carlowpeople highest, most frequent readership in carlow
.ie .ie t: 059 914 1877
November 19, 2019 August 24, 2021
FREE
12,000 copies
FREE
www.carlowpeople.ie t: 059 914 1877 www.carlowpeople.ie
COVID-19 Vaccines
If your child is aged 12 to 15, they will be offered a free COVID-19 vaccine next.
COVID-19 usually causes mild to moderate illness in this age group, but it can cause more severe illness. All children aged 12 to 15 will be offered a vaccine, but they are especially important for children who: • have long-term health conditions • live with someone who is more at risk from COVID-19
The quickest and easiest way to register is on hse.ie.
Children aged 12 to 15 will be offered the COVID-19 Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.
To register, you will need your child’s Personal Public Service (PPS) number. You will also need an Eircode, mobile phone number and email address. If you don’t have any of these or you don’t want to register online, call HSELive on 1800 700 700.
They will need two doses of the vaccine for the best possible protection.
When to register Registration is open now.
#ForUsAll For more information or to register visit hse.ie or freephone 1800 700 700
Most children will be vaccinated at HSE vaccination centres. You’ll get an appointment for your child by text message 3-7 days before their vaccination. Participating pharmacies can also give vaccines to this age group. Talk to your pharmacist or check hse.ie for a list. A parent or legal guardian will need to give consent. Find out more about this on hse.ie or by calling HSELive.
C OVID-19 vaccines are helping to protect our communities, but COVID-19 is still infecting people. If you’re aged 16 or over and you haven’t registered yet, please register now, online or on the phone. You can also go to a walk-in clinic, or talk to your local pharmacy. If you have questions about your COVID-19 vaccine, we have answers you can trust on hse.ie.
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August 24, 2021
carlowpeople highest, most frequent readership in carlow
.ie .ie t: 059 914 1877
November 19, 2019 August 24, 2021
FREE
12,000 copies
‘She lit up our lives’
Heartbreak as teacher Amanda laid to rest following freak bus accident “Amanda lit up everyone’s lives.” Those are the heartbreaking words David Kinsella used to describe his sister Amanda, who died tragically after falling from a bus, at her funeral. The young Carlow teacher, who was home on a summer break from working in the Middle East, was killed in the freak accident while attending a wedding.
Amanda (27) died when she fell from a bus at Ardnawark, Barnesmore Gap, outside Donegal Town. It is believed the native of Bennekerry, the youngest of three children, stood up to get something in the bus, which was carrying wedding guests, when she fell against its door and was struck by a passing vehicle. She was airlifted to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin but passed
away later that evening. Her funeral Mass, held at St Mary’s Church, Bennekerry, was concelebrated by two priests who thanked God for her life and “to ask him to be with her parents Michael and Patricia, sister Aisling, brother David and boyfriend Brendan”. Symbols which represented her life were brought to the altar. These included her local Bennekerry jersey, where she
played GAA football. A globe symbolised the travel she loved while Brendan, her boyfriend, brought a picture of the them together. Mourners were told he was “the love of her life”. A floral bouquet of red roses adorned her oak coffin which was carried into the church by relatives and friends. Continued on next page
FREE
www.carlowpeople.ie t: 059 914 1877 www.carlowpeople.ie
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COVID-19 OUTBREAK Don’#t forget to wash your hands
August 24, 2021
Amanda laid to rest Vaccine joy
Karzan Sabah Ahmed with Shahen Qasm and their daughter Lena, who were killed on the M6 Continued from previous page
COVID-19 OUTBREAK Don’#t forget to wash your hands
“Saying goodbye to her at the airport never got easy when she was going back to Oman and Bahrain. She certainly was the cream of the crop,” David added. Almost 1,300 mourners, including many from the Middle East and Donegal, watched via live webcam due to Covid-19 restrictions on the number of mourners who were allowed to physically attend.
Meanwhile, a family killed in a car crash were returning home after viewing a house as they prepared to “start a new life” in Carlow. Karzan Sabah, his wife Shahen Qasm and their eightmonth-old daughter Lena, were killed in a three-vehicle road crash on the M6 near Ballinasloe in Co Galway. The family were from Kurdistan and had been living in Ireland since 2017. Co-founder of Kurdish Art Nergez Group Ireland and
Kurdish Radio Ireland Hiwa Wahab said the family were getting ready to move to Carlow for work. Speaking on RTÉ, Mr Wahab said: “The family arrived on a student visa to Ireland and Karzan was submitting his PhD research to the university (NUI Galway). He had a plan to move to Carlow. On the day of the accident he was there to view a property to bring his family to Carlow and start a new life there.”
Gardaí in text scam warning to county’s residents
Gardaí are warning of a text scam that takes people to a link to book a Covid test and then looks for payment. It’s the latest in a series of bogus messages that have been catching people out, this time appearing to be from the HSE but that organisation doesn’t seek money for a Covid test. The link takes users to a cloned website, where fraudsters request personal information including PPS numbers. Gardaí say in most instances the links look very similar to the authentic HSE URL, but may be misspelled. They’re warning anyone who has paid the scammers to contact their bank and local Garda Station immediately. Meanwhile, Tusla too is warning of a scam call from people pretending to be from the agency. The call features an automated message requesting PPS numbers. Advice to those who take such a call is hang up, and block the number.
for Amber as jab sees her go back to school
A Carlow teenage transplat recipient is llooking forward to getting back to school in the coming weeks after reciveing her first Covid-19 jab. Amber O’Rourke (13) from Brownshill Road has missed school since the start of the pandemic due to receiving a donor kidney four years ago . Brave Amber was just nine when her parents’ friend Anne Marie Byrne from Graiguecullen donated a kidney to her after secretly getting tested to determine if she was a suitable match. That operation proved to be life-saving and transformative for the young girl and her parents Elaine and Billy. However, the arrival of Covid last year brought more worrying times for the family, placing anyone who is immunosuppressed at risk. “It was very lonely, being home on my own with my family for a long time,” she said. “I’ll be able to see my friends more and spend more time with
my family because I’ll feel safer being with them after being vaccinated,” she said. It also means a safe return to school at Gaelcholaiste Cheatharlach. Her mother Elaine said the jab came as a huge relief. “It will really give her great opportunities to get back to school and to see her friends and not have to cocoon as much anymore,” she said. “This is just a step in the right direction back to normal again. Onwards and upwards.” Amber was given her first jab at the Clayton Medical Centre in Carlow Town. It was a welcome step too for family friend Anne Marie Byrne, whose decision to donate a kidney when Amber was on the transplant list led to that operation. “I decided to be tested so that I could become a live donor. Everything worked out well. We were so lucky, everything ran so smoothly,” said Anne Marie said.
€100k for Barrow fishing conservation
Inland Fisheries Ireland has announced €100,000 in funding for the construction of a rock ramp fish passageway at an ‘impassable’ weir at Ballinacarrig, on the main channel of the River Barrow. The rock ramp will facilitate the passage of salmon, eels, lamprey, trout and shad to an additional 100 kms of main river channel and 120 kms of tributaries, making it easier for fish to migrate. Under two separate funds, the Salmon and Sea Trout Rehabilitation, Conservation and Protection Fund and the Midland Fisheries Fund, eligible angling clubs,
commercial fishermen and fishery owners were invited to apply for financial assistance to support fisheries conservation projects in their local areas. More than €770,000 in funding for 17 projects has been approved so far this year, going to projects based in Carlow, Cork, Donegal, Galway, Kilkenny, Laois, Limerick, Mayo, Wexford, Westmeath and Wicklow. The announcement has been welcomed by Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan. “The Habitats and Conservation Scheme 2021 is a great example of proactive conservation,” he said.
August 24, 2021
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August 24, 2021
opinion&comment
When Government takes aim it often shoots itself in the foot
M
i n i s t e r S i m o n Coveney this week promised, for a second t i m e , that the Government will examine the system by which Special Envoys are appointed to the United Nations. That shouldn’t take long because there isn’t one. Ministers identify an issue they want to highlight at the UN and come up with someone they think would be perfect for the job. If they can get the Cabinet to ratify their choice, then it’s a done deal. UN Special Envoy is a shortterm, part-time role that pays around €15,000 a year. The appointments usually go unnoticed both by the public and the media. Katherine Zappone was appointed two years ago to lobby
Michael Wolsey
for our election to the UN Security Council . Who knew? Last March, Tom Arnold, a man with experience of both the United Nations and the food industry, was appointed special envoy on food systems. Who cared? Other countries make similar appointments, and not only to the UN. Britain, for instance, recently appointed the former Ireland rugby international Trevor Ringland as a special envoy to the US to lobby on behalf of industry in Northern Ireland. Was anybody bothered? Such appointments have never been controversial and wouldn’t be now if it hadn’t been for the cack-handed attempt to appoint Ms Zappone for a second time, a piece of bungling, spectacular even by the standards of a Government that specialises in making sows’ ears out of silk purses. The first problem was the job
description: Special Envoy on Freedom of Opinion and Expression. Foreign Minister Coveney says he didn’t just dream up that one, but you don’t have to be a Sinn Féin spokesperson to view his claim with suspicion. What does the title mean and why do we need one? What unique insights on freedom of expression and opinion does Ireland wish to share with the world? And why didn’t Mr Coveney share them with Taoiseach Micheál Martin who had no advance warning of the appointment but let it sail through the Cabinet nonetheless. The attempt to appoint a very able politician to a completely unnecessary job, segued into a row over the Tanaiste’s attendance at a function organised by Ms Zappone and ended with her turning down the envoy role. It caused huge embarrassment to all members of the Government coalition and demonstrated, not
for the first time, a total inability to communicate, with each other and the public. It should not be that way. No previous government has ever employed so many special advisers, spin doctors and PR gurus. Dozens of journalists with whom I once worked on national newspapers have turned from press poacher to government gamekeeper. And a poor hand they are making of it. Covid-19 has been the dominant national issue for the whole lifetime of this Government and, by and large, it has handled things well. The vaccination programme has been a huge success. The return to normality has been hesitant, but for every critic of caution there is a nervous Nellie urging ministers not to go too fast. On balance they have probably got it right. Yet time and again, Government success has been overshadowed by mixed mes-
sages from Cabinet, contradictory ministerial statements and confusion over rules and how they should be enforced. Every time the Government takes aim at a problem it shoots itself in the foot. When it should have been celebrating the achievements of its vaccinators, it was fighting the fires Leo Varadkar lit with his ill-advised attendance at the Zappone function. It could have been rejoicing in the return of fans to sports events and the extension of outdoor gatherings but these triumphs were made to look like shifty, retrospective, coverups, devised to get the Tanaiste off the hook. It is ministers, not advisers, who cause the problems, but the Government employs an army of advisers to help avoid them. They are being paid with taxpayers’ money to make the Government look good and it adds insult to injury that they are doing such a poor job of it.
August 24, 2021
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August 24, 2021
WILDLIFE
ninenottomiss
Pelagic Magic
book of the week
with Justin Ivory
Manx Shearwater (Photo – Brian Carruthers) August and September heralds the annual seabird migration when thousands of seabirds are leaving their breeding colonies to head back to their wintering quarters. Birders in turn migrate to headlands along the Western and South-western seaboard to stare out to sea to catch distant views of these birds as they stream by far out on the horizon. So how to get closer to the birds for better views? Well, the obvious thing is to take to a boat and travel out to sea where they are! Chuck some chum in the water and wait for the birds to come! Chum, a mixture of fish bits, blood and oil, is like crack-cocaine for seabirds – they go mad for the stuff. Before you know it the boat will be surrounded by all manner of seabirds – Stormpetrels, Skuas, Shearwaters and the much sought after, rarity, Wilson’s Storm-petrel. These tiny, dainty, seabirds are southern hemisphere breeders who winter in the northern hemisphere and literally “dance” across the chum-slick! These boat trips are known as “pelagics”, so named after the birds they hope to track down, which are pelagic species. Pelagic birds are ones that inhabit the open sea only returning to shore to breed. Sightings of whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals and other marine-megafauna such as Sunfish and Bluefin Tuna are welcome added bonuses on these trips. Recent pelagic trips from Cape Clear and Baltimore in West Cork have thrown up 22 species of seabird, several species of marine mammal and Bluefin Tuna. If you wish to experience the magic for yourself then check out Paul Connaughton’s Shearwater Wildlife Tours (www. shearwaterwildlifetours.com ) which have West Cork pelagic trips running through to October.
Wilson’s Storm-petrel (Photo – Brian Carruthers)
TV of the week
HOROSCOPES
movie of the week
the lotus and the tiger Lizzy Shorthall
Ireland’s Garden Heroes RTE1, 8.30pm, Thursday 19th August
stillwater Cinemas nationwide
KILKENNY-based author Lizzy Shortall found novel-writing a cathartic way to process the pain associated with losing her brother, Lar, to suicide and her new book, The Lotus and the Tiger is a story of one woman’s determination to find and live the life she loves. While writing the book, Lizzy, who is a former social worker, trained to teach mindfulness for wellbeing. Like the protagonist in her book, Lucy, is a strong believer in the benefits of practising both mindfulness and gratitude and the evidence is seen in a story that is a heartwarming and valuble tale for those struggling to deal with grief.
IF you haven’t had your fill of home and garden DIY programmes, then you can always join horticulturalist Jimi Blake, garden designer Niall Maxwell and landscape designer Ingrid Swan as they seek out the best amateur gardeners to celebrate the joy of transforming your own little space. This week, the green-fingered gang head to counties Offaly, Laois and Co Kilkenny. The series dispenses with the fashionable garden makeover format in favour of exploring the story of each garden and what it personally means for its owners.
LOOSELY based on the events in the Amanda Knox case—Knox herself wishes she had been left out of the story— Stillwater stars Matt Damon as an American oil-rig roughneck who heads to Marseille, France, to visit his estranged daughter, in prison for a murder she claims she didn’t commit. Confronted with language barriers, cultural differences and a complicated legal system, he soon builds a new life for himself as he makes it his personal mission to exonerate her. You’re getting a ‘thoughtful’ Damon instead of the kick-ass one here, so bear that in mind.
show of the week
festival of the week
FAMILY DAY of the week
AriesBreak free of outdated routines. Physical action gets results; consider consequences of moves before making them. Slow down to avoid accidents. TaurusExpect the unexpected with fun and romance today. Keep an open mind and flexible schedule. Patience serves you well. GeminiDomestic matters may not go as planned. Make repairs, and keep everyone fed. Reward cooperation with delicious treats. CancerWatch for hidden pitfalls along the road. Distractions and interruptions abound. Listen and learn. Things are starting to make sense. LeoAvoid expensive risk or distraction. Listen to intuition. Not everyone has your best interests at heart. Focus on the job at hand.
THE VISIT Draíocht Blanchardstown 13 – 16 October DRAIOCHT Blanchardstown presents awardwinning playwright Deirdre Kinahan’s The Visit, directed by Veronica Coburn and opening as part of Dublin Theatre Festival. Based on Kinahan’s play YES, it concerns a woman who opens up her front door to find a world of new possibilities, after the death of her dominating and deeply controlling husband. This funny, heart-warming, touching new play explores a hidden social reality we are only beginning to understand. Tickets are €18 and are available to book now from: www.draiocht.ie/whats-on/the-visit-by-deirdrekinahan
single of the week
dunmore east bluegrass festival bluegrassireland.blogspot.com/2021/05/26thdunmore-east-bluegrass-festival.html aldi IF you’ve been a missing a bit of foot tappin’ as you’ve traipsed around the four walls of your house during the pandemic, then the coastal village of Dunmore East is the only place to be. Fans of bluegrass, Americana, blues, country, rhythm ‘n’ roots can expect top class acts for this year’s 26th Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival. Info on who is actually playing is still a bit scant, but keep an eye on the blog for further details. Pictured: Dunmore East (just insert imaginary musician of choice in there with banjo or other suitable instrument).
charity of the week
waterford walls festival www.thewallsproject.ie/waterford-walls/ GIVEN the weather recently, you might have been walking around Waterford with head bowed down. But take a moment to look up and marvel at the Waterford Walls international street art event, which is now celebrating its seventh year. International artists have been getting involved painting the walls of the city, with many spin-off outdoor events taking place too, including workshops, live music and family outings. The best way to keep up with all that is going on is to download the dedicated app from the link above. The festival runs until August 22nd.
business of the week
VirgoThink about where you’re going before leaping ahead. Obstacles lie around the corner. Keep your eyes, ears and mind open. LibraA stroke of genius could occur to you. Don’t act on it yet. Make private plans, visions and dreams. Speculate and consider. Review and strategize. ScorpioAvoid gambling or risky business, especially with friends and teams. You don’t have the full story. Prioritize fundamental responsibilities, and stay in communication. Sagittarius-
Allow time in your work schedule for unexpected interruptions or chaos. Keep your cool under pressure.
let the hippies rule Jake Green
Alzheimer’s Memory Walk www.alzheimer.ie
urban movement scooters www.urbanmovement.ie (from €399-€499)
A TIMELY message from Wicklow singer/ songwriter Jake Green, who has been slowly dropping singles on streaming services. This hip (excuse the pun) Indie pop/rock single is the perfect balm for a season when the news from just about every corner of the globe has been grim. It bounces along at a road trip pace leading the listener back to the days of the Summer of Love. We need more positive vibes. Available on Spotify and all other services, by going to: songwhip.com/jakegreen/letthehippiesrule
Virgin Media’s Martin King and Pamela Laird are appealing to you to take part in the second Virtual Alzheimer’s Memory Walk, which is taking place nationwide on Sunday, 19th September during World Alzheimer’s Month 2021. The charity needs 5,000 walkers to help raise €250,000 for vital services that are helping to support so many people with dementia and their family carers across Ireland. Register now online; entry prices are €7 for kids and €18 for adults.
LOOKING for a Greener way to get about? Powered by rechargeable batteries, E-Scooters are free from emissions, making them an essential choice for those wishing to reduce their carbon footprint, and also save some much-needed coin which otherwise is spent on filling up the petrol tank. With car pollution one of the major causes of global warming, Urban Movement scooters are the cleaner, greener choice for the modern commuter. Don’t forget your hi-viz vest. A nice green one!
CapricornYour journey could present unplanned deviations or barriers. Stay flexible. Refine your agenda as you go. AquariusCosts may be higher than expected. Resist the temptation to splurge. Changes necessitate budget revisions. PiscesPatience with your partner pays off. Take complaints to someone who can do something about them. Listen, and let the other know they’re heard.
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August 24, 2021
education2021
Vaccination not mandatory for college campus access
... but you will need to show proof of jab get into bars STUDENTS heading to college in September will not have to be vaccinated against Covid-19 in order to access third-level campuses. However, both students and staff will need to show proof of vaccination in order to access indoor college canteens or bars, in line with wider public health rules. A number of higher education sources confirmed that students will be urged to take up offers of a vaccination to ensure they can avail of the “full student experience”. Hundreds of higher education institutions in the US have made vaccination mandatory for students, while some zeroCovid advocates have said it would be “perfectly reasonable” to do the same in Ireland. Dr Tomás Ryan, a neuroscientist at Trinity and
member of the Independent Scientific Advocacy Group, said recently it was “not radical” to require students to be vaccinated. “I don’t see how any university can expect to return to campus as normal. It’s not going to be like that. This will be a gradual process,” Dr Ryan said. “We are going to have to see how the pandemic develops, but I think it’s perfectly reasonable to have mandatory vaccination for students wishing to participate in campus activities. It makes perfect sense.” Senior third-level sources said that, while such steps have been considered, they felt a push to make it mandatory was not necessary given the success of the vaccination campaign so far. The Irish Universities Association, the Technological Higher Education Association
and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland announced the joint approach last week. Their joint statement noted that the vast majority of adults and college students will have been offered the opportunity to be vaccinated by this September. They said “reasonable accommodation” would be made for any member of the research or learning community for whom vaccination is medically contravened. Their implementation plan builds on other advice published by the Department of Further and Higher Education last June on the safe reopening of college campuses. This outlined mitigation measures that will be implemented including mask wearing in shared indoor settings, in accordance with public health advice.
e ve lin n E On atio rm
fo
In nt
Explore Your Options for Further Education and Training in Carlow Interested in finding out about part-time and full-time education and training opportunities with Kilkenny and Carlow ETB? Có-mhaoinithe ag an Aontas Eorpach Co-funded by the European Union
A number of Kilkenny and Carlow ETB Further Education and Training programmes are co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union.
Please join us on
Tuesday 24th August 2021 , 11.00 am to 12.0 0 pm
.
To register for this
one-hour online Log onto
event,
kcetbfet.ie or call
056 7765103
nt
e ve lin n E On atio rm
fo
In
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August 24, 2021
learning works Kilkenny and Carlow Education and Training Board
Accounting Technicians Ireland (ATI)
Certificate (Year 1) and Diploma (Year 2) Further Education and Training (FET) Evening Classes ATI Year 1 Subjects 2021/2022
Fee per Subject
ATI Year 2 Subjects 2021/2022
Fee per Subject
Financial Accounting
€230.00
Advanced Financial Accounting
€230.00
Taxation
€230.00
Advanced Taxation
€230.00
Business Management
€230.00
Management Accounting
€230.00
Business Law
€230.00
Financial Data Management
€230.00
Kilkenny and Carlow ETB, FET offer ATI professional training courses in partnership with Accounting Technicians Ireland (ATI). Interested in this course? Please log onto www.fetchcourses.ie for more information and to register an expression of interest. Students will also need to register with Accounting Technicians Ireland, please log onto www.accountingtechniciansireland.ie for further information and registration details.
Funding Options for ATI For those in employment, you may be eligible to access funding through the Skills to Advance Initiative. Details of the SOLAS Skills to Advance Initiative can be accessed at https://www.solas.ie/programmes/skills-to-advance, which includes information regarding funding eligibility criteria. Presently not in employment, you may be eligible for funding through the Training Support Grant (TSG),
offered through the DSP. Please contact your local INTREO office for more information and to check your eligibility. This course will run every Monday and Wednesday evening from 7.00 pm to 10.00 pm during the academic months of 2021/2022. Course start date: Monday 20th September 2021.
For more information and to register an expression of interest in this course please log onto www.fetchcourses.ie or contact the Adult Education Office (FET), Kilkenny and Carlow ETB at: 056 7765103 adulteducationoffice@kilkennycarlowetb.ie
| 11
August 24, 2021
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12 |
August 24, 2021
RESOURCE WORKER – HISTORY (Leaving Cert History & QQI Level 4 Personal Effectiveness) FIXED TERM CONTRACT – 37 HOURS PER WEEK APPROX (Carlow Youthreach – Ref No: 2021AUG121) Our programme requires a Resource Worker to provide direct class contact and resource duties in the delivery of the programme. A high degree of motivation and commitment to a student-centred model of learning is essential. A panel may be created for the filling of other posts which may arise. Closing Date: Monday, 6 September 2021 (12 noon). Further details and application forms available from: www.kcetb.ie Kilkenny and Carlow ETB is an equal opportunities employer. Youthreach Carlow is co-funded by the Government of Ireland, the European Social Fund and the Youth Employment Initiative as part of the ESF Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning 2021-2027 Provision co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union. Có-mhaoinithe ag an
AONTAS EORPACH Co-funded by the
EUROPEAN UNION
European Union Investing in your future European Social Fund
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| 13
August 24, 2021
Fast-track your career into the healthcare profession …work as a phlebotomist!
This September sees the return of Geopace Training with their two day phlebotomy training course. An increasing demand for skilled healthcare professionals has led to a shortage of allied healthcare workers, especially phlebotomists - the skilled healthcare professionals who take your blood. Demand is high within hospitals as well as many clinics and surgeries and offers a golden opportunity for that “longed for” career change! If you have good people skills, good manual dexterity and like the idea of working in a busy hospital or clinic, a phlebotomist job may be just the right job for you! Many people enter this profession when they are looking for a career change or a fresh start. Phlebotomists often work part time (mornings) but some do work full time as well as weekends and holidays. Blood samples are usually
collected in the mornings and then analysed in the Path Labs in the afternoon. “We train people from all walks of life and all ages” explains Tasmin, office manager. “We’ve had shop assistants, receptionists, beauticians and dental nurses, as well as telesales staff, unemployed, school leavers and the retired” says Tasmin. Once on the healthcare career ladder ambition often drives people to progress to working in the labs and to other specialised departments. Internal promotion is much easier once you are “on the ladder” and have some experience. Many hundreds of Geopace trainees are now working as phlebotomists and a few have even chosen to work abroad where there is often a shortage and growing demand for
this specialised skill. If you like the idea of a career in healthcare then this may be just the job for you! Training takes place over two full days and culminates in the award of a UK nationally recognised and accredited certificate. “We practice on artificial arms”, says Tasmin. “And all our students have a lot of fun learning. We get a great deal of satisfaction when we later learn that they are working in their local hospital or medical facility”. The next course in Dublin is scheduled for Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th September. If you would like to know more about phlebotomy as a career or to book a place on the September course visit Geopace Training’s website at www.geopace.net
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August 24, 2021
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August 24, 2021
opinion&comment
Climate crisis not climate change
C
limate change seems to have made its way back into the headlines in recent weeks. Rightly so something so important should never have been off our radars, but has been relegated down the news order during the last 18 months because of the pandemic. Not that it makes pleasant reading seeing headlines like ‘Dublin to be submerged by 2050’ or other prophecies of that ilk; the implications of climate change are brutally sobering. Perhaps there’s a danger though of the severity of the message leading to apathy, strange as that may sound. If something is portrayed as so hopeless a cause and so inevitable to happen, then people may just switch off and enjoy the ride until we crash into the wall. The possibility of reversing climate change is a ship that has sailed, as far as I’m concerned. It is already happening and will get worse in the coming decades.
But there is hope. We just need to change the narrative from trying to stop climate change to focusing on mitigating the effects of it and learning how to adapt and live with it. Greta Thunberg summed this up well in some social media posts last week, to mark the third anniversary of her school strike. We need to stop talking about ‘climate change’ and start using the words ‘climate crisis’, because that’s exactly what the situation is, a crisis. Crisis focuses attention better and forces action. The Covid-19 pandemic was - and remains a crisis, and swift action followed. As I scientist I have been impressed by how quickly the scientific cavalry rode to the rescue during the Covid pandemic. Vaccines were developed, approved, manufactured and distributed with lightning-quick speed. Everyone – scientists, politicians, businesses – were pulling in the same direction, and when everyone is aligned like this progress can be rapid. Imagine if this approach was
Miriam O’Callaghan at the launch of Bewley’s Big Coffee Morning Social for Hospice which takes place n September 23. Pic: Tom Honan
applied to climate change. Not to trying to stop it, but to trying to offset the worst damage that is to be dished out.
Progress could be quick, effective and lasting. We just need to see a collective will to tackle the issue, like we did with Co-
vid. It’s quite likely that what science will offer up as gamechangers in the climate debate won’t be things that we are fa-
miliar with yet. Electric cars will give way to hydrogen cars, which is a much more viable long-term alternative to petrol or diesel. I changed my car this year and went for a petrol model, having done some research I was shocked to discover that over its lifetime an electric car I was looking at would do more damage to the planet than the petrol one I bought, when you factor in things like the sourcing and disposal of the batteries. Likewise with renewable energies. Wind and solar will only go so far and the ultimate solution is something like nuclear fusion, the elusive good cousin to nuclear fission. Fusion will be everything fission isn’t, namely cheap, safe, unlimited and clean. We just need to pump the funding into making it become reality. So, time to pivot. Fear needs to be replaced by hope. Time to stop chasing the impossibility of stopping climate change and embrace the challenge of finding workable solutions that will help us live in a changed world. - Brian Quigley
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August 24, 2021
August 24, 2021
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August 24, 2021
Join 100 Carlow volunteers as they clean up our beaches
Registrations for the Big Beach Clean only opened a couple of weeks ago but already 5,000 volunteers have signed up to receive free clean-up kits to tackle litter in over 200 different locations. In County Carlow, over 100 volunteers have already signed up to carry out clean-ups in different locations across the county. The Big Beach Clean is an annual call-to-action organised by Clean Coasts that calls volunteers to remove litter from our coasts at the end of the bathing season, as part of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC), operated internationally by Ocean Conservancy. This year, the initiative will run between September 17-19, which is also the same weekend as World Clean-up Day. Communities and volunteers across the country are invited to register their own clean-ups in any location in Ireland, no matter how far from the coast. Alternatively, Clean Coasts will be facilitating a number of clean-ups in several counties, for people who wish to join them. Places will be limited, so make sure you check the calendar of
events and register your interest through Clean Coasts’ website or social media. The Big Beach Clean is also an opportunity for volunteers to get involved in a worldwide citizen science project, which entails collecting the amount and types of litter on Irish beaches and filling in Clean Coasts’ Marine Litter Data Cards. This will help heighten awareness about the issue of marine litter serving as an indicator of the magnitude of
the problem. Public participation through Citizen Science is the key concept in which everyone does their small part to increase knowledge and provides a lifeline to scientists that would not have the capacity to carry out this research alone and the data collected contributes to a growing body of knowledge, helping to reveal patterns and trends, identify areas for further research and even inform policy. The benefits of citizen science, however, are not only confined to the scientific community. Taking part in these collaborative efforts also promotes active citizenship, increases environmental awareness, and enables people to be part of a bigger picture. Statistics show that the number one cause of marine litter is litter dropped in towns and cities. This is why the Big Beach Clean will once more be open to all residents of Ireland, no matter how far from the coast they are based, thanks to the involvement of the National Spring Clean Programme.
Planning notices Carlow County Council: We, Shannon Larkin & Alan Joyce, intend to apply for permission for development at this site at Roscat, Tullow, Co. Carlow. The development will consist of the erection of a three bedroom bungalow, garage, packaged wastewater treatment system and polishing filter, and all ancillary works. 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 its 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, €20, 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. Signed: Shannon Larkin & Alan Joyce. Carlow Co. Council I, Tim Larkin, intend to apply for permission for development at this site at Roscat, Tullow, Co.
Carlow. The development will consist of the construction of a new entrance to the existing dwelling and the removal of the roadside hedgerow to facilitate a new post and rail fence 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 its 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, €20, 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. Signed: Tim Larkin Carlow County Council I, William Farrell, intend to apply for Planning Permission for development at this site: Ballinakill, Garryhill, Co. Carlow, R21 C427. The development will consist of the demolition of the existing structures: the front porch, the ex-
isting windows in the front elevation, a gable roof, and a chimney over the front part of the house, a flat roof over the remaining building, a part of the rear extension; the chimney, and the stonewalled shed at the rear. The development will also consist of the construction of the new 3-bed dwelling extension to the rear and new structures: the new roof over the front part of the existing dwelling house, new windows in front elevation, new packaged wastewater treatment system and polishing filter, and percolation area together with all associated site works. 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 its 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, €20, 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. Signed: William Farrell
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20 | SERVICES
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carlowpeople.ie August 24, 2021
DOG TRAINING
CARLOW DOG TRAINING CLUB
have dog obedience and dog agility classes every Saturday in Garyhill, Carlow. All beginners welcome at 2 o’clock €10 per class.Any enquiries to
086-3207287 TURF & FIREWOOD
3 TONNE QUALITY TURF DELIVERED €280
Also loads of timber available. Call joe on 087 – 7800338
TO PLACE YOUR ADVERT
059 914 1877