Guess the year

Another teaser from Gerry Perkins ?Guess the year

World news: Britain votes to stay in the EU – then the EEC – via a referendum. The Vietnam War officially ends. Bill Gates and Paul Allen found Microsoft. The Moorgate tube station crash in London kills 43 people. King Juan Carlos takes over as acting head of state of Spain from an ailing General Franco, assuming full power later in the year. Ross McWhirter, the co-founder of the Guinness Book of Records, is murdered by the IRA. The G6 group of industrialised nations is established. Peter Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire Ripper, commits his first murder. US President Gerald Ford survives a second assassination attempt in as many years. Patty Hearst – kidnapped publishing heiress turned fugitive – is captured. The former head of the US Teamsters workers’ union Jimmy Hoffa is reported missing. Lord Lucan is found guilty, in absentia, of the murder of the family nanny.

Film and television: this year sees the release of such movie classics as Jaws, Monty Python and the Holy Grail. The Rocky Horror Show opens on Broadway in New York, before the film version The Rocky Horror Picture Show is released. Fawlty Towers airs for the first time. Other films included One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Dog Day Afternoon and Shampoo.

Music: Led Zeppelin sell out three nights at New York’s Madison Square Garden in four hours. Face-painted rock band Kiss releases its first live album Alive!, which effectively saves the band’s then fledgling career. Alice Cooper releases his famous Welcome to my Nightmare album. The Netherlands wins the Eurovision Song Contest. Ritchie Blackmore quits Deep Purple and forms Rainbow. The Who release the film version of their rock opera Tommy. Bruce Springsteen releases his classic album Born To Run. Queen releases its Bohemian Rhapsody single. Talking Heads plays its first concert in New York. Heavy Metal band Iron Maiden is founded. Peter Gabriel leaves Genesis. Pink Floyd releases its Wish You Were Here album. Elton John’s Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy is the first album to enter the US Billboard album charts at number one.

Sport: West Ham United win the FA Cup, beating Fulham 2-0 in the Wembley final. George Best lines out for Cork Celtic. Formula 1 champion Graham Hill is killed in a plane crash. Muhammad Ali beats Joe Frazier in the Thrilla in Manila. The West Indies wins the first Cricket World Cup. Derby County become English champions. Bayern Munich beats Leeds United in the European Cup final. In golf Jack Nicklaus wins the Masters and Tom Watson wins the Open. In horseracing, L’Escargot wins the Grand National, while Ten Up wins the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Arthur Ashe wins the Wimbledon mens singles championship. Czech born Martina Navratilova becomes a US citizen. In GAA circles, Kerry wins the All Ireland Football Championship, with Kilkenny winning the hurling title.

Ireland: holds the Presidency of the EEC for the first time. Three members of the Miami Showband are ambushed and killed by the UVF. Former Taoiseach and President Eamon De Valera dies. Charles Haughey returns to the Fianna Fail front bench. Oliver Plunkett is canonised by the Pope. The Birmingham Six are wrongly imprisoned for an IRA bombing in Birmingham.

A trusted landmark name forquality

Dublin landmark: The Weir & Sons store on Grafton Street

Pat Keenan traces the history and influence of arguably Ireland’s best-known jewellery firm

Michael Collins was a regular customer in the early days when the store was just around the corner in Wicklow Street.

The imposing Jewellery Room in Grafton Street store

It is undoubtedly the landmark building of Dublin's Grafton Street and possibly Ireland's best-recognised jewellery store, the go-to place for engagement, wedding rings and luxury watch brands. Just asking my own friends and relations, it was amazing just how many have purchased their rings at Weir & Sons. Weir & Sons unquestionably carry more gold, diamonds, and world-renowned brands than any other jeweller in Ireland.

Way back in the early 1860s a young Thomas Weir arrived in Dublin from Scotland and began working for a local jeweller. He was still only 28 in 1869 when he decided to set up his own business. For a short time, he was joined by another Scottish jeweller named Rogers and set up a company on Fleet Street called Weir & Rogers. They manufactured jewellery for the trade. Thomas Weir however had higher dreams and was keenly intent on also opening the retail side of the business and did so, originally on Wicklow Street and later expanded with a move to 5 Grafton Street. Interestingly, there is still a door in Wicklow Street with 5 Grafton Street written on it. Thomas successfully established the new jewellers. Some years later he was joined by his four sons, Jack, James, Willie, and George. Each of them ran different strands of the business. Today, Weir & Sons is still a family business managed by a fourth and fifth generation. Back in 1943, the family name altered through marriage when Willie Weir's daughter Maigread married Arthur Andrews. And their son David Andrews took over the reins. Today, though semi-retired, he still plays an active part in the day to day running of the business while his son Christopher Andrews is now the Managing Director, daughter Lucinda is Marketing Director and daughter Natasha manages E-commerce. While resting on a firmly established heritage the company continued to evolve and change with the times. The momentous decision to purchase the iconic building outright in 1963 has, says Christopher Andrews, ‘a hugely positive effect on the business over the years’. Today it is literally their cornerstone.

In 2005, aptly the year the Dublin M50 motorway was completed, Weir & Sons expanded to open a new store in the largest shopping centre in Ireland, Dundrum Town Centre. Large enough in international terms to be awarded European Shopping Centre of the Year for 2007.

Like most businesses of that duration, they had their share of ups and downs. A slump in turnover during the recession years was met face-on by a programme of modernisation, part of which involved the successful launch of the Fashion Room downstairs in Grafton Street. This managed to attract a largely younger clientele with more updated fashion orientated brands. It proved popular in other sectors too, the Over 50s found it easier to find appropriate gifts suitable for their family, friends and perhaps even a treat for themselves. Be that as it may, the high-end luxury brands still remain vital and still have their own unique floor. Other departments within the store include watches, jewellery, silver, leather, antiques, and repairs/services.

In these times and especially during the Covid lock-downs E-commerce became increasingly important and the introduction of the Weir & Sons website had a remarkably successful uptake. Particularly for a largely tactile market where people buying jewellery and watches will seldom purchase without actual contact, touching and feeling is so important. It became clear that the online experience differs from person-to-person, some will do their research online and then visit the store to buy. Some visit the store, examine, and handle the items, return home, perhaps discuss and buy online. One way or the other, people are reassured to purchase from an actual well-known bricks and mortar store.

In 2019, Weir & Sons kicked off their 150th year of business in style at the Dublin Assay Office in Dublin Castle. A specially commissioned edition silver plate, with the landmark Grafton Street store in the centre in silver gilt, became the very first piece to be hallmarked by the Dublin Assay Office that year. This collector’s Irish silver commemorative plate comes in three sizes:10-, 12-, and 18-inches diameter (prices upon request).

Tourism is another important market, sadly interrupted recently by Covid but hopefully returning soon. Apart from the normal flow of visiting tourists, a newer trend includes those arriving in groups from the many cruise liners stopping over in Dublin Port each year. They tend to purchase luxury watches, Claddagh jewellery and Irish silver. Recent times have seen a major increase of Chinese visitors, so Weir & Sons now have several members of staff that speak Mandarin. There are of course many regular Chinese clients who are Irish based. through those doors. Michael Collins was a regular. Grace Kelly, the Hollywood film star with Irish roots who became Princess Grace of Monaco, popped into Weir & Sons in 1960 when she came to Ireland with her husband Prince Rainier. Other Hollywood visitors included Walt Disney and Rita Hayworth. Then there was singer/songwriter Mariah Carey who arrived to borrow some jewellery! She was in Dublin for the 1999 MTV Europe Music Awards at the Point Theatre and felt the need for a bit more jangle to jingle and Weir & Sons came to her rescue. Jacqueline Kennedy visited when she came to Ireland with her husband President John F Kennedy and later again as Jacqueline Onassis. She was Jacqueline Bouvier in 1950 during her first visit to Ireland when she attended the Dublin Horse Show and caught a glimpse of the Aga Khan trophy. The first Aga Khan trophy created by Weir & Sons was donated and presented in 1926 by Aga Khan III. The trophy, known as the 'Nations Cup’ is presented at the show-jumping competition held yearly at the Dublin Horse Show in Ballsbridge. Weir & Sons have an in-store team dedicated to repairs on all manner of items. The team includes goldsmiths, engravers, silver polishers and pearl restringing. They will even replace batteries. Their watch and jewellery valuers can assist for insurance and probate purposes and can provide useful advice on how to best care for your treasured items. Also, of interest to the over 50s are male and female eternity rings and gifts for special occasions, anniversaries, births or simply to say, 'thank you'.

With regard to diamonds, it is important to note that ethically Weir & Sons is fully committed to never ever use conflict diamonds and strictly adhere to the Kimberley Process insuring all are conflict-free and are fully documented by their suppliers.

In 2005, aptly the year the Dublin M50 motorway was completed, Weir & Sons expanded to open a new store in the largest shopping centre in Ireland, Dundrum Town Centre, Dublin

In 2019, Weir & Sons kicked off their 150th year of business in style in the Dublin Assay Office at Dublin Castle. A specially commissioned edition silver plate with the landmark Grafton Street store in the centre in silver gilt became the very first piece to be hallmarked by the Dublin Assay Office that year. This collectors Irish silver commemorative plate is still available in three sizes, 10, 12, and 18 inches diameter (price upon request). Pictured from left are Natasha Andrews, David Andrews, Lucinda Andrews and Chris Andrews.

Weir Style Magazine is distributed with national papers and magazines and is also available to pick up in-store. This year there will be two issues, one mid-summer and one in October. Previous issues can be browsed and future issues ordered at www.weirandsons.ie/ style-magazine-hard-copy/ The main website is www.weirandsons.ie/

Fitness Stretching for flexibility!

Stretching is one of the best and most often overlooked practices for your body because it will help improve flexibility, an essential component of physical fitness. Flexibility can help increase your range of motion, improve your posture, reduce your chance of injury and it can be mentally and physically relaxing.

After a full day of work, running around and countless other tasks, some soothing stretches are what your body deserves. Also, after extended time at home from lockdown or quarantine after sickness, stretching is a gentle way to wake your body up and get moving again. Stretching your hip flexors, shoulders, neck and hips can be a perfect way to unwind and relive some tension in your legs/feet, tightness in your lower back or hips or just help overall stiffness.

Muscles work in pairs throughout your body. One muscle, referred to as the agonist, contracts to facilitate a movement while the opposing muscle, called the antagonist, relaxes and allows that movement to happen. This concept is called reciprocal inhibition. By applying this principle to active stretching you can lengthen the muscle in a very safe and natural way. Breathing is also a key component in stretching. Breathing through the nose and out through the mouth will calm your body and help slow your heart rate, but do what makes you feel comfortable.

Although it’s hard to fit everything in, it's best if you can make a little time for stretching everyday. Stretching should be like brushing your teeth. Just five or ten minutess daily can make a huge difference. The cliche saying 'If you don’t use it, you loose it’ is absolutely true when it comes to flexibility and keeping your muscles loose. A simple stretching habit can be an excellent self care practice.

As with all exercises, consult your doctor first, particularly with chronic pain or injury and always stop if you feel sharp pain. Here are a few stretches Annmarie recommends to help ease you into a calm and relaxing state of mind and body. 2. RECLINED FIGURE 4 STRETCH

Lie face up with your knees bent and both feet on the floor, cross your right foot over your left thigh. This might be enough of a stretch. To go deeper with the stretch clasp both hands behind the back of your left thigh and gently pull your leg towards your chest. Hold the stretch for 30 to 60 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

3. RECLINED TWIST

1. FORWARD FOLD Lie face up. Hug knees to chest. From here drop both knees gently over to one side as your torso twists in the opposite direction.

Extend your arms fully out to the side. Try keep your upper back firmly on the ground. Try also to keep your hips and knees inline and chest square to ceiling. Hold stretch for 30 to 60 secs and repeat on the other side. Continue to rotate back and forth. 5. HIP FLEXOR STRETCH

Start in a kneeling position on a soft surface. Place right leg forward creating a 90 degree angle. Keep your upper body straight slowly push your hips forward until you feel a stretch in the upper thigh of your back leg and hip. Hold the stretch for 30 to 60 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

Annmarie Murray Am-fitness.ie

4. CHILDS POSE

tip chin to chest and slowly roll down bringing your head towards the floor. Imagine moving one vertebrae at a time as you bring your chest towards your thighs, depending on your flexibility. Once you are folded forward you can clasp opposite hand around opposite elbow or gently press both hands against the floor.

Gently shake your head yes and shake your head no to relieve any tension in the neck. Stay here for 30 to 60 seconds.

Start in a kneeling all fours position. Knees are hip width apart. Breathe in and as you exhale gently allow your hips to sit back on to your heels and your forehead to rest on the floor. Try to lengthen your neck and spine by drawing your ribs away from your tailbone and shoulders away from ears. Extend your arms overhead in front of you. Hold this pose for 60 seconds.