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Such a wonderful Spring!
Spring has been a difficult time. It's not just the social isolating, or the threat the pandemic poses. Our family lost our beloved Step Mother to the Covid 19 virus on April 18th. I've written 4 pieces for the Waterford News and Star since the lockdown. They meander through the last few weeks with the story of what happened . . .
When all will be well again
Times are strange for sure. While Spring is trying it's best to break through we are also struggling with what Covid -19 has brought us. Anxiety and isolation mostly. Saint Patrick's Day has been cancelled. We all have to have private parades and parties. We wash our hands and cross our fingers. I've developed a nasty habit of . . .
Well Girl Walk, Waterford Women’s Centre 1995-2020
In 1995 a group of us in Waterford, accessed EU funding to set up two women's projects in the South East of Ireland. One became Access 2000 in Wexford and the other became the Waterford Women's Centre. The Irish Government was the mainstream funder of the two projects in time. Through creative thinking and dedication both projects have . . .
Blacksod Bay
You couldn't be looking out into Blacksod Bay and fail to think of Rescue 116. The helicopter went down here last year, 2017, while on a mission in bad weather conditions. All four crew were lost. You can see Blackrock Island where the incident occurred from everywhere along this stretch. I had never been here . . .
The Copper Coast of County Waterford
Annestown, Knockane, Benvoy, Boatstrand, Kilmurrin, Bonmahon, Tra na mBó, Ballydowane, this was my journey today. I've been thinking about starting a section on this blog to highlight some of the places I know and love. What do you think? I get asked a lot about the best places to visit and besides the obvious and the . . .
Primitive man in all his glory
Last weekend as usual there were young lads playing in the forest beside the lake. I can see this spot from the house. So like all my neighbours, I tend to keep an close eye on these boys. I wonder who they are? The years pass and still they come. Anonymous teenagers with all kinds of excitement on their minds. Bitter experience reminds me where . . .
10% of Irish people have no religion
According to the census results only 10% of people in Ireland have “No religion”. No religion doesn’t really cover the multitude and variety of individuals behind that new statistic. I know because I am one of them. I have a hunch that the real figure is probably a lot more than 10%. Do you think that everyone, in every home, was consulted about . . .
The good life in rural Ireland
"I see myself on the underworld side of that water, the darkness coming in fast, saying all the names I know for a lost land:" From The Lost Land by Eavan Boland While we all complain about our pet hates, those of us living in Ireland have an incredibly good life. We are lucky or blessed . . .
None of us can be proud of Ireland
I feel ashamed to say it. But there is no doubt. Ireland is a two tier society. It’s a country where half of the population can sleep easy at night in the knowledge that their safe pensionable jobs can support their private health insurance, their mortgage payments and their annual holiday. Meanwhile if you live in the Ireland of low pay or . . .
