While ‘back to school’ is an ominous sign of the end of summer, at least this year the kids had a pretty decent run of good weather as opposed to recent years when the summers have been terrible with the weather coming right only once the kids had returned to school. I took the opportunity and made the most of the exceptional weather last week during my time off, spending a couple of days travelling around the peninsulas of wonderful West Cork and with the weather adding to the most breathtaking scenery, I really enjoyed the [...] Continue Reading…

Olwyn Enright’s decision not to stand at the next General Election is blow both to the Fine Gael party and to women of all parties in the Dáil according to Deputy Deirdre Clune, one of the four remaining female TDs in Fine Gael among 48 male TDs.

“As a young thirty-something woman with a lot to offer in terms of her legal background, her political experience at local and national level and her commitment to serving her constituents she embodied the type of person we need to encourage into the Dáil. Her decision not to stand for [...] Continue Reading…

By Norris Burkes

It was 3 a.m. when the doctors flooded her room with light. Still numb from pain medication, the new mom fumbled for her glasses, squinting to distinguish the blur of white coats. The doctors were saying something about needing some papers signed—now.

Twenty miles and twenty minutes away, a high-pitched beep suddenly filled my dark bedroom. Numb from the early hour, I fumbled for my glasses too so I could read the number on my pager. Still groggy, I managed to get dressed while placing a whispered phone call to the maternity ward.

“Chaplain, we have [...] Continue Reading…

With more and more and more people now out of work and many
others on reduced incomes the crippling costs faced by families as
children return to school over the coming days will place unprecedented
pressure on many families.
Labour has previously published the findings of research indicating that
it can cost as much as €1200 per child to cover the costs of uniforms,
books, voluntary contributions, stationery etc.
For instance, many schools require students to wear a specialised
uniform which can prove to be particularly expensive when compared
to those available in the chain stores.
The Minister and her department can no longer wash their [...] Continue Reading…

with Garvan J. Lynch B.Sc.N.U.I. B.Sc. Chem. G.R.S.C. B.Sc. Pharm. M.P.S.I. M.R.Pharm.S. of Lynchs Pharmacy

Interstitial cystitis — also called painful bladder syndrome — is a chronic condition characterized by a combination of uncomfortable bladder pressure, bladder pain and sometimes pain in your pelvis, which can range from mild burning or discomfort to severe pain. The severity of symptoms caused by interstitial cystitis often fluctuates, and some people may experience periods of remission. Although there’s no treatment that reliably eliminates interstitial cystitis, a variety of medications and other therapies offer relief.

Interstitial cystitis symptoms include:

A persistent, urgent need [...] Continue Reading…