wexford
thechronicle
June 01, 2021 t: 0539102441, www.thechronicle.ie
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.ie
June 01, 2021
wexford
thechronicle
June 01, 2021 t: 0539102441, www.thechronicle.ie
FREE
20,000 copies
‘We need fans’
.ie
FREE
Davy calls for supporters to be allowed in following 10-point loss to Kilkenny WEXFORD hurling boss Davy Fitzgerald has called for fans to be allowed into stadiums followng his side’s 10-point loss to Kilkenny recently. He made the comments after the Model County were mauled by the Cats in Kilkenny’s Nowlan Park “I just want to see a few people getting into games. As far as I’m aware there’s very little transmission out in the open,” he said. “We have massive stadiums
and if we can do it smartly – I was looking at the news and saw a Longford supporter going to a match and how much it meant to him just to go to the game and see it.” Attendances of 500 are allowed at games in the north where Longford played Fermanagh last weekend. “This place is well capable of taking 20,000-plus. Surely we can be smart and get people out. “I’m not saying that we can be right back but I really think
there’s a case that in these type of grounds we can get people in – we need the supporters. “It’s great for us to play but we need the supporters 110 per cent.” Fitzgerald admits his team were outclassed throughout the game, but cannot understand how matches are still being played behind closed doors. The government announced last week that up to 200 people will be allowed to attend outdoor events at venues which
have a minimum capacity of 5,000. Even more spectators are to be allowed to attend several music and sporting events in June, including Leinster Rugby’s clash against The Dragons on June 11 as part of the Government’s pilot scheme to trial large events. Outdoor live events are also to be piloted in the Phoenix Park and Iveagh Gardens in Dublin, and in Limerick and Kilkenny.
Aideen O’Donohue at The Village in Enniscorthy where she picked up some famous Wheelock’s strawberries
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COVID-19 OUTBREAK Don’#t forget to wash your hands
June 01, 2021
Furry friends lend a helping hand
Tracy Carroll, her daughter Willow (4) and Bo the dog at the launch of Paws for a Cause, during National Carers Week which was supported by www. buy4petsonline.ie. Pic: Mark Stedman
COVID-19 OUTBREAK Don’#t forget to wash your hands
Family Carers Ireland has launched its ‘Paws for a Cause’ national fundraising drive which takes place during National Carers Week June 7-13. Supported by www. buy4petsonline.ie, the charity is asking people all over the county to walk or run 24k over seven days with or without their furry friend in solidarity with the country’s 500,000 family carers and in recognition of the 24/7 nature of many caring roles.
A hardship fund established in 2020 at the height of the pandemic to help family carers in crisis has run out of money due to the demands for help from those struggling mentally, physically and financially. All monies raised by ‘Paws for a Cause’ will go directly to help family carers in crisis. “Family Carers Ireland has campaigned tirelessly, over the past 12 months in particular, for recognition and support for Ireland’s
500,000 family carers. “Throughout the Covid-19 crisis, we have supported family carers by sourcing and distributing tens of thousands of gloves, masks, hand sanitiser and aprons to family carers who were unable to access PPE,” Catherine Cox, Head of Communications and Policy, Family Carers Ireland said. Register for the event at www.familycarers.ie. Registration is just €20.
Tinahely Show is cancelled
The Tinahely Show has been cancelled for the second year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. A statement from organisers said: “The Tinahely Agricultural Show has been monitoring the public health and safety advice and it is with deep regret that we have decided we have no option but to cancel the Tinahely Agricultural Show for the second year running. “The ongoing pandemic leaves too high a risk to run what has become one of the largest agricultural shows in Ireland. The safety concerns of all who attend our show is utmost in our minds and we are left with no option other than cancel our 2021 show. “We understand that this decision will be disappointing for our community of members, volunteers, exhibitors, sponsors, trade stands, judges and competitors and indeed the whole Wicklow and Leinster community” said Thomas McDonald, Chairman, Tinahely Agricultural Show The Tinahely Agricultural Show’s enthusiastic committee are committed to holding the best show ever on bank holiday August 1, 2022.
Widow bite warning as toxic spider numbers see a sharp rise
Residents in the county have been put on alert for venomous spiders, folliwing the release of a new study. Scientists from NUI Galway have found an alarming rise in Noble False Widow spiders and a new study confirms their bites can require hospital treatment. The research found the species to be among the most common in the country with bite symptoms that can be quite similar to actual Black Widow spiders. So far in Ireland 16 people have been hospitalised with one person being admitted for a week. The worst symptoms of a bite include mild to debilitating pain and mild to intense swelling. Some victims have experienced tremors, reduced or elevated blood pressure, nausea and impaired mobility. In rare instances, minor wounds and even severe bacterial infections have developed. One victim of a noble false widow spider spent six days in hospital and took three months to recover from a bite, according to the research.
The 43-year-old unnamed woman from Co Waterford is one of a growing number of people who have been bitten by the invasive species which was first spotted here in 1998 and has been multiplying in number. It is found in most urban areas. The woman was bitten in her own sitting room. The spider bit her three times on the leg. She compared the pain to having boiling water poured on her skin. On the sixth day the victim was admitted to the accident and emergency department with cellulitis, a serious bacterial skin infection. She described the pain as 10 out of 10. After six days in hospital she was sent home, but did not recover until the 95th day. The first Irish sighting of a Nobel False Black Widow was in Bray, Co Wicklow, and they have appeared in many towns since then. They have a fast-acting neurotoxic venom that can kill insects and cause neuromuscular paralysis in terrestrial vertebrates. They have been known to kill small lizards.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has confirmed that a single specimen of the invasive alien species Asian Hornet has been found in here. This marks the first identification of the species in the wild in the country. The single specimen was found ‘alive but dying’ in a private dwelling on the northside of Dublin. At this time, there is no indication of a nest in the vicinity. Photographs of the specimen taken by the homeowner were sent to the National Biodiversity Data Centre and later verified as Asian hornet (Vespa velu-
tina) by the National Museum. The circumstances of how the specimen arrived in the country are not known. The Asian hornet is a predator of honeybees, wasps, other pollinators such as bumblebees, hoverflies and spiders, which it uses to feed its larvae. These prey are important for pollination of crops as well as wild flora and disruptions to their populations may have serious impacts on biodiversity and pollination services. However, the potential of the Hornet to become invasive here is dependent on its successful establishment of colonies here.
... and bee-killing hornet is here too
June 01, 2021
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06 |
June 01, 2021
opinion&comment
I like Michael O’Leary but his Covid stance is hypocritical
T
HE pace of reopening seems to have divided the country almost equally between ‘too fast’, ‘too slow’ and ‘don’t know’. And there’s a large crossover category who say it’s ‘too fast’ in general but ‘too slow’ when it comes to their own special interest. Michael O’Leary is not a man to sit on the fence. The Ryanair boss says progress is too slow and, when it comes to his own special interest, he knows just who to blame: Emaon Ryan, the Minister for Transport. “He’s a nice man, but he is ineffective,” Mr O’Leary declared in a radio interview. And that was one of his kinder comments. Mr Ryan needed to “get the finger out”, he said, because he was “without doubt one of the worst ministers for transport ever”. Mr O’Leary lambasted Mr
Michael Wolsey Ryan and the Government for maintaining Covid restrictions on air travel. When the Newstalk interviewer put it to him that ministers were following the advice of medical experts at Nphet, he conceded this might be the case but he didn’t accept the excuse. Nphet’s only concern was public health, he said, but the Government had to run the country and ministers shouldn’t feel the need to defer to the civil servants. Mr O’Leary was then questioned about the forced diver-
sion of a Ryanair flight to Belarus, which he described as “state-sponsored hijacking”. He was asked if Ryanair would now refuse to fly in Belarus airspace. That was up to “the European authorities” said Mr O’Leary. “We’ll take our guidance from them.” His company followed up the boss’s interview with a statement saying the hijacking was “being dealt with by EU safety and security agencies and Nato. Ryanair is fully cooperating with them”. Mr O’Leary is quite right to defer to the civil servants of Nato and EU agencies on this matter, because they know a lot more than he does about international security and eastern European politics. And Mr Ryan is quite right to defer to Nphet when the health of the nation is at stake, because they know a lot more about it than he does. Mr O’Leary described Government policy on travel restric-
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tions as “arrant nonsense”. His contradictory stance on when to take expert advice is arrant hypocrisy. He is pleading a special case and, like everyone who does this, he sees the world through a filter that magnifies the problems of his own interest. In the course of that interview, Mr O’Leary declared that Ireland was the only EU country to which people from the rest of Europe could not freely travel . In fact, most countries impose some restrictions . Rules change by the day, but at the time Mr O’Leary was speaking, the Belgian government’s website made it clear that “non-essential travel to Belgium is prohibited for people who have their primary residence abroad.” And the Czech government insisted that “only Czech citizens and those with permanent or temporary residency may enter the Czech Republic’’. Canada was not only banning air travellers but had closed its land border
with the United States and the USA was insisting on sevendays quarantine for all visitors, including those from the UK. even if they had a negative Covid test. Some countries have softer restrictions than Ireland and many have more sensible restrictions. But the thrust of Mr O’Leary’s comments, that Ireland is some sort of strange outlier with the world’s toughest Covid regime, is just not true. I have heard this same suggestion from other special interest groups - publicans, restaurateurs, church leaders that Ireland has had the longest lockdown and is operating the strictest rules. Not true. Mr O’Leary also suggested that Ireland’s vaccination programme was falling behind. “We were up at the top for a while but now we’re sixteenth or seventeenth,” he told Newstalk. At the time Mr O’Leary was speaking, figures compiled by
CNN put Ireland fourth in the EU for the percentage of the population fully vaccinated, behind Malta, Hungary and Germany. The rate for most EU countries is pretty similar so this is no great triumph, but neither is it a failure. And, here again, Ireland is not an outlier. The success of the vaccine programme will open air travel soon and, in time, will grant the wishes of all the special interest groups. They have all suffered and I hope they make a successful recovery. But given the sacrifices everyone has made, we should not rush at the final fences. We have waited 15 months for a return to normality. Another month won’t kill us, but opening too fast just might. I like Michael O’Leary. I think he’s great at running an airline. But when it comes to guiding the country out of a pandemic I would, like Eamon Ryan, prefer to take my advice from Nphet.
June 01, 2021
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Rewilding programme launched
To coincide with National Biodiversity Week, Wexford County Council has this morning announced the launch of Rewilding Wexford. The council is developing a programme of activities to combat climate change and the rewilding project will contribute to this vital work. The project will help to fulfil the council’s objectives as set out in the Biodiversity Plan and the Climate Change Adaption Plan. The project will also help the national policy objectives including the National Biodiversity Action Plan, All Ireland Pollinator Plan and UN Goals. Rewilding Wexford has identified sites for their development as biodiversity habitats. In simple terms the objective will be to encourage and actively promote the evolution of these sites as natural habitats, to allow the native life to flourish. This has been hampered in recent years with modern agricultural practices which can inadvertently create environments which are difficult for pollinators and fauna to survive and thrive in.
June 01, 2021
Council campaign takes aim at beach litter louts
Wexford County Council is asking for the public’s help in ensuring the county’s beaches, parks and beauty spots are amongst the cleanest in the county this summer, as the local authority launches a new waste and litter prevention campaign: Green Your Picnic. Key to the campaign is the assistance of the people of the Model County in keeping millions of single use cups, bottles and cutlery from ending up in the waste system or as litter. Each day in Ireland more than half a million single use coffee cups and close to a quarter of a million single use plastic bottles are used, the equivalent of 2.25m single use cups and bottles over a bank holiday weekend. Removing single use items from family picnics and bench dining with friends would significantly reduce Ireland’s waste output. By reducing single use items for picnics and outdoor events this summer, staycationers and day-trippers will also reduce the
Garry and Kate Murphy enjoying their fish and chips at Courtown Harbour
amount of litter brought home for disposal. Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council, Cllr Ger Carthy explained, “The Summer months of June, July and August 2021 will see an
increase number of people holidaying at home, taking day trips and visiting all public amenities in the county. As evidenced from the Summer of 2020, these staycations will result in pressure on waste disposal at these
locations. We are asking people therefore to bring their litter home with them after they have enjoyed the many beautiful outdoor sites Wexford has to offer, and to use reusable items wherever and whenever possible.
Leaving no trace and reducing the amount of single use items is not difficult and in fact can be quite fun. Over the coming weeks Wexford County Council will run a campaign on media and social media, as well as a number of workshops outlining some simple ways we can all make a difference this summer, while also having many stress free, memorable trips throughout the county.” Awareness Environmental Officer with Wexford County Council Cliona Connolly said, “Simply using reusable cups and bottles is a great way to minimise the amount of waste generated. It is worth noting that reusables were not banned during the Covid-19 pandemic. Government policy continues to promote contactless coffee and advocates for reusable options.”
Pauline and Orlaigh O Keeffe at Courtown Harbour
Summer Fortune enjoying Gorey Town Park
Katie Corrigan at Courtown Harbour
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June 01, 2021
Seven beaches secure coveted Blue Flags status
Danny and Zach Hughes in the playground at Well House and Garden Gorey
Hook Lighthouse to re-open with outdoor walking tour
The 800-year-old Hook Lighthouse, which has been open to the public year-round since 2001, has returned to its normal opening hours of seven days per week from May 31. As the most popular tourist attraction in Wexford, the team at Hook are delighted to be able to welcome visitors every day again ahead of a summer of staycations. Due to the Lighthouse tower itself being currently unavailable for tours inside due to restrictions, the team’s creativity in lock-down has
seen them develop a brand new tour experience for families, and Hook Lighthouse is delighted to unveil the Hook Outdoor Guided Walking Tour. The guided walking tours will be available daily and the tour will offer visitors access and insights into the maritime heritage of Hook Lighthouse, the Hook’s ‘Save Our Seas Eco-Education Station’ offering an exhibition of digital and hands-on activities to illustrate the cycle of water: how it is affected by global warming (sea
levels, tides, currents, wind, temperature, plastics) along with human interaction and individual responsibility. Visitors will be invited to take a pledge to help reduce sea pollution by using less plastic and disposing of it properly. The 30-minute walking tour within the grounds of the lighthouse will be available daily (€5 per adult, €2.00 for under 18’s and under 5’s are free) from June 12 onwards, and it is hoped that guided tours of the tower will return as restrictions are eased.
Wexford has received seven Blue Flag Awards and nine Green Coast Awards this year by An Taisce. Ballinesker Beach, Curracloe, Morriscastle, Rosslare Strand, Carne, Kilmore Quay Marina and New Ross Marina all received the prestigious Blue Flag status. This means they adhered to site management including water quality, information provision and safety. Grange, Cullenstown Strand, St. Helen’s Bay, Ballyhealy, Booley Bay Cahore Point Beach, Culleton’s Gap, Old Bawn Beach and Baginbun Beach each received Green Coast Awards This award recognises beaches for their clean environment, excellent water quality and natural beauty. Beach Lifeguards will be in operation from June 1 on sime beaches during the summer months - please check in ad-
vance befoer bathing. A total of 93 Irish beaches and marinas have been awarded Blue Flags this year, marking an all-time record. Seventy-nine of the 81 beaches and all 10 marinas awarded last year have retained Blue Flag status for this year. Four additional beaches have obtained Blue Flag status for the 2021 bathing season. The Blue Flag award is given to beaches and marinas that
have excellent water quality and also maintain other standards including safety standards. It is an international award which is operated in Ireland by An Taisce. When the first awards were presented in 1988 only 21 flags were awarded. Beaches that receive the award follow specific criteria related to water quality, information provision, environmental education, safety and site management. The counties with the most Blue Flags this year are Donegal and Kerry, which have 14 flags for their beaches and marinas. In addition to the Blue Flags, 63 Green Coast Awards have given to beaches in recognition of their clean environments, water quality, and natural beauty. There are two first-time recipients of the Green Coast Award this year; Rush South Beach in Dublin and Gurteen Bay in Co Galway.
LOCAL ENTERPRISE OFFICES NATIONALLY ARE NOW SUPPORTING OVER 7,500 SMALL BUSINESSES AND 35,000 JOBS. WITH THE COUNTRY REOPENING AGAIN LOCAL ENTERPRISE OFFICE WEXFORD IS HERE TO SUPPORT YOU.
T
he Local Enterprise Office Wexford has worked closely with local business to offer support during the pandemic. As businesses now move to reopen and prepare to welcome customers back the local enterprise office offers supports to start up businesses and established businesses alike. LEO provide a range of complementary supports to support people who want to start up or grow a business. The supports range from providing an initial “First Stop Shop” service where individuals can receive advice on the steps involved in setting up a business, to the provision of grants for feasibility studies, provision of financial support for the establishment of new businesses or expansion of existing ones and the provision of a range of soft supports such as training and mentoring. Financial supports are available to qualifying businesses, in the establishment and/or growth phase of their business with a turnover of less than €2m and who employ up to ten people. Businesses operating in the domestic market (regardless of numbers employed) such as sole traders, micro businesses and small and medium sized companies may avail of the soft supports available from the Local Enterprise Office, such as First Stop Shop, Mentoring and/or Training programmes. To get further information on the following supports visit: https:// www.localenterprise.ie/Wexford/ Training Supports
The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) provide an extensive range of supports to local business communities. Our confidential advisory service is open to anyone exploring self employment as an option or for those who are currently operating a business. To assist the small business community in meeting the challenges of the business world, LEOs provide a wide range of high-quality training supports which are tailored to meet specific business requirements. Whether it is starting a business or growing a business there is something suitable for everyone.
businesses through the current challenges and protect job creation and sustainment in Ireland. If your business has been impacted by COVID-19 resulting in a reduction of 15% or more in turnover or profit, and you are unable to secure finance from banks and commercial lending providers, the MFI COVID-19 Business Loan may be an option to help your business. Loans can be used for working capital or changes required by the business to manage COVID19.
Grad Start Gradstart offers Local Enterprise Office client companies financial support to hire top graduate talent and develop a talent pipeline. One Irish or International graduate can be hired at any one time for a twoyear period by eligible companies. During the placement, the company must define the a project aligned to its growth plan for each graduate to complete. Graduates are also assigned an in-company mentor to support their development.
Mentoring The Mentor Programme is designed to match up the knowledge, skills, insights and entrepreneurial capability of experienced business practitioners with small business owner/managers who need practical and strategic one to one advice and guidance. The mentor contributes independent, informed observation and advice to aid decision making. All applications for mentor assistance are dealt with individually. Trading Online Voucher Scheme – up to €2,500 grant available Grow your business online with help through the Government’s National Digital Strategy. The Trading Online Voucher Scheme is designed to assist small businesses with up to 10 employees to trade more online, boost sales and reach
new markets. Participating in this scheme can make the process of trading online much easier for you. It offers financial assistance of up to €2,500 with co-funding of 50% from the business along with training and advice to help your business trade online. Cutting the cost of developing your online trading
capacity by up to 50% can make this investment very affordable for many small businesses out there.
Covid 19 Specific supports Your Local Enterprise Office is here to help your business respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. To see the list of available supports please visit https://www.localenterprise. ie/response/
COVID 19 MFI Loans: €5,000 to €25,000 The COVID-19 Business Loan from Microfinance Ireland is a government initiative to support small
The following grants are available to businesses in the manufacturing or internationally traded sector only:
Feasibility Study Grants These grants are designed to assist the promoter with researching market demand for a product or service and examining its sustainability. It includes assistance with innovation including specific consultancy requirements, hiring of expertise from third level colleges private specialists, design and prototype development. The maximum Feasibility Study Grant payable is 50% of the investment or €15,000 whichever is the lesser. Priming Grants A Priming Grant is a business start-up grant, available to micro enterprises within the first 18 months of start-up. Priming grants may be available for sole traders, partnerships or limited companies that fulfil certain criteria. Eligible clients may be awarded a Priming Grant within the first eighteen months of setting up the business. The maximum Priming Grant payable shall be 50% of the investment or €150,000 whichever is the lesser. Business Expansion Grants The Business Expansion grant is designed to assist the business in its growth phase after the initial 18 month start-up period. Business Expansion grants may be awarded to sole traders, partnerships or limited companies that fulfil certain criteria. The maximum Business Expansion Grant payable shall be 50% of the investment or €150,000 whichever is the lesser.
10 | WILDLIFE
with Justin Ivory
Heavenly Hummingbirds
Hummingbird Hawk-moth – a blur of wings! (Photo Justin Ivory) As we head into June and the weather is finally heating up, it’s time to keep an eye out for Hummingbirds. Hummingbirds in Ireland! You’ve got to be kidding! Well yes and no is the answer. These particular aeronautical masters are not birds at all but one of the coolest, most amazing insects you are likely to encounter in Ireland. They are in fact Hummingbird Hawk-moths (Macroglossum stellatarum). This day flying moth resembles a hummingbird as it hovers with an audible hum in front of flowers feeding on the nectar with its long tongue or more correctly proboscis. It is particularly fond of Red Valerian, Buddleia, Honeysuckle, thistles and many other plant species. They have greyish forewings and orange hindwings, the lower half of the body has a distinctive black and white striped pattern. The wings flutter so quickly that it appears to look orange. This fascinating moth likes to fly during the day, particularly in bright sunshine, but will also be seen flying at dawn and dusk, and sometimes even in the rain. Studies have shown that they often return to feed at the same patch of flowers at around the same time each day, a behaviour known as trap-line. As well as behavioural clues, it is also instantly recognisable from its orange hind wings, and black and white chequered pattern on the abdomen. The Hummingbird Hawkmoth is an irregular annual migrant to Britain and Ireland from southern Europe in varying numbers. They can be found in gardens, dry rocky grassland at coastal locations and a variety of other habitats. The food plant for their caterpillars tends to be the various species of bedstraw. The female moths lay their eggs on the buds or flowers of these plant species.
Hummingbird Hawk-moth feeding (Photo Justin Ivory)
June 01, 2021
ninenottomiss book of the week
TV of the week
HOROSCOPES
series of the week
Irish Customs and Rituals Marion McGarry
euros 2021 Friday June 11, 8.00pm (RTE/BBC)
Halston Netflix now
FROM the author of The Irish Cottage comes a new book, exploring old Irish customs and beliefs. Chapters focus on the quarter-day festivities that marked the commencement of each season: ‘Spring: Imbolc’; ‘Summer: Bealtaine’; ‘Autumn: Lughnasa’ and ‘Winter: Samhain’, and also major life events – ‘Births, Marriages and Death Customs’ – and general beliefs in ‘Spirituality and Well-Being’ and ‘The Supernatural’. Focusing on the period from the mid-nineteenth to the mid-twentieth centuries, Irish Customs and Rituals discusses a time during which many of the practices and beliefs in question went into decline.
Turkey vs Italy is the first game in an already forgettable kickabout. But we can always dream . . . that half-full stadiums will buzz with the echoes of times gone by when we had entertaining hacks in the studio like Eamo and Giles and . . . okay, enough moaning. Anyway, if the sense of schadenfreude wasn’t enough for you as the Brits took a bash at this year’s Eurovision, then their first game is on Sunday, June 13 against Croatia. Come on Croatia! Otherwise, we can cheer for Slovakia, Sweden and Poland, because they should have been playing in Dublin. Moan. Pass the beer.
Focusing on the fading glamour of New York in the 1970s and early 1980s, this series about the hedonistic fashion designer Roy Halston Frowick, more often known simply as Halston is a flurry of Andy Warhol Polaroids, cocaine blizzards, sunglasses at night, disco dancing, pill popping, bed hopping and general debauched antics. Ewan McGregor takes on the role of the charismatic chain-smoking designer, with Krysta Rodriguez playing young Liza Minnelli and the Culkin brother Rory as manabout-town director Joel Schumacher.
wine of the week
event of the week
doc of the week
AriesManage practical expenses and payments with shared accounts. Discuss priorities, and make sure you’re on the same page. TaurusSupport your partner and be supported. Strengthen your collaboration by keeping your side of the bargain. Share results and new tricks. GeminiFocus on immediate actions to handle urgencies. Communications issued now go the distance with longlasting results. CancerSet duties and responsibilities aside for a bit, and go have fun. Plan an adventure with someone beloved. LeoThe gentle approach works best at home with family. Make improvements after figuring out what’s wanted and needed.
Porta 6 O’Briens, €10 (from €12.95)
Invented: Family Music Workshops ark.ie/events/view/cruinniu-invented-workshop
IF, as so many of us have, you have been dreaming about sunnier climes and the warm zephyrs of places like Portugal, then this stunning red might be as close as you are going to get — if sleepy Eamon Ryan doesn’t get his finger out. The grapes for Porta 6 are grown in the vineyards around Lisbon where red grapes thrive, the winemaking team at the family owned Vidigal Wines work with traditional Portuguese varieties to make this modern style blend which is popular with customers and staff alike. Porta 6 is smooth and balanced with red and wild berry notes and a fruit-filled zing.
Musicians from the wonderful Crash Ensemble lead children aged 6+, along with their grown-ups, in this fun music-making adventure to invent new instruments and sounds together. Join in and discover how you can create your own music from scratch and become an instant family band at home. During the live online workshop, you’ll get to invent new crazy instruments using whatever you can find at home - everything from a clothes peg to a salt shaker could make an interesting sound and be the instrument you invent. Saturday, 12 June, 2021
album of the week
charity of the week
the sons of sam Netflix now ANOTHER historical murder case exhumed by Netflix, this time the true-crime story surrounding the Son of Sam murders, postal worker David Berkowitz’s seemingly random rampage in New York in the late 1970s, during which he killed six people. Berkowitz and his bizarre defence that his neighbour’s Labrador had ordered him to commit the crimes has been a source of fascination throughout pop culture, from Spike Lee’s Summer of Sam to Seinfeld and Netflix’s own Mindhunter, but this documentary delves deeper into some of Berkowitz’s other curious claims.
podcast of the week
VirgoImpracticalities and foundational weakness become apparent. Once the message is polished and approvals are complete, share it far and wide. LibraMove quickly to catch a profitable windfall. Compute expenses, and provide excellent service. Emotions could affect your workplace. ScorpioUse your power responsibly. You don’t want to run over anyone. Keep a diplomatic tone as you advance a personal project. Sagittarius-
Peaceful settings soothe your spirit. You’re especially sensitive. Alternate between physical exercise and quiet reverie. CapricornResolve structural breakdowns with teams and committees. Confer with allies, and keep communication channels open.
endless arcade Teenage Fanclub
childline 5k run popupraces.ie/race/childline-5k-virtual-run/
the big tech show Adrian Weckler/ Independent.ie podcasts
ENDLESS Arcade’s first single, Everything Is Falling Apart, perfectly summed up the situation Teenage Fanclub found themselves in even before Covid-19, as members left. Beloved by Kurt Cobain during their grungier years, Teenage Fanclub have been responsible for some memorable love songs with harmonies that gave you goosebumps. So as we ease into summer, if it’s three-part harmonies, breezy major-key melodies, and dreamy, lovesick lyrics, then the Scottish bands 11th album is the one for you.
Childline volunteers in Dublin are calling on individuals, families, clubs and communities to join them this summer in conquering the ‘Way to 5K’ challenge and help make a vital difference in children’s lives. The team who give of their free time every week to listening to children and young people from the service’s city centre unit are keen to get as many people as possible out walking, jogging, running or wheeling their way to 5K on Saturday July 31st to help raise funds for the service.
IS the gig economy a dystopian modern sweatshop or a new flexible way of working that gives people more control over their lives? In a recent episode, tech guru Adrian Weckler discusses the issue with John Ryan, the founder of Gigable. Gigable connects restaurants to freelance delivery drivers — it has over 2,000 drivers on its books. John Ryan says that the gig economy has unfairly earned a bad rap; done right, he says, it can be the answer to what a lot people need.
AquariusConsider professional assignments and opportunities. A challenge or competition requires dedication. PiscesGet adventurous. Get out and explore a curious subject. Can you mix business with pleasure? Enjoy classes, conferences and workshops.
June 01, 2021
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12 |
June 01, 2021
opinion&comment
The great Dylan at 80
S
o the legend that is Bob Dylan is turning 80 on 24 May. A great age for a great man who continues to record and tour, 60 years into his
career. The first Bob Dylan album I bought was 1983’s ‘Infidels’. I was 14 and fed up with the pap being forced on me by Top of the Pops; I wanted something deeper. The record instantly impressed me and was the onboarding point for a lifetime spent admiring Dylan’s music. That’s not to say that I haven’t had my ups and downs with Bob. As the owner of copies of all 39 of his studio albums (39 albums in 60 years is a strike rate of oneevery 1.5 years, a ratio any Premier League striker would gladly take!), along with many of the live albums, box sets, compilation albums and archive releases, there is plenty of material in the canon that I
don’t like. As for seeing him live – which I have eight times – well, all I can say is that he has good days and bad, with the good being religious and the bad being … well, let’s just say forgettable. Talking of religion, 1983’s ‘Infidels’ was Dylan’s first proper rock album since 1978’s ‘Street Legal’. Having become a born-again Christian in the late 1970’s, he took a detour into contemporary gospel music (the trio of albums ‘Slow Train Coming’, ‘Saved’ and ‘Shot Of Love’). Thankfully he came out of it; the religion was always in the music and vice versa, no need to look anywhere else. Dylan’s gospel detour wasn’t the only one he would take musically. In the early 1990’s he detoured into traditional folk songs on the albums ‘Good As I Been To You’ and ‘World Gone Wrong’. More recently, between 2012’s ‘Tempest’ and 2020’s ‘Rough & Rowdy Ways’, he made a series of albums based on the Great American Songbook (‘Shadows
In The Night’, ‘Fallen Angels’ and ‘Triplicate’; they put Rod Stewart’s attempts at the same thing to shame). Then there was the Christmas
album; let’s just say it wasn’t every fans cup of tea (my children like it, though). Dylan’s relationships have been well documented. From
early girlfriends like Suze Rotolo and Joan Baez to his decadelong marriage to Sara Lowndes, his relationships provided Dylan with the inspiration for some of his best material. Dylan has returned the favour – if ever there was a better song written about a former lover than Joan Baez’s ’Diamonds and Rust’ then I haven’t heard it. Dylan is growing old gracefully. The half dozen albums of original material he has released since 1997 – ‘Time Out Of Mind’, ‘Love & Theft’, ‘Together Through Life’, ‘Modern Times’, ‘Tempest’ and ‘’ough & Rowdy Ways’ have been his most consistent run of studio work since his 1960’s heyday. Hopefully there is more to come. As for touring, his Never Ending Tour (which commenced in 1988) was ended by the Covid-19 pandemic, and perhaps he should call time on his time on the road to devote his remaining years to his studio work and writing. Dylan’s legacy is intact for
eternity. The music will live on. Albums like ‘Blonde On Blonde’, ‘Highway 61 Revisited’, ‘Blood On The Tracks’ and ‘The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan’ will inhabit every self-respecting list of greatest albums for generations to come. The legend will live on, not just through the music but through other sources – Scorsese’s 2005 film ‘No Direction Home’, a definitive take on Dylan, and Larry ‘Ratso’ Sloman’s ‘On The Road With Bob Dylan’ book, surely the best book ever written by a rock journalist, to name two. Dylan is and always will be an enigma, no matter how much fans and scholars think they know about him. With 100 million records sold, a Nobel Prize on top of a myriad array of other awards, parallel careers as actor, writer, painter and radio host, Dylan has had a rich and fulfilling life, and has enriched and fulfilled ours. Rock on, Bob. - Brian Quigley
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June 01, 2021
We take a look back at extracts from old newspapers to see what was in the news this month in years gone by
Irish Press 13/05/1968
Dublin Police Freemans Jrn 09/05/1851
Freemans Jrn 21/05/1825
Freemans Jrn , 07/05/1829
Sun. Ind , 20/05/1934
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thechronicle.ie June 01, 2021