English boyband One Direction have inadvertently caused a heated war of words amongst parents at a Catholic school in Ireland. 30 pupils of the Raheen Gaelscoil school are due to receive their first holy communion in May next year, but it that happens to fall on the same day that the X Factor finalists will… Continue reading Row over Communion that clashes with pop concert
Category: Lifestyle
‘Majestic Ireland’ was the real star of The Quiet Man
The real star of the iconic 50s film ‘The Quiet Man’ was not John Wayne or Maureen O’Hara but ‘majestic Ireland’. That is the sentiment of Hollywood legend O’Hara, who wrote a letter to the Cong festival to celebrate a new statue of herself and John Wayne being unveiled.
Mother reunited with daughter taken at birth
A mother has ended nearly 50 years of heartache by successfully tracing the daughter she was forced to give up for adoption at birth. The woman gave birth to a baby girl in 1966 in the Mother and Baby Home in Castlepollard in County Westmeath. It was a time when having a baby out of… Continue reading Mother reunited with daughter taken at birth
Conan O’Brien spoofs red hair campaign
Talk show host Conan O’Brien has added his unique style of comedy to a campaign to improve the worldwide image of red haired men. A video portraying redheads as cool, sexy and confident has been produced in England as part of an art exhibition, with the goal of dispelling the myth that red haired males… Continue reading Conan O’Brien spoofs red hair campaign
Ireland could lose its lush green countryside
Ireland is famed for its beautiful countryside, but the future could be different. The green fields and forests of today may end up a miserable brown and yellow landscape. The country could lose its lush green countryside if changes in the climate continue at their current rate according to a report by the Irish Meteorological… Continue reading Ireland could lose its lush green countryside
Should Ireland call time on Arthur’s Day?
Tomorrow is Arthur’s Day and while many people in Ireland and across the world are looking forward to marking it with a pint of Guinness, there are a growing number of dissenting voices hoping to call time on the celebrations. Some health campaigners say it encourages excessive drinking and puts huge strain on hospitals. Arthur’s… Continue reading Should Ireland call time on Arthur’s Day?
Irish Health Groups want increase in tobacco tax
Health groups in Ireland are calling on the Government to increase the tax on cigarettes at a higher rate than inflation to help cover the costs of smoking related illnesses. The Irish Heart Foundation (IHF) and the Irish Cancer Society (ICS) say that smoking related illnesses cost the country around €2bn per year. The tax… Continue reading Irish Health Groups want increase in tobacco tax
Campaign to ban smacking of children
Children’s groups are putting pressure on the Irish Government to introduce a law making it illegal for parents to smack their children. Until 2001, Parents had the right to use ‘reasonable and moderate chastisement’ to discipline their children. These rights were repealed in the 2001 Children’s Act. However, while the Children’s Act removed parent’s rights… Continue reading Campaign to ban smacking of children
Ireland asks England to return precious manuscript
The Irish government are hoping to persuade Oxford University in England to return an ancient manuscript to their shores. The Annals of Inisfallen took 300 years to produce. They tell the history of Ireland from AD 433 to AD 1450. Monks at Inisfallen Abbey, Co Kerry, started writing the documents in the 1100s. The monks… Continue reading Ireland asks England to return precious manuscript
Americans vote Ireland fourth ‘Dream Destination’
Ireland has been named as the fourth most desirable destination for a holiday of a lifetime by a travel magazine in the United States.
