Wicklow Voice 7-7-2020

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€1m cash, cars and seven held in raids

More than €1m in money was recovered or frozen, four cars seized, and seven people arrested as a result of the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) operation in county Wicklow this week.

The planned CAB operation in Wicklow, as well as Dublin, is part of an ongoing intelligence led operation targeting foreign nationals involved in the laundering of the proceeds of crime, accumulated by Irishbased organised crime groups.

A total of 13 sites were searched, comprising of five business premises and eight residential addresses across the two counties.

CAB managed to recover €1,035,093 of which €733,499 was in cash and a further €301,594 was frozen in Irish bank accounts. In addition to the money found, four cars were seized along with other high value items.

Seven people were arrested for money laundering offences

contrary to Section 7 of the Criminal Justice Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act, 2010 and are currently detained at Garda Stations across the Dublin Metropolitan Region.

The operation was conducted by the Criminal Assets Bureau, supported by the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) and Regional Armed Support Units, and assisted by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), the Garda National

Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB), Garda National Protective Services Bureau (GNPSB) and local District Detective Units.

A garda spokesperson said: “This operation marks a significant development in the Criminal Assets Bureau’s ongoing investigation into a criminal network involved in the laundering of funds for a number of national and international organised crime groups.”

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Aoibheann Jordan and Johnathan Byrne at the launch of McDonald’s new #GetInTheBin campaign to highlight the ongoing litter issue nationwide. Pic: Andres Poveda

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COVID-19 OUTBREAK Don’#t forget to wash your hands

July 07, 2020

Social distancing in primary classes ‘will not be strict’

Twins Ultan and Erin Rohan (age 8) with their sister Aisling (age 10) and founder of GIY Mick Kelly at Energia Get Ireland Growing initiative with a giveaway worth €10,000. Pic: Patrick Browne

COVID-19 OUTBREAK Don’#t forget to wash your hands

There will be no strict requirement on primary students to physically distance in classrooms when schools reopen in late August and September, according to the Department of Education.

The guidelines from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre state that at least one metre distance “should be maintained” by students in the classroom from third class upwards.

It says this is not a prerequisite for children in the first four years of primary school.

However, the document

goes on to suggest the dividing of primary schoolchildren into smaller groups or “pods” within the class.

In this case it states that one metre distance between individuals should be maintained “where possible”.

At second level this interim advice from the HPSC recommends physical distancing of two metres where possible - or of at least one metre between desks.

A report issued last month found that a full reopening, with all students attending school at the same time, would not be possible with

one metre distancing.

Meanwhile, parents representatives have told the Oireachtas Special Committee on Covid-19 Response that a majority of parents want their children to return to school fully at the start of the school year.

CEO of the National Parents Council Primary Aine Lynch said the school closure had impacted some children more than others.

She said a survey carried out by the organisation found that over 90% per cent of parents said it was important that children return to school fully.

Sharp spike in lockdown internet use

New figures from the Central Statistics Office show the impact that Covid-19 pandemic restrictions had on people’s use of the internet in March, with more people reading news online and uploading selfcreated content.

The CSO said that 76% of internet users read or downloaded online news (including online news sites, newspapers or magazines) in March, up two percentage points on the corresponding figure for January.

Social networking, including use of Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, also increased in March - rising to 68% from 66% in January.

Meanwhile, uploading selfcreated content (such as photos, music, videos, text to any website to be shared) saw an increase of seven percentage points to 38% of internet users, compared to 31% in January.

With more people having to stay at home, people’s use of the internet for entertainment increased and today’s figures show that 70% of internet users watched YouTube-type content in March, an increase of five percentage points on January.

‘We’ll be back soon,’ cautious customers tell pubs

AS the pubs of the county reopened their doors this week, they were boosted by a poll which found that three out of four of their regulars plan to pay them a visit within a month.

Initial business was reported to be steady, with customers cautiously trying out the new rules which require tables to be booked and food ordered and limit the time which can be spent in a pub.

However, the research showed that 74% of people who visited pubs once a month or more before the Covid-19 closures, plan on visiting a pub within the next month, and three out of every five members of the general public (59%) plan on returning to pubs within the same period.

The research was commissioned by the Licensed Vintners Association (LVA), the Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) as well as alcohol suppliers Heineken, Diageo, Irish Distillers and C&C Group.

Clear hygiene and safety measures will have the strongest impact on encouraging the public to return to pubs.

According to the research, 61% of the public said knowing that all glasses and cutlery will be deep cleaned will impact on their plans to return.

This was followed by hand sanitiser being available at the door and throughout the venue

(57%), the use of outdoor spaces and seating (55%), employing dedicated cleaning staff to regularly sanitise tables and surfaces (53%), clear signs and guidelines on rules to maintain safety (48%) and bar staff adopting a strict policy on those who break safety rules (48%).

Guinness has announced a new €14m fund called “Raising the Bar” to support the recovery of pubs across Ireland.

This is part of a Diageo’s global programme to support pubs and bars to welcome customers back and recover following the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Raising the Bar” will be a two-year programme available from July 2020.

The programme will be focussed on the provision of practical equipment and confidence building measures needed for outlets to reopen and operate on a safe and sustainable basis.

Guinness will consult with the on-trade as to how best to direct future funding over the twoyear period.

From June 24, bar owners across all of Ireland will be able to register their interest for the “Raising the Bar” programme via www.mydiageo.com.

Bar owners will receive regular updates on best practice training and resources and be able to participate in global surveys to share insights, as they build back their businesses.

Over a million people continued to depend on the State for income support in June, according to the latest Live Register figures from the Central Statistics Office.

The CSO said that the seasonally adjusted Live Register figure in June was 213,700, down 14,200 from May. The CSO stressed that the Live Register figures do not capture emergency income support schemes including the Covid-19 Pandemic

Unemployment Payment (PUP) or the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) introduced earlier this year to address the Covid-19 emergency.

In the last week of June, according to the CSO, a total of 438,933 people were receiving the PUP, while a further 382,018 people were being supported under the TWSS. When the Live Register, the TWSS and the PUP are factored in, a total of 1,002,470 people were dependent on the State.

One million still on Covid pay supports

July 07, 2020

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Nursing home scheme extended

THE new Minister for Health has announced an extension to a Covid-19 assistance programme which will greatly aid 30,000 of the most vulnerable members of our society.

In the first major act in his new role as Health Minister, Stephen Donnelly announced an extension to the COVID-19 Temporary Assistance Payment Scheme available to people living in nursing homes, will be extended until September 30.

The original programme, which assists more than 30,000 people currently reside in nursing homes.

The Temporary Assistance Payment Scheme was established as a temporary support mechanism to contribute towards costs associated with COVID-19 in nursing homes.

The Scheme provides support payments to applicant nursing homes for April, May and June.

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, these people have, through no fault of their own, become the most vulnerable in society because of their age, underlying medical condition, often as a result of care needs involving close physical contact.

July 07, 2020

Dog warning issued as 50 Students urged to livestock attacks reported apply for grants before deadline

Gardaí are appealing to all dog owners to ensure their dogs are kept under control.

It comes after gardaí confirmed it has received some 50 reports of attacks on livestock since the lockdown began.

During many of the attacks, the livestock ended up dying, others resulting in horrific injures to the animals.

None of the 50 incidents that occurred in the past three months, took place in county Wicklow.

In some of the more disturbing incidents which have taken place, a dog attacked seven sheep on a farm in Leitrim.

The owner was identified and had to pay damages to the farmer and the dog then had to be put down.

In another incident in Meath, a farmer shot two dogs as the dogs had killed six sheep and injured two more.

Inspector James White said “If your dog goes and attacks animals on someone’s land, you could be held liable for

the damages and face prosecution. The farmer is also within their right to shoot any animal that is worrying their livestock.

“Whilst you might think your dog is friendly and placid at home, they can cause horrific injuries to other animal.

WWe would ask that everyone ensures their dog is kept under control as nobody wants to see animals being harmed,” Inspector White added.

Students have been urged to apply forSUSI grants for the 2020/2021 academic year before priority closing date on July 9.

New applicants to SUSI still have an opportunity to have their application prioritised if they submit their application before that date.

“As Minister for Higher Education, I am committed to building an inclusive higher education system and SUSI grants are an excellent resource for eligible students to avail of,” Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris TD said.

“Covid-19 has caused significant disruption across the country and students have had to deal with the closure of colleges, and a disruption to their studies.

“I am conscious this pandemic has also resulted in a loss of income for many families and created a time of financial worry in many households.

I want to assure people that there is scope to address loss

of income as part of the grant scheme.

“I also want to encouraged any remaining students who think they might be eligible for support, to submit their online student grant applications to SUSI without delay; to ensure that they are processed as quickly as possible.”

SUSI is accepting applications in the usual way from Irish students intending to study approved courses in the UK and from UK students intending to study in Ireland, as they can continue to avail of student grants if eligible.

The SUSI grant scheme opened on April 23.

Last year it received circa 96,000 applications with circa 73,000 students availing of grant support.

To date SUSI has received circa 75,000 applications for the 2020/21 academic year.

While it will still be possible to submit an application after the priority closing date has passed, any late applications will not receive the same priority attention by SUSI.

The good people of the county are being asked to holiday at home by Fáilte Ireland as hotels, restaurants and campsites, opened in recent days.

The ‘Ireland - Make a Break For It’ promotion follows recent research which suggests that 57% of the Irish public intend to go on a break within Ireland during the next six months.

However, at the time of going to press the Government’s advice on travelling abroad remains that non-essential foreign trips should be avoided, while Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan, has also urged people to take “domestic” holidays this year.

People arriving into the country currently have to selfisolate for 14 days meaning many foreign tourists are unlikely to visit here over the coming months.

The Fáilte Ireland campaign comes three months after travel restrictions were introduced,

telling people not to go further than 2km from their homes except for necessary or urgent reasons.

The Consumer Association of Ireland (CAI) has said the Government needs offer guidance to airlines and ensure that a fund is in place to refund holidaymakers who cancel their bookings during the Covid-19 outbreak.

CAI Chief Executive Dermot Jewell told RTÉ’s Today with Sarah McInerney that advice about international travel needs to be issued from the Department of Foreign Affairs as “consumers are the weak link” in the priorities looked at to date.

He said that Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan’s plea to consumers not to travel “has been heard and has put individuals who have paid in advance out of pocket”.

Meanwhile, a professor of medicine at the Mater Hospital

said he believes it is safe for people to go on holidays, provided they take appropriate precautions, such as wearing face masks and practicing social distancing and good hand hygiene.

Dr Jack Lambert said that while there is currently no end point with Covid-19, there is an end point with the economy.

His comments come as Ryanair resumes operating 40% of its schedule, as the airline attempts to get passengers moving around Europe again in higher numbers. The company will have more than 1,000 daily flights operating across its network, restoring services on 90% of its routes.

However, the development comes amid an intense debate in Ireland about whether people should or should not take summer holidays abroad, as fears rise that it could lead to additional cases of Covid-19 being imported into the country.

‘Failte’ urges us to holiday here as tourists stay away

July 07, 2020

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W

hy Choose Senior Care Plus?

Senior Care Plus is a private home care company promoting independent living at home with a family approach to health care that puts you at the heart of everything we do. At Senior Care Plus, your health and happiness are especially important to us and together we are passionate about meeting and exceeding your expectations of health care in the home. Our first- class level of health care and home help services are tailor-made to your unique preferences and requirements, and it’s this commitment to our clients’ needs and happiness that makes Senior Care Plus an excellent choice for health care services in the South-East.

W

hat We Offer

Our range of nonmedical, home care and home help services are available to clients across the counties of Wexford, Waterford, Wicklow, Carlow, Kilkenny and Kildare. Services include care for the elderly/ senior care, palliative support care, disability care, in-home respite care, and home help ser-

July 07, 2020

vices. Our quality procedures ensure that you are always getting what you need from our service and we will request feedback from you regularly.

Our care plans are tailor-made just for you so please don’t hesitate to get in touch t o

‘Quality health care delivere

preferences, values, and personal needs with the greatest respect.

Senior Care Plus is an inclusive company, where all clients are treated equally regardless of faith, gender, or race. At Senior Care Plus we believe that all our clients have rights. Every client has the right to be valued, respected and feels safe at home and in the community. We are respectful of our clients’ personal information and you can rest assured that it will always be dealt with in strict confidence.

O

bout us

discuss your requirements for health care in the home and community.

O

ur Mission & Ethos

At Senior Care Plus, our mission is to promote independent living at home with a family approach to home health care that assists our clients to live a safe, comfortable, and happy life at home. We understand that every client is an individual and we cater for our clients’ unique

“Quality Health Care Services delivered from our family to yours” Senior Care Plus is a private home care company providing a range of non-medical, home care services across the counties of Wexford, Waterford, Wicklow, Carlow, Kilkenny and Kildare, including care for the elderly/senior care, palliative support care, disability care, in-home respite care, and home help services.

Our home health care services are available to people over the age of 18 who require extra assistance to stay independently living at home. At Senior Care Plus, we care deeply for your health and welfare. We are proud to provide our clients with a level of care that will meet and exceed your expectations of health care in the home.

Our team of friendly, experienced carers all hold a minimum of a QQI Level 5 Certificate in Health Care Support and Garda vetting.

W

ho We Are? Senior Care Plus was founded by Arshad Yasin and Hasan Mahmood.

Following a health scare, Arshad decided to retrain as a health care assistant. He quickly found that he had a real love and aptitude for working in health care. After receiving his QQI Level 5 Certificate in Health Care Support, Arshad began working for a home care company, providing one-on-one care in the community.

Arshad then moved to working as a health care assistant

within a Community Hospital in Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford.

Though he enjoyed this work,

he always missed the oneon-one service he could provide in the community.

So, he founded Senior Care

Plus with his friend and business partner Hasan Mahmood as they both shared a vision for health care services in the community based on family values. Hasan brings excellent management skills to Senior Care Plus, having held several management roles in Ireland and abroad in the hospitality and retail sectors.

“People are at the heart of what we do. Our company was founded with a mission to deliver quality home care from our family to yours - we know you will be very impressed with our staff and the care you will receive from Senior Care Plus.”

Arshad and Hasan

| 09

July 07, 2020

ed from our family to yours’

Pictured left to right, Barbara Masterson (caregiver), Mary Mernagh (caregiver), Ash Arshad Yasin (Director and founder), Hasan Mahmood (Director), Wayne Walshe ( marketing and IT- PLUS 353 STUDIO), Kerry Dobbs (Caregiver), Rosaleen Roche (caregiver), kneeling in the front row left to right: Nafisa Tahir (caregiver) and Nazia Yasin (caregiver)

10 |

July 07, 2020

insideback

At long, long last, the war is over

T

he first shots of the Civil War were fired on February 18, 1922, when an IRA unit commanded

by Ernie O’Malley seized a police station in Clonmel.

The last shots were fired in April this year when Séamus Ó Néill, president of Fianna Fáil’s Comhairle Dáilcheantair for Waterford, issued a statement criticising Micheál Martin for proposing a government coalition with Fine Gael.

Mr O’Neill urged Mr Martin to step down as Fianna Fáil’s leader, recalling: “In 1927 Eamon de Valera called on all Republicans to unite in opposition to WT Cosgrave’s Government, which they did.

I am now calling on all true Republicans in our constituency to unite and demand the right to vote against this proposal.”

Mr O’Neill’s gunfire was metaphorical, of course, but he shot himself in the foot nonetheless.

There may have been sound reasons for Fianna Fáil to reject a deal with Fine Gael, but Eamon de Valera’s dispute with

Michael Wolsey

WT Cosgrave was not one of them.

I doubt if many people even knew what Mr O’Neill was talking about and, for those who did, it must have seemed like a good reason for supporting the pact and burying the bitter legacy of the Civil War for once and for all.

There is no-one alive today who remembers the Civil War. When, in the late 1970s, I joined the staff of the dear departed Irish Press, there were a few elderly journalists who remembered it as a troubled time from their childhood. They recalled talk of great hatreds, when families were divided and

old comrades fought each other to the death.

Was the cause worth dying for? They did not think so and they did not contend that the Civil War, or the rows that shaped the Dáil of De Valera’s day, had any relevance to the

politics of the the 1970s, which centred on planning rows, fiscal rectitude, efforts to legalise contraception and attempts to bring peace to the North.

Today the dispute between Cosgrave and De Valera has as much relevance to our politics

as the one between Elizabeth I and Hugh O’Neill. So it was good to hear Mr Martin declare his intention to hang pictures of Dev and Michael Collins side by side in the taoiseach’s office.

Maybe they’ll both be turning in their graves - but who cares?

It’s history. And what we should do about history is to learn from it, not live by it.

The lesson from that sad chapter of our history should be never to come to blows over matters that can be settled by debate. The issues behind the Civil War divisions - the name of the State, the oath of allegiance, the British right to use some Irish ports - became irrelevant in a very short time.

All except partition, about which we continued a futile fight for 70 years before accepting that it, too, could not be resolved by bloodshed.

I believe the new coalition agreement is one of the most significant developments in recent Irish history and will eventually lead to the amalgamation of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, the parties whose phony war has shaped our politics for most of a century.

It will lead to new ways of thinking and parties that will be supported for what they do, not what their founders did.

But that is a matter of another day. For now I am just happy to record that, at long, long last, the war over.

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July 07, 2020

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July 07, 2020

opinion&comment

Government of its time, for the times

S

o we finally have a government.

The Programme for Government [PFG] negotiated between Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Green Party was ratified by the membership of those parties last week, allowing the election of Michael Martin as Taoiseach and the appointment of a cabinet at the weekend.

Negotiations between all involved in the administration’s make up had been protracted for various reasons – the COVID19 pandemic took precedence over everything else [and rightly so] and the stalemate thrown up by the results of the February poll [it seems a lifetime in the past now!] meant there were a myriad array of permutations and combinations to be considered before we finally arrived at the formula above.

It wasn’t a forgone conclusion that the PFG would be ratified by all three parties. There was a degree of resistance and opposition to the proposed arrangement in each of them, and this was to be expected. It was

Abbie Parkinson decides if she likes pineapple on her pizza as part of Four Star Pizza poll for National Pineapple Day recently. Of all the pizzas sold by Four Star Pizza, approximately 14% in the Republic contain pineapple

also healthy – we live in a democracy and people are entitled to voice their concerns about change. Nevertheless the deal pulled through comfortably and the government has become reality.

Personally I’m with the makeup of the new government. I think a multi-party coalition is a progressive step, and one that is common throughout the EU. Having a three-party coalition where two of the parties are

centre-ground is reassuring for me personally, as I’m a fan of neither hard-left politics nor right-wing populism.

A green element to the government is the icing on the cake for me. Anyone who is con-

cerned about climate change must see that the only way to effect meaningful change in our behaviour and in our business practices is to implement green policies. We can’t do everything at once, and we can’t do

what we can’t afford, but there is scope to make significant changes and we need to embrace this opportunity, for the sake of our children and their children.

So Michael Martin has finally become Taoiseach in a historic ‘rotation’ agreement. This isn’t a new idea – Dick Spring proposed it in the 1990’s when he led the Labour Party to 33 seats – but it is the first time it has been put into practice.

This is a government of its time. Politics in Ireland has moved on from the pursuit of single-party overall-majority rule. Our electorate has a young element to it who want green policies, jobs and the chance to get on the property ladder.

To deliver these, and to improve our health service and tackle the homelessness crisis, the new administration needs to hit the ground running and collaborate efficiently so that they perform to the sum of their parts. We need synergy from them, not infighting. They have our futures in their hands. Let them get on with the job of delivering.

- Brian Quigley

| 13

July 07, 2020

WILDLIFE

with Justin Ivory

Hummingbird invasion

Hummingbird Hawk-moth feeding. Pic: Justin Ivory While counting butterflies and bumblebees on recent trips to Kilruddery Gardens in Bray and Mount Usher Gardens in Ashford I was brought to a halt by the sound of humming and then the sight of an unexpected creatures flitting from flower to flower – Hummingbirds!

Similar reports have been flooding in from all over the country.

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 as well as Fuschia, Jasmine and Campion and many other species.

ninenottomiss book of the week

tv show of the week

THE LAST WIDOW

by Karin Slaughter

Penny Dreadful — City Of Angels Wednesdays, Sky Atlantic, 9pm

From the No.1 bestselling author comes a gripping new crime thriller. The routine of a family shopping trip is shattered when Michelle Spivey is snatched as she leaves the mall with her young daughter. The police search for her, her partner pleads for her release, but in the end...they find nothing. It’s as if she disappeared into thin air. A month later, on a sleepy Sunday afternoon, medical examiner Sara Linton is at lunch with her boyfriend Will Trent, an agent with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. But the serenity of the summer’s day is broken by the wail of sirens.

The original was shot in Wicklow’s Ardmore STudios but now writer John Logan spins off his Penny Dreadful drama with a move from horror-filled Victorian London to pulpy, colourful, salsa dancing and a Nazi-infested Los Angeles in 1938. In a tale apparently inspired by recent American politics, he pits humanity against Death (or Santa Muerte, played by Lorenza Izzo) and her sister, Magda, a chaos-loving immortal who can take any form and chooses that of the Game of Thrones actress Natalie Dormer.

wines of the week

BUSINESS of the week

HOROSCOPES

film of the week

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga Netflix He’s explored figure skating in Blades of Glory and car racing in Talladega Nights, so it was only a matter of time before someone pointed Will Ferrell in the direction of the Eurovision Song Contest. First introduced to it by his wife, the Swedish actress Viveca Paulin, Ferrell was seen hanging out backstage with the contestants at the 2018 semi-final in Lisbon, then taking notes with Rachel McAdams at the dress rehearsals of the 2019 contest in Tel Aviv. Now we have this, which Ferrell co-wrote, produced and stars in.

family film of the week

TaurusClean, sort and organize for inner peace. Consider dreams, recent and old.

Write down intentions.

GeminiDraw upon hidden resources to get farther. Heed the voice of experience. Take action to realize a shared dream.

CancerStudy a secret system to advance your career. Keep your wits about you. You’re learning valuable tricks, and there’s a test.

LeoGet out and explore. Expand your options. Discover a new side of something familiar. Investigate fresh terrain.

Summer ROSÉs Off licences nationwide

mount juliet www.mountjuliet.ie/offers/ reservations@ mountjuliet.ie or call 056 777 3000

The lovely weather seems to have abandoned us but Met Eireann says it should soon be back, so don’t put away the barbecue just yet. When the sun comes out we reach for the rosé. It’s Ireland’s favourite summer wine and,we’re particularly fond of the very light, just about pink, product that comes from the south of France and a bit wary of American brands, often called ‘blush’. They can be very sweet and are sometimes made by mixing red wine with white, a crude method that is banned in Europe.

Kilkenny’s five-star Mount Juliet Estate has unveiled exciting new dining and accommodation plans as it reopens its doors to the public this month. The multi award-winning venue has confirmed it is back in business in line with Government’s latest guidelines on lifting restrictions across the country. The team at Mount Juliet has prepared a range of innovative ‘stay-cation’ packages to cater for the domestic market as more and more people look to the best of what the country has to offer.

tv idea of of the week

toy story 4 Disney+ Woody has always been confident about his place in the world and that his priority is taking care of his kid, whether that’s Andy or Bonnie. But when Bonnie adds a reluctant new toy called “Forky” to her room, a road trip adventure ensues. The adventurous journey turns into an unexpected reunion as Woody’s slight detour leads him to his long-lost friend Bo Peep. As Woody and Bo discuss the old days, they soon start to realize that they’re worlds apart when it comes to what they want from life as a toy.

family idea of the week documentary of the week

Hummingbird Hawk-moth – a blur of wings! Pic: Justin Ivory Not only is this moth day flying, studies have shown that they often return to feed at the same patch of flowerbed at the same time each day.

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 migrant to Britain and Ireland from mainland Europe in varying numbers.

2017 seems to be a bumper year for this wonderful creature so get yourself to a garden and try and see one for yourself.

Even non-wildlife nerds are amazed by these fascinating insects.

AriesAn obstacle could obscure a personal dream. You’re getting stronger today and tomorrow. Polish and beautify.

VirgoDo your financial homework. Stay current with paperwork, legal matters and insurance. File and organize accounts.

LibraFollow through with what you told your partner you would do. Avoid controversies and just do it.

ScorpioPractice your physical moves. Try new techniques or twists. Strive for balanced energy and health. Nurture yourself with excellent food, music and rest.

Sagittarius-

Provide a stabilizing influence. Enjoy fun activities in good company.

Romance develops with half a chance. Add candlelight.

CapricornSavor domestic crafts and comforts. Cook up something delicious, and invite family and friends.

Others are happy to help.

Baz Ashwamy: Wingman info@mahymedia.com

sealife bray Reopens June 29, visitsealife.com/bray/

Athlete a Netflix

Do you reckon it’s time for a big change in your life but you need some help? Baz Ashmawy is always a good guy to have on your side. Now, as we emerge from sitting in during lockdown, have you pondered those opportunities that you might have let past. As we get out of the traps, are those dreams and unfulfilled ambitions waiting to be unleashed, albeit with a little helpful nudge - in the form of Baz Ashmawy! Now this is your chance! Seize the moment and do something extraordinary for yourself - or for someone close.

SEA LIFE Bray is set to fully reopen to visitors on June 29 as lockdown measures across the Republic of Ireland continue to ease. The site’s team has worked throughout the lockdown to design and implement reopening measures that ensure that the attraction is safe for visitors and colleagues alike. As with any activity post-lockdown, Sea Life Bray asks all visitors to closely observe guidelines, maintain a safe distance from those outside their party and to keep up with good hygiene practices.

This documentary focuses on the gymnasts who survived USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar’s abuse and the reporters who exposed USAG’s toxic culture. Athlete A gets its name from the moniker served to Maggie Nichols – the first girl to report Nassar to USA Gymnastics. Despite being described as a “shoo-in” for an Olympic team place, soon after reporting her numerous sexual assaults, Nichols didn’t even make the reserves. A brilliant but disturbing documentary.

AquariusWhen pursuing a possibility, the first thing you may notice is the opposite. You may see everywhere it’s missing. Articulate your message for a powerful presentation.

PiscesApply energy to profitable schemes. Not every suggestion works. Choose prudently. Monitor budgets and statistics for best value.

The more you complete, the more you gain.

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Seveteen dogs are rescued

Gardai have launched an investigation after 17 dogs were removed from a county Wicklow premises and put into care.

The animals were removed from the premises following a joint operation involving local gardai and members of the ISPCA. Gardai said they are satisfied none of the dogs were stolen.

A local Garda spokesperson added: “Sgt Roisín Daly with Gardaí from Wicklow, Avoca and Arklow and with the assistance of Chief Inspector Conor Dowling and his team from the ISPCA carried out an inspection in the District this week as a result of which 17 dogs were taken from a premises into care.

“A full investigation is under way. A great result for interagency cooperation.”

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wicklowvoice.ie Juuly7, 2020

Lights, camera, action: €150m studio planned

Wicklow could be on the verge of another film and media golden era after it emerged a second operation is looking to set up a significant studio operation in the county.

A group called Wicklow Media Campus Limited group requested permission to construct a new 14 studio production unit at the IDA industrial Park in Killincarrig in Greystones, the third studio in the county after Ardmore and Ashford.

The facility on 18 hectares, would also comprise of offices, editing suites, and ancillary facilities necessary for film production.

It is estimated the new campus would create up to 1,500 jobs and would require an investment of €150m to see it completed. If granted permission it would provide another huge boost to the arts in Ireland and employment in Wicklow.

The audio-visual sector is currently worth over €1 billion to the Irish economy, with 12,000 people employed in film, tele-

vision and animation production. “The Greystones Media Campus has the potential to be an exciting new chapter in the story of the Irish film industry and will lead to a wealth of new opportunities in the sector and across Wicklow,” a spokesperson for GMC said: “It’s been clear for some time

that, while Wicklow is the only county in Ireland to have two large-scale studios, the existing infrastructure needs to be supported and expanded if Irish productions are to compete internationally. In addition, the increasing demand for content from global companies such as Netflix, Amazon and Disney

mean that the proposal for this new facility is extremely timely.”

“Greystones is an ideal location for this exciting new project, with good access to the M11/N11 Dublin-Wexford route, the M50 and to Dublin Airport. Greystones also gives access to a large and compre-

hensive range of screen location sites, both urban and rural. We are delighted to be in a position to submit this planning application and progress on this exciting new development for the Irish film sector and help ensure high-quality TV and film productions continue to be made in Ireland.”

Previously this year, Ardmore Studios began work on a major expansion of their own Braybased facility. They are currently building a new sound stage, with two more in the pipeline which would bring to nine the stages available to Ardmore.

In May, South Dublin County Council agreed to sell 48 acres of land for €26.4m to a company that plans to build the State’s largest film and TV studios.

The deal will see land at Grange Castle Business Park in Dublin 22 sold to a company called Lens Media Ltd, which intends to develop a media park with 12 sound stages, 100,000sq ft of workshop space and another 100,000sq ft of offices.

July 07, 2020

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wicklowvoice.ie Juuly7, 2020