Lifestyle

When Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote, many years ago, that “The old order changeth yielding place to new” maybe he was foretelling what would happen to political parties on this island.

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BREAKTHROUGH Cancer Research has launched a fundraising drive to support three new ovarian cancer research projects.  The campaign coincides with Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.As the fourth most common cancer in Ireland, with an average of 376 new cases every year, ovarian cancer kills more than 267 of these women within five years, because of a lack of treatment options.  It is one of the most stubbornly resistant cancers to the advances of modern medicine like chemotherapy. Because of this, sadly, more than seven out of every 10 women diagnosed do not survive. Commenting on the appeal, Orla Dolan from Breakthrough Cancer Research said, “Our researchers are close to a number of breakthroughs that will revolutionise the way ovarian cancer is treated – treatment options that are specifically designed to attack chemo-resistant strains of ovarian cancer. But the simple fact is that we will not succeed in achieving any of this without an urgent injection of research funding. We are imploring …

THE head gardener at Blarney Castle has been announced as the latest high-profile speaker confirmed to appear at this year’s Clare Garden Festival.Adam Whitbourn will join other speakers including Clare’s organic guru Jim Cronin, GIY patron Klaus Laitenberger and plantsman and RHS tutor Ciarán Burke at the festival to be held at the Ennis Showgrounds in April. The theme this year fitting to the Gathering is Going back to your roots! with all areas of gardening set to be covered.Adam, a trained horticulturalist from Askham Bryan college, York, England, took on the role as head gardener at Blarney Castle in 2009 and has overseen the transformation of the gardens into a must-see destination for anyone with a passion for horticulture, having featured in Irish Garden magazine and The English Garden magazine. “I am excited to visit Clare and be part of what is promising to be a great festival with an amazing line-up of speakers and exhibitors. It will be …

There is great human interest in the election of a Pope; so much is expected of the man who emerges from behind the heavy red curtains, onto the balcony of St Peter’s. Almost immediately, his gestures and his words are weighed and considered and within hours, millions of people know him by his new name. The Friars in Ennis were watching the moment the cardinal deacon told the world that the new pope’s name was Francis. Francis!That name evokes so much in every Franciscan friar. Within minutes, the crowds in St Peter’s Square were chanting “Francesco, Francesco”. In time our newly elected pope will probably explain exactly why he chose a name that no other pope in history has taken. I’m sure he has very personal reasons for the choice. In Italy, St Francis of Assisi is loved in a unique way. Of course, there are a few saints named Francis, including St Francis Xavier, the great Jesuit missionary, but …

  Like the election of Barack Obama when, for the first time one felt hopeful that the world was finding a fresh, more inclusive language, Pope Francis also fascinates within and without Roman Catholicism. Most immediately, the signs are encouraging: taking the name of the iconic servant figure of Francis with his commitment to the poor and as a Jesuit and bishop, his concern for social justice in testing times within turbulent Argentina. (We pray his record there will stand the light).We all have a stake in the Bishop of Rome as the significant figure in world Christianity. We must be united – the wide spectrum of believers under the so-called Protestant umbrella and Roman Catholics. Some of the former are not afraid to value the term Catholic or catholic, meaning universal and therefore are eager to share it with the universal Church of Rome. Others in their spiritual pilgrimage are less acquainted with and enthused by the concept. But …

FOUR Centra stores in Clare are celebrating after receiving the Supreme National Hygiene Award from Martin Kelleher, managing director of Centra, and Irene Collins, managing director, Excellence Ireland at the 2013 Centra Quality Awards in Killarney recently. The Supreme Hygiene Award identifies and rewards retailers that have performed to a consistently high level over a three-year period.The four Clare stores that were presented with the prestigious award were Lynch’s Centra, Gort Road, Ennis; Ryan’s Centra, Clonroadmore, Ennis; Donnellan’s Centra, Loughville, Ennis and Rodgers’ Centra, Scariff.A further six Clare stores – Deasy’s Centra, Clarecastle; Michael’s Centra, Kildysart; Johnston’s Centra, Kilmihil; Jones’ Centra, Miltown Malbay; Crowe’s Centra in Sixmilebridge and O’Keeffe’s Centra, Tulla Road – were also presented with the Excellence Ireland National Hygiene and Food Safety Certificate, which is independent verification of the highest standards of operational hygiene and food safety in the food sector business.A total of 343 Centra stores in the Republic of Ireland have achieved the much coveted …

When the Sinn Féin candidates had such a widespread victory in the 1918 General Election they immediately announced the setting up of Dáil Éireann. The War of Independence started on the day the Dáil first met and they set about organising their own system of local government. The Local Government Elections in January 1920 saw similar results and most of the local authorities in the country were then in Republican control. One of those was Cork Corporation and, on January 31, Tomás Mac Curtain was elected Lord Mayor of Cork, the first republican to hold the post. His term of office, however, lasted less than two months.Mac Curtain was born at Ballyknockane in 1884 and attended Burnfort National School. At the age of 13 the family moved to Cork City and lived in Blackpool – although he may have just moved to live with an older sister. He attended The North Monastery Christian Brothers Secondary School and, afterwards, worked as …