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Public urged to reduce plastic as recycling centre bans it BRAY Recycling Centre is to stop taking soft and large plastics at its depot on the Boghall Road from June 8. From now on it must be placed in general waste bins which means it will either end up in landfill or incarcerated. Following a query from Wicklow Voice, Wicklow County Council released the following statement: “Wicklow County Council wishes to advise that Bray Recycling Centre will no longer accept the following materials from 8th June 2021: • Soft plastic eg carrier bags,
plastic film, pasta bags, cereal liners etc. These contain a mix
of types of plastics with blended materials common. High rates
of contamination are found due to food residues and the mix of content. • Large hard plastic items eg. childrens toys, plastic bins , laundry baskets. These plastics cannot be handled by our baling equipment and often contain plastics types for which there is no market for recycling. “This material should be placed in your general waste (black) bin for disposal, larger items can be put in a skip or skip bag and collected by a licenced waste collector. Continued on page 8
FOR THE NEXT STAGE WE’RE READY Arklow Bank Wind Park Phase 2: Operations and Maintenance Facility, South Dock, Arklow Harbour Public Consultation now open until 25 June, 2021 We’re unveiling plans for our proposed Operations and Maintenance Facility, which will be the base for 80 full time employees working on Arklow Bank Wind Park Phase 2. We want to know what you think To find out more and offer feedback visit sserenewables.com/arklowbank Visit our self-guided exhibition at Bridgewater Centre, Arklow and information point at Main Street Courtown.* To request a postal pack contact deborah.coleman2@sse.com or 087 1457603
The image shown is a computer-generated illustration of what our proposed Operations and Maintenance Facility will look like. *Exhibitions are self-guided due to Covid-19 restrictions and are subject to change. Exhibitions will run in line with venue opening hours. See sserenewables.com/arklowbank for updates.
Joey Tynan getting his hair cut by Conor McAllister of Grafton Barbers after the lockdown was lifted. Pic: Andres Poveda
04|
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
|05
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
| 07
08 |
June 01, 2021
It’s a Pure class clean-up
Recycling of plastics face ban Walking group remove over 1,500kgs of rubbish from uplands
Continued from front page
“This decision has been taken as currently soft plastic is not a material that can be recycled and there is no outlet for large plastic items. “The matter will be kept under constant review should viable recycling markets be developed for accepting soft plastics. “Wicklow County Council will continue to look for solutions to recycle materials such as these and increase the range of materials we accept in the Centres when possible.” A smiliar ban is already in place in other recycling centres throughout the county although plastic bottles are still accepted. Meanwhile, people enjoying picnics this summer are being urged to reduce their use of plastic such as cups and cutlery. Each day 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. Removing single use items from picnics and bench dining would significantly reduce the county’s waste output.
A recent litter pick and clean up by the Glencree Walking Group in the beautiful scenic Wicklow/Dublin uplands, all the way from Kilakee Car Park in South Dublin to the Sally Gap Crossroads in Wicklow, resulted in the removal of over 200 bags of rubbish and over 1,500kgs of waste. The majority of the litter encountered on the day was all recyclable, consisting of glass and cans, all discarded on this beautiful upland environment. Other items included material from household renovations, tyres, car bumpers, tiling, flooring, as well as a considerable amount of domestic waste. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, Pure were unable to organise their regular cleanups of the Wicklow/Dublin Mountains, and this recent litter pick was the first one of 2021. The Glencree Walking Pure Mile Group have been involved in the Pure Mile, Cleanup The Uplands Project, for a number of years now, and all of their dedicated volunteers were delighted to be back on the hills. The group’s first cleanup of the uplands in 2017 resulted in the removal of hundreds of bags of litter with over 3,000kg
of illegal dumping collected on the day. “The Wicklow/Dublin Uplands is a unique landscape and environment, attracting thousands of visitors annually,” Ian Davis, Pure Manager said. “It is also worth noting that this landscape is of environmental
significance, and part of the Wicklow Mountains National Park and on The Dublin Mountains Way. “It’s an area of both Irish and European significance and protected under the European Habitats Directive as a Special Area of Conservation.
Spaced out: age friendly parking in Greystones
Age Friendly car parking spaces have been introduced in the Greystones Municipal District area. These car spaces are reserved for older people who are identified in the County Wicklow Age Friendly strategy as those aged over 55 years. The spaces are clearly marked out and signposted. Age Friendly parking spaces are similar to mother and baby car parking spaces in supermarkets and they are subject to normal parking fees. Motorists are asked to respect these courtesy spaces and leave them free for older people in the community who may need them. “The Greystones spaces are especially useful as customers with limited mobility can park closer to the shops,” Cathaoirleach of the Greystones Municipal District, Cllr Derek Mitchell, said. “As an added incentive to encourage Social Distancing and assist pedestrians, the parking on Church Road has been replaced by seats and planters.”
“I would l i k e to thank all o f The Glencree Walking Group
Pure Mile Volunteers for their continued dedication and support in assisting Pure to, Clean Up The Uplands.” Although Pure has removed over 3,500 tonnes (3,500,000 kg) of illegal dumping from this beautiful scenic landscape, they only have one truck and one driver, and unfortunately, they are unable to remove the unsightly small-scale litter. The Glencree Walking Group Pure Mile clean-up makes a huge difference to the appearance to the South Dublin Uplands, and Pure are currently organising o t h e r cleanups of upland r o a d s , mountain t r a i l s , woodlands a n d forestries. Pure supply all Pure Mile Volunteers with Pure Mile Signs, Pure Mile bags, litter pickers, gloves, Pure Mile high-vis jackets, and the Pure Truck removes all of rubbish gathered by groups.
Council urged to sort out harbour fishing dispute FISHERMEN in Greystones claim that they are being locked out of the harbour. And Wicklow County Council has been urged to help sort out the bitter 13year dispute that has seen fishermen lose their right to keep boats in Greystones harbour. Ivan Toole said his family had been fishing from the harbour for five generations but he claims that since the council entered into a €300m public private partnership (PPP) to redevelop the harbour, he, Tim Storey and Eric O’Reilly had been left “fighting to get back in”. The row escalated recently when the marina’s private operator, BJ Marinas, attempted to seize Mr Storey’s boat. Acting as harbourmaster, it said the 10m vessel was tied to the marina’s north wall in breach of local bylaws. Mr Storey spent hours lying on the ground beneath the boat, which was hanging in a
hoist over him, to prevent it being landed. Following Garda intervention, the boat was returned to Mr Storey, and a meeting took place last week with gardaí, the fishermen, local representatives, BJ Marinas and Sispar – a consortium led by building contractor Sisk, which redeveloped the harbour. The council attended as an “observer”. Independent Cllr Tom Fortune that “it is way beyond time for the hassle of our fishermen to STOP. “The solution to this is very clearly ... with SISPAR. “Boats have fished in Greystones for hundred’s of years. Greystones was originally a fishing village. “Greystones I believe is the only port in Ireland where fishermen are been frustrated in doing their work and provide for themselves and their families.” Cllr Fortune added it raises questions around the PPP.
| 09
June 01, 2021
Pretty in pink: Burnaby home transformed for Disney movie THIS is the beautiful house in Greystones’s Burnaby that has been transformed for Disney’s Disenchanted which is curently filming in Wicklow. The sequel to the hit movie Enchanted, Disenchanted, stars Patrick Dempsey and Amy Adams who recently landed in the area for the filming. The film will be mainly shot in Enniskerry and Greystones where Disney have been creating magical sets. A team of carpenters, painters and builders have transformed some of the village of Enniskerry into a magical wonderland. The Enniskerry Schoolhouse for Art has been converted into a Disney palace. Local café owner Peter Norton says that it is a godsend to have Disney, with the extra business that it is bringing to the village because of all the builders, carpenters, electricians and workers. He says that he expects the set to be a tourist attraction during the summertime. Mr Norton says that while they have had other productions filming in Enniskerry,
this is the biggest they have ever had. Councillor Melanie Corrigan, who is also a member of Wicklow Tourism, says that it is really exciting.
Four beaches retain their Blue Flags four beaches in County Wicklow have retained their coveted Blue Flag status. Wicklow, Brittas Bay North and South beaches, Bray South Promenade and Greystones, retained their blue flag status by An Táisce for 2019. Beach Lifeguards will be in operation from June 1, seven days a week, from 11am to 7pm daily before the Blue Flag season ends on September 15. Just to the north of Bray, Killiney Beach has regained its flag after after a five-year absence. Golden Strand in Mayo has regained its status, which it last held in 2018. 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.
“We have Patrick Dempsey and Amy Adams coming out to Enniskerry.” She said that the movie is really going to help to promote Co Wicklow.
Schools sell tickets for drive-in movies
Eleven 11 schools have put their shoulder to the wheel to sell tickets for the Greystones Drive-In, in association with Just Eat, raising funds for their individual schools. Four screenings will take place over the weekend of the June 12-13 and the running order can be found at www. greystonesdrivein.ie/ The schhols which are invloved include: • St. Patrick’s National School, Greystones. • Temple Carrig Secondary School, Greystones; • Delgany National School; • Greystones Community National School; • St. Laurence’s National School, Greystones; • St. Kevin’s National School, Greystones; • Greystones Educate Together National School; • St. Fergal’s National School, Bray; • Powerscourt National School, Enniskerry; • Wicklow Educate Together Secondary School, Wicklow Town; • East Glendalough, Secondary School, Wicklow.
Avondale to get €16m ‘world-class’ visitor revamp
He was known as the ‘Uncrowned King of Ireland’, and now it would appear that Charles Stewart Parnell is about get a palace to match his vaunted title. And now Coillte and Fáilte Ireland are set to break ground on the redevelopment of Avondale House and Forest Park which will provide an iconic and world-class visitor destination in Rathdrum. Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has welcomed the announcement of €16m in funding . Under the radical plan the iconic Rathdrum destination will be transformed into one of the best family days outs in the country. When the new park opens to the public in Spring 2022 it will have a range of new facilities including: • A new 38 metre (c12 storey high) wooden viewing tower offering visitors a spectacular 360-degree views of Coillte’s
Avondale Forest Park and the surrounding countryside. It includes an innovative slide that both adults and children can use. • A unique 1.2km Tree Top walkway with breath-taking views of Avondale’s diverse forest. • (Both of the above structures will showcase the use of high quality Irish wood for large scale construction projects). • The park will contain a Visitor Orientation Hub with a new café and renovated courtyard buildings. • The walled garden will be rejuvenated for garden lovers to enjoy. “Avondale House and Forest Park is already one of the best destinations in the county but this funding is going to bring it to a whole new level,” Minister Donnelly said. “The work being done will make both the House and the Forest Park a key attraction in the Ancient East tourism trail.
“Having something like this in Rathdrum will bring a huge amount of business to the town and will inevitably help to support jobs in the area. “I’m absolutely thrilled to see this project getting across the line because it will have an enormously positive impact.” Other attractions to be included as part of the plan will allow visitors to explore the history of both the House and the Forest Park interactively. Visitors will be able to explore interactively: • ‘At Home with the Parnell’s’ celebrating the life and times of Charles Stewart Parnell, and his two sisters Anna and Fanny Parnell, co-founders of the Ladies Land League in 1881. • ‘The Evolution of Forestry’ will look through the history of the forest park from the 1700s to the present day and beyond. While parts of the park will be restricted to visitors during construction works, the forest park will remain open.
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.
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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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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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wicklowvoice.ie June 01, 2021