish Blue Cross is facing a huge funding shortfall, as our major fundraising drives have been cancelled or badly affected by Covid-19. We still give the very best of care to thousands of pets. And our teams are doing this under the strictest of pandemic safety protocols. We expect to be busier still as the economic reality of Covid-19 hits home, and more and more families find the need for our services. What keeps us going is knowing that we help pets and owners who need our low-cost care. They might not otherwise be able to afford veterinary care for their beloved pets.
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What also keeps us going is you. Your support means the world to us and the pets we help. Pets are close to your heart. And ours. Help Support our vital work. Pets are amazing. They offer companionship, encourage exercise, promote responsibility and help with mental health issues. A lot of them are also very cute. The Irish Blue Cross is here for the pets that are there for you. Since 1945 we have been offering low cost veterinary support to the people who need it most. Today we operate a network of ten mobile veterinary clinics across Dublin, as well as our clinic in Inchicore. Each year we get thousands of visits to our clinics from families who would not otherwise be able to afford veterinary care. We do not turn them away, because our mission is to help everyone who needs our services. Some of our services: We promote responsible pet ownership through neutering, microchipping, and vaccination programs. We also provide
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Creative Writing
An Cat - 2014
a challenge. It would be unthinkable after all to imagine anyone else but Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in that timeless classic Casablanca (1942) or who but Robert de Niro could play Travis Bickle in Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver (1976), a personal favourite of my own. ‘If you have the resources available, having a really good casting director or a producer with an eye for casting is really helpful.’ For Flanagan, whose credits include acclaimed short films, ‘having a good script that gives the actors characters with real depth and complexity is key’. She greatly admires a hit feature from last year, Parasite in terms of casting, acting and an ‘absolutely incredible script’. So where did achieving her filmmaking goals start for this effervescent young woman? Her bio proclaims her an artist and writer, her practice starting out in narrative filmmaking and screenwriting. ‘I completed my BA in film and TV production and then my masters in screenwriting in the National Film School at IADT’. Her career, she explains, has branched into directing and writing, ‘mostly in development on television documentaries and series.’ Because of her talent and skilful crafting of material, she has written and directed a number of short films and children’s television documentaries and series which were all ‘very luckily funded by various film commissions and broadcasters.’ Lockdown has invariably given the nation time on their hands. For film buffs, it’s an ongoing feast. Netflix is booming. Now TV the same. For those lucky enough to have Sony Movie Classic Channel, the golden oldies are there to revisit. Great cinema like Fred Zinnemann’s A Man for All Seasons (1973) starring Academy Award Winner Paul Schofield, is just one of the many quality productions available. Directors, in the past, seemed to rule Hollywood. A film’s success or failure was attached to directorial style. There’s no denying that films tagged with illustrious names such as Tarantino, Scorsese, The Coen Brothers, among others, will always have a certain cache. Names which still resonate from the golden days of Hollywood are those such as Cecil B. deMille and Mack Sennett. Such directorial authority is not always a good thing especially around ‘hierarchy and power’ Flanagan maintains. ‘ I don’t actually have any one director I would hold up on a pedestal but there are certainly some filmmakers whose work I think are interesting.’ There’s no doubting the fact that there are plenty of aspects of the craft and storytelling form that ‘are really fundamental aspects of filmmaking now.’ Asked to name directors whose work she admires, she cites some interesting choices; ‘Asghar Farhadi, an Iranian filmmaker who made A Separation and The Salesman. His films are about moral dilemmas and contradic54 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
tions arising from social class, gender and religion.’ What about women directors? Of which there seems to be a dearth, especially when it comes to handing out Oscar nominations. Jennifer Kent (The Babadook, 2014) is a name that springs easily to mind; ‘She makes really tight, authored films that explore the legacy of trauma and violence and she articulates that work through a feminist perspective.’ Because we’ve explored, to some extent, good films and filmmakers I just have to know if she has any worst film choices. ‘I kind of really enjoy watching a bad film,” she responds, surprising me. “I watched all of the fast and furious series over lockdown...I think the worst films though are films that aren’t operating with any awareness for the message they are putting out into the world or the wider implications of that message’. There’s that word again...’lockdown’. Alright, we enjoy watching films and they help to pass the time but we miss what’s lost too, however temporarily. I ask what she misses most of all at the moment. Not surprising that in a very social, bubbly individual interested in people, should include ‘making shows, nights out...talking and chatting and cooking and eating with people, baking with friends...all things of the past for now. And I enjoy bumping into people in the studio and having spontaneous chats’. Which brings me to ask, where this hub of vivid conversation is. ‘A4Sounds, a Dublin Studio I’m a member of. It’s full of the best people.’ While Dublin is a big part of Flanagan’s life, she has very happy memories of growing up in County Louth. Her mum and dad live in Ardee, halfway between Dundalk and Drogheda. ‘There’s the two of us, myself and my brother and I’m the older sibling.”’ Clearly, background influences who we are today so I have to ask where the creativity element comes from. ‘Dad and mum are great gardeners and have an amazing greenhouse, a few really nice apple and plum trees and a really nice raspberry patch that produces great jam every year.’ When you think about it, gardening is very similar to any creative process, clearing the soil, planting, nurturing and harvesting. ‘Dad grows a load of pumpkins every year so I’ve got some seeds off him and am hoping to replicate his crop this year myself. My nana is also living in Ardee and she just turned 90 recently and looks fabulous!’. Having spoken about creative gardening, I have to ask what her own writing rituals are; ‘I don’t really have any set rituals around writing (despite ritual being an important aspect of my work). I think I used to choke myself up by overthinking, not ‘Now I realise that actually just writing anything, getting words on the page is the important thing.’ Okay. Writing
Creative Writing
The Trap- 2018
on a regular basis is definitely a good idea but bringing it to the point of production on a film set must involve a lot of drafting and rewriting. “I like to work through an idea through process, by writing and seeing what comes out. I navigate blocks or walls with free writing.’ Because Flanagan is also a facilitator in creative writing and storytelling classes, she has ‘a lovely opportunity to write and devise work through process and to work collaboratively also.’ As all writers know however, motivation isn’t always as easily available as talent. I heard a great quote recently from a fellow mentee on the script writing course I mentioned earlier (shout out to Offaly Arts for providing such a valuable opportunity). He said; ‘Passion may fail you but discipline never will’. How very true. Or as my own dear mother often said ‘Hell is paved with good intentions’. So of course, the subject of being driven is raised, the proverbial stinging fly that all writers need to either start and/or finish a piece of work. ‘Motivation can be really hard so I like to put myself in situations that leave me no choice but to write something, like planning a show and then absolutely needing to write something for it, or having a deadline of some kind to work towards.’ She realises also that she is so lucky to have studio space in Dublin, having moved down the country last year. “Space just isn’t an option if you are renting so I have space in the place I’m living in now”. A reader of gothic fiction and classic ghost stories (she loves Shirley Jackson, Du Maurier, The Brontes, among others) I ask her how she would define good, solid writing, whether she’s fascinated by anything in particular about human nature? In other words, what brings her to the blank page? ‘I really love writing where moral dilemmas and conflicts play out and between people who have relationships to each other. I think one of the things that I like about screenwriting is that it’s a form that is so accessible and direct.’ I ask if this is a collaboration of sorts between writer and audience? ‘A really good piece of screenwriting is one that is having a complex conversation with the audience, but at the same time communicating that complexity simply, with clarity and focus and intent.’ John McGahern put it so well when he once said that a woman combing her hair or a man eating an egg were every bit as important as big events. Which is why Flanagan admires Kenneth Lonergan’s films, ‘he often uses the small details or incidents to reveal character’.
Din- 2016
About five years ago, Flanagan started a collaborative, social arts practice with poet and performer Niamh Beirne. ‘We make very immediate, participatory DIY theatre as ‘social space’ in the Mummer’s tradition. I love this work. We use ritual, magic, games and storytelling to invite the audience to become part of a show and to give people a platform to share stories and experiences. We also make DIY videos and audio work. I’m lucky now to work in arts education. I facilitate and teach people and adults creative storytelling, writing and screenwriting and filmmaking and I develop arts projects for schools.’ When I ask if she has a philosophy about life she says; ‘Often the hands will solve a mystery that the intellect has struggled with in vain.’ Which bears out Paul Klee’s ‘take a line or a walk’ maxim. Going forward, Flanagan, while finding the past year a real challenge, is starting to ‘re-assess and articulate what’s important”. She is thankful for the return of work opportunities that just weren’t there in the first part of last year. I can’t not ask, having heard about the Munchies anecdote, if she is an advocate of eating in the cinema. Is popcorn crunching a bugbear? Should noisy crisp bag explosions be banned? On reflection she says; “I have to say that by and large I don’t mind the eating, within reason of course.’ She’s even been known to bring cake into a screening herself! No doubt we’ll be hearing (and seeing) a lot more from this exciting filmmaker. Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie 55
Finance
Lifetime Loans – an option worth considering
Our retirement years can be a time to do the things that perhaps were put on hold or would make our later years more comfortable, like home improvements. If you don’t have the finance to do these things, aren’t eligible for standard loans, don’t want to borrow from your children or sell the place you call home, an alternative worth considering is a Lifetime Loan. Lifetime Loans are not for everybody but the recently launched Spry Finance has been set up to provide information on the product and expert guidance on whether or not a Lifetime Loan is a suitable solution in your particular circumstances. Spry Finance is the retail division of the Seniors Money group and the loan itself would be provided by Seniors Money. What is a Lifetime Loan? Very comprehensive information is provided at www.spryfinance.ie but, in a nutshell, a Lifetime Loan is a mortgage loan secured against your home and designed to last the rest of your life. There are no regular repayments to be made and the loan only becomes repayable after you pass away, cease to reside in your home, or sell it. Lifetime Loans are available to residents of the Republic of Ireland aged 60 or over who own their own home. If there are two of you, the younger person must be aged 60 or over. Your home must be of standard construction and worth a certain minimum amount.
grow to over time. A ‘no negative equity guarantee’ is included which means you will never owe more than the value of your home. On the flip-side the most important thing to understand is that, because you are not making any repayments along the way, interest is added to your loan (compound interest) which means the loan balance grows in size until it is repaid. The future value of your equity in your home, available for you or for your inheritors, will be less than if you never took out a Lifetime Loan. What can a Lifetime Loan be used for? Lifetime Loans can be used as you wish, and according to Spry Finance most people use their Lifetime Loan for more than one purpose. Typical uses include home improvements, purchases for the home, paying off a mortgage balance to free up monthly cash flow, and reasonable lifestyle expenses. Spry Finance provided the following examples of real loans that have been taken out in recent months (names have been withheld to protect client privacy):
Mr. & Mrs. Mc are a married couple in their sixties with a house worth €300,000. They are in the process of borrowing €65,000 to carry out home improvements to make their house more efficient. Reinvesting the loan in the home, via home improvements, is the most popular use but other uses that Spry Finance clients put their Lifetime Loans to include refinancing interest-only mortgages on their homes or holiday homes, assisting family members with medical or other expenses, and small levels of lifestyle expenditure such as replacing their car or once-off foreign travel to see grandchildren in the likes of Australia or America. Consultation process
Mr. & Mrs. R are a married couple in their sixties with a house valued at €1,000,000. They borrowed €150,000 to provide a helping hand to their son to get on the property ladder as a form of ‘early inheritance’. This was openly discussed with the family and all siblings were included in the decision and supportive of it.
Seniors Money, regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland, has over 15 years of experience in offering Lifetime Loans in Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Spain and Canada. It is currently the only lender in Ireland offering Lifetime Loans, and all applicants are first required to undergo a consultation process with its retail division, Spry Finance.
Mr. T is a single man in his late sixties with no immediate family, a house worth €310,000 but in need of repair, no savings and a small debt he wished to clear. He borrowed €60,000 to rewire the house, replace the windows and update the kitchen and bathroom. He also repaid the small debt, which freed up monthly income going forward.
The consultation process is designed to ensure that potential borrowers are fully familiar with what a Lifetime Loan is, how it works and the potential downsides as well as the benefits. Crucially, it also establishes what the borrowers’ circumstances are and whether or not a Lifetime Loan is a suitable solution for their financial needs.
Pros and cons The key benefit of a Lifetime Loan is that it gives you access to the value of your home without having to move out of it. Because no monthly repayments are required, you don’t have to have a certain minimum income to qualify. The interest rate is fixed for life, so you have certainty about what the loan balance will
Mr. & Mrs. P are a married couple in their early seventies with a house worth €750,000. They had previous positive experience of a Lifetime Loan, having taken one out with Seniors Money which they went on to repay several years ago. They returned for a new loan of €100,000, largely to refinance a property-related debt with the balance used for a combination of purposes including home improvements.
56 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
You are not alone
Support for the grieving in exceptional times
We have all been coming to terms with different types of loss over the last year. For those among us who are bereaved, it has been particularly heartbreaking as the usual ways we come together as families, friends and communities to mark our grief have been dramatically changed due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions. As we approach the first anniversary of the first COVID-related death in Ireland on March 11, we still can’t come together to show our support for the bereaved like we once did. At Irish Hospice Foundation, we are continuing to support those struggling with the grief of a COVID death, a death from other causes and those living with a previous loss that feels much more difficult during these exceptional times. Through our COVID-19 Care & Inform hub, we have created a series of vital resources to help those planning a funeral, supporting children and teenagers to find new ways to say goodbye and acknowledging and coping with grief in these incredibly difficult times. They are all included in our new free bereavement resource pack, Support for Grieving in Exceptional Times, to make sure no-one faces bereavement without the care and support they need. Our Bereavement Support Line, the first of its kind in Ireland, has also received hundreds of calls since launching last June. It’s there for any adult who needs a listening ear in this time of isolation. It is also a freephone service 1800 80 70 77. Available Monday-Friday, 10am-1pm.
Care & Inform
Support for Grieving in Exceptional Times
Our free bereavement pack is available to download from hospicefoundation.ie/Support-for-Grieving-in-Exceptional-Times/
Please remember, you are not alone in grief For more information on all our supports for those grieving, please visit our Bereavement & Loss Hub on our website. hospicefoundation.ie
Golf
Dermot Gillecee recalls the antics of some of golf’s celebrated bad boys
Golf writer Bernard Darwin, who, according to Henry Longhurst, got really cross at golf and had a kind of love-hate relationship with the game for the best part of 70 years.
Tantrums on the tees.. Bad temper in golf is a weakness for which the great Henry Longhurst, had profound sympathy. When questioned on the subject, he would justify his views by referring to his great contemporary in golf-writing, Bernard Darwin, who, according to Henry, got really cross at golf and had a kind of love-hate relationship with the game for the best part of 70 years. Indeed after a particularly upsetting incident when playing at Rye, Darwin was heard to mutter savagely to himself: ‘Why do I play this ****ing game? I do hate it so.’ By way of illustrating infuriating aspects of a pursuit which would dominate both their lives, Darwin told Longhurst about the unfortunate experience of a former leading Scottish amateur, prior to World War I. Longhurst wrote: ‘Though a big man, he made the discovery, as people do from time to time, that you can putt remarkably well one-handed, with a little putter about the size of a carpenter's hammer’.
As always happens, it lasted splendidly for a while but proved fallible in the end. The climax came when he missed a tiddler with it on the ninth green at Muirfield. Raising himself to his full height, he flung it against the grey stone wall bordering the green. 'You little bastard!' he cried. 'Never presume upon my good nature again! Which leads me to the discovery that all fishy tales in golf are not necessarily reserved for the 19th hole, nor with company well -nourished with seasonal cheer. The experience of the hapless Scot brings to mind a certain English gentleman by the name of Albert Haddock, who was famously brought to heel for repeated outbursts of intemperate language on the course. His story was revealed in a book titled Uncommon Law by a British member of parliament, AP Herbert, and published in 1936. Among 66 unusual legal cases which formed the basis of the book, the one about Haddock hinged on
58 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
Writer AP Herbert, in a book which related 66 unusual legal cases , featured Albert Haddock’s exploits where he crossed swords with the law
the issue as to whether a golfer should also be a gentleman. We’re informed that Haddock was charged under the Profane Oats Act of 1745 with swearing and cursing on the Mullion course in Cornwall. A breach of the Act carried a fine of one shilling for each transgression, if one happened to be a labourer, soldier or seaman. If one were of higher social status but under the ‘degree of gentleman’, however, the fine was increased to two shillings and for a person
Health
Montessori Education for Dementia: Bringing Joy and Purpose into Care Nestled in the beautiful seaside town of Dun Laoghaire is St Nicholas Montessori College, a teacher-training college specialised in Montessori methodology. For the past 50 years, St Nicholas Montessori Society has been training and equipping Montessori professionals in Ireland with the hopes of bringing professionalisation to the early years sector and transforming education in the Primary education sector and beyond. Now, SNMCI is expanding the scope of Montessori to encompass all ages, through the new groundbreaking Level 6 Special Purpose Award in Montessori Education for Dementia. In an in-depth interview with Montessori Education for Dementia Programme Director and Montessori Dementia expert, Jennifer Brush, we spoke at length to learn more about how St Nicholas Montessori College is transforming the lives of all ages. Why Montessori? Montessori is based on the principles of free choice and purposeful activity. In a Montessori community for elders, individuals with a wide range of abilities work both individually and collaboratively on an array of activities from which they are free to choose, explore, and discover (Brush, Douglas, and Bourgeois). Elders have freedom to move within the community, and to engage in household roles and responsibilities, guided as needed by trained staff who have completed at least two days of education with an AMI trainer (AMI). The focus is on the well-being of the whole person, including physical, spiritual, social, mental, and emotional needs. Communities offer occasions for new learning, religious practices, meditation, art, music, exercise, and so forth. In addition, there are opportunities for interaction with children, friends, family, and groups outside of the care community.
About the course and/or workshop SNMCI is offering the standalone introductory workshop (ideal for groups of colleagues who seek insight into this field) and a 6 month ONLINE blended course (ideal for carers, activity professionals, social workers, nursing home directors, and leaders in the field of ageing and Montessori). This course provides a powerful approach to dementia care that will change perspectives on ageing and dementia care. Students will learn how to create a dementia friendly physical and social environment that supports people with cognitive impairment to participate in meaningful activities that match their cognitive skills, interests and abilities. Students will also develop an understanding about memory loss, learning, and at tention in order to best communicate with individuals living with dementia. The course will result in the tools care providers need to cope with the challenges of dementia care in order to create an environment where everyone wants to live and work. For more information, please visit SNMCI’s website: https://smsi.ie/dementia/ Applications can be made for the next intake on 15 April 2021: https://smsi.ie/all-courses/apply/
Montessori for adults with Dementia, How? Montessori methodology isn’t just for little ones. Although Dr. Montessori did not design environments for older adults, researchers, clinicians, and architects have contributed to a large body of evidence that has resulted in aging and dementia care guidelines. This new program combines Dr. Montessori’s philosophy of learning and living with person-centered aging and dementia care best practices.The Montessori Education for Dementia respects the older person and enables them to continue to make contributions to the community in whatever way possible, encourages caregivers to make observations in order to learn about the person, encourages independence in a specially prepared environment, provides meaningful engagement for older adults, and reminds us that learning and engagement can occur anywhere and at any age. This is a life changing approach to dementia care. The Montessori philosophy encourages and incorporates the prepared environment, freedom of movement, hands-on activities, intrinsic motivation, concentration, independence, and mixed abilities. Most of us would hear Montessori and automatically picture children or early years settings, but read through those attributes again... This philosophy, at its core, allows for a sense of individuality and joy within the individual. Older adults and children alike can utilise these attributes and flourish in their lives. It is at this intersection that St Nicholas Montessori College is offering its unique expertise in the creation and delivery of one of the world’s only Montessori Education for Dementia programmes: Level 6 Special Purpose Award in Montessori Education for Dementia. Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie 59
Golf
Mullion Golf Course, in Cornwall. Haddock played it twice a year year and usually played well enough until reaching the 12th, which featured a tee-shot across an inlet of the sea bordered by cliffs 60 feet high..
‘of or above the degree of gentleman’, each offence carried the penalty of five shillings. Herbert’s book informs us that Haddock was charged with no fewer than 400 ‘maledictions’ which, based on his gentleman’s status, meant a potential fine of £100, which was a very significant sum in those days. Small wonder that Haddock strenuously defended the charges. According to the book: ‘The defendant admits the offences, but contends that the fine is excessive and wrongly calculated, on the curious ground that he is not a gentleman when he is playing golf.’ The game of golf, claimed Haddock, created circumstances that would ‘break down the normal restraints of a civilised citizen’, while inflaming powerful passions, comparable to the discovery of another man molesting one’s wife. It seems that Haddock played Mullion twice each year and usually played well enough until reaching the 12th, which featured a tee-shot across an inlet of the sea bordered by cliffs 60 feet high. Known locally at The Chasm, it never failed to catch Haddock’s well-intentioned drives. So it is hardly surprising that it began to prey on the golfer’s mind. We’re told that initially, Haddock would hit six or seven golf balls into the sea before finally abandoning the hole and moving on. Based on experience, however, he later reduced his losses to two balls and, finally, he settled for hitting one ball onto the boulder-strewn beach below, before clambering after it and flailing his way to high ground, 60 feet above. Herbert writes: ‘On one or two occasions, a crowd of holiday-makers and local residents have gathered on the cliff and foreshore to watch the defendant’s indomitable struggles and to hear the verbal observations that
have accompanied them. On the date of the alleged offences, a crowd of unprecedented dimensions collected, but so intense was the defendant’s concentration that he did not, he tells us, observe their presence. ‘His ball had more nearly tranversed the gulf than ever before; it struck the opposing cliff but a few feet from the summit and nothing but an adverse gale of exceptional ferocity prevented success. The defendant therefore, as he conducted his customary excavations among the boulders of The Chasm, was possessed, he tells us, by a more than customary fury. Oblivious of the surroundings, conscious only of the will to win, for 15 to 20 minutes he lashed his battered ball against the stubborn cliffs until, as last, it triumphantly escaped. ‘And before, during and after every stroke, he uttered a number of imprecations of a complex character, which were carefully recorded by an assiduous caddie and by one or two of the spectators. The defendant says that he recalls with shame a few of the expressions which he used, that he has never used them before and that it was a shock to him to hear them issuing from his own lips; and he says quite frankly that no gentleman would use such language.’ While expressing admiration for the brilliance of Haddock’s defence, the author explained that evidence had been called “to show the subversive effect of this exercise upon the ethical and moral systems of the mildest of mankind.” He went on: ‘Elderly gentlemen, gentle in all respects, kind to animals, beloved by children and fond of music, are found in lonely corners of the downs, hacking at sandpits or tussocks of grass, and muttering in a blind, ungovernable fury, elaborate maledictions that could not be extracted from them by robbery or murder. Men who would face torture without a word,
60 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
become blasphemous at the short 12th.’ Herbert further expressed the view: ‘It is clear that the game of golf may well be included in that category of intolerable provocations which may legally excuse or mitigate behaviours not otherwise excusable, and that under that provocation, the reasonable or gentle man may reasonably act like a lunatic or lout respectively, and should legally be judged as such.’ After this lengthy preamble, you’re entitled to wonder how Haddock made out in court. It transpired that much consideration was given to the true nature of a gentleman before this ruling came down: ‘That provocation was so exceptional that I cannot think that it was contemplated by the framers of the [Profane Oaths] Act; and had golf at that date (1745) been a popular exercise, I have no doubt that it would have been dealt with under a special section. I find therefore that this case is not governed by the Act. ‘I find that the defendant at the time was not in law responsible for his actions or his speech, and I am unable to punish him in any way. For his conduct in The Chasm, he will be formally convicted of Attempted Suicide while Temporarily Insane, but he leaves the court without a stain upon his character.’ On reading about Haddock’s escapades in the January/February 1985 issue of the sadly defunct American magazine Golf Journal, I can remember having a serious chat about it with the Editor, the late Robert (Bob) Sommers. Realising that I had not taken the story cum granu salis, Bob got a fit of laughing. ‘The clue is in Haddock, the golfer’s name,’ he said. Then he walked away, chuckling to himself.
Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie 61
Finance
FraudSMART warns consumers to be wary of parcel delivery text scams! FraudSMART is warning consumers to beware of a text message scam involving customers being contacted via a text message which references an undelivered package and asks for payment often for customs charges. With COVID-19 leading to an increase in online shopping and home delivery usage along with Brexit and changes in shipping from the UK, scammers are attempting to take advantage of possible consumer confusion. Key details: Customers are contacted by a text message which mentions outstanding shipping costs and has a link to “Track your package”. The message links to fraudulent branded phishing sites e.g. An Post or UPS where customers are asked to provide personal information and card details. FraudSMART Advice • Stop and think! Are you expecting a package? • Do not respond to unsolicited text / SMS messages. • Independently validate unsolicited texts. Do not click on links or attachments or use phone numbers given in the text messages as these can be fake. 62 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
• Never give away personal information, bank account details or security details such as your PIN or online password to anyone. • If you think you have responded to a SMS text message scam, contact your bank immediately.
Northern
By Debbie Orme
Notes
Music
‘ Horsing about ' in the Glens of Antrim
The stunning backdrop to Glenview Farm.
Jane ‘chatting’ to one of her equine friends
Nestled in the Glens of Antrim and set against a background of rolling green fields and Slemish Mountain sits the picturesque venue of Glenview Farm in Carnalbana. While the farm is currently closed due to the pandemic, it provides the perfect outdoor location for grandparents and grandchildren to spend quality time having fun and enjoying spectacular views. ‘The farm has been in the family since the early 1900s,’ current owner – and fourth generation farm owner - Jane Magee tells me. ‘Dad was born and raised here and a few years ago I inherited it.’ ‘I grew up just half a mile from the family farm. My two great uncles and my granny lived on the farm, so it’s just lovely to see new life being brought into it. I thought my dad might have been somewhat nervous about me taking it over but he has been so supportive. For me it’s much more than a business, it’s preserving a way of life – the farm was lying derelict for about seven years before I got it. The local community have also been so supportive about the venture, not only does it bring life to the area but offers the local young people a place to volunteer, as well as ride.’ ‘I’m a country girl through and through - everyone who arrives here is blown away by the scenery and I totally understand that. I’ve lived throughout the world and have been privileged to travel but have chosen to come back here to live. Sometimes you forget the beauty that’s on our doorstep and it’s that aspect that strikes people first – the peace and serenity, just getting the space and freedom to be able to connect
with themselves and with nature and with the horses. Taking time out of everyday schedules to recharge.’ One of the main aspects of Glenview Farm is that it not only provides ‘time out’ for adults and children alike, but it also provides an invaluable therapy for all ages: equine-assisted learning. ‘Although we enjoy providing riding lessons for adults and children alike,’ says Jane, ‘we also aim to provide an innovative yet proven learning experience with our equine partners to accelerate transformational change. The farm provides loads of opportunities for participants to connect with both our horses and with the natural environment and, in doing so, we encourage them to connect with themselves, others and the world they live in. Equine Assisted learning is done from the ground, is non-riding and participants don’t need prior horse experience.’ ‘I’ve always been involved in horses,’ she continues, ‘but I’ve also spent my working life as a teacher. While I was working with young people in inner city Dublin, I saw how nurturing it was for young people from the inner city to visit a riding school in the middle of the estate. It was such an escape for them. Then, when I was on a career break in Australia, I saw equine-assisted learning in operation and was intrigued and impressed by the results. I came home and trained in Co. Wicklow, and then, when I inherited the family farm, opening an equestrian centre was the logical thing to do. It allowed me to combine my love of horses with my love for people. It was a natural blend.’ Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie 63
Northern Notes
Jane puts one of the ponies through its paces
Mayor praises ongoing community spirit
Mayor Alderman Mark Fielding and his wife Phyllis help pack donations at the Portrush Reach community foodbank facility with Reach volunteer, Val McDonald. Alderman Fielding and wife Phyllis meet volunteers to thank them and their supporters for the services they provide.
The Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council has paid tribute to volunteers who continue to offer crucial help and support within their communities. Alderman Mark Fielding praised the sustained response which is evident across the Borough as coronavirus restrictions continue. This includes the Portrush-based Reach group, which, with support from local businesses and generous donations, provides a meal delivery service and a foodbank facility for local families. Willie Magee, Jane’s father with an equine friend.
‘I’ve witnessed first hand how the intuitive powers of equine animals offer healing and comfort. As the benefits of equine therapy are becoming more widely known, more people are requesting appointments for equine-assisted learning. It’s very effective for both children and adults alike, but it can also be very beneficial for those with a memory-related illness like dementia or Alzheimer’s as they may find that working with the horses and ponies can trigger memories in a positive way as they share stories and memories. Also, the fact that it is so sensory is beneficial and allows individuals to connect with their equine partner helping those who are suffering from loneliness, anxiety and depression. Something as simple as grooming a pony, or brushing a stable, can also help restore self-worth. While I believe that interacting with any type of animal has benefits for people of all ages, I honestly feel that equine assisted learning offers unique opportunities for older adults and their caregivers, particularly because of the characteristics and personality traits of equine animals whereby they benefit physically, emotionally and mentally.’ Sometimes people can be a little intimidated when they first arrive - especially if they’re not used to horses. Our horses are genuinely so quiet but they all have their own personalities and it’s great to see how people become intrigued as the horse’s personality starts to come out. It’s such a lovely family thing to do, particularly because it’s sometimes hard to find things that grandparents, parents and kids can do together. We offer individuals and small groups the opportunity to socialise, exercise in the fresh air, in a relaxing environment, while experiencing the well-documented calming effect of horses. It’s also great that everyone is out in the natural environment – particularly in this current situation.’ 64 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
Reach’s community work began in 2017 but demand for its services escalated with the onset of the pandemic. It now provides a weekly meal and a Friday treat to 114 households in the town alongside its ‘Great Fish Supper Runs’ which are delivered to as many as 180 families intermittently. ‘I want to take this opportunity to thank the Reach volunteers and their supporters, along with all others involved in community responses in their areas, for the services they provide,’ Alderman Fielding said. ‘Their overall contribution is immeasurable, helping to protect the wellbeing of the most vulnerable through their practical and social support. As Mayor, I want to relay my gratitude to all those who selflessly devote their time and skills, along with those who have made donations of food, essential items and money which collectively make such a positive impact on the lives of those in need.’ ‘Our services are subsidised through support within the community,’ added Val McDonald from Team Reach, ‘and by funding from Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, the Co-Op, the Kathleen Graham Trust and the National Lottery Awards for All scheme, with our weekly meals cooked by the chef at the Adelphi Hotel. But it’s not just about food deliveries – it’s about providing our recipients with a point of contact and someone calling to their door to ask how they are doing which is just as important. For those who are isolating, especially those who live by themselves, it can be such a lonely experience and we are helping to address this and ensure they know they are not alone. ‘The meals we deliver gives them something to look forward to during the week and the response we get is amazing. This wouldn’t happen without the input of everybody at Team Reach and I want to say a big thank you to all our volunteers, supporters and funders who make our work possible.’
Leave a priceless gift. Please remember GOAL in your will
You do not need to re-write your will, you just need to include us in it. Doing so will help us respond to global health crises, continue to provide life saving support for families and communities struck down by disaster or conflict and to feed the hungry. Founded in 1977 GOAL continues to make the world a better place. You too can help change lives.
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Registered Charity No. 20010980; CHY 6271, Carnegie House, Library Road, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, Ireland
Northern Notes
Derry’s Tower Museum celebrates anniversary of Armada ship discovery Derry’s Tower Museum is a ‘must see’ visitor attraction Derry/Londonderry should have been celebrating a major anniversary recently. The city – in conjunction with Strabane District Council and Donegal County Council – had joined forces to get ready for the 1500th anniversary of the birth of St Columcille – also known as St Columba - which was to be marked throughout 2020 and 2021. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, all celebrations had to be cancelled but, hopefully, the city will soon be able to mark the anniversary! St Columcille is actually the patron saint of Derry/Londonderry, where he founded a monastic settlement in c. 540AD. The name of the city in Irish is Doire Colmcille and is derived from the native oak trees in the area and the city's association with Columcille. The Catholic Church of Saint Colmcille's Long Tower, and the Church of Ireland St Augustine's Church both claim to stand at the spot of this original settlement, while the Church of Ireland Cathedral, St Columb’s Cathedral, and the largest park in the city, St Columb’s Park are named in his honour. Located within the historic city walls of Derry, the award-winning Tower Museum is a ‘must see’ visitor attraction, which also provides visitors with a comprehensive look at the early history of the city and region – and at how the patron saint – St Columba – shaped its development. Now, despite the pandemic, the Tower Museum is set to celebrate one of the most significant underwater archaeological finds in North West maritime history with a release of new online content. February marks 50 years since thirteen divers from the City of Derry Sub Aqua Club found the final resting place of La Trinidad Valencera – a Spanish Armada ship wrecked off Kinnagoe Bay in 1588. The divers had searched the bay numerous times with no luck but, on February 20 1971, after about 30 minutes’ diving, they discovered a bronze cannon sticking from the rocks. From the start, the divers agreed that the importance of the site was too great to benefit any individual, and so they set in motion a recovery project that unveiled multiple cannon, incredible artefacts, textiles, instruments and weaponry from the site over the next few years. Many of the items are now on display in a permanent exhibition in the Tower Museum. 66 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
To mark the anniversary of the discovery, the Tower Museum will now be releasing new content online, including a virtual 360° tour of the exhibition, photographs of the recovery as well as original documents and essays written by the divers at the time. Due to COVID-19 restrictions the exhibition 'An Armada Shipwreck- La Trinidad Valencera' has been closed to the public since March 2020, but now the virtual tour, digitised in partnership with The Nerve Centre, will allow visitors from anywhere in the world to view what the members of the City of Derry Sub Aqua club discovered 50 years ago. There is also correspondence and photos donated to the museum by the divers, recording the sheer awe and excitement at what they had discovered on the seabed. The new content is available online at www.towermuseumcollections.com
ENERGY – The Natural Way
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Meeting Place NOTICE If your name is Robert and you replied to BOX NUMBER 27 in the last issue ‘LATE 50s LEITRIM LADY’ contact Meeting Place as the advertiser has lost your details due to accidently defacing most of your letter. We will then put you in touch with each other again SHY GAY DONEGAL MALE, 56, seeks men of similar age and up to 70 for meetings, fun times and weekends away, dinner, walks etc. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER C1 MIDLANDS SINGLE MAN, 63, average height, slim, presentable and solvent, usual interests. Given the usual travel restrictions I would like to hear from a lady under 60 from anywhere in Ireland who has an easy-going manner for phone chats etc. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER C2 DUBLIN LADY LATE 60s RETIRED NURSE, separated, NS, SD, WLTM youthful gentleman 60-70. I am slim, petite and have always looked much younger. Interests include oil painting singing (choral), reading, history, science and the arts. Also interested in spiritual tradition and have travelled widely. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER C3 DUBLIN GENT NEVER MARRIED, country origins, seeking female soulmate. Cultured, joyful, romantic, caring, artistic, respectful. Let us re-discover Ireland’s wonderful, beautiful scenery together so that our souls are moved! REPLY TO BOX NUMBER C4 KERRY MALE, 39, interests include sport, dancing, country music, going to gym, walking. WLTM an easy going, caring female between 39-45 for friendship in Kerry or West Limerick. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER C5 NORTH DUBLIN ACTIVE RETIRED MALE, widower, 70s, medium build 5ft 10in likes walking, dancing, travel, WLTM lady for friendship and more. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER C6 OFFALY FEMALE, 54, WLTM similar age gent. Must love dogs, hiking and walking. Would like to have someone genuine to share adventures and to fill my bucket list. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER C7 MID-WEST RETIRED professional lady, widowed. Caring with happy positive outlook & varied interests, including travel. I would love to connect with interesting warm-hearted, GSOH sincere, caring and unattached gent, 70ish. Sharing 'getting to know you' telephone chats & laughter would lighten current restricting lifestyle until we can once again interact socially. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER C8 DUBLIN MALE 60 (LOOKS YOUNGER) single,
WLTM a nice, broadminded, uninhibited mature lady to join a naturist club to travel abroad on naturist holidays when it is safe to do so. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER C9 CIRCLE OF FRIENDS: Interested in joining a social group of retired and semi-retired business and professional women - Limerick and surrounding areas?. Currently communication is via social media but we look forward to future socialising and new adventures. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER C10 DUBLIN GENT 70, LOOK YOUNGER, widower, retired professional. GSOH, fit and healthy. NS 5ft 9in. Enjoys conversation and all the good things in life - walking, cinema, travelling, theatre, music, eating out, driving etc. WLTM attractive lady 55 - 68 with GSOH. Living Dublin south west but born in the country. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER C11 ROSCOMMON LADY, good-hearted and caring WLTM a widower 68-72, NS. I’m outgoing, enjoy dancing, cycling and walking REPLY TO BOXNUMBER K2 POFESSIONAL DUBLIN LADY, divorced ex-teacher, attractive 60s, WLTM gent for friendship/relationship. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER K3 GAY WIDOWER, 65 SOUTH DUBLIN/ NORTH KILDARE. GSOH, warm, friendly with many interests including the arts, gardening, current affairs, gardening, food and wine. WLTM female or male travel companion for a few much-need journeys, hopefully some time soon. Perhaps we could meet for a coffee or a drink. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER K4 PROFESSIONAL DUBLIN MALE, 75, living alone, seeks female companion (68-78) to spend time with. I am fit and healthy. Seek a companion for walks, talks and coffee, chats and meals out, as well as theatre, music and cinema outings together. Hopefully we can meet socially distant in 2021 REPLY TO BOX NUMBER K5 RETIRED DUBLIN MALE DOCTOR, 70s, WLTM lady of similar age who enjoys the good things in life, e.g. dining out, going to the theatre, concerts etc. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER K6 SOUTH DUBLIN WIDOW, 67, interests include walking, nature, gardening. Reading and music. WLTM widower or single man 65-72. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER F1 ACTIVE RETIRD TALL MAN, NS, SD WLTM active lady, preferably never married and with youthful outlook for outings, theatre, travel etc. and perhaps leading to romance. Dublin area. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER F2
68 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
SICILIAN-NEW YORK RETIRED TEACHER, living in the North East. ‘I am blessed with the Italian good looks and quirky metropolitan humour. Culture couples with joy, happiness and laughter are my centres’. WLTM a gent 60s upwards ‘who can compose an excellent and lengthy summary is welcome’ REPLY TO BOX NUMBER F3 FRIENDLY GENT 69 looking to form a small social group for walks, coffee, chats in Dublin area. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER F4 SOUTH WEST GENT, ex-teacher, 60, good conversations, friendly outlook, love dancing, walking, travel, play some golf. WLTM lady or around the same age with similar interests. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER F5 SOUTH EAST MAN, 62, enjoys walking, keeping fit, eating out, reading, travel etc. WLTM that special lady for company and perhaps relationship. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER F6 DUBLIN WOMAN, 64, EDCUATED AND CONSIDERATE, enjoys walking, reading, travelling, cinema and dining out. WLTM kin, considerate man, 59-69, with GSOH for friendship and possible relationship. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER F7 ROMANTIC DUBLIN MALE, 60s, medium height, interested in reading, walking dining out, cinema etc. WLTM lady 50s upwards from Dublin area for a loving relationship. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER F8 DUBLIN MALE 60 SEEKS male travelling companion 50-70 for holidays to Thailand when the time is right to enjoy lovely weather, beautiful beaches, fantastic food, great night life and gloriously friendly ladies. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER F9 MIDLANS-BASED VEGETARIAN LADY, EARLY 50s, interested in holistic health, WLT, gent with similar outlook. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER F11 ATTRACTIVE, EASY GOING NORTH WEST LADY, WLTM a kind man in his 70s who shares the same outlook and quite possibly the same interests which are music, the outdoor life, and caravanning. Let’s discover the new together! REPLY TO BOX NUMBER F12 MIDLANDS WIDOW, LATE 60s, genuine, romantic, lovers chats and music WLTM an attractive 60s-70s gent to enjoy trips around the country etc. Does not have to be midlands based. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER F13 MIDLANDS WIDOW LATE 60s .Genuine, romantic and loves chats and music. WLTM a gentleman medium build, mid 60-70s with GSOH to enjoy trips around the country,
coffees, chats and going out to dinner. Doesn’t have to be from Midlands. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER T1 ATTRACTIVE DUBLIN MALE NATURIST 60 seeks mature lady for naturists holidays abroad. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER T2 GROW OLD WITH ME. Attractive North Co Dublin lady with trendy personality mid 60s, NS, SD. WLTM kind, caring gent for new beginnings. Interests include cinema, theatre, music, eating out, conversation, nice walks and days away. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER T3 100 PER CENT GENUINE CO CORK MAN, 63, single, easy to please. Interests include C&W music, sport, animals. NS, SD. Never married. WLTM similar unattached lady aged 68-80s who genuinely wants a discreet romance to share the joys of love and life. Absolute discretion assured a and expected. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER T4 SINGLE WEST OF IRELAND GAY MALE 62, sincere GSOH WLTM other males 55+ with view to friendship, socializing and possibly travelling. Interests include music of all types, outdoor life, cycling and walking and sport. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER T5 TRENDY OLDER SOUTH DUBLIN WOMAN seeks companions, preferably with GSOH with spiritual and moral values. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER T6 TALL MUNSTER GENTLEMAN 62, educated, NS, ND loves nature, scenic walks, cycling, eating out, cinema, cooking, holidays in Ireland/UK. WLTM pleasant, romantic lady for friendship and relationship. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER T7 GALWAY MAN LATE FORTIES lives alone WLTM other males of any age for company and maybe more. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER T8 DUBLIN BASED GALWAY GIRL, attractive retired schoolteacher, mid-60s WLTM genuine NS male with GSOH for friendship, socialising and outdoor activities. Interests include golf, hill-walking, travel and a lot of joie de vivre REPLY TO BOX NUMBER B1 DUBLIN WIDOWER, 70, looks younger. Tall, active, NS, SD, GSOH. Likes walking, driving, cinema, theatre, listening to music, dining out, holidays at home and way. WLTM lady with similar interests for long term friendship/relationship would be ideal with lots of good conversation. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER B2 FEMALE NORTH DUBLIN WOMAN WLTM other ladies to socialise in Dublin and surrounding areas. Interests include nature, music. Let’s meet up for coffee. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER B3
REPLY TO BOX NUMBER B15 QUIET GALWAY GENT NS ND. Interests include sport and keep fit, all types of music. WLTM lady 50-75 for friendship and perhaps more. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER B16
SOUTH EAST GENT MID 60s slim and of youthful appearance. Interests include current affairs, reading, walking, travel, concerts, dining out. WLTM lady from Dublin, Wicklow, Wexford areas. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER B5 MIDLANDS LADY 70s WIDOW. WLTM caring, warm gentleman for friendship. Enjoy walking, reading, dancing, holidays in the sun and winter breaks at home. NS SD. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER B6 DUBLIN MALE 70, long time separated, happy caring with positive outlook. Interests include music, theatre, WLTM lady for friendship/relationship. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER B7 SINGLE LEINSTER GENT 60s, honest, cheerful, positive with a relaxed outlook on life. WLTM a warm-hearted lady 60s 70s who likes to enjoy laugher which is the best medicine. Wide range of interest and always open to new ideas. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER B8 RESPECTFUL DUBLIN MALE 60 (looks younger) single, WLTM a nice lady 45-70 to join a naturist club and to travel abroad on naturists holidays. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER B9
KIND, SINCERE CLARE LADY, NS. Varied interests. WLTM gent 60-70 with good values, NS medium build into social dancing, music, particularly C&W, walking, animals, gardening. Interested in gents from Co Clare and Galway. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER B17 RETIRED FRIENDS GROUP. Are you retired but not tired? Still got a zest for living? Group forming in Midlands but open to all regions. Replies invited from those with broad range of interests, including travel, films, theatre, sports etc. All suggestions welcome. Replies to include email/mobile. Whatsapp where possible. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER B18
TO PLACE AN ADVERTISEMENT If you are interested in meeting someone of the opposite or same sex, send your advertisement, with four stamps (which is the average reply rate) enclosed in the envelope, to:
SINCERE, CARING TRUSTWORTHY LADY from Leinster, widow, retired from a profession. Young at heart WLTM educated, personable gent, preferably a widower for friendship and chats. Ideal age range 80-85. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER B10
Meeting Place, Senior Times, PO Box 13215, Rathmines, Dublin 6 Or email: john@slp.ie IMPORTANT
EAST COAST FEMALE WLTM aspiring Fred Astaire for ballroom, Latin and social dancing. Let’s give it a whirl! REPLY TO BOX NUMBER B11
Ensure you give your approximate age and the area you live, noting your interests. The advertisement should not be more than 60 words.
FED UP WITH AIRPORTS? Dublin semi-retired businessman, NS, divorced, good appearance, medium build. Solvent, kind, considerate, respectful, private, good fun. Interest include cinema, the arts. Would like to invite into my life a warm, kind, interesting, affectionate, tactile, warm woman 60-70 for companionship, chats, laughs and short breaks in in Ireland. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER B12 ROMANTIC GENTLEMAN, 39, DUBLIN, never married, country origin. House, car, walker, DIY, artistic. Seeks female soulmate, share joy of living, kindness of giving. Daily celebrate with romance, caring, support, laughter, fun, woodland walks, inspirational talks, lake water lapping, herons flapping, sunny lands holding hands, happy days, Atlantic bays, scenic drives, for your high fives. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER B13 CARING DUBLIN GENT, 67, SINCERE, KIND, WLTM lady for relationship. Interests include travel, music, writing. REPLY TO BOX NUMBER B14 DUBLIN GENT, LATE 60s, NEVER MARRIED. Seeks female soulmate to share joyful living, romantic surprises and the wonderful adventure of a loving relationship.
If you are replying to the advertisement via Senior Time’s email, ensure you include your postal address for those not on the Net. (Only Senior Times will have these details). Deadline for receipt of advertisements for the next issue is 20th April 2021.
TO REPLY TO AN ADVERTISEMENT Each reply to an advertisement should be enclosed in a plain, stamped envelope, with the box number marked in pencil so that it can be erased before being forwarded to the advertiser. Send these envelopes in a covering envelope to the address , above, so that we can forward them to the advertiser. There is no limit to the amount of advertisements to which you can reply, provided each one is contained in a plain, stamped envelope. Ensure you give your approximate age and the area you live. For those submitting their advertisements by email ensure that you also supply Senior Times with your postal address so that we can post replies from those who have replied by post. (Only Senior Times will have your postal address).
Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie 69
Cosmetics and beauty
y t u a be
Beating those
blues
Mairead Robinson suggests ways of brightening your beauty regime
One of the things some of us have missed so much during these months of lockdowns - besides hairdressers - is beauty salons and spas. For many of us the ultimate indulgent treat is a holistic massage, a rejuvenating facial and some top to toe pampering treatments. So the alternative is to invest in a good home-spa treatment, and you will be surprised how well that can work once you get the right products. I recently came across Ziaja’s Baltic Home Spa Collection, and besides being extremely affordable products, they are actually beautiful to use and to find - you can buy them in your local Dunnes Stores, several pharmacies and best of all, you can shop on-line and have them delivered to your door from www.originalbeauty.ie 70 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
Active ingredients in Ziaja products include skin hydrating fig extract and other nourishing items for skin firming and moisturizing, but it is the aromatic mango sent that really turned me on to these products. Start your treatment with a Mango micro-scrub to dissolve dead and dull skin cells leaving skin velvety soft and smooth. There is also a glycerine body scrub which targets rough, dehydrated skin, especially good for the feet. Then you can really pamper your skin with moisturising body mousse, serum, and my absolute favourite product, Anti-Cellulite & Firming Massage Oil. This is a richly - scented aromatic mango oil treatment that smells delicious and is full of Japanese ginkgo, caffeine and illipe butter to tone and eliminate toxins balancing and nourishing the skin for
Health
Cardiologists get to the heart of the matter with special focus on coenzyme Q10
Cardiological science publications do not have a tradition of writing about nutritional supplements. That makes it even more noteworthy that the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) recently featured an article about the vitamin-like compound coenzyme Q10. What is especially noteworthy is that no less than four of the published studies mentioned in the article are conducted with Pharma Nord’s coenzyme Q10 formulation.
future use. The process takes place inside the mitochondria, which are microscopic “powerhouses” that our cells are packed with.
When you read the world’s leading cardiological science publication, which the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) is considered to be, you expect to find information about advanced heart drugs and groundbreaking surgery techniques.
What the two cardiologists also address is the fact that the body synthesizes both coenzyme Q10 and cholesterol from the same basic are essentially made from the same organic compound. Because they share the same biochemical pathway, blocking the cholesterol production also affects levels of coenzyme Q10.
News about nutritional supplements is normally not something that takes up a lot of space. Nonetheless, the February 9th issue of JACC contains a special focus seminar named “Nutritional Supplements and the Heart”. Large concentrations in the heart In this section, two leading cardiologists, Dr. Albert E Raizner from the Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital in Texas, and Dr. Miguel A. Quiñones, from Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital, Texas, describe multiple studies that have been conducted with the vitaminlike compound, coenzyme Q10, which we humans have in particularly great concentrations in our heart muscle tissue. Pharma Nord’s Q10 is highlighted No less than four of the included studies have been conducted using Pharma Nord’s coenzyme Q10 formula that is known and used by researchers worldwide because of its documented quality and bioavailability. Among the studies mentioned by the two cardiologists in their article is Q-Symbio, a double-blind, placebo-controlled intervention trial of 420 patients that was published in 2014 in JACC, Heart Failure. They call it perhaps the most persuasive evidence in favor of using coenzyme Q10. Helps cells make energy One of coenzyme Q10’s key functions is to serve as an energy catalyst that helps cells convert fat, carbohydrate, and protein into ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which is energy stored in molecular form for
Heart muscle cells have a particularly great need for energy and therefore have substantially higher mitochondrial density than other cell types. The connection between statins and Q10
This disruption of the body’s endogenous coenzyme Q10 synthesis is one of the things that scientists are interested in investigating, and numerous studies have looked into the effect of giving supplements to compensate for the depletion. Special technique solves absorption issues Coenzyme Q10 supplements have been around for decades and they are some of the most frequently used preparations among seniors worldwide. One thing about this natural compound that makes it challenging to take in supplement form is that the body has difficulty with absorbing it. At temperatures below 49 degrees Celsius, the coenzyme Q10 molecules aggregate and form large, indigestible crystals that cannot pass through the intestinal wall and enter the bloodstream. Pharma Nord has solved that problem by developing a special manufacturing method that involves using different types of oil and a patented heat treatment. This alters the surface of the crystals in such a way that they are able to dissolve completely at normal body temperature in the stomach. You can read about why Pharma Nord’s Q10 formulation has become the preferred choice among researchers worldwide because of its exceptionally good bioavailability here - www.pharmanord.ie
Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie 71
Cosmetics and beauty
a more radiant appearance. Massage the oil all over the body after your shower or bath while the skin is still wet for maximum benefit. Check out their website above, prices are less than €10 for full 300ml and 400ml bottles, and shower gel and shampoo is just €4.99 Orders over €35 will qualify for free delivery within Ireland. This is certainly a lockdown treat that you can afford. Luxury cosmetics brand Clarins have just launched some really exciting new products for those of us in the 50+ age bracket. Starting with the eyes - the first signs of aging appear here - the Total Eye Lift does exactly what it says on the tube. Application is simple, close your eyes and apply - its gel-cream texture enriched with Cassie wax smoothes the often tired skin of this fragile area. In sixty seconds your eyes look more open as it replenishes the skin around the eyelids and the eye contour for an open-eyed and visibly younger look. Special ingredient, organic Harungana extract is as powerful as retinol but gentler on skin. It is one of the most efficient active ingredients at Clarins when it comes to anti-ageing and maintains the skin’s lifted effect. Day after day you can see the effects of lifted replenished skin. This is a key product in our anti-ageing arsenal. It takes just five seconds to apply and sixty seconds to see the results. This lift-replenishing eye concentrate is one of my favourite new products, as good eye cream is so important to keeping a youthful and healthy appearance. Do remember also to wear sun glasses when out and about on bright days, even the winter and spring sunshine can make you squint your eyes, and this is only encouraging those wrinkles. Clarins have also just launched the Nutri-Lumiere range of skin care for the ‘silver’ generation – that’s us - which includes four new products to provide a complete pro-ageing nutrition action. Clarins laboratories tested the effectiveness of the Nutri-Lumiere range by measuring the skin’s luminance index, a combination of the light reflected by the epidermis and re-emitted by the dermis. For the 60+ age group, this is key to the skin’s appearance. The range consists of four key skin care products: Nourishing Revitalizing Day Cream, a sensorial, melting, oil-infused cream that revitalizes and intensely nourishes to restore radiance to nutrient-depleted skin. Nourishing Revitalizing Day Emulsion, lightweight, 72 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
non-greasy, oil infused emulsion that revitalizes, nourishes and restores radiance. Nourishing Rejuvenating Night Cream, a comforting meelting night cream that revitalizes and nourishes the skin by morning. And finally Renewing Treatment Essence which is the first essential daily skin care step for skin full of vitality. This smooth, gentle lotion is perfectly absorbed by the skin, preparing it to fully benefit from products applied afterwards. Use morning and evening after cleansing/makeup removal. Along with their Total Eye Care, I have found their Double Serum (hydric + Lipidic system) to be wonderful for mature skin, as getting moisture into the face is the best barrier against the harsh wind, rain, sun and environmental impacts. Just put a little in your hands, then massage over the face and neck. Use morning and night time before applying your moisturiser for maximum benefit. So as the days are becoming longer and brighter, and getting out to the garden is a welcome treat from our long winter, there are days to look forward to and things to enjoy. This includes the fact that there are a lot of new beauty products at every price point for pampering skin care and if ever there was a time to treat yourself – surely it is now!
Win a selection of Ziaja skincare products! If you would like to be in with a chance to win a selection of Ziaja skincare products, just email me your name and address to; mairead.seniorbeauty@gmail.com
€40 for 8 issues delivered to your door
Food
Cookbook aimed at reducing your cancer risk Mairead Robinson is impressed with the Anti-Cancer Cookbook While there are thousands of publications on how to prevent cancer - the second biggest cause of death globally, and the number one cause of death in Ireland this new book contains evidence-based cancer prevention from the World Cancer Research Fund. At a time when doctors are seeing more advanced cancers presenting due to the fear of Covid 19 stopping some people from seeking medical attention earlier, it is now more imperative than before to protective ourselves. And of course an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure, so keeping ourselves in optimum health is more important than ever.
exercise, quitting smoking and limiting alcohol intake. The authors of this book outline the impact of diet, and provide sensible, data-based advice on how to reduce our cancer risk without taking all the pleasure out of eating, by following simple realistic and very achievable recommendations.
In addition, for those who have had a cancer diagnosis, a healthy diet and lifestyle is key to recovery. So this new book endorsed by the NCCP (National Cancer Control Programme), ISM (Irish Society of Medical Oncology), INDI (Irish Nutrition & Dietetic Institute) and the IrSPEN (Irish Society for Clinical Nutrition & Metabolism) is a very timely and important contribution in our battle against cancer. The authors are Dr Eadaoin Ni Bhuachalla PhD RD and Dr Aoife Ryan PhD RD and all royalties from the sale of the book go to cancer research, while the book is supported by Breakthrough Cancer Research – www. breakthroughcancerresearch.ie
This book has two parts, an introductory text (approx. 35pages) where the authors explain in lay language the scientific evidence regarding diet and cancer. The authors describe the main cancer prevention recommendations from the global expert body on cancer prevention. The second part of the book is a series of recipes (130 in total): 12 soups, 31 light meals; 12 snacks, 58 main courses and 4 side dishes. All of these recipes meet the exact nutritional recommendations for cancer prevention. When I asked about boosting the immune system, Dr Aoife Ryan explained ‘The recipes in this book are based on fresh ingredients and are high in fibre and vegetables and salads which provide numerous nutrients, micronutrients, phytochemicals and antioxidants from food sources. Taken together a healthy balanced diet, regular exercise and adequate sleep is about all we do for good immune function. Where this book has broader applicability is that it is the same dietary pattern required to prevent/treat diabetes and prevent/treat cardiovascular disease also’.
book, what I really love about it are the recipes themselves. I have reviewed many recipe books over the years for food magazines, and far too many of them contain ingredients that are hard to source and possibly not to the majority of people’s tastes. This book on the other hand lists everyday ingredients, easy to follow instructions and delicious food which is so easy to prepare. In fact I have been working my way through the recipes over the past few weeks, and every single one has been a success. I enjoy making soups, and have mastered some new ones, tomato and roasted red pepper being my favourite. The fish dishes are gorgeous, so easy to prepare and all of them delicious. I discovered a few new interesting salads dishes too, while the meat and poultry recipes I tried had the most ardent meat eaters in our household well satisfied. All of the dishes are very affordable, and I would recommend this book for food lovers everywhere. The fact that it is designed to maintain optimum health through your everyday diet is a wonderful bonus. With all proceeds going to cancer research, there are so many reasons to buy this book. You can purchase it through your local bookshop, online at www.corkuniversitypress. com The book can also be purchased directly from Breakthrough Cancer Research – www. breakthroughcancerresearch.ie - where all the shop/publisher profits go directly to that charity.
Medical advice stresses the importance of maintaining a healthy weight, taking regular
While I am certainly impressed with all the research and expertise that has gone into this
The Anti-Cancer Cookbook costs €25 hardback.
Butternut squash soup Serves: 5–6 (makes 2l) Prep time: 15 mins Cooking time: 40 mins Ingredients 2 tbsp. olive oil 3 carrots, chopped 1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped 2 small onions, peeled and finely chopped 1 leek, washed and chopped 3 sticks celery, finely chopped ½ tsp. grated ginger ½ tsp. ground cumin Freshly ground black pepper
Serves: 4 Prep time: 20 mins. Cooking time: 10 mins
100g/3½oz rocket leaves 100g/3½oz mixed lettuce Handful of basil leaves 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 5 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
Ingredients 160g/1½ cups (raw) wholegrain pasta 225g/8oz tinned salmon, drained 1 tbsp. capers, drained 1 pepper, sliced 1 stick celery, sliced 250g/1¼ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
Method Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet, drain and rinse with cold water. Add the remaining prepared ingredients to the pasta. Toss the salad and decorate with fresh basil leaves.
Salmon and pasta salad
1400ml/6 cups stock approximately Method Heat the oven to 200°C/400°F (fan 180°C/350°F) or gas mark 6 and roast the carrot and squash with 1 tbsp. of the oil for 30 minutes. Meanwhile heat the remaining oil in a large pan and fry the onion, leek and celery for 5 minutes until softened. Add the squash, carrots, ginger, cumin and ground black pepper and fry for another 5 minutes. Add the stock or water and cook on a gentle heat until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Blend with a hand blender.
Food
Healthy omelette Serves: 2. Prep time: 10 min. Cooking time: 10 min Ingredients 2 eggs 3 egg whites Freshly ground black pepper 1 tsp. olive oil or rapeseed oil 2 spring onions, chopped 2 large tomatoes, chopped 80g/1 cup mushrooms, sliced 80g/½ cup spinach leaves 40g/1/3 cup grated low-fat cheddar cheese
Spaghetti bolognese Serves : 4. Prep time: 15 mins. Cooking time: 30 mins Ingredients 1 tbsp. sunflower oil 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 400g/14oz lean minced beef (<5% fat) 200g/2½ cups mushrooms, sliced 2 carrots, grated 600ml/2½ cups passata or 400g/14oz tinned tomatoes and 200ml/¾ cup low-salt vegetable stock 2 tbsp. tomato puree 1 tbsp. dried oregano* Season with black pepper 240g/8½oz wholewheat spaghetti, raw Basil leaves to garnish *Alternative to oregano is 1 tbsp smoked
Method Whisk the eggs and egg whites together and season with black pepper. Add oil to a large frying pan and heat over a medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes, mushrooms and onions and cook, stirring once or twice, until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Place the spinach on top, cover and let wilt, about 30 seconds. Stir to combine. Add the egg mixture to the frying pan, covering all of the vegetables. Sprinkle cheese over if desired. Cook over a medium heat until completely set.
paprika. Method Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and mince and fry, stirring occasionally, until the mince is browned and the onions softened. Add the mushrooms and grated carrots, cook for one minute, then add the passata/tinned tomatoes and vegetable stock, tomato puree, oregano and freshly ground black pepper. Stir well and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to simmer for 15–20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Cook the wholewheat spaghetti according to the packet instructions, then drain. Mix the sauce through the cooked spaghetti and serve garnished with fresh basil leaves.
Fish cakes Serves: 6 (make 12 small fish cakes and serve 2 per person with large salad) Prep time: 20 mins. Cooking time: 30 mins Ingredients 200g/7oz cod fillet 200g/7oz salmon fillet 500g/18oz potatoes, boiled 100ml/½ cup milk 25g/2 tbsp. butter 50g/½ cup spring onions, finely chopped Coating: 100g/¾ cup plain flour Freshly ground black pepper 2 eggs 30ml/2 tbsp. milk 175g/2 cups breadcrumbs approximately
Serve with dressed green salad and a crusty brown roll/baby potatoes or baked potato wedges. Method Steam the fish until cooked. Remove all skin, ensuring there are no bones, and flake fish. Boil the potatoes and mash, when cooked, with warm milk. Cook the spring onions in the butter until softened. Mix all the ingredients together, season and shape into fish cakes. Whisk the eggs with the milk and season with pepper. Coat each fishcake in flour, then in egg mixture and then in breadcrumbs. Pan-fry until golden brown or bake in the oven until heated through. Serve with a dressed green salad and a crusty brown roll/baby potatoes or baked potato wedges.
Four copies of The Anti- Cancer Cookbook to be won! Senior Times, in association with the publishers, Cork University Press, are offering four copies of The Anti-Cancer Cookbook as prizes in this competition. To enter, simply answer this question: What is the number one cause of death in Ireland? Send your entries to: Senior Times Anti-Cancer Cookbook Competition, PO Box 13215. Rathmines, Dublin 6. Or email to: john@slp.ie the first correct answers drawn are the winners. Deadline for receipt of entries is 20th April 2021
Four copies of Best-Loved Irish Ballads to be won! Senior Times in association with the publishers The O’Brien Press, are offering four copies of Best Loved Irish ballads by Emma Byrne and Eoin O’Brien in this crossword competition. Songs to stir the soul and move the feet, raise a roar or bring a tear to the eye. From Danny Boy to Boulavogue and more, this book celebrates the cream of Irish ballads, explaining the origins of each song, along with words, melodies and chords. Illustrated with evocative photographs and woodcuts.
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76 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
Send your entry to: Crossword Competition, Senior Times, PO Box 13215, Rathmines, Dublin 6 Deadline for recept of entries is 20th April 2021 . The first four correct entries drawn are the winners.
Crossword Crossword Number 110 by Zoë Devlin
ACROSS
DOWN
1 7 10 17 18 19 20 21 22 24 25 28 29 31 32 33 37 39 41 42 46 48 49 52 53 55 56 57 58 61 63 66 67 68 73 74 75 76 81 82 83 84 85 89 90 91 93 97 98 99 101 102 103 104
1 2 3 4 5 6 8 9 11 12 13 14 15 16 23 26 27 30 34 35 36 38 40 43 44 45 46 & 56 47 50 51 54 59 60 61 62 64 65 69 70 71 72 77 78 79 80 84 86 87 88 92 94 95 96 100
Born Harry Webb, his backing group was the Shadows (5,7) Collect, gather or accumulate (5) Mullingar singer of ‘Make me an island’ (3,5) Delivered from danger (7) Alice’s dam threat, he wore in a 10/6d hat (3,6) Unwilling to do something (9) Employ or utilise (3) Product sold without a brand name (7) Red eruption - somewhat imprudent (4) Shoot in one stroke over par (5) Hard felt hat - or Dublin dog? (6) ‘Bridge on the River Kwai’ actor, ___ Guinness (4) Slender double-reed musical instrument (4) Sackville St - renamed in 1924 as ___ Street (1'7) Feeling of wonder (3) Politically correct personal computer? (1.1.) Between 12 and 20 (7) Words of opera or musical play (8) Born Mary O’Brien, she was one of the Springfields (5) Have an existence (2) British sitcom about the Home Guard in WW2 (3'1,4) Dublin bridge named after Sir Isaac ___ (4) Would a nude eagle coo for this perfume? (3-2-7) Lawsuit or court proceeding (4) Small room in old house next to kitchen (8) ‘School for Scandal’ playwright Richard Brinsley ___ (8) See 46 Down (4) Forms coloured portion of the eye (4) Part of a farm in darn Bray! (8) Shirley ___, U.S. star of ‘Sweet Charity’ (8) At another time or author unknown (4) ‘The King’ who went on lively sprees in Memphis (5,7) Air pollution of smoke and fog (4) Scheme or plan of action (8) ___ and behold! (2) Good with cabbage or painter Francis ___ (5) Would Da reveal this New York-born politician (2,6) One of the places where mascara goes (7) Well-known brown sauce or the ‘Never Never’? (1.1.) Well it’s not good! (3) Flexible tube for conveying liquid in garden (8) City and canal in Egypt (4) Box lightly (4) Score of one stroke under par on a hole (6) Jolly ___, traditional flag of piracy (5) Author of the Famous Five books __ Blyton (4) Italian composer of ‘The Barber of Seville’ (7) Lyric poem found in Odessa? (3) Worse than 2nd rate - would make a rat dither! (5-4) Study of celestial bodies and Roman toys? (9) The Windy City in Illinois (7) US comedy duo, Bud Abbott and Lou ___ (8) Soft brimless cap - worn in France (5) Founded by WB Yeats and Lady Gregory in 1904 (5,7)
Leading Hollywood actor, star of North by Northwest (4,5) Hypocritical and lacking honesty (9) Hustle and bustle (6) Benito Mussolini, also known as ___ ___ (2,4) Ancient Greek poet or Bart Simpson’s Dad? (5) Embarrassed, Bolshevik or overdrawn colour? (3) Partner of an animal (4) University of Paris where one’s born an intellectual! (8) Leer at or look with amorous intentions (4) He lived at 221B Baker Street with Holmes (6,6) Held legally responsible (6) Can trucker perform this ballet by Tchaikovsky? (10) Long-haired Tibetan ox (3) Methodically arranged male hospital attendant (7) Can she institute legal proceedings (3) In a secret manner (8) Inebriated or very drunk (8) Unction or salve (4) Small palindromic canoe (5) Radiate or shine (4) Expressway in Germany (8) Could be ___Peron, Gabor or Braun ? (3) Cruel, savage person (5) Hexahedron – bit like a sugar lump (4) Type of fraction - maybe medical? (7) Declare - with no nuance! (8) Across. Cockier kid and 60’s Irish chart-topper (6,4) One who helps to spread another’s doctrine (8) Bed covering (7) Boney or underweight (6) Title-holder (8) With ability or skills (4) Actor Daniel ___-___ star of ‘My Left Foot’ (3-5) Dry white wine from Loire valley (8) Dublin Stadium, HQ of GAA, ___ Park (5) Bursting with good health (3,2,1,6) Biblical tower of scattered languages (5) At that time or moment (4) Fossil fuel used for cooking and heating (3) Relating to the ABC (10) Danny ___, star of Hans Christian Andersen (4) Candidate or petitioner (9) Animal feeding chiefly on grass and plants (9) Small crown (7) Alcohol or cocoa or coffee (8) Violate law of God (3) Pre-Christian priests (6) Bertolt ___, German poet and playwright (6) Aim - plan to get praise? (6) Roddy ___ who wrote ‘The Barrytown Trilogy’ (5) Lower house of the Oireachtas, ___ Éireann (4) Infection on the eyelid (4) Thin fluffy scarf of feathers (3) Spherical shape (3)
Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie 77
Further Education and Training - Right on your Doorstep Further education and training (FET) offers a huge range of courses right on your doorstep. FET has a myriad of options whether you want to learn something for fun or personal interest, or to upskill or reskill to progress your career. There are opportunities available in every county in Ireland through your local Education and Training Board (ETB) and online through SOLAS’ eCollege.
There is a whole new world of learning to be discovered by enrolling in a FET course – from creative writing and gardening and horticulture, to digital skills.
From the outmost reaches of the Donegal coast to Cork City Centre, thousands of people are learning new skills through a network of local institutes, colleges and training centres.
So why not take this time to consider enrolling in a Further Education and Training course.
In the current circumstances, and in light of restrictions of movement, we are all staying local. The lack of obligations and distractions is presenting a new opportunity for each of us – the opportunity to learn something new. Many FET courses have also been adapted for remote learning so it’s an ideal time to learn a new skill.
Visit fetchcourses.ie to find a course for you or contact your local Education and Training Board to find out more about courses in your area.
www.thisisfet.ie www.fetchcourses.ie www.etbi.ie/etbs/directory-of-etbs
Further Education and Training Physiotherapy Services at the Hermitage Medical Clinic Physiotherapists have keen observational and listening skills and always do a thorough assessment prior to any treatment to ensure the correct course of action is followed for any individual patient.
Our Top 4 Tips to Help Older People - Get Active
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The initial assessment comprises of attaining background information of the patient’s lifestyle including job, hobbies, sports and leisure activities to ascertain if there are habits/ postures which are aggravating the issue. The physiotherapist will also observe posture, gait and movement patterns to look for dysfunctions which may be corrected.
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3 Set yourself small daily or weekly targets
4 Sit less and move more
Try to keep your breathing slow, deep and controlled
What do Physiotherapists do? A chartered physiotherapist is a highly qualified professional whose job is to treat injury, disease or disorders of the body. They help to restore function and improve quality of life after injury or surgery and can help to manage disabilities/ chronic conditions.
Physiotherapists use a variety of treatment techniques including soft tissue work, joint mobilisations, acupuncture, dry needling and electrotherapy. They also educate and answer questions to alleviate fears as well as prescribing exercises to enable the patient to take control of their own condition. Every treatment session is tailored to suit the individual and will be adapted as required as conditions improve or if new issues arise. The patient always has the option to request a par ticular treatment method and the physiother
78 Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie
apist will comply if it is appropriate, conversely Further education and training ( the patient may request a particular treatment is myriad of options whether you w not used if they feel it is not working for them.
reskill to progress your career.
During the current pandemic, the dedicated team of physiotherapists in theopportunities Hermitage Med- availabl There are ical Clinic have continued to provide hands-on Training Board (ETB) and online treatment for patients. They have made suitable alterations to the environment and to their workFrom the outmost reaches of th ing practise to ensure the continued safety of learning skills through a net themselves and their patientsnew and will continue to do so as long as required.
In the current circumstances, an
When it comes tolack exercising for the older and distractio of obligations generation, no one size fits all and it’s important to learn something new. Many F to find activities to suit your health needs, level of ideal time to learn a new skill. ability, are enjoyable and can be done easily and safely at home.
There is a whole new world of le
For further information about ourgardening Physiotherapy writing and and hortic services please see:
So why not take this time to con
https://www.hermitageclinic.ie/services-specialities/clinical-departments/ Visit fetchcourses.ie to find a co physiotherapy/
find out more about courses in y
Contact Us www.thisisfet.ie Tel: 01 6459012 Email: physio@hermitageclinic.ie
www.fe
Crafts
Connie McEvoy recalls happy but tough times working on her family’s farm
Sheep shearing in Garryhasten - L to R - J Sullivan, Uncle Bill, Grand-da “Long Will Kelly”, Uncle Aidan, Aunt Julia & Grand-ma Catherine Kelly and their sheep dogs just about to have a tea break.
to fairs in Bunclody and the 10 mile distance to Tullo w after Mam had fried a eggs, tomatoes & scallions breakfast of rashers, in time for Daddy, Liam and I to set out at 4 AM. to go home on my own I was always instructed when we came to Brady’s hill a half mile from Bunc near Tullow as Daddy infor lody and Rathglass bridg med me that it would be e unlady-like for a girl to be ago the economic war mad seen at a fair. Long e things difficult for farm ers as did the outbreak of 1941 but there was no midd foot and mouth in le- man, processors or supe rmarket chains to contend would the world health with and what officials think of palm spitt ing and hand- shakes now challenging us?. that Covid19 is Some years ago I worked this painting in oils of a Shorthorn cross Angus cow Shorthorn calf, now that with her newly calved I am a retired farmer while enduring being cocooned at the cattle that are still I have enjoyed looking in the McEvoy yard and also my many reminder though hard working days s of those happy, healthy when I was younger and there were no lockdowns who now farms the land . My brother Pat Kelly in Garryhasten gave me a photo some years ago got it framed and put in that was taken circa 1929 on my sitting-room man ,I telpiece where it still remi spent there during my child nds me of the happy days hood when visiting that farm and later on helping and Spring threshing days Aunt Julia on Autumn .
Wheeling and dealing, cattle drives, foot and mouth and economic wars..
Sheep shearing in Garryhas ten- L to R- J Sullivan, Uncl e Bill, Grand-da “Long Will Aunt Julia & Grand-ma Cath Kelly”, Uncle Aidan, erine Kelly + their sheep dogs just about to have a tea break. Connie McEVOY
My father Pat Kelly was born on December 23rd 1900, he was the third child, all boys, born to “Long Will” Kelly and his wife Catherine nee Murphy who farmed at Ballinastraw between Clonegal and Bunclody, later on three daughters and another son were born to them and each child would have helped out by working to the best of their ability as required on the land as was usual then on most farms. Catherine was born, reared and worked on a farm in Killinure near Tullow until she qualified as a primary school teacher and soon afterwards accepted a position in Bunclody. Her parents made arrangements for her to stay with an aunt and uncle who were “Senior Citizens” farmers and childless in Ballinastraw which was very close to Bunclody. On arrival at the Doyle residence one weekend in order to be ready to start teaching on the following Monday Catherine was warmly greeted and asked if she would like to take on the task of running the farm of 100 acres, without hesitation she smiled and replied YES I’d rather be a farmer than a civil servant!!. In those days farming policy was never put all of your eggs in one basket so mixed farming was adhered to religiously (Cattle, Horses, Sheep, Pigs & Poultry) and of course the required grain and root crops for feed and fodder
plus meadow and good pasture ground, so she carried on working as usual on a farm of similar soil/ground as her parents but under the watchful eyes and help of her aunt and uncle until she met Will Kelly who was reared and worked on his family farm in Kilbranish. When they married he moved into Ballinastraw and they were able to utilise his father Big Will’s family rights to commonage on mount Leinster for sheep grazing until they sold Ballinastraw and bought a larger farm in Garryhasten years later. Daddy bought a farm in Kilcarry that was fully stocked in 1932 and continued farming there for the rest of his life-time, he was still involved after retirement by assisting my brother Liam who took over from him when necessary. Most of the heavy work was done by a big Percheron draft horse called Charlie, there was also a mare called Nan but I never saw her working, sheep flock was mainly of the Borris and Wicklow Cheviot breeds and the cattle herd was mainly Shorthorn with a Kerry cow and an odd Hereford and Angus for good measure- all of the cows had names then and there was no need for ear tags. In order to have a supply of milk for the household plus butter, cream and sometimes cottage cheese as well as feeding young
calves it was necessary to have at least one cow calving each season and two or three extra in case a cow repeated a few times when taken for service to the bull. It was difficult enough then to make a living from farming due to the economic war that was often spoken about and long lamented. I remember well the sight of a white shorthorn bull calf skin hanging in the rafters of the bullock shed. It was slaughtered when calved because it would have been a huge loss to rear and feed for two years when there would be no demand for beef, all heifer calves were kept in the hope that things would improve. A flock of
Senior Times l March - April 2021 l www.seniortimes.ie 79
Crafts
Borris and Wicklow Cheviot sheep supported farm income and all animals for sale would have been sold at fairs in Tullow, Carnew or Bunclody/ Newtownbarry as it was known then or to local butchers who came to buy from the farmers all year round. All in all both farmers and buyers seemed pleased regarding price, as no deal was closed until both parties thought the price was right and fair sometimes after a lot of haggling, spitting on palms, threats to walk away and coming back to split the difference and finally shake hands when the deal was agreed, payment in cash was made and LUCK PENNY was given. No need to adhere to social distance rules or wear a mask in the 50’s!.
mile distance to Tullow after Mam had fried a breakfast of rashers, eggs, tomatoes & scallions in time for Daddy, Liam and I to set out at 4 AM. I was always instructed to go home on my own when we came to Brady’s hill a half mile from Bunclody and Rathglass bridge near Tullow as Daddy informed me that it would be unlady-like for a girl to be seen at a fair. Long ago the economic war made things difficult for farmers as did the outbreak of foot and mouth in 1941 but there was no middle- man, processors or supermarket chains to contend with and what would the world health officials think of palm spitting and hand - shakes now that Covid19 is challenging us?.
I remember walking cattle and sheep the 6 mile distance to fairs in Bunclody and the 10
Some years ago I worked this painting in oils of a Shorthorn cross Angus cow with her newly
calved Shorthorn calf, now that I am a retired farmer while enduring being cocooned I have enjoyed looking at the cattle that are still in the McEvoy yard and also my many reminders of those happy, healthy though hard working days when I was younger and there were no lockdowns. My brother Pat Kelly who now farms the land in Garryhasten gave me a photo some years ago that was taken circa 1929, I got it framed and put in on my sitting-room mantelpiece where it still reminds me of the happy days spent there during my childhood when visiting that farm and later on helping Aunt Julia on Autumn and Spring threshing days. Connie McEvoy
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Six Beethoven double-CDs Winifred Smith, Sandymount, Dublin 4 A Tyrell, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin Brian McElroy, Dundalk D O’Daly, Limerick Martin Kelly, Dundalk Doreen Bennett, Douglas, Isle of Man Four copies of Bridge: Basic Play Michael Cushion, Dundrum, Dublin 16 Clare Dollard, Limerick S McNally, Blackrock, Co Dublin Sean O’Brien, Longford
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Crossword Four copies of Voice: An Open Door Book of Stories Josephine McCarthy, Blackrock, Co Dublin Nora D O’Connor, Killorglin, Co Kerry Hilary Murphy, Clonmel, Co Tipperary Pierce Wallace, Kilcoole, Co Wicklow
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Three copies of The Language of Illness Peig O’Donoghue, Newcastle West, Co Limerick Pat O’Connor, Douglas, Cork Ciaran Hickey, Dublin 12
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