Carlow People

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June 11, 2019

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carlowpeople HIGHEST, MOST FREQUENT READERSHIP IN CARLOW - DELIVERED DOOR-TO-DOOR

June 11, 2019

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Childcare plan cost ‘outrageous’ A PROPOSED new child care plan which reportedly will close down three after-school programmes within its voluntary organisation has been described as “outrageousâ€? by Carlow Regional Youth Services. Senator Jennifer Murnane O’Connor has said that, if the Government’s proposed new National Childcare Scheme continues in its current format, parents will be required to pay â‚Ź40 a child per week if they are successful in securing hours. “If the scheme is implemented in its current format, the CRYS after-school service in Carlow will be forced to close and vulnerable children and families will be denied this valuable support because the users will QRW EH DEOH WR DŕľľRUG LW ´ VKH said. Speaking to the Minister for &KLOGUHQ DQG <RXWK $ŕľľDLUV LQ the Seanad recently, the senator said: “A new national childcare scheme will be rolled out from this October which will replace

Emer Slye and Tara O’Toole at Summerfest Carlow Country Music Festival, Oak Park. Image by Rue Photography

previous childcare support programmes. “The aim of this, as I understand it, is that parents of children aged from two to 15 years attending any Tuslaregistered childcare service will be entitled to some level of ÂżQDQFLDO VXSSRUW “However, one service SURYLGHU LQ &DUORZ KDV Ă€DJJHG an issue with me, on which , VHHN FODULÂżFDWLRQ IURP WKH Minister. “The service has been in receipt of funding under the Community Childcare Subvention, CCS, scheme for three after-school projects. “This scheme will, according to the department’s plan, be replaced by the National Childcare Scheme on 11 October 2019.â€? Senator Murnane O’Connor said she was concerned there was no provision in the new funding scheme for parents who are not working, for example, those on jobseeker’s allowance, disability payments or the oneparent family payment.

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carlowpeople June 11, 2019

No pact with big parties - councillors THE independent or minority party councillors in Carlow and Kilkenny have promised there will be no pacts with bigger parties. Fianna FĂĄil has the largest grouping in Kilkenny with 11 of the 24 seats won by the party, followed by 9 for Fine Gael with 2 for Labour, a Green and a non-party. That independent Eugene McGuinness told KCLR news following his election on Sunday that he would be his own man. Carlow County Council has six each for Fianna FĂĄil and Fine Gael joined by two Labour, two non-party, one Sinn FĂŠin and Solidarity / People Before 3URÂżWÂśV $GULHQQH :DOODFH The newly elected Councillor :DOODFH VD\V VKHÂśV DOUHDG\ EHHQ approached by others but has said no to uniting with them.

&DUORZ &RXQW\ &RXQFLOÂśV QHZ &DWKDRLUOHDFK LV )LDQQD )iLOÂśV John Pender after he was elected on last week at the annual meeting of the local authority as Fianna FĂĄil and Fine Gael entered into a coalition. Cllr Fintan Phelan proposed Cllr Pender who said the Tullow councillor had served the people of Carlow with distinction and it would be a great honour for his colleague to be elected as chair. The proposal was seconded by &OOU $QGUHD 'DOWRQ $V WKH FKDLQV ZHUH KDQGHG over, Cllr Pender said: “Today is P\ WK $*0 , KDG D YHU\ ORQJ DSSUHQWLFHVKLS ,ÂśP DEVROXWHO\ GHOLJKWHG ,ÂśP D ELW RYHUDZHG by the occasion.â€? Meanwhile, it was revealed on Friday that the 12 elected members of Fianna FĂĄil (6) and Fine Gael (6) have reached an historic agreement in Carlow

following talks involving all SDUWLHV DQG ,QGHSHQGHQWV VLQFH the local elections on May 24. $W ODVW ZHHNÂśV PHHWLQJ 6LQQ )pLQÂśV &OOU $QG\ *ODGQH\ said “love is in the airâ€? as ,QGHSHQGHQW &OOU &KDUOLH Murphy heralded the end of civil war politics in Carlow. Speaking about the election, Cllr Pender wished the newly elected candidates well and KH DGGHG Âł:H ORVW WZR ÂżQH FROOHDJXHV LQ 'HQLV )ROH\ DQG -LP 'HDQH ´ &OOU :LOO 3DWRQ said the role of chair had been ÂłD GUHDP´ RI &OOU 3HQGHUÂśV IRU so long as the father of the house and his family, who were in the public gallery, were “bursting with prideâ€?. &OOU $UWKXU 0F'RQDOG ZDV elected as Leas Cathaoirleach. He was proposed by Cllr Phelan and it was seconded by Cllr 'DOWRQ

College plan for disabled faculty Cheers from Ada Mulhern and Julie Byrne at Summerfest Carlow Country Music Festival, Oak Park. Image by Rue Photography

Mario’s is voted the best for bag o’ chips! <28 FDQ ¿QG D FKLSSHU LQ DOPRVW HYHU\ ,ULVK WRZQ EXW LW FDQ EH KDUG WR VHSDUDWH WKH EHVW IURP WKH UHVW 7KH ZHEVLWH &DUORZ /LYH KDYH VDLG WKDW WKH\ VHDUFKHG KLJK DQG ORZ ZLWK QRPLQDWLRQV IURP DFURVV WKH FRXQW\ DQG WKRXVDQGV RI YRWHV EXW ¿QDOO\ WKH\ FRXOG FURZQ RQH ZLQQHU RI ZKHUH \RX FDQ JHW WKH EHVW EDJ RI FKLSV LQ &DUORZ &DUORZ /LYH DQQRXQFH

WKDW 0DULRÂśV 7DNHDZD\ LQ *UDLJXHFXOOHQ FDPH RXW RQ WRS RI WKHLU SROO WR ÂżQG WKH EHVW EDJ RI FKLSV LQ WKH 'ROPHQ &RXQW\ ZLWK RI WKH YRWH -LPP\ÂśV 7DNHDZD\ LQ %DOORQ ZDV ULJKW EHKLQG LW ZLWK RI WKH YRWH IURP &DUORZ /LYH UHDGHUV &RQJUDWXODWLRQV WR 0DULRÂśV DQG HYHU\RQH RXW WKHUH ZKR ORYH D JRRG EDJ RI FKLSV 3DVV WKH VDOW SOHDVH

,7 &DUORZ DQG /DRLV (GXFDWLRQ Centre have signed an agreement that plans to see a greater number of students with disabilities gain access to higher education. $ SURJUDPPH HQWLWOHG (QDEOLQJ 7UDQVLWLRQV ZLOO VHH ,7 &DUORZ collaborate with Laois Education Centre to deliver a continuous professional training (CPT) model for secondary school teachers and senior students. The overall objective is to ease the transition into higher education for students with disabilities and harness assistive technology to see them achieve their full potential. ,7 &DUORZ LV RQH RI D QXPEHU RI higher education institutes in the South East that secured funding XQGHU WKH Âľ62$5Âś SURMHFW for three separate platforms: Enabling Transitions; Travellers in Education; and Connecting Communities Connecting Curriculum. Each platform aims to LQFUHDVH SDUWLFLSDWLRQ E\ VSHFLÂżF categories of students, including students with disabilities.

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Katie Brennan, Ă ine Fahy, Sarah Carberry and Anna Fennell all smiles at Summerfest Carlow Country Music Festival, Oak Park. Image by Rue Photography

Keith takes to mountains to raise ₏68.5k for charity CARLOW’S Keith O’Neill went above and beyond to conquer the Four Peaks Challenge and raise much needed funds for charity. The local man was part of a team of 22 colleagues from Grafton Merchanting ROI, Ireland’s leading building merchanting company which includes brands such as Chadwicks and Heiton Buckley. The company is thrilled to announce that it has raised ₏68,456.10 in vital funds for four Irish charities including

Focus Ireland, CMRF Crumlin, Pieta House and Cystic Fibrosis Ireland, which were carefully chosen by colleagues at Grafton Merchanting ROI. The Four Peaks challenge saw a 22-strong Grafton Merchanting ROI team travel across the country to climb the highest mountain in each of Ireland’s four provinces in four days. In preparation for the mountain ascension, the team carried out months of training for the demanding fourday challenge. The team kicked

Rŕľľ WKH VLJQLÂżFDQW IHDW VWDUWLQJ with Carrauntoohil in Co. Kerry, followed by Mweelrea in Co. Mayo, Slieve Donard in Co. 'RZQ DQG ÂżQDOO\ ÂżQLVKLQJ ZLWK Lugnaquilla in Co. Wicklow in Co. Mayo. Keith together with his teammates at Grafton Merchanting ROI, they not only defeated the Four Peaks but also smashed their fundraising target of â‚Ź40,000 by raising almost â‚Ź30,000 in excess of the initial goal. Well done all ...

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news in brief Bagenalstown has bypass still assured Carlow’s local authority are not putting a Bagenalstown bypass ÂłRQ WKH ORQJ ÂżQJHU´ 'LUHFWRU of Services Dan McInerney told members recently. The matter was raised when Cllr Arthur McDonald highlighted the need for a bypass in the town and accused the houncil of having a lack of interest in providing Bagenalstown with the piece of road infrastructure.

Extra classroom

Nicola Delaney with Laura and Martin Doran at Summerfest Carlow Country Music Festival, Oak Park. Image by Rue Photography

Tinryland National School has been granted conditional planning permission for a new temporary standalone prefabricated structure. It will contain one classroom and sanitary facilities with a ÀRRU DUHD RI V TP WR WKH UHDU of the existing school building, together with all associated site works. Tinryland National School is a Protected Structure.

A day of activity and fun for young imaginations

Art exhibitions An art exhibition by Elwira Bernaciak and Corina Fitzgibbon called Colour Meets Black & White continues at Carlow Library until June 14th, 2019. This will be followed by an exhibition by the Fringe Arts Festival from June 17th to 22nd. Crinniú na nÓg takes place on 15th June with lots of events happening in Carlow libraries.

CHILDREN and young SHRSOH DUH EHLQJ DVNHG WR ¿UH up their imaginations and take part in one of the free Cruinniú na nÓg events that will take place around the county on Saturday, June 15th. Now in its second year, Cruinniú na nÓg celebrates and encourages participation by young people in creative activities in their local neighbourhoods and communities.

Led by the local Creative Carlow Culture and Creativity Team, coordinated through the County Council $UWV 2ŕľśFH ZLWK KXJH support from local artists, arts organisations, creative practitioners and community festivals, activities include everything from dance and music workshops in your local library to a Printmaking Workshop as part of the ‘Let Loose Festival’ on Tullow Rd.

With a strong emphasis on participation, activities are specially designed to spark an interest and encourage the inner creative in children to WU\ VRPHWKLQJ QHZ RU IXO¿O D secret ambition! Come along and share in the excitement and fun on Saturday, June 15th when the next generation of Ireland’s future creatives take centre stage on this very special day. See creativeireland.gov.ie

Traveller ₏167,000 is left unspent OF ₏167,000 funding allocation for Traveller accommodation last year, Carlow county Council has spent not a single cent, a Government Minister KDV FRQ¿UPHG In a Parliamentary Question, Fianna Fåil’s Fiona O’Loughlin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government for the funding allocated and how much drawn down by local authorities for Traveller accommodation in 0LQLVWHU 'DPLHQ (QJOLVK ¿Jures showed that Carlow was given ₏167,740 but none of this ZDV GUDZQ GRZQ LQ Carlow was one of 10 local authorities to not draw down any of their funds. Local housing authorities have statutory responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the and implementation of multi-annual Traveller Accommodation Programmes (TAPs). Allocations unspent are diverted to other projects. See page 10

Brexit sees no fall in UK firms for Plough exhibition DESPITE the political uncertainty that is Brexit, more than 100 UK exhibitors have booked for the forthcoming Nation Ploughing Championships in. Co Carlow. With thee months to go until Ploughing 2019 in Ballintrane, Fenagh, from September 17th-19th, will see exhibitors, International buyers and visitors coming from Turkey, the US, UK, Germany, India, Poland, Belgium, New Zealand, France, Saudi Arabia, Lativa and the Netherlands. The National Ploughing Association Managing Director, Anna May McHugh, said: “The unparalleled numEHU RI FRQÂżUPHG H[KLELWRUV DW this time of year highlights how EHQHÂżFLDO LW LV IRU EXVLQHVVHV companies and organisations to attend ‘Europe’s largest outdoor event’. “And as always it is the primary aim of the National Ploughing Association to improve exhibitor and visitor experience to ensure the best possible ‘ploughing’ for all.â€? There will be millions of euro worth of agricultural and plant machinery on display. The leading manufacturers and agents will be present with specialist sales advisors and technical experts available for free consultations. Visitors can take the oppor-

tunity to admire the marvellous quality livestock on display and learn about livestock management, genetics, nutrition and healthcare. This year will see the introduction of a new ‘Agritech’ pavilion which will include fascinating interactive demonstrations. There is no doubt that the entrepreneurial spark is alive and well in Ireland with an unprecedented number of diverse and exciting businesses, exhibiting at the “Local Enterprise Villageâ€? at this year’s Ploughing Championships. The popular Innovation Arena is set to make a very welcome return with high-end technologies and cutting edge ideas. In the Food and Lifestyle villages, the huge ‘Dome’ marquee with over 100 exhibitors is set to return and to meet demand a new indoor marquee has been created. The ‘Ploughing’ is great for food lovers, with all sectors represented from producer to retailer, artisan foods, craft beers, celebrity chefs, cookery competitions and much more. The motor arena will be VLJQLÂżFDQWO\ ELJJHU IROORZLQJ hugely positive feedback in this sector last year with all of the popular brands putting on very impressive displays.

₏500,000 fund to aid Men’s Sheds A TOTAL of ₏500,000 in funds to support Men’s Sheds groups across the country has been announced by Minister for Rural and Community Development, Michael Ring. The money will allow up to 400 Men’s Sheds to purchase equipment or carry out minor works to improve their premises. This is the second year of funding for the organisation ZKLFK R྾HUV D IULHQGO\ DQG

inclusive environment where PHQ FDQ JDWKHU DQG RU ZRUN RQ projects and aims to advance the health and well-being of the participating men. Individual sheds can submit applications for additional funding to their Local Community Development Committee (LCDC). The deadline for the applications will be advertised soon on www.gov.ie along with application details.

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Harry who gave us the Rooster dies aged 83 THE Carlow man who developed the Rooster potato has died at 83 at his home in Rathnapish. Harry Kehoe spent a lifetime working in plant breeding and led the development of more than 35 potato varieties. He bred the most famous of these, the Rooster, while working at the Teagasc Oak Park Research Centre. Councillor Brian O’Donoghue (FG) lead the tributes to a “fantastic Carlow man”. He said: “It’s a very sad loss. Harry was a man who contributed an incredible amount to the agriculture industry, to Teagasc, to Irish agriculture in general. “He was a fantastic Carlow man who will be fondly remembered and sorely missed.” In a rare interview in 2016 Mr Kehoe revealed that his life’s passion was a “slow and expensive” industry. “It could take as much as 100,000 seeds or you might get one out of 100.”

Cllrs weather the storm on climate shift Emma Doyle, Trish O’Brien, Bridget Farrell, Assumpta Doyle, John Farrell and Gerry Doyle enjoying the festivities at Summerfest Carlow Country Music Festival, Oak Park. Image by Rue Photography

New film follows story of our devastated boxer Chloe (12) A MINI-documentary has been made on Carlow’s Chloe Black after an obscure boxing rule left her devastated when she was not DOORZHG WR ¿JKW LQ the National Finals recently. Chloe had travelled to the National Stadium in Dublin and had completed the weigh-in, only to be told right before her ¿JKW WKDW VKH ZDV GLVTXDOL¿HG

because she also takes part in Muay Thai. The 12-year-old was not allowed to box on the basis of an Irish Athletic Boxing Association rule which disallows competitors to be involved in any other individual, physical, contact sport. Now a mini-documentary KDV EHHQ ¿OPHG E\ 681)$ Films called, ‘Getting Behind

Chloe’. It can be viewed on Facebook. A petition to abolish the boxing rule which prevented &KORH IURP ¿JKWLQJ LQ WKH Nationals has garnered over 2,600 signatures already. Chloe said boxing had really EURXJKW RXW KHU FRQ¿GHQFH but after the events at the National Stadium, she said: “I was distraught, I started crying, I couldn’t hold it in, I was so angry with the way it was dealt with.”

CARLOW is taking positive steps to deal with climate change, “leading the way’ on the matter, the county council has been told. Cllr Denis Foley, however, said that we “need to be careful what we say to children”, criticising the ‘no meat on a Monday’ suggestion. Cllr Andy Gladney pointed out that he had been to Queen of the Universe National School in Bagenalstown to view a project on protecting the environment, in particular bees and insects. “I do have an issue with forcing carbon tax on people. We do need to go the greener way, but putting €2 on a bag of coal, with the tax, €2.50, for families who are cash-strapped is wrong,” said Cllr Gladney. Cllr Charlie Murphy agreed that fossil fuel usage would have to be curtailed in the future. “None of this can be done overnight; it is a long haul, but this is a start and Carlow has made that start,” he said. Cllr Ken Murnane noted that,

of the 7,500 public lights in the county, following two-and-ahalf years, the number that are PRUH HQHUJ\ H൶FLHQW LV QRZ 5,111. “That’s a huge saving and a real impact on Carlow’s carbon footprint,” he said. Cllr McDonald said everyone was “full of plans but short on action” on the issue. “You need a big building to hold all these plans … I hope no-one burns them – it would be bad for the environment.” Cllr Michael Doran said the council had a big part to play and referenced the huge level of paperwork generated in creating the council agenda alone. “The place is packed with paper,” he said. Cllr Brian O’Donoghue pointHG RXW WKDW RQO\ ¿YH FRXQFLOORUV get the agenda emailed, with the rest receiving “bulky reports”. Changes in Ireland’s climate are in line with global trends. Even if GHG emissions fall to levels required to stop the worst impacts of climate change some changes are still likely to occur.

Local families seek justice for murder victims A GROUP of families from Co Carlow, all of whom have had loved ones brutally murdered, are campaigning to have longer prison sentences for the perpetrators and held a protest outside the Dáil last week to seek better rights for victims. Ciara Campbell was stabbed to death in front of her child by her ex-boyfriend Gordon Molloy from Ballickmoyler at her home in Carlow town in December 2007. Molloy was sentenced to life in prison in 2009, but he’s already been allowed out on day release and is due to be allowed out again to see his family later his month. Ciara’s parents are protesting with a group called Sentencing and Victim Equality (SAVE) Ireland that they helped to set up with other victims’ families. They are all hurt by the fact that killers can apply for parole

just seven years into a life sentence and are being allowed out on day release. The group also disagree with a proposal before the Government to extend the parole hearing to 12 years from the current seven years, saying that it’s not long enough. ³7KLV LV RXU ¿UVW SURWHVW outside the Dáil. We have a petition looking for better rights for the families of victims. Our rights and feelings should be listened to. Parole hearings after seven years should be abolished; we want that pushed back,” her parents told The Nationalist. “Gordon Molloy has already been refused parole, but he’s back before the parole board again later his month. “He’s also been allowed out on day release and is going to EH OHW RXW DJDLQ :H¶UH ¿JKWLQJ

to keep him in prison, where he belongs. He shouldn’t be allowed out; it’s an insult to Ciara’s name,” her distraught father Paidi said. The founding members of SAVE Ireland are all from Co Carlow, with one person, John Whelan, from Co Kilkenny.. Other founding members include Kathleen Chada from Ballinkillen, whose sons (RJKDQ DQG ¿YH \HDU old Ruairí were killed by their father Sanjeev in July 2013; Angela Doyle Stuart, whose 24-year-old sister Lisa was VWUDQJOHG WR GHDWK E\ KHU ¿DQFp Gerard O’Hara at their home in Leighlinbridge in September 2009; and John Whelan from Kilkenny, whose sister Sharon and her two daughters Zarah (7) and Nadia (2) were all killed by Brian Hennessy on Christmas Eve in 2008.

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opinion&comment

Age-old Traveller lifestyle problem

M

Y grandfather died in his early sixties; my father lived a decade longer. My generation can reasonably hope to see 80 and my grandchildren have realistic expectations of reaching 100. Improved medicine and health care have greatly extended life in the western world and FKDQJHG RXU GHÂżQLWLRQ RI growing old. My father regarded 40 as marking the onset of middle-age. Today it is the age when many people embark on new careers, when some decide to start a family and others to change their spouse. But one section of our people still sees 40 as the age when decline sets in. Pavee Point, the organisation that lobbies IRU 7UDYHOOHUV TXRWHV ÂżJXUHV from the 2016 census showing that just 3% of the Traveller population had reached the age of 65. It has compiled a report on ‘Indicators of Positive Ageing

Michael Wolsey for Travellers’. At its launch, a Traveller woman called Missie Collins sounded a sad note: “To be an old Traveller means that you’re only over 40.� Pavee Point is calling for publication of a National Traveller Health Action Plan. “My community is dying before their time and to stop this from happening we need the plan,� said Missie Collins. Now I mean no disrespect to Ms Collins, who obviously knows a great deal more about the Traveller community than I do, but I cannot see how publishing a report will prolong a single life. Acting on it might. But the

Carlow Photographic Society committee members Richard Smyth (Competition Secretary), Sabrina Dunny (Secretary), Gilbert Smyth (Chairman), Cepta Burke (Treasurer) and David Lawlor (Public Relations) at the launch of the club’s annual exhibition “Exposure 16â€?, which featured the work of their members and also this year’s project collection “Hidden Carlowâ€?, 43 Tullow St. Image by Rue Photography certain way to extend Traveller lives is to change Traveller lifestyles. Travellers would live longer if they stopped living in containers and caravans on waste ground or overcrowded halting sites. Traveller women would live longer if they married later and had fewer children. Traveller men would live longer if they gave up bareknuckle boxing DQG IDFWLRQ ÂżJKWV ZLWK RWKHU clans. And yes, I know, not all

Travellers do these things. My description is a stereotype but one grounded in fact. A report from the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance has called for action to be taken against local authorities that fail to spend money allocated for Traveller accommodation. It expressed concern that “the majority of local authorities have consistently failed to provide adequate and culturallyappropriate accommodation for

Travellers�. I presume that means halting sites. But while good halting sites are obviously better than bad halting sites - and good health care better than no health care - I do not believe that either will solve the root problem. Traveller life expectancy has not kept pace with modern standards because the Traveller lifestyle belongs to another age. If you Google Irish Traveller LPDJHV \RX ZLOO ¿QG ORWV RI pictures of Romany caravans

and an archive photo from the Irish Times of a Travelling man outside one of these caravans, mending pots and pans. By trade he was a tinsmith, a tinker we would have called him when I was a child. He had a hard life but not much harder than the rest of the rural community in which he and his family played a useful role, mending and making metal items and helping with the harvest. That life has gone and Travellers can’t make it return any more than wheelwrights, stagecoach drivers or, from my own newspaper profession, hotmetal compositors, can force a return of once-useful roles that are now obsolete. The State cannot prevent Travellers living the lifestyle they choose but encouraging it is not doing them any favours. If the Government tried to force anyone else to live that way it would be taken to the Court of Human Rights. Travellers should respect their past and its traditions but the best place for the Traveller lifestyle is in a museum.

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NATIONAL LOTTERY GRANTS The HSE has been allocated National Lottery Funding for distribution to community based groups and voluntary organisations, under the Respite Care Grant Scheme and the National Lottery Grant Scheme. Groups and organisations involved in providing health and personal social services can apply for once-off funding of between €500 and €10,000 for suitable projects. For information on how and where to apply, see www.hse.ie/lotterygrants If you have a query contact the HSELive team on 1850 24 1850 or email hselive@hse.ie Closing Date for Applications is noon on Tuesday, 30th April 2019.

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059 914 1877

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carlowpeople June 11, 2019

opinion&comment

Bailey’s swings and roundabouts

I

t has been a couple of weeks since the story peaked, and I’m not resurrecting it now to join the lengthy list that had a pop at Maria Bailey, the embattled Fine Gael TD for Dun Laoghaire. Neither am I going to defend her – if I had been in her situation I wouldn’t have taken the case against the hotel over the fall from the indoor swing, and I certainly wouldn’t have gone in front of Sean O’Rourke in the manner in which she did. My interest in the story at this stage is to look at it from a VOLJKWO\ GLŕľľHUHQW DQJOH QDPHO\ the way people can make poor decisions when they are under extreme stress. There can be no doubt that Maria Bailey was under extreme stress prior to and during her Sean O’Rourke interview, even if the stressful situation was largely of her own creation. Bailey’s interview was certainly a ‘car-crash’ one. I was driving while listening to it live, and while I didn’t crash my car I was aware instantly that I was listening to something that was

Rachel Kelly, Caroline Brown and Ambriell Smyth all excited at Summerfest Carlow Country Music Festival, Oak Park. Image by Rue Photography

Brian Quigley going to be talked about for a long time to come. I was aware too though that I was listening to someone who was extremely stressed and emotional, and this didn’t sit right with me. Should RTE have gone ahead with the interview? Yes, Bailey presented herself for the show and the story was one that was both in the public interest and of interest to the public, but did they have a duty of care to try to ascertain her state of mind prior to the interview? They struck gold with the interview, but I’m sure it left Bailey in a worse state of mind than she was before it. Any basic course in crisis

management would tell you to shut down a negative story, QRW HQĂ€DPH LW WKH ZD\ %DLOH\ did. You often hear the line ‘Where is Politician X hiding?’ after a TD has said something controversial or done something wrong. They have been ordered to go to ground until the storm blows over.

By all accounts Bailey went on Sean O’Rourke without Leo’s knowledge or approval; no doubt she thought she could make the situation better but instead it got a lot worse. This is what I’m getting at around making incorrect decisions when you are too close to a stressful situation. You actually

see a course of events as helpful that is in reality disastrous. What next for Maria Bailey? Will she be a Fine Gael TD after the next election? Will she be let run for the party even? Lots of people are saying she’s ¿QLVKHG , KRSH IRU KHU WKDW WKLV isn’t the case. I like to think that everyone should have a chance

to come back from adversity. Any comeback on her part though would need to start with KHU UHÀHFWLQJ RQ UHFHQW HYHQWV and realising that perhaps she should have handled things much better. Perhaps she needs to be apologetic rather than defensive, see the bigger picture in terms of the claims culture that her party are trying to change. It’s up to her, I suppose.

PLANNING NOTICES.

Carlow County Council Full Planning Permission is being sought by David Richardson, for the erection of a two story dwelling house, private well, onsite waste water treatment system, percolation area and all associate site and landscaping works at Ballynoe or Newtown, Tullow, County Carlow. The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the planning authority, civic offices, Athy Road, Carlow during it’s public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the planning authority on payment of the prescribed fee of ₏20.00 within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application and such submissions or observations will be considered by the planning authority in making a decision on the application. The planning authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions or may refuse to grant permission.

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carlowpeople June 11, 2019

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FILM of the week

HOROSCOPES

Hobby at East Coast Nature Reserve (Photo Justin Ivory) OVERCAST and cold, the reeds in the fen are swished back and forth by the strong south-easterly. All is quiet bird wise. Then, suddenly and dramatically, everything changes. The wind drops. The clouds roll away to reveal a bright sun in a blue sky. Within minutes dragons are rising from the fen and patrolling the skies like masters of all they survey. First one, and then another, large shape launches themselves to the skies from the nearby tree-line. Enter the dragon hunters. Like deadly, silent assassins, they pick off the dragons one by one. No, this drama is not a scene from the latest fantasy epic but one playing out at several locations along the East Coast in recent weeks. The dragons being dragonflies and the dragon hunters Hobbies. So what is a Hobby? The Hobby is a handsome falcon which superficially looks a bit like a small Peregrine but also bears some similarity in size and shape to a Kestrel. It has long pointed wings which are held swept back in a scythelike position giving the look of a large Swift. It has very distinctive red ‘trouser’ feathers on its upper legs. Extremely fast and agile, the Hobby is capable of sudden bursts of acceleration and high-speed aerial manoeuvres that allows it to hunt down its favourite prey, dragonflies which it eats while in flight, stripping off the wings before devouring the body. They also hunt martins, swallows and even swifts.

MISSING by Barry Cummins

GIRLFRIENDS Virgin Media One Thursday 13th June 10pm

From 1950 to the present day, there have been almost 900 long-term missing people in Ireland. Where did they go? Are they dead or still alive somewhere? How many have been murdered? How many killers have got away with their crimes? RTÉ journalist Barry Cummins has reported on the unsolved cases of Ireland’s missing for decades. In this new edition of his bestselling book, he examines the latest leads and developments of Ireland’s most high-profile missing cases, including the women who disappeared under eerily similar circumstances in the 1990s.

New series: Episode One - Kay Mellor drama following lifelong friends Linda, Gail and Sue, as they support each other through a series of difficult moments in their lives. In the opening episode, Linda’s world is turned upside down when her husband vanishes from a cruise ship on their wedding anniversary, and she turns to her friends as she struggles to cope with her loss. With Phyllis Logan, Zoe Wanamaker and Miranda Richardson.

VISIT of the week

FESTIVAL of the week

X-MEN: DARK PHOENIX The story of one of the X-Men’s most beloved characters, Jean Grey, as she evolves into the iconic DARK PHOENIX. During a lifethreatening rescue mission in space, Jean is hit by a cosmic force that transforms her into one of the most powerful mutants of all. Wrestling with this increasingly unstable power as well as her own personal demons, Jean spirals out of control, tearing the X-Men family apart and threatening to destroy the very fabric of our planet. The most intense and emotional X-Men movie ever made. It is the culmination of 20 years of X-Men movies, as the family of mutants that we’ve come to know and love.

PLAY of the week

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ROSES IN ALL THEIR GLORY The Walled Garden, Altamont Gardens, Tullow. T: 087-9822135. June 29.

CRĂ?NNIU NA NĂ“G 2019 Visual Carlow, Old Dublin Road, Carlow Saturday 15th June 11am-4pm. Free

BROTHERS OF THE BRUSH Visual Carlow, Old Dublin Road, Carlow, Saturday 15th June 8pm Tickets: â‚Ź18/16

This day features a ‘Rose Clinic’ for all rose related queries and advice from leading experts. The Walled Garden has the most extensive range of roses for sale in Ireland and June is the perfect time to celebrate roses in all their glory. With something to suit any aspect or situation in your garden including old garden roses – Damask, Alba, Portland, Bourbon and Hybrid perpetual roses, modern garden roses, Ground Cover, Rambler, Scrambler, Climbing, Standards and David Austin Roses.

This year we welcome children and young people to our Festival for an entire day of free events to celebrate creativity and play throughout the building. There will be face painting, piniatas, paper-making, a storytelling corner and an epic dance battle! Children of all ages are welcome with their adults. Artist Jane Fogarty and VISUAL’s artist in residence Clare Breen, will facilitate a daylong papermaking workshop.

It’s exactly twenty-five years since the original production of Brothers of the Brush appeared in Dublin. A new production of this classic, tells the story of three house painters, making a meagre living, overseen by an arrogant and shifty boss who is running a small business. The need to survive has become far greater than anything else in their lives and manipulation of each is now the new order of the day, where fragile loyalties are tested and taken to limit. Brothers of the Brush is both entertaining and thought provoking.

CONCERT of the week

GARDEN of the week

GIG of the week

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Red-footed Falcon (Photo Justin Ivory)) A scarce but annual vagrant visitor to Ireland – usually young birds which nip across from the UK to our shores for a week or two in May/June, this year has seen higher numbers than usual with sightings of between1 to 6 individuals at multiple locations in Wicklow, Wexford, Dublin, Cork and Carlow. There have also been multiple sightings recently of Red-footed Falcon, another annual but scarce vagrant to our shores.

DATE NIGHT WITH NIAMH KAVANAGH Visual, Carlow, Old Dublin Road, Carlow, Friday 21st June 8pm. Tickets: â‚Ź20/18

ALTAMONT GARDENS Tullow, Co. Carlow. T: 059 9159444 Open : 9 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. 7 days per week.

JACK LUKEMAN Saint Mary’s Church of Ireland, Church St, Graigue, Carlow, Friday 14th June

Join Niamh Kavanagh for a retrospective of special songs highlighting memorable moments from her decades-long career. Expect familiar favourites interpreted in Niamh’s inimitable fashion and accompanied by guitarist Paul Megahey. Featuring hits from the Commitments, Prince, Aretha Franklin and of course the Eurovision-winning ‘In Your Eyes’. An intimate evening of gorgeous sounds with a sprinkle of chat and craic for good measure

Widely respected as the jewel in Ireland’s gardening crown, Altamont Gardens are an enchanting blend of formal and informal gardens with riverside walks covering over 40 acres. Recognised as one of the most beautiful gardens of Ireland, the estate gains much of its character from the many mature trees, natives in the avenues and woodland areas and exotic specimens throughout the gardens. Toilets, outdoor picnic tables, large car and coach park, restricted wheelchair

Kildare man and musical legend, Jack Lukeman, returns to Carlow for a very special show in the beautiful surroundings of St. Mary’s Church. Jack Lukeman is a singersongwriter, performer, raconteur and a whole lot more besides. A platinum-selling, critically acclaimed artist. In recent years Lukeman has devoted more of his time to winning a growing fan base in the UK and abroad. I A dazzling stage performer Lukeman is a rare, unusual brand of talent.

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carlowpeople June 11, 2019

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carlowpeople June 11, 2019

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