Wexford Chronicle 18-01-2021

wexford

thechronicle

January 18, 2022 t: 0539102441, www.thechronicle.ie

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January 18, 2022

wexford

thechronicle

January 18, 2022 t: 0539102441, www.thechronicle.ie

FREE

20,000 copies

Council chief sorry over SIPO storm THE chief executive of Wexford County Council has apologised for any embarrassment he may have caused the local authority in the wake of Standards in Public Office (SIPO) findings against him .

SIPO found Mr Enright put unwarranted pressure on the owner of South East Radio and acted recklessly in doing so.

The SIPO investigation considered allegations that Mr Enright breached the

Local Government Act 2001 and the Code of Conduct for Employees.

The Commission had heard allegations against Mr Enright that he used his position to threaten to pull sponsorship and advertising funding from South East Radio over what he deemed to be biased coverage on a current affairs programme in 2019.

A hearing in November heard of emails in which Mr Enright

threatened to pull sponsorship and advertising from South East Radio as a legal case through SIPO by a contributor to the station was outstanding against him.

A complaint was received

by SIPO on October 9, 2019, from Karl Fitzpatrick, host of the Business Matters show, alleging a threat by Mr Enright to withdraw advertising in retaliation for negative coverage of the council on his

show. Mr Enright said that all he ever looked for was fairness from the radio station, saying he simply “stood firmly” against what he “and others believe” was deliberate bias by South East Radio against the council.

“I can categorically state that I believe that I acted in good faith and in the interest of Wexford County Council. I re-state that I regret the tone of my emails Continued on next page

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Fined for growing cannabis

A MAN who was growing cannabis plants in a hidden cupboard in a garden shed was fined €250 at Wexford District Court.

Darren O’Connor (42), of Cois Carraig, Newtown Road, Wexford pleaded guilty to the offence which was detected by gardai on May 14 last.

The court heard gardai went to the defendant’s home with a search warrant and were brought to a shed in the rear garden. There was a large cupboard with an 8ft by 4ft table against it. Inside the cupboard was a back tent with a zip, which when opened, revealed three mature cannabis plants.

The court heard it contained three plants with an estimated street value of €800 each. The defendant had one previous conviction in 2002 when he was fined €200 for possession.

Counsel said his client voluntarily brought gardai to the shed and made a voluntary cautioned statement. It was accepted by the gardai that there was no question of the cannabis being sold, it was for his own use.

The judge imposed a fine of €250 and allowed six months to pay.

January 18, 2022

Presentation Secondary School’s action on plastic Staff and students of Presentation Secondary School receive their accolades for work raising awareness on single-use plastic.

Presentation Secondary School in Wexford were singled out for praise for their sterling work in helping their local community to reduce single-use plastic.

The recent competition, held for secondary schools across Wexford, had huge success in encouraging action against single-use plastic bottles.

Students then took further action in their communities by encouraging local businesses to offer water

refills and register to appear on Refill.ie’s Tap Map. Councillor Barbara-Anne Murphy, Cathaoirleach Wexford County Council, congratulated Presentation Secondary School Wexford on their work.

Speaking at the prizegiving ceremony, where she presented them with a contactless water station and reusable water bottles, Cllr Murphy said: “This is a great campaign for communities up

and down the county to get involved in.

“It encourages schools and businesses alike to take action against plastics, thus preventing waste and acting against climate change.

“This competition has united communities in a common goal to responsibly refill a reusable bottle and continue to contribute to the positive results the campaign has seen to date,” she added.

See: www.refill.ie

Council chief ’s apology

Continued from front page “However, I do not regret standing up for the Council against unfairness by South East Radio. I believe I was just doing my job.”

Mr Enright said he has been advised there are strong grounds to legally challenge SIPO’s findings, but added: “I can confirm to the council that I have no intention of doing so.

While I do not agree with much of SIPO’s findings, I do accept them and the role of SIPO. “I apologise for any embarrassment that I may have caused to the council. I can assure the elected members that the SIPO findings will not deflect me from the important work of this council that needs to be done.”

Thirty councillors voted to note the SIPO report’s findings, but not to impose any sanction at a recent special council meeting. Receiving a standing ovation from most of the councillors and TDs present, Mr Enright was hailed by council chairperson Barbara Anne Murphy for continuing to work despite the pressure he was under over recent months.

Price of homes in county to increase by 5% in 2022

THE price of the average threebed semi in Wexford is expected to rise by 5% in the next 12 months, according to a survey

by Real Estate Alliance.

Three-bed semi-detached homes in the county now cost an average of €227,500, up 14% on the December 2020 average of €200,000 and a 3.4% increase in the last quarter of 2021, the REA Average House Price Index shows.

The survey concentrates on the actual sale price of Ireland’s typical stock home, the threebed semi, giving an up-to-date picture of the second-hand property market.

Landlords exiting the market have accounted for almost onein-four home sales over the past three months, the data shows.

Across the county in Q4 2021, prices in Wexford town rose by 5% to €210,000 and in Gorey, the REA Average House Price Index shows that prices increased by 2.1% to €245,000.

The average time taken to sell in these areas was three weeks.

“In terms of supply, the last quarter of 2021 has seen the least amount of properties for sale,” said Winston Halnon of REA Halnon McKenna.

“The traditional autumn selling season was strong from the point of view of sales prices and results, however the supply side that would normally be expected in this period did not mate-

rialise. This is particularly true for traditional starter homes and properties located within urban areas.

“There had been a noticeable number of landlords selling up due to new rental legislation being introduced and with more regulation due early this year.

This will, unfortunately, be a continuing trend into 2022,” he added.

Average house prices rose by 2.24% nationally in the last three months of 2021, half the rise experienced between June and September as demand eased and the market calmed.

The price of a three-bedroomed semi-detached house across the country rose by €5,900 over the past three months to €269,963 – representing an annual increase of 13%.

Selling prices rose in commuter areas (3.34%) and the country’s large towns (2.57%) as buyers continue to move out further from the capital in anticipation of long-term remote and hybrid working situations.

Three bed semis in commuter counties rose 3.34% by over €9,000 in the past three months to an average of €291,944 – with the average home selling in just three weeks.

As the flight to rural locations continues, prices in the rest of the country’s towns rose by 2.6% in Q3 to €190,138.

Angling clubs can catch up to €30k

ANGLING clubs, groups and associations throughout Wexford are being invited to apply for sponsorship funding, before the January 21st deadline, for a €30,000 fund which will focus on initiatives aimed at beginners and young anglers, as well as events that promote sustainable angling tourism.

Over 327,000 adults in Ireland consider themselves an angler, while 18% of adults in Ireland that had

never been fishing before said that they are “likely” to try angling in the future.

It awarded funding to 41 angling events and initiatives across the country in 2021; while a total of 28 coaching and juvenile outreach events were also supported.

More information about the Sponsorship Programme and application forms is available by visiting the Inland Fisheries Ireland website: www.fisheriesireland.ie

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January 18, 2022

opinion&comment

A myth that has pushed up the price of drink

A

v e r a g e consumption of alcohol in Ireland has been falling for the past decade. It’s not much of a drop, nothing to get excited about, but the trend is down.

The World Health Organisation measures consumption of pure alcohol and its figures show that the difference in consumption between most European countries is quite small, about a litre a year.

On average, we consume more of the demon drink than Italians and Danes, less than the Germans and Czechs, about the same as the Spanish, the French and our neighbours in Britain.

That may come as a surprise to you, because, as a nation, we are constantly upbraided for our drinking by bodies such as Drinkaware and Alcohol

Michael Wolsey Action,who have pushed the Government into a number of measures aimed at making the perfectly legal purchase of alcohol a bit more difficult.

Shops have been forced to fence off their beer, wine and spirits and exclude them from promotions such as voucher schemes and loyalty points.

Since January 4, they have been obliged to enforce minimum pricing which, contrary to the claims of its supporters, does

not apply only to very lowpriced drinks.

The minimum price is imposed per gram of alcohol. It doesn’t hit products at the very top of the range, but it pushes up the price of many drinks that are widely enjoyed. A survey in the Irish Independent estimated that it will add more than €6 to the price of a bottle of Corley’s gin, €2 to a bottle of Power’s whiskey, €5 to the Smirnoff sold by Aldi and almost €23 to the 24-pack of Budweiser sold

by SuperValu.

I doubt if this measure will curtail drinking. Some people will shop across the Border.

Most of us will just spend a bit more of our money on alcohol.

Since drink consumption has been falling anyway, we will never know for sure whether minimum pricing works But, in any case, why is this the Government’s business?

We have a wide range of laws

to regulate the sale of alcohol and punish any anti-social behaviour caused by drinking: laws against drink-driving, under-age drinking and being drunk and disordely. There is even a law against simply being drunk in a public place, although I cannot recall it being enforced.

So why does the Government feel the need for other measures, aimed not at anti-social behaviour but at changing our social habits?

It’s because we are always being told that Ireland has a uniquely serious problem with drink and we cannot be trusted to regulate our individual alcohol purchases. And that’s just not true.

Ireland is not an outlier. In every country that allows the sale of alcohol there is sometimes some degree of excessive drinking.

A few years ago I was invited,

along with some other Irish journalists, on a tour of Swedish industry and we enjoyed wonderful hospitality at several boardroom dinners. At the end of the meal everyone was given a small glass of a fiery spirit called aquavit. The most senior of our hosts would make a speech of welcome and propose a toast “to our delightful guests”. After a suitable reply, every one of the Swedes would make a little speech, ending with a toast and another glass of aquavit.

Swedes, who had been models of sobriety earlier in the day, became incredibly drunk. One man quite literally fell under the table.

They don’t fall under the table in Japan. But in Hiroshima, I watched in amazement as tired businessmen, having consumed too much beer or sake, would slump down on the bar and go to sleep.

I have seen Germans, on their way to work, drinking beer at 8am and (much more worrying) French truck drivers downing a quick brandy at the same hour.

When an attempt was made to introduce “dry January ‘’ to France, 42 sports stars, chefs and actors signed a letter protesting at this “Anglo-Saxon puritanical madness”.

And Claire Touzard, a Parisan who decided to give up alcohol, complained in a book she wrote about it, that “saying you are giving up drinking in France is like putting a bomb on the table.

Nobody in France is sober”.

There is no reason why Ireland should emulate the bad habits of other countries.

But there is no reason either for our constant self-criticism.

Ireland is not an exceptionally heavy drinking country and the myth that it is should not be allowed to dictate our laws and regulations.

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January 18, 2022

Time to lift ‘ineffective’ Live Register, PUP numbers restrictions says expert rise by 5.8% A PROFESSOR of immunology at Maynooth University has raised hopes by saying it is probably a good time to look at lifting restrictions.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland recently, Professor Paul Moynagh said testing for the Omicron variant has been “really saturated” and the positivity rate has been very high, but looking at recent numbers it “certainly seems they’ve peaked” and are decreasing now.

“If you look at these waves they tend to be symmetrical, we don’t really know why,” he said.

“So with Omicron, the incline was very, very steep, so we probably expect decline to be something similar and reflect that steep incline.”

Prof Moynagh said one of the key features of Omicron is how transmissible it is, adding that it is difficult to control transmission, even with existing restrictions.

“So the restrictions have been, I think, relatively ineffective,” he said.

“Some of the good things are that it’s a milder variant,

Leah Quish (9) at the launch of Round Up for Ronald McDonald House in Crumlin Hospital. Pic: Andres Poveda

relative to some of the other variants, and also the fact that it’s not translating to anything resembling the rate of hospitalisations and ICU [admissions] from previous waves.”

He said this is due to the “wall

of immunity” built up from vaccination, as well as the high number of cases over the last few weeks.

He said it “probably would make sense” to leave the easing of restrictions for a week or so . . . But from that point I think

Kate Reid at the launch of Yellow Monday

by Fettle, an online therapyon-demand platform that is turn Blue Monday, yellow (the colour of positivity) on January 17.

Pic: Julien Behal

we need to begin to look at — at the very least — phased lifting of the restrictions,” he said.

He added that we’re all going to encounter this virus, and at best, restrictions now only delay that exposure.

THERE has been an increase in the number of people on the Live Register and the Pandemic Unemployment Payment, as the figure rose by 5.8% to 229,657 in December.

A total of 66,906 people were in receipt of the PUP in the last week of December, an increase of 11,906 on the numbers in November.

But there were 308,357 fewer people in receipt of the PUP last month compared with December 2020.

The PUP was reopened by the Government on December 7 last year, following the reintroduction of some Covid restrictions.

The latest figures show that the Live Register, when adjusted for seasonal factors, fell by 2,600 over the month to 166,300.

There were an estimated 283,525 jobs supported by the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) in November.

There are no figures yet for the numbers on the EWSS in December, but they are

expected to have increased.

The combined number of people on either the Live Register, the PUP or being supported by the EWSS was 491,912 in November.

This compares with 793,550 in November 2020.

According to the CSO, 873,993 people have benefitted from the PUP at some stage since the scheme began in March 2020.

This represents around a third of the workforce.

Some 39,214 people have been on the PUP for over a year, it added.

The total cost of payments issued under the PUP this week passed the €9bn in December.

Meanwhile, the Covid-19 crisis is continuing to hit jobs hard around the world, the United Nations said, warning it could take years for employment levels to reach pre-pandemic levels. It revised its previous forecast that the global employment market will make a nearly full recovery this year.

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January 18, 2022

Do you have what it takes for Davy?

Davy’s team from the first series on RTE in 2021.

THINK you’re tough to face the wrath of GAA Manager Davy Fitzgerald? RTE is making a second series of Davy’s Toughest Team and applications are now open for anyone tough enough to sign up.

In series one last year, Davy met a group of young men aged 18-22, who found themselves at a crossroads. Many of the group had battled with issues such as crime, unemployment, addiction and mental health.

Over the course of a number of months, Davy guided and mentored the group as they tackled their issues and trained for an intense physical challenge – climbing Carrauntoohil. Davy

has big ambitions for the new series which will include an epic physical challenge outside Ireland.

Davy said: “The hope for series two is to make it even bigger and more epic than series one. I truly believe that achieving something physically has far reaching benefits in all aspects of life. If someone out there reading this feels a bit lost or needs a change in their life and who has the ambition to complete a really difficult challenge as well as building their resilience and selfconfidence along the way, they should apply for the show”.

Email: casting@animotv.ie

That’s rich: pandemic boosts the billionaires

WHILE most of us have struggled through the pandemic, Ireland’s nine billionaires have increased their wealth by 58% to €49.7bn since the start of the pandemic, according to a new Oxfam report.

While globally, the report claims the world’s 10 richest men more than doubled their fortunes from €610bn to €1.3 tr during the first two years of the pandemic.

Oxfam claims that over the same period, the incomes of 99% of humanity have stagnated and fallen and over 160 million more people were forced into poverty.

The organisation has called for extreme wealth in Ireland and across the globe to be subject to a wealth tax. This money, it suggests, could be used to help fund the recovery from the pandemic.

A 1.5% wealth tax on Irish millionaires with wealth above €4m could raise €4 billion in tax revenue, Oxfam estimates.

While a 1.5% tax on Irish billionaires could raise more than €0.7 billion, the charity predicts in the report, entitled Inequality Kills.

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January 18, 2022

Bill for Christmas flood €8m plan to ‘transform’ damage ‘north of €4m’ A RECENT meeting of Wexford County Council heard just how bad the damage was following the Christmas Day flooding and what it was likely to cost to put things right.

Council officials are still working hard to fully catalogue the damage to the road network across Co Wexford, but the figure was estimated to be in the region of €3.6m.

However, Wexford County Council Director of Services Eamonn Hore stressed this figure is increasing all the time as further investigations are carried out and the final figure will more likely be north of €4m.

“This is a preliminary estimate,” he said. “We fully expect it to go up. I’ve never seen damage like this before.

Roads have been completely washed away.”

A total of seven bridges across the county suffered a complete structural collapse — Wilton, Bree; Kilarbry; Ballycrystal; Mangan Lane; Aughnaglour (Chapel); Raheen; and Little Cullenstown.

Meanwhile, a list of other damaged bridges was being

Enniscorthy

xxxxx

People survey a collapsed bridge at Bree

complied and consisted of at least 10 so far (Ballyshannon, Ballbrennan, Aughermon, Ambrosetown, Foulksmills, Rochestown, Woodville, the Crooked Bridge, Ballylannon and the Mill O’ Rags Bridge).

However, Mr Hore conceded that up to 40 bridges could need

repair across the county. He said the council has already been in contact with the Department of Transport and has been assured “any reasonable road costs linked to the events will be dealt with as part of 2022 grants”.

Among the heftier estimates listed by were repairs to 1,500m

of road at Knockreigh near Adamstown with an estimate of €206,250; a length of 2,000m of road at Shelmalier Commons which carries an estimated cost of €170,000 and 800m of road at Shanoule near Caroreigh which is likely to cost approximately €154,000.

PLANS for the Murphy Floods hotel site in Enniscorthy town centre have been unveiled, with the development to include 18 two-bedroom apartments and a brand new public library building.

In a recent presentation to the members of Enniscorthy Municipal District, Senior Executive Architect with Wexford County Council, Shay Howell, gave a detailed presentation of how the site can be potentially developed.

“It’s a brilliantly located central town site and surrounded by the town itself to the south and the Dunne’s complex,” he said.

“We want to try and link the whole town to the park and run it on to the main street through this site,” he added.

Chief Executive Officer of Wexford County Council, Tom Enright, had earlier told members of Enniscorthy Municipal District that the site had been an eyesore for the town for many years since

Twins Ell and Ruby Keane having a fun day out in Min Ryan Park Playground

64-home plan for St Senan’s Hospital A PLANNING application has been lodged with Wexford County Council to develop 64 houses on the grounds of the former St Senan’s Hospital in Enniscorthy.

If approved, it would see 64 housing units constructed to the rear of the former hospital building along with all associated roads, drainage and landscaping works.

Access to the development would be via a permitted vehicular entrance to the south east of the site.

The land where the proposed development will take place is within the curtilage of a St Senan’s Hospital, which is a protected structure.

The application relates to phase 2 of the overall development of the site, with the first phase granted permission in October, 2019.

That application included provision for change of use of the former hospital to residential use with support facilities to include 57 residential units in the existing buildings and 14 residential units to the rear in two new apartment buildings, along with restaurant, offices, swimming pool and, gym.

The current application relates to the grounds to the rear of the protected structure and covers an area of 5.76 hectares. An existing water tower on the site is to be retained as a feature.

the hotel burned down in September, 2005.

“The council has taken action over the years to try and get the site redeveloped and tidied up,” he said.

He said another building on the site is only fit for demolition and that when developed it will include a new library because the existing one, while being a great resource, is not fit-forpurpose as as resource for the general public.

He said the new library would be a facility that would operate longer hours, seven days a week.

“A library is not just about books, it’s a resource there for people to meet up,” he said, and also said it’s a place that could be used by students to study after school.

“What we want is a high quality library in the centre of Enniscorthy that brings in footfall, seven days a week,” he added.

The ambitious plan is estimated to cost €8m.

Record number of new jobs

An Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar TD, announced the annual results of the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) for 2021 which showed that Local Enterprise Office supported companies created 7,440 jobs in 2021.

In 2021, LEO Wexford supported clients created 288 net jobs, which takes into account companies that amalgamated, ceased trading and those that transferred on to Enterprise Ireland.

The new figures show that the LEO Wexford financially supported 231 small businesses in their portfolio across the county, these companies in turn employ 1,630 people.

Breege Cosgrave, Acting Head of Enterprise, said; “The results announced are a testament to Ireland’s small business community.

“When faced with adversity, they have adapted, pivoted, upskilled and did whatever it took to sustain themselves.

“The figures show that companies have seen the opportunities in the challenging trading conditions they have faced.”

January 18, 2022

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January 18, 2022

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January 18, 2022

WILDLIFE

ninenottomiss

Your Wildlife Needs You!

history of the week

with Justin Ivory

Image by Richard Allen Firstly, I’d like to wish all the readers of this column a Happy New Year.

While I am not one for making new year resolutions, as we head into 2022 I am making a plea for everybody to resolve and do more for wildlife and the natural environment.

We are all aware of the Climate Emergency, and hopefully equally aware of the Biodiversity Emergency.

They are separate emergencies, but climate change is accelerating the speed and scale of biodiversity loss, but is just one of many factors driving this loss.

We should also be aware that not addressing biodiversity loss is going to have more cataclysmic consequences for humanity in a quicker timeframe than climate change.

Basically the other species we share this planet with can survive happily without us, but most certainly cannot survive with other species and properly functioning ecosystems.

Below is a list of simple things that we can all do to help.

Pick one, several, or all of the below and do your bit to help halt and reverse biodiversity loss.

1. Make your garden wildlife friendly 2. Join an environmental NGOs such as Irish Widlife Trust, Bat Conservation Ireland, BirdWatch Ireland etc.

3. Join a local community group who are doing something for the environment. There are more of them than ever. Your local Tidy Towns group is always a good place to start.

4. Adopt your local river, stream or lake and help look after it. There may already be a local group that you can join.

Water systems are a key and vital part of our environment and need local communities to help raise awareness of them and protect them.

5. Responsible Recreation.

Follow local rules, keep to existing tracks and trails, keep dogs on lead or under control, follow the Leave No Trace principles, only park in permitted areas and move on if there is no safe parking left.

book of the week

HOROSCOPES

movie of the week

beyond 2022 www.beyond2022.ie

One Day at a Time Diary 2022 Abby Wynne

the 355 Cinemas Nationwide from January

Beyond 2022 is an all-island and international collaborative research project working to create a virtual reconstruction of the Public Record Office of Ireland, which was destroyed in the Civil War on June 30th, 1922. The ‘Record Treasury’ at the Public Record Office of Ireland stored seven centuries of Irish records dating back to the time of the Normans and what was lost in that terrible fire one hundred years ago is now being brought online in time for the centenary of the Four Courts blaze on June 30th, 2022. In the meantime, have a look at the progress and discover more about the fascinating project.

ABBY Wynne’s One Day at a Time Diary 2022 is both a practical diary that provides space to write down your stuff, and an inspirational workbook that is filled with uplifting affirmations and space to journal your thoughts and emotions. Drawing on information from astrologers, the diary will support you through the energy shifts of the coming year through monthly themes, exercises and affirmations, if that’s your bag.

And why not? This diary provides the tools and support to enable you to slow down, step out of time and reconnect for the year ahead.

THE world is in trouble. A deadly weapon has fallen into the wrong hands! Mercenary hands!

The world needs to be saved! We’ve heard it all before! Well, kind of. Move out of the way Bond, Men from UNCLE, Kingsmen etc etc, this time around it’s up to a female CIA agent to pair up with other international agents to save the world and recruit some top female leads. Jessica Chastain first proposed the idea for a female-led spy film back in 2018 and she stars alongside Marion Cotillard, Penélope Cruz, Diane Kruger, Fan Bingbing and Lupita Nyong’o. There is one bloke in it, Edgar Ramirez, but quite what he’s doing there is anyone’s guess.

season of the week

music of the week

charity of the week

AriesYou’re especially popular for the next month Group activities go well. Get out in public. Social activities benefit your career.

TaurusTake on more responsibility.

Watch for opportunities to advance your career.

Assume authority. It’s easier to advance your agenda.

GeminiTravel entices over the coming month. It’s easier to venture forth now. Set study goals. Explore and discover fresh terrain.

CancerFeed the family kitty. This month is good for saving money. Review numbers.

Increase your assets with organization and attention.

LeoYou love learning.

You’re especially clever and creative with communications. Write, record and express your views.

talking depression janssenwithme.ie

ozarks season 4 Netflix (January 21)

rte choice music prize www.choicemusicprize.ie

THE Byrdes family journey — what’s left of it — is coming to an end in 2022 with the first half of the two-part final season arriving in January. If you haven’t watched it yet, then you have the chance to catch up early in the new year and we highly recommend you do — especially if you thought you’d had a dysfunctional family Christmas. Bet you didn’t get involved in laundering drug money for a Mexican cartel? We’ve followed the family all the way, and every season they’ve dug themselves deeper and deeper into the hole they’ve dug for themselves, so here’s to seeing just how deep that hole really is.

THE RTÉ Choice Music Prize will return in 2022 as one of the music industry’s biggest nights, will be back in Vicar St on Thursday 3rd March and celebrated in an exclusive live broadcast on RTÉ 2FM, along with a TV-special on RTÉ2 later that month. The Choice Music Prize key dates include: Irish Album of the Year 2021 Shortlist Announcement – Wednesday 5th January; Irish Song of the Year 2021 Shortlist Announcement, Wednesday 26th January.

Both the Irish Album and Song of the Year 2021 will be announced live in Vicar St. (Pictured is last year’s winner, Denise Chaila)

FORMER Waterford hurler Maurice Shanahan and Dublin Ladies Senior Footballer Nicole Owens are lending their support to Talking Depression, a new campaign to encourage open conversations as new research reveals that almost half of Irish adults (47%) do not feel equipped to have a conversation with a family member or friend who they suspect may be experiencing a mental illness, despite almost two thirds (62%) having more empathy towards mental illnesses, such as depression, compared with before the pandemic. The campaign is in tandem with a new book, The Little Book of Big Conversations.

album of the week

stream of the week

website of the week

VirgoThings could get lucrative.

Your health, work and fitness blossom. Energize your performance. Infuse love into your labors.

LibraYou’re especially lucky in love with Venus in Aquarius.

Artistic efforts sparkle.

Practice skills, talents and hobbies. Give in to romance.

ScorpioMake your home your love nest. Enjoy domestic arts, crafts and projects. Focus on home and family. Make household improvements.

Sagittarius-

Communication is key.

Partnerships flower.

Compromise comes easier.

Share your heart, passions and commitments.

CapricornHarvest windfall apples.

Gather new income. Enjoy a profitable phase. Discover a professional highperformance zone.

kiefer sutherland Bloor Street AH, here, hang on a minute now, is this your man? ... from 24? Jack Bauer? Indeed it is ... So what’s he doing making an album then... Well, he has made two albums actually, country and Americana sort of vibe. This album was produced and mixed by the multiple Grammy Award winner Chris Lord-Alge (Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood) ... you don’t say, anything else ... Well, to promote it, Kiefer is heading out on a major European tour ... Cool! Coming to Ireland then? ... Em, no. No? So what are we giving him a plug for? Cos he’s Jack Bauer.

the tender bar Amazon Prime January 7th

the world in 2022 www.economist.com/the-world-ahead-2022

STARRING Ben Affleck, Lily Rabe, Tye Sheridan and Christopher Lloyd, The Tender Bar is about a neighbourhood pub in Manhasset, Long Island which becomes a second home for a fatherless boy. Directed

by George Clooney, it follows JR, whose father disappeared from his life before he was old enough to speak, and he moves into his grandfather’s dilapidated house after he and his mother once again hit hard times only to discover friends in a local bar. You do worry that Affleck has done a lot of boozy movies of late, but this is a little gem.

So if you’ve had too much pudding and gin and beer and wine and chocolate . . . the last thing you need is a heavy dose of politics and grim predictions for 2022, right? Wrong. Roll up to your desk, grab your phone or one of the kids’ new tablets and have a little gander on this authority’s predictions for the year ahead.

And actually, there is much to cheer about.

Vaccines will get better and Covid will weaken; Brazil’s election offers hope for the rainforest; hybrid work is on the up; world poverty will fall; and Donald Trump is coming back.

AquariusYou’re in the love light with Venus in your sign. Your charm and charisma shine.

Upgrade your personal presentation. Get stylish.

Step onstage and smile.

PiscesSavor peaceful privacy.

Pursue your own thoughts and dreams with Venus in Aquarius. Nature soothes your spirit. Connect with your passion and compassion.

12 |

January 18, 2022

education2022

Majority of Leaving Certificate students want hybrid exams A survey carried out by the Irish Second Level Students’ Union (ISSU) has found that 68% of Leaving Cert students want a hybrid State exam model this year.

Over 40,900 responses were gathered from students across the country, with one in three senior cycle students in Ireland responding.

The current plan is for this year’s Leaving Certificate exams to return to their pre-pandemic format.

At the beginning of this academic year it was announced that adjustments were made in exam papers and in curriculum

to provide for the fact that this year’s exam students missed school in 5th Year - from January to the middle of March - as they were learning from home.

They will see more choices in questions in exam papers, for example in the Irish oral, where there will be only 10 Sraith Pictiúr instead of 20.

A hybrid Leaving Cert exam was available to the class of 2021, where students were offered accredited grades or also had the option of sitting an exam. They were then awarded the highest grade from whichever option they chose.

Taoiseach Mícheál Martin has

said the option of offering a hybrid Leaving cert was not ruled out and a decision will be made by the Government in the next few weeks.

The Department of Education said last week that adjustments were made to Leaving Cert 2022 to take into account disruption to learning experience by students early last year, as well as any possible disruption this year.

An alternative set of Leaving Certificate exam will be run in 2022, shortly after the conclusion of the main set of examinations, for students who are unable to sit the main set of ex-

Mary Kelly from St Mary’s College, Arklow who is showcased her project ‘A biological solution to local pollution’ at the 58th BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition.

Pic: Fennell Photography

aminations for various reasons, including Covid-19 illness.

The National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD) said recently that a hybrid leaving certificate should be offered, while both second level teaching unions, the TUI and the ASTI, have said that they want the exams to go ahead as planned, saying there is no justification for the hybrid model.

ISSU President Emer Neville said: “It has been made abundantly clear that students would like to see a hybrid model implemented for the State Examinations 2022.”

KILKENNY AND CARLOW EDUCATION AND TRAINING BOARD Adult Education Evening Classes in Kilkenny and Carlow Spring 2022.

Ormonde College of Further Education Classes beginning Monday 24th January 2022

Coláiste Pobail Osraí, Kilkenny Classes beginning Monday 24th January 2022

Monday Course

Cost

Time/Duration

Painting

€90

7pm-9pm for 9 weeks

Understanding Special Needs QQI Level 5

€175 Exam fee €20

7pm-9.30pm for 12 weeks

Photography

€90

7pm-9pm for 9 weeks

An Introduction To Using Your Smart Phone

€70

7pm-9pm for 6 weeks

Basic IT Skills

€70

7pm-9pm for 6 weeks

Kilkenny City Vocational School Classes beginning Tuesday 25th January 2022 Tuesday Course

Cost

Time/Duration

Ceramics

€90 Material Costs €30

7pm-9pm for 9 weeks

Dressmaking (max. number of learners 8)

€100

7pm-9pm for 9 weeks

Basket Weaving

€90

7pm-9pm for 9 weeks

Cooking (max. number of learners 10)

€100

7pm-9.30pm for 6 weeks

Ormonde College of Further Education/Kilkenny City Vocational School Classes beginning Wednesday 26th January 2022 Wednesday Course

Cost

Time/Duration

Calligraphy

€70

7pm-9pm for 6 weeks

Interior Design

€70

7pm-9pm for 6 weeks

Advocacy Skills

€70

7pm-9pm for 6 weeks

Mindfulness

€50

7pm-8pm for 9 weeks

Zumba

€50

8.15pm-9.15pm for 9 weeks

Personal Styling Wardrobe Analysis

€70

7pm-9pm for six weeks

Introduction to Massage (max. number of learners 10)

€100

7pm-9pm for 6 weeks

No enrolment evening for Ormonde College of Further Education/ Kilkenny City Vocational School.

Contact: eveningclasses@ormondecollege.ie or 087 2052092 for queries/payment of fees.

KILKENNY ADULT GUIDANCE SERVICE An information and guidance service is available for adults wishing to return to education. Further information from: Co. Kilkenny Adult Guidance Service, Lower New Street, Kilkenny. Telephone: (056) 7764448 email: adultguidance@kkadulted.ie

Course

Cost

Time/Duration

Ranganna Gaeilge – Comhrá do dhaoine fásta – Conversational Irish

€60

7.30pm-9pm for 7 weeks

Enrolment: Monday 17 January 2022 7-8pm in the school.

Contact: (056) 7764557 or email: oifig@osrai.ie

Coláiste Mhuire, Johnstown, Kilkenny Classes beginning 24th January 2022 Course

Cost

Time/Duration

Introduction to Drawing, Portraiture and Landscapes (Acrylics)

€90

Mondays 7pm-9pm for 9 weeks

Interior Design

€90

Mondays 7pm-9pm for 9 weeks

Extra material costs to be covered by learner.

Contact: info@colaistemhuirekk.ie or 056-8831135 or 087 9057118.

Coláiste Eoin, Hacketstown, Carlow Classes beginning Monday 24th January 2022 Course

Cost

Time/Duration

Badminton

€70

Mondays 7pm-9pm for 6 weeks

Art/Drawing

€70

Mondays 7pm-9pm for 6 weeks

Conversational Irish

€70

Mondays 7pm-9pm for 6 weeks

Palliative Care QQI Level5

€175 Exam fee €20

Mondays 7pm-9.30pm for 12 weeks

Enrolment: Monday 17th January 2022 during school hours 9am-4pm.

Contact: info@ceh.ie or 059 6471198.

Details also available on Kilkenny and Carlow Education and Training Board website www.kcetb.ie CARLOW ADULT GUIDANCE SERVICE An information and guidance service is now available for adults wishing to return to education. Further information from: Co. Carlow Adult Guidance Service, 1a Meadow Court, Burrin Street, Carlow. Telephone: (059) 9133123 email: info@adultguidance.ie

January 18, 2022

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January 18, 2022

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January 18, 2022

We take a look back at extracts from old newspapers to see what was in the news this month in years gone by

Freemans Jrn 9/01/1858

Evening Herald 27/01/1939

Irish Press 18/01/1936

Irish Press 24/01/1963

Sun Ind 07/01/1940

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thechronicle.ie January 18, 2022