Lifestyle

THE death occurred in England recently of Clonlara-born Gertrude Beckett née Madden, aged 100 years. She was born at Erina Lock, Clonlara where her father, David Madden, was the lock keeper and her mother, Ellen, was the district midwife.

THE best researchers and clinicians in Galway and Roscommon have united to deliver the new Galway Diabetes Research Centre (GDRC), which will work to reduce the high incidence of this disease in the West of Ireland.

TWO names, more than any others, immediately come to mind when thinking of the Gaiety Theatre – Jimmy O’Dea and Maureen Potter. In the 1920s, O’Dea teamed up with Harry O’Donovan to form O’D Productions and they produced their early shows in the Gaiety.

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THE light clatter of hooves on the Carolan family farm in Muckinish, Spancilhill are audible every Saturday morning. The sound is accompanied by the uplifting sight of special needs children trotting around the farmyard aboard Lightning, supervised by Ashling Carolan, who is one of Ireland’s first therapeutic riding coaches. A social care graduate, who works in Tipperary during the week, Ashling has been getting up early on Saturday mornings in recent months. “I work with people with special needs on a day programme in Tipperary. I used to take the lads horse riding at work and I really liked it. I thought it really benefited them so I went off and did a course in therapeutic riding coaching. There are a lot of general riding schools around but I don’t know of any doing therapeutic riding classes at present,” Ashling told The Clare Champion. “I know the things that need to be worked on and the areas that I can …

Dust and fragments of clay, the remnants of hard work, lie sprinkled across the marble tiles. Fine sculptured pieces line the room, with buckets of paint filling the room with a pungent aroma. The wooden table forms the epicentre of the studio, serving as the platform for the starting part of the work. This studio has, for the best part of a decade, been the arena for the creation of almost 100 ceramic works. The artist, Noreen Ramsay has spent long years perfecting her craft. A quick glance across the patio to her studio adjacent to her Cratloe home will normally show a dim bulb, as she toils away through the night.Having grown up in the heartland of Zambia, she developed a love of imagery and creativity. Having trained in medicine, her  burst of creativity took over, in a career-defining turning point of her life.“I think it did influence it because I was outdoors a lot,” she said. “In Africa, …

WITH the Christmas party season about to get into full swing, it’s time to revive the winter wardrobe by injecting some key essentials for the festivities ahead.From family gatherings to New Year’s Eve parties, a staff night out to a girls’ night on the tiles, you will need a different style for each occasion.For a classy yet respectable look for the annual staff get together, you can’t go wrong with an elegant LBD (little black dress) but for the Christmas season why not jazz it up and go for a festive colour, be it red, green or gold. You can glam up the look with patterned or printed tights, like outfit 1.Remember, for work Christmas parties never go too much above the knee or show too much cleavage to avoid any unwanted and uncomfortable attention.This season, no matter what the occasion, gold is a 24-carat investment. It ensures you sparkle, whether you choose to go golden in your heels, accessories …

IT’S not always easy to kit out the whole family with new clothes, especially in current economic climate and with yet another tough budget on the way. The expectation of having to be dressed from head to toe in new clothes for Christmas can be stressful for many families, so I have decided to put some tips together so you can get the most out of your well-earned cash this season.Having a great wardrobe on a budget take a little time and effort, together with know-how. The first step is to educate yourself on the current trends and looks of the season. Check out online fashion sites and fashion TV shows. Look through current magazines and pick up free look books available in most boutiques and high-street stores. Many high-street shops stock items that have been designed around couture looks. At a fraction of the price, these great pieces will inject some seasonal trends to your wardrobe.Take advantage of existing …